Pit to car radio

[Boxster66]

Hi, Running I'm CSCC Modern Classics, can we, or does anyone use pit to,car radios?

[stuartj]

I run in Future Classics where I believe Nic Olson runs very successfully in his Lotus with such a system.

[andy97]

There is no series rule against running Pit to Car radios, you just have to comply with whatever the circuit/MSA rules are (I have no idea). I think 2 or 3 people do use them but the vast majority don't and personally in a 40 minute race I don't see the need or the advantage.

[woof]

I looked at it last year - you can when there's a compulsory pit stop.
I thought it would be pretty useful on test days as well. But haven't invested in it yet.

[Soul Reaver]

I use one (Autotel Digi) and it is invaluable to handle the pit stop. Won me a race once by keeping me out of the pits at the last minute when it was clogged with cars. I also like being told who is chasing me and who I'm chasing.

[woof]

I can save you some money Boxster66 - pit to car radio will be

Yep Woof is still ahead
Yep he's still ahead.
Yep he's still leading.
No - he's won now

[Tanuki]

andy97 said:

There is no series rule against running Pit to Car radios, you just have to comply with whatever the circuit/MSA rules are (I have no idea).

As well as having the appropriate PMR license from the OFCOM. Assuming you want to be totally legit.

[PabloTheOrange]

Tanuki said:

andy97 said:

There is no series rule against running Pit to Car radios, you just have to comply with whatever the circuit/MSA rules are (I have no idea).

As well as having the appropriate PMR license from the OFCOM. Assuming you want to be totally legit.

"8.1.10. (a) Cars will be Permitted to carry radio transmitters or receivers, for which Ofcom licences will be checked at scrutineering"

You can get a UK General Light (can be used all over the UK) licence for £75 for 5 years, which allows you to run up to 5 watts of power. Whilst that wouldn't be enough to get from say Club to Copse at Silverstone, you could use it near the pits very easily!

[Boxster66]

Got a great set up for just £220 my pit man Henry has done a deal to get the big. F1 type headset for just £60....I can see it will be very helpful but mainly just for the fun of it! Yes, woof.... I won't be any competition for you theis season as my Boxster is still BRSCC spec, not full of cheats like yours! Lol.... Who are you anyway woof, do you have a name?

[woof]

Boxster66 said:

Got a great set up for just £220 my pit man Henry has done a deal to get the big. F1 type headset for just £60....I can see it will be very helpful but mainly just for the fun of it! Yes, woof.... I won't be any competition for you theis season as my Boxster is still BRSCC spec, not full of cheats like yours! Lol.... Who are you anyway woof, do you have a name?

Ha - I'll give you a call, I'd be interested in pit to car

[thunderbelmont]

Did somebody call....

This is one of my areas of business.

[IanUAE]

We don't race in the UK but:
1) National race days we just use a pit board,
2) Endurance events car-to-pits radio is essential

[tapkaJohnD]

I find it invidious that races that involve a driver change are allowed to use radios. (With the exception of the Birkett Relay and others possibly) Anything that gives certain drivers/teams an advantage in club sport because they have a bigger budget should be excluded, IMHO.

How many drivers/teams use a radio in the CSCC Future Classics? That club's two driver races that allow cost-sharing and enable people to get started in motorsport should be the bed rock of clubsport, and not dominated by the wealthy.

JOhn

[woof]

tapkaJohnD said:

I find it invidious that races that involve a driver change are allowed to use radios. (With the exception of the Birkett Relay and others possibly) Anything that gives certain drivers/teams an advantage in club sport because they have a bigger budget should be excluded, IMHO.

How many drivers/teams use a radio in the CSCC Future Classics? That club's two driver races that allow cost-sharing and enable people to get started in motorsport should be the bed rock of clubsport, and not dominated by the wealthy.

JOhn

With that thought process - you should be also be complaining about people that buy new tyres for a race or go testing! Set of Toyo's is near enough £900 - Boxster66's radio is £300. I don't think it's really a cost factor and certainly could argue it a nice safety feature as well.

[thunderbelmont]

I quite agree. The cost of radio equipment is minimal compared to a set of boots, or even fuel for the weekend.

It's all about control!

I have hired kit out to various teams for endurance events, without lifting their legs, and given enough notice, supplied them with their own exclusive channels free from interference from other racers on the same day.

There are only a limited number of "UK General / Business Radio Light" channels to play with, and I'm able to offer "Short Term Hire" (a period of not more than one year) with something like 25 frequencies to play with on UHF, and for something like the Britcar 24, I'd recommend an exclusive pair, which I charge out at cost - unlike some other organisations.

As for headsets, you get what you pay for! If you can find some previously enjoyed Peltor or MSA Sordin headsets, you've got good noise cancelling and a good quality headset. Otto headsets don't come anywhere near the same level of attenuation or quality. There are some other cheapies that I can get for sub-£50 but they are utterly useless for motorsport!

Advice is free - unlike some people who won't tell you anything until they have your credit card number.
And I don't charge £40 to solder a couple of wires back on at a circuit either..

I'm also working on something else - for those that do events overseas and are sick of paying through the nose for radio permits..... like Spa at €225 for a weekend, plus all of the other associated costs getting your radio kit to work on the frequencies they allocate to you. More when it's sorted.

[Boxster66]

It won't be an advantage for us , just something to get the whole 'team' working together, this season will be a fun, no pressure laugh for us...after years of chasing points and championships... That's why we chose CSCC .....

[Z3MCJez]

tapkaJohnD said:

I find it invidious that races that involve a driver change are allowed to use radios. (With the exception of the Birkett Relay and others possibly) Anything that gives certain drivers/teams an advantage in club sport because they have a bigger budget should be excluded, IMHO.
JOhn

No pit-to-car radio in the Birkett. Specifically excluded. Although one team got permission to run live video last year.

Jez

[tapkaJohnD]

woof said:

With that thought process - you should be also be complaining about people that buy new tyres for a race or go testing! Set of Toyo's is near enough £900 - Boxster66's radio is £300. I don't think it's really a cost factor and certainly could argue it a nice safety feature as well.

If you view that sort of cost as 'not really a factor', then your's is clearly not for the likes of me! A set of the racing tyres I use is less than £300 - and £300 is a weekend's race fee.

I'm not some right-on Trotskyist. My point was that CSCC have gone for a cheap racing, cost-sharing format, two drivers for each race. They have applied it to several series to great effect, because it splits the costs to get lots of people on the track, and as a result those races are very popular. You can spend as much as you like, it's your money.

And, yes, no radios on the Birkett, I said that.
John

Edited by tapkaJohnD on Sunday 2nd February 23:24

Edited by tapkaJohnD on Sunday 2nd February 23:26

[woof]

I really like the 2 driver format of the CSCC and 750MC Roadsports but these formulas are effectively open regs that allow for untold spending on engines etc. But I take your point that club racing should be cost controlled where possible, I just don't think banning radio comms would be a productive way of doing it and as Boxster66 says, it's about getting his family/friends more involved in the racing. ( btw I don't have a radio)

[drmotorsport]

I tried using a mobile phone with hands free kit once an few years ago so my wife could call me and give me my lap times. I got a severe bking from the scruitineers in the assembly area who spotted it just as I was about to grid up and they confiscated my phone. Afterwards turned out there is a blue book rule that only pit boards are acceptable for non MSA national championships...