Need an LED light up using a Motorola radio

I have an interesting need, that I am hoping the brain trust at Tacoma world can help out with.

The background: every year I work for the Iditarod and drive a snowmobile the 1,000 miles documenting the race as part of the video team. We have two teams of two. A camera guy and a guide. The guide hauls the extra fuel and tools and what not. Every year without fail I will be driving a little ways behind the guide and start watching something about to fall out, or break, or have the trailer fall off all together without the guide realizing. We both listen to music or podcasts as we drive, so shouting over a radio won’t work.

The solution? I figured it would be cool to rig up an LED on the dash that is tied to a walkie talkie, so when you hit the “call” button from one, it lights up the LED.

The problem: is that possible, or is there a better way? There are wireless cue systems, but WiFi only travels so far. We need at least 100 yards of coverage. With the radios you could potentially have miles.

What do you guys think? Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

You don't use helmet comms? I have a Sena 20S Evo that I ride with and have comms with all my buddies. It's advertised as 1.2 miles, but in the trees and hills it's a lot less, but you still get probably a 1/4 mile in the woods and a mile in the wide open. You can listen to your tunes, you can make and receive phone calls, you can have constant intercom or PTT intercom or voice activated... battery lasts 14 hours even when it's super cold and can recharge in an hour... really seems like something professional like you are doing, you guys should have helmet communicators!!

https://www.sena.com/product/20s-evo

 

We don't use helmets, otherwise helmet comms would be fantastic.

with what we do, helmets are just not functional, I know that sounds super weird, and not ideal. But at -65 we were a lot of fur on our heads and helmets don't fit, and taking them on and off to get video doesn't work either. so we go old school.

 

Ah, yes, I get it. I think they have systems similar for use without a helmet, but I am not sure.

 

Yeah Im with the others... a headset for the radio seems like the simple solution to this.

 

This is why it's a tricky situation. I trying to build a visual cue, because wearing a headset attached to the radio is not ideal. We are on these machines 22 hours a day, for 9 days, so we listen to music or podcasts to keep our sanity in check. To have another headset wire running down into our pockets in addition to music, and headlamp power cord, would just add to the chaos. I was thinking that just attaching the radio to the dash might work, because when you hit the "call" button, the display lights up, but that wouldn't be bright enough in the day. Was hoping for a really bright LED.

It might take some trial and error tests I guess.

 

No, same headset man, it's all one unit that bluetooths to your phone and radio frequencies to your buddy or even a group of buddies. You are overthinking this. Look up bluetooth comm systems. Mine works in a helmet but I am sure they make them for use with your choice of earbuds or other ear monitors or something. I know they make this kind of thing. And they don't have cords, you would actually eliminate the cords to your ipod or phone since it's bluetooth. You can have a wireless remote on the handlebars even. You can even bluetooth to camera systems like GoPro and the like which I would assume would be beneficial to your video productions.

I really think you are fighting what is a good answer. And to be honest, if I was riding sleds with you exclusively for 22 hours a day, I would actually insist you had a comm system. As a safety item mostly. They have saved our asses many, many times.

But I don't know what you do, so maybe I'm out to lunch.

 

So you'd need some type of remote controlled light with long range signal.

 

to be clear, we have radios, the protocol is if something happens, we turn them on and when the leader realize something is up, they turn theirs on and call back. I will check out these bluetooth com systems, obviously bluetooth doesn't last 22 hours, so there would have to be a wired charging system, but it sounds promising.

 

pretty much.