The use of Radios in
Paintball
Radios
Using two-way radios adds another dimension to your
paintball games. If the whole team uses radios then so much the better but even
if just a few of the team are fitted out with radios, it can be a big bonus and
be the deciding factor in your team winning or losing.
The radios in use by Team PaintballCarnage
are professional amateur radios which are programmed to transmit on the PMR 446
frequencies. PMR is an abbreviation of Private Mobile Radio, whereas 446 simply
indicates the band on which these license-free two way radios operate (446MHz).
Such devices are commonly referred to as walkie talkies. PMR-446 was introduced
in 1999 as a European alternative to the FRS (Family Radio Service), which is
available in the USA. 16 Channels are available for operating your PMR-446
radios on, 8 analogue and 8 digital.
Headsets
Headsets are a must for using with your radio. Several
types are available from the simple single ear bud with a small microphone and
button that hangs near your mouth or is fitted to your clothing by way of a
clip, or a throat microphone system that uses the same type of ear bud but you
wear the microphone against your neck and it picks up the sound vibrations
rather than sound from your mouth. The choice is up to the individual as to what
he/she chooses.
Example Radio Setup
My personal setup consists of radio, throat mic and
transmit button. The radio is attached to the paintball vest in a shoulder
pocket that is designed to hold the radio. From the radio is connected the
headset/mic wire which leads to the throat mic and an external push button
fitted with Velcro to the paintball vest.
In use, the ear bud will allow me to hear transmissions from my team without
being overheard by the enemy. By pressing the transmit button on the front of my
vest, I can talk quietly to my team who are scattered all around the game zone
and pass info such as positioning of the enemy and a plan of action to work with
my team in taking them out 1 by 1.
