Hearing protection and communicating at the mill

[mapleveneer]

Just a note on an experiment that we are trying.  My partner at the mill received a set of Isotunes Air Defenders for Christmas.  These are earmuffs with bluetooth connectivity.  Okay, so he can groove to music while sawing/tailing or answer the phone when his girlfriend calls.

But wait, what about using one of the walkie-talkie type apps on our phones to speak with each other rather than shouting or taking muffs off? We are experimenting with the Zello app on our phones.  The key to making it work is remapping one of the earmuff buttons to a Push-to-talk button in the Zello app.  Under Settings in Zello are the remapping options.  I managed to remap one of the Volume buttons to PTT. Will report back how it goes.

Has anyone else tried this?

[Les Staley]

WHAT??    Watching this thread with keen interest!!!     

[JoshNZ]

I'm sure you can get an app where you are just in constant conversation with eachother. If data isn't an issue, you could just WhatsApp call eachother?

I imagine there must be a peer2peer app where you can connect phones directly to eachother too with the wifi radio.

[mapleveneer]

I'm sure you can get an app where you are just in constant conversation with eachother. If data isn't an issue, you could just WhatsApp call eachother?

I imagine there must be a peer2peer app where you can connect phones directly to eachother too with the wifi radio.

The key is being able to remap a headset button to the PTT button.  Without this, you will be pulling your phone out each time you want to talk.  Or you may be maintaining an open connection continuously.  Depending on how good the noise cancellation is in the mic, you might be listening to a lot of milling noise.

[Stephen1]

I like the idea and am wanting something similar, for the mill and for where we live as it's a big yard and it is a pain,  always trying to find the my partner to ask something, you have to wander all over wondering where they are .

[JoshNZ]

I don't think noise would be an issue with the right head set. Dad uses a Bose headset with noise attenuation and he can take a call while mulching under the kiwifruit - 90horse tractor running at full noise smashing up prunings and blocks etc. Recipients say it's like he's just driving a car.

So good he got Mum one for Christmas for the lawn mower, so there's our pair I've been meaning to try! If it ever stops raining here, we will!

Our headsets in choppers are hot mic too, silent unless voice is picked up, there must be a way to encorporate that too, a software squelch.

Push to talk would be ok but I think I'd be wanting to talk while 2 hands in lifting boards, where's it go, rotating a log/cant, which way, etc.

[Percy]

Years ago I purchased three Peltor Forestry Hard hats with radio communication. They were pretty uptown, mega channels , voice actuated or push to talk, no blue tooth to phone. They were awesome but expensive. The  microphone eventually failed because of moisture and sawdust. Replacement mics were the same price as a complete hardhat assembly. The mics were an issue with just about every one who purchesed these. Eventually I quit buying mics....

[Walnut Beast]

 

 

[Andries]

My son's tree service uses the Protos helmets with Senna comms in the earmuffs.
They have worked very well for the past six years. Rain, snow sawdust and offensive language proof.
He can be walking over to the chipper truck for a saw and I can ask him to bring a can of gas for the MS660 . . . while the chipper and saw are both working at full throttle. Voice activated, and noise cancelling and much much better coordination at the job site. They work just as well around the LT40. The sound system receiver attaches to the back of the helmet and the Protos muffs are given a mod.

On some jobs, the crane is in the front yard and the rigger is in the back. The comms make it work.

[Marty]

Thanks, Mapleveneer, for the tip of the Zello App. This paired with our noise cancelling earbuds is going to work great. We've been using 2-way calling and the noise from the machinery has been too loud for those on the other end.

[mapleveneer]

Guys, sorry I haven’t reported back.  We have been involved with some other challenges at the mill   and haven’t had the opportunity to give it a good test.  Still planning on reporting back…

[Tim]

We use ear plugs ($30/1,000 pair) and hand signs.

I'm not particularly a fan of the muffs that play tunes.

I had the loader frame on the tractor break when I was plowing snow and hit a stub of a stump along the driveway. I was under the tractor welding it back together and a clump of burning gunk fell. I figured I ought to investigate the situation from a different perspective. Suffice to say. It was rather well lit. Despite the fact that I ought to have known better; I was hollering for help. Fred and Cameron were 50 feet away in the mill packing, so nothing was running but, they had those muffs on with the tunes playing and couldn't hear me.

I got the fire out without too much damage on the tractor. If we are going to have tunes, I would rather they be played through a stereo.