Pryme Throat mic/radio combo

[Rogue1]

I have a Pryme throat mic model "Gladiator SPM-1500" and seem to have some problem getting it to work properly with my Cobra PR-955 VP FRS/GMRS radio. The radio works fine by itself or with a Radio Shack throat-mic (pre-amp built into the PTT switch) but with the Pryme, it receives OK but does not pick up my voice well enough to be heard unless I talk very loud. With the Radio shack unit,I can whisper and be heard very well. The Pryme is very well built but just does'nt get it . It is a 2 pin plug (into the radio) and I'm curious if anyone else has a Pryme with a different radio that works. It would be cheaper for me to buy a new radio that is compatible if someone could suggest a model that will work. I've e-mailed Alex at Pryme and have not gotten a reply so far. Any comment or suggestions?

[Zorak]

My Gladiator only ever worked right with my Motorola Talkabout T6220.

[Rogue1]

Thanks Z! That was what I needed. A model number that actually works with the Pryme. I've talked to two different 2 way radio dealers this last week and will be taking my gear to them this week to try to sort it out. They seem to be steering me toward the same ICOM unit that GK has adopted but I need it work on FRS as well as GMRS so when I go to an OP, I can talk to anyone there. Also, their price sounds a little high,over $200 for the radio with a rechargable battery pak(good idea due to the power consumption you posted about?) I'll have more info in a few days I hope!

[Zorak]

The IC-F21GM comes with a basic rechargable battery, adequate for a day's play if you use the 1w mode, or a few hours at higher power. If that's the one in the $200 package, it's a bad deal. If they're bundling it with a bigger pack, it could be a decent deal, although you still have the FRS issue.

[Rogue1]

Well, I spent about an hour today with a local (Grand Rapids) 2 way radio dealer and got quite an education. I needed to do this so I could better understand what it will take to get the level of "COM" that I'm trying to achieve. These guys were true professionals(they are into crotch rocket racing and just got back from Daytona and testing with the top rider for Honda- he can talk to the crew chief at 200 MPH!) and took a lot of time to properly check out my current gear (Pryme/Cobra) and for whatever reason, why it will not transmit well. They were at a loss to explain it other than just a basic incompatability and show me what it takes ($$$$) to do it right. I will probably go to at least one other source before commiting any funds but it looks like I need a different mic and a radio to match and it will cost about what I would spend for a new , upgraded replica. I'm still thinking that a throat mic suits my style even though there are several nice options. The best option is a bone conduction earmold that is just an earpiece that sends and receives , then a throat mic similer to the LASH II but a little cheaper, then it goes to headset/boom mic style in order of cost. The radio is a Kenwood that will operate on both FRS and GMRS so I can go to an OP and talk to everyone and with enough power to work a large area and still talk in a whisper if needed. I'm pissed that I can't get Pryme to respond to my emails with some explanation after having made a good size investment but it's live and learn time. I believe that good COMM is important in the real world and adds a huge advantage in airsoft also when beyond hand signal range so I guess I'll work some more OT at work and find a way once I get more info. I'll post more when I get more info.

[Munin]

The problem is usually impedence matching. Even if the plugs are compatible, sometimes the voltage/impedence is not, which results in very poor pick-up from the microphone. Basically, the best bet is to check with the manufacturer of your headset/throat-mike/whatever to ensure that it is actually compatible with your radio. Note that compatibility in this case is more complicated than just having the correct plugs.

[Zorak]

Pryme does shit for testing in that department, and throat mics seem to be unusually demanding.

[Rogue1]

copy all that guys! i knew about the impedience match being the problem even before yesterday's visit to the radio dealer. i still have not heard back from Pryme (3 weeks) and that was the question i put to them was when i told them verbally on the phone what radio i had and they sent me the "correct" adaptor to hook their throat mic up to that radio, why does it not work as advertised?? their list of "compatible " radios is quite long (over 20 listed by motorola alone) but i think that is just the one's they have an adaptor for, not nessessarily the one's that will actually work right. i guess i'll have to send them a nasty-gram and see if they want me to put it out (like i'm doing here) that their product, however well built, actually sucks and so does their customer service!!

[sabot]

I have the exact same model of throat mic.
The techs at Pryme were very helpful in helping me select the right one.

I currently am using it with a midland G15 radio. I had to modify the angle of the transducers a little bit by heating and bending them so they made better contact with my neck. Performance is outstanding now.

For radios I would suggest Midland, Uniden, Motorola or Icom.

Try e-mailing Pryme. They always responded to me within hours.

[Rogue1]

Thanks for the info guys. I did email Alex at Pryme 3 weeks ago and no response so far. This was after he did assist me with my initial order,selected the correct(?) 2 pin plug for my radio and later when I asked about the lack of proper adjustment in the neck/transducer due to my 17 1/2" neck, he sent me a proto type neck strap to hold the transducers in their proper place. I sent another e mail this morning so I hope he will get back to me with some options. I suppose it's possible I just got a defective unit and they will at least replace or refund my money so I can get something else before the next OP.

[Zorak]

After I complained that my Pryme didn't work with my Rino, they exchanged it for me, but the new one didn't work any better. I wouldn't be optimistic.

[Rogue1]

The story continues.... finally got a response and now after several e mails and phone calls, I have been taken seriously.They seem to realize that there is a problem and I will now be assisting their R&D dept. with some testing of both new proto type units and even an "older" model is on the way to check out. They are starting to study the use of a pre-amps and after I explained how well the cheaper Radio Shack model worked, they have obtained several to test . I'll have more info to post soon after I get a few packages in the mail next week but I'm hopeful now that good commo is in the near future.

[Zorak]

Thanks for the update, Rogue. There are a lot of good things about the Pryme units. If they could get widespread compatability and a good neckband on top of their existing offering's features, I'd probably one, at least for testing purposes.

[Rogue1]

I think that is part of what they are up to Z. They gave me an elastic/velcro band that attached to the existing Gladiator neck band to hold it in place and I had that on at the last OP at Lowell if you remember. It kept the transducers in place and was comfortable to wear but it still did'nt pick up my voice very well. They are going to release a new model that has the transducers attached to a nylon neck strap and it has some other improvements too. They do recomend that I get a Motorola Talkabout with a single pin plug and are sending me the proper adaptor to hook it up to my Gladiator as those radios seem to work the best. I think they will also be experimenting with a pre-amp too once they see how much it helps (ala-Radio Shack!) I should have some stuff to test next week so i'll post my results here and will be reporting back to Pryme as well.

[Rogue1]

More updates! This week I got an adaptor from Pryme that will fit Motorola single pin radios and after testing with a borrowed model 5720 ,it seems to be better but still not as good as the Radio shack throat mic. I'll have to test it in battle before passing judgement entirely but I'm also getting a pair of Motorola's of my own to use in the upcoming WARM op. I ordered some T-7450R radios and hope the 2 watt power boosts the mic gain a little. Pryme also sent me an older model they still have around but don't list on the website to try also. It's a single transducer on the neck and a different earpiece (looks like the one Bruce Willis uses in "Tears of the Sun" ) and it has a smaller but functional PTT switch. It seems to work as well as the Gladiator as far as transmitting.Talking to Ken at Pryme, he thinks part of the problem is my neck size. Maybe the thickness of my 17 1/2" Roguish neck is too much for the vibes from my vocal chords to penetrate very well and a skinny guy might put out a better signal? I'll bring both to the next OP and do some testing on one of you pencil necks out there to see if that is true or not (Andrew, are you listening?) ;D More comments after I get the new radios!