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gamehendge
Oct 6, 2004, 1:19 AM
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Roger that, Crotch. Joe, we need that tube up here ASAP. The stroganoff is NOT anchored in too well. CODE BROWN! CODE BROWN!
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scubasnyder
Oct 6, 2004, 1:24 AM
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i like to use them on longer routes, and just in general, its good to always have one.
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tradmanclimbs
Oct 6, 2004, 1:40 AM
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I have a set i use for work and the GF has a set she uses for sking. we bring them all to the fair to keep track of kids etc. they work fine for that kind of stuff. never brought them climbing though. I have only had one situation in over 20 years of climbing were I really wished I had one. got the ropes stuk up on cannon. the rescues that I have been involved in on Mt washington, the personal radios wouldn't have done any good. it would be pure chance that an injured party would be on the same frecuency as another party on the mountain. also you can't call the forest circus on them. just one more thing to carry and another distraction from the natural beauty of the climb. My rope signals are so simple that it is hard to mess them up. If I keep yarding on the rope it means its time for you to get your butt up here 8^) I think i might think differently on a multi day big wall with lots of aid and too much time on your hands. Same with a party of 3 on an alpine climb. for reguler multi pitch trad and sport NO WAY for me. leave me in peace up here on my little spot on the cliff.
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climballnight
Oct 6, 2004, 2:02 AM
Post #29 of 56
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I'm a big advocate of WalkieTalkie's. Have you ever heard the spectical on Lost Horse in the crowded season? It usually goes something like this:
From the left "Alright I'm safe"
Below "Okay, off belay?"
From the right "NO! I'm climbing"
From the left "Mike, Josh is safe"
Below somewhere else, apparently named Mike "Who's safe? Tom is that you?"
From the left "Mike G. off belay"
... you get the point. Wow, were we ever glad to have walkie talkies that day! We thought we were the only folks with the idea at the time.
Nowadays, it's also interesting just how much "radio" traffic there is in popular climbing spots. On Tahquitz, if you don't have the secondary screening channel on your walkie talkie, you're either listening to someone else on the rock or truckers down below. It can be quite interesting! :wink:
I think, besides from the bleep bleep after everyone talks, they can actually make the area more quiet and peaceful for others passing by. You certainly don't need to yell anymore... then again, I suppose some would say that's half the fun.
Anyway, the walkietalkies have always worked really well for us. They're great around corners, generally very clear, and they look cool in the video footage a week later! :D
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alberta_climberboy
Oct 6, 2004, 2:46 AM
Post #30 of 56
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I do lots of hiking/climbing and i find them very usefull. I carry one in my pack. if you need it you have it, if not don't use it.
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wanderinfree
Oct 6, 2004, 3:31 AM
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You've pretty much heard all the pros and cons. We use walkie talkies on long routes, routes where the lead is out of sight, windy days, or if we know we are climbing near water. While we usually rely on the tug system when we forget the radios (which is pretty frequent), there are issues when the route has a lot of rope drag. Just a whole lot easier when you can finish off a route and use the radio to let the belayer know you're off.
I'd also suggest setting up what alternate channel you plan to switch to if there is too much traffic on your initial choice. We've been forced to switch through nearly five channels over the course of a long climb to find a quasi-clear one. Oh the joy.
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musicman
Oct 6, 2004, 4:28 AM
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i've used them on one multi pitch route, not sure what kind they were, you'll have to ask mrtristan about that. but they made it SO nice for communication. i just girth hitched the lanyard around my haul loop and then tucked it into my back pocket. the route we did, trilogy buttress up rockcanyon, has some weird pitches/belay stations and it made it really nice instead of screaming and hoping to be heard you could clearly just say "strait on" or "climbing" etc.etc. made it much easier to communicate and i never noticed it when climbing.
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eyecannon
Oct 6, 2004, 5:02 AM
Post #33 of 56
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Can anyone comment on the best ways to secure a walkie talkie to yourself? Are there any that have a little loop for a sling or something?
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karlbaba
Oct 6, 2004, 5:06 AM
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I like em and use em for all the reasons others have mentioned.
I'll add a few more.
On walls, they rule. El Cap is usually very windy for hours every day. You can't always see your partner. When the haul bag gets stuck, no amount of three tugs here or there will let you partner tell you how bad the bag is stuck or when he'll get there to fix it, or ask you if a piece was fixed or not. You can call down for specific gear, you can coordinate the hauling/lower out...awesome.
In a place like Josh where they is cragging all over the place, you can go off with a couple friends and the sleepy heads from camp can find you in a general area if you leave a radio for them.
Get the ones with privacy channels. If you don't, it will disturb your peace in places like Yosemite where there are lots of folks nearby
peace
karl
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fo_d
Oct 6, 2004, 5:41 AM
Post #35 of 56
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duskerhu and i have used them several times now, most recently at the Gunks where when you leave your belayer under a roof comunication becomes very difficult, i recommend them.
Les
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jefffski
Oct 6, 2004, 6:06 AM
Post #36 of 56
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Registered: Dec 10, 2002
Posts: 286
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so so useful. the couple of times i've used them--yak notably, they reduced the stress of comunication immeasurably.
i do laugh though at the whistler bumblies who use them mainly to find their friends in the lodge!
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pheenixx
Oct 6, 2004, 6:21 AM
Post #37 of 56
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Registered: May 22, 2004
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Yea, there good for arriving late to the crags. I drop one off with the leaving early party then sink at pre-planned time. GREAT for J-Tree, Jacks Cyn, large crags where you never know where people will end up around lunchtime.
Multiple channels - sub channels, good. Always re-set from the original default and you'll have your own. (some never change a clock flashing 12:00). I recommend to set before taking off on the climb -- duhh...
Good for multiple parties on multi-p for leader to keep tabs on end party.
We have also used them between cars while taking long drives to the crags. Makes communication easier when you gotta say **Hey, lets pull over here, I gotta take a cr*p**, or **Check out that GREAT looking Wall on the right"** -- yea, whatever-- it's cooler that calling on the cell specially cause there's never any good reception anyway.
I got Motorola's with options for hand-off, ring options, and silent mode -- which cuts down the ~~cechhhhe-ickkkky~~ sound some radios make.
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swohletz
Oct 6, 2004, 9:43 AM
Post #38 of 56
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This will sound a lot like many other replies...I've used radios a few times and have found them very helpful on long routes, especially those prone to wind or those with roofs and other features that hinder sound. In addition, they are helpful in communicating greater detail or things that are hard to yell down the crag (like "Give me a minute and I can give you 10 more feet of slack").
I have some Bell South radios. We used them recently at Red Rock with a group of three where one person had never done multipitch...communicating details on hazards, how to clean gear, etc was easy using the radios. It also avoided those confusing moments and long exchanges we've all experienced, not wanting to take someone off belay too soon, or not understanding the unintelligible yells of our partner, etc...It also helped when there were several others in our area not to confuse someone else's "off belay" cry with our leader's. Names help, but some names sound the same.
We did run into some crossfire but for the most part we were alone on our channel.
I figure I have them, so I might as well use them. Another resource to use to manage risk.
-s
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wonderwoman
Oct 6, 2004, 12:45 PM
Post #39 of 56
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Registered: Dec 14, 2002
Posts: 4275
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We got some motorola ones for a present and loved them, until we dropped one! We were using it on Whitehorse Ledge in N. Conway and I think we were on the third pitch when one of them twisted in it's holster and popped off. We were yelling ROCK ROCK ROCK ROCK but it took a while for the parties below us to look up. Good thing they finally did, but it seems like it's really difficult to hear anything there!
Anyway, they helped us on multi pitch climbs where otherwise we would not have heard eachother. My only complaint is that all it took was one moderate turn and the thing popped free. We should have put more thought into how to carry it but we never imagined that was going to happen.
Anyone know if I can buy a single one?
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tallnik
Oct 6, 2004, 1:18 PM
Post #40 of 56
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Registered: Apr 18, 2004
Posts: 595
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Yes you can buy single ones almost anywhere the sell them.
Lanyards, oh lanyards have saved many a tool.
I lost a favorite knife of mine while sailing one time, kindof similarly to you, the holster clasp popped when I was working lying down, stood up and turned and the knife flew overboard. Ever since then, anything that can fall free is lanyarded to me. Bungee cord (small diameter obviously, not the stuff for you car, is pretty handy somtimes)
Cheers,
Nik
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*thriller*
Deleted
Oct 6, 2004, 1:24 PM
Post #41 of 56
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I have a set of motorola's with the 14 channels and 35 sub-channels or whatever it is. You can set them to some obscure channel and not have to worry about other people on your line. I've used them for multi-pitch and they were great. I can remember using them at Potrero Chico because my partner and I couldn't hear each other at all a pitch apart, but because of the acoustics in the canyon, some other friends of ours on a totally different wall could hear every word either of us said.
they are also great for road tripping with more than one car. on the drive from canada to mexico, on passing through some city in Tennisee (i think) there was some unclear road signs and when switching from one freeway to another, i ended up going one way and my friend i was travelling with ended up going the other way. without the radios we would have never found each other again since we had no specific plans for stopping anywhere other than "when we get too tired to drive anymore".
On another note, i think (though i could be mistaken) that some places have an emergency channel for those radios too, so if you run into trouble a few pitches up and nobody is around, you can radio down to someone that you're stuck or whatever. you just have to remember what channel to put it on.
-Ian
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tradmanclimbs
Oct 6, 2004, 1:48 PM
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Registered: Apr 24, 2003
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i can see how they would be a big pluss on a big wall and they are great for keeping in contact on the road with multiple cars and finding your friends in social situations like rumny. I just think its pretty gay for a party of 2 on a standard trad rt to need them. I really dig the whole awareness thing. When I climb with The Gf we hardly yell at all. we have climbed so much together that you just know whet the other person is doing. i have had a few other trad partners with the same awareness. makes for a more natural experience.
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sarcat
Oct 6, 2004, 2:35 PM
Post #43 of 56
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In reply to: ... some places have an emergency channel for those radios too, so if you run into trouble a few pitches up and nobody is around, you can radio down to someone that you're stuck or whatever. you just have to remember what channel to put it on.
This topic came up on the MRA lister a few weeks ago. SAR personell were discussing if there is a national channel on FRS radios for emergencies. It was concluded that there is not. This does not mean that a certain area such as J-tree doesn't designate one for use in their area. If so you want to know if they monitor it 24-7 etc.
The Motorola 289 that I have has a "search" mode. I can eaves drop on any of the other 512 channels someone may talk on. If you really needed help you could but in.... On the flip side, remember that someone is probably listening to you.
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blueeyedclimber
Oct 6, 2004, 9:29 PM
Post #44 of 56
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In reply to: I just think its pretty gay for a party of 2 on a standard trad rt to need them. .
Hey buddy, there is already a gay climbers thread and you should do a search! Anyways, I don't think sexual preferance has anything to do with you choice of communicado. So piss off, drunkey!
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angelaa
Oct 6, 2004, 9:43 PM
Post #45 of 56
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Registered: May 21, 2003
Posts: 598
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couldn't have climbed (or rapped) the Castleton Tower safely without 'em!
anytime the route is long, winding or exposed (windy) I take 'em . . .
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davidji
Oct 6, 2004, 10:29 PM
Post #46 of 56
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Registered: Jan 30, 2003
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In reply to: The Motorola 289 that I have has a "search" mode. I can eaves drop on any of the other 512 channels someone may talk on. If you really needed help you could but in.... On the flip side, remember that someone is probably listening to you.
Anyway I'm sure the privacy codes are handy to reduce the crap you have to listen to while trying to climb, but as you said, others can hear you.
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sarcat
Oct 6, 2004, 10:39 PM
Post #47 of 56
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Registered: Jan 22, 2004
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You're right. 14 channels x 38 privacy codes = 532 possibilites
Note: If you get one that does not have the priv. codes (14 channels only) you must set the ones that do have the priv. codes to 0. Meaning:
cheap-0 set to channel 12
bettter one set to chanel 12, 0
I bought some cheap-o motorolas and they work with the better ones if set up this way.
I'm no expert at them. I have a hard enough time with the VHF and 800 MHZ radios I use.
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miker
Oct 15, 2004, 3:44 PM
Post #48 of 56
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Registered: Oct 1, 2001
Posts: 170
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On Long multipitch routes, on domes where you cannot see your partner and the wind is whipping and the rope drag is horrendous I love radios. I have the rino 120 cuz I love the GPS functions as well, if you know what the peak altitude is you know how far you have to go and if you both have rinos you can always find each other, although in the vertical situation it thinks you are on top of each other sometimes.
miker
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flamer
Oct 15, 2004, 4:27 PM
Post #49 of 56
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Registered: Oct 22, 2002
Posts: 2955
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I hate those damn radio's.
I will not climb with them.
I believe they are another example of "dumbing down" climbing.
Truly the death of learning to communicate the old school way.
Also if you carry these things ...you're carrying way to much stuff.
josh
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waltereo
Oct 17, 2004, 3:57 PM
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Registered: Jun 11, 2003
Posts: 151
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Hi,
Which one is best suit for climbing ?
I think the following caracteristic are good to have :
compact
small antenna
battery saver
Have a solid carying case to clip on the harness
earphones with mic
subchannel.
Thanks
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