Communication

K

Kubota70

Location
Us
what is best set for communication while performing tree work I thought it was sena and was leaning that direction but read a bunch of bad reviews all imput will be welcome thanks
 
Sena, for sure. They have their quirks like anything else, but they work well. The newer models are supposed to be less quirky than the old SMH10 models. Do some searching and you’ll find a number of threads on here about them.
 
We run Sena 30k’s
We like them but haven’t ran anything else

We find up to 4 people works great and everyone you add after that gets quirky to keep everyone paired

But keeping 7-8 people from touching buttons is the problem not the Sena imo
 
We run sena smh10. They work well for us. Typically there is only two people on site unless we've hired a crane.
 
Has anyone looked into the potential of long-term health effects from using bluetooth stuff right next to the brain for extended periods?
I know cellphones put out a lot of radiation, measured that it's best not to hold right to the head, etc.

I have a nagging sensation that a bluetooth pinging all day isn't what I want next to my head.
But I have never used them and it looks so awesome to be able to simply speak to one another.
 
in scenarios like crane work, the added safety of clear communication likely outweighs the risk of minor cumulative radiation effects.
but I see some crews have them on every day standard, and that's where I sense issues could come in.

I am interested in using a two-way radio / walkie talkie if I am working distantly. Haven't tried this out yet. More clunky for sure but 1/10th of the cost and much slower frequencies involved, simple technology.
 
dspacio said:
in scenarios like crane work, the added safety of clear communication likely outweighs the risk of minor cumulative radiation effects.
but I see some crews have them on every day standard, and that's where I sense issues could come in.

I am interested in using a two-way radio / walkie talkie if I am working distantly. Haven't tried this out yet. More clunky for sure but 1/10th of the cost and much slower frequencies involved, simple technology.
Click to expand...
Clear communication is very important to us everyday
Safety
Efficient

And I can’t stress this anymore than that
 
VenasNursery said:
Clear communication is very important to us everyday
Safety
Efficient

And I can’t stress this anymore than that
Click to expand...
Well sure. For crucial operations I would wear a Sena any day.
but I won't wear one Every day.

I worked for years on the ground just communicating with voice. I don't feel I sacrificed safety. Efficiency, now and then.

Avoiding a brain tumor that shows up twenty years down the line is a real consideration. Bluetooth emit frequencies, and the potential carcinogenic effect of these is recognized. These are new devices and there simply is not proof of their effects 30 years down the line.

Here is the World Health Organization, for what it's worth:
They don't say much, but state that it's worth being aware of.

Here is another paper that is more in depth.

Mobile phone use and glioma risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis - PMC

Many studies have previously investigated the potential association between mobile phone use and the risk of glioma. However, results from these individual studies are inconclusive and controversial. The objective of our study was to investigate the ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
"Our results suggest that long-term mobile phone use may be associated with an increased risk of glioma. "

Bluetooth devices are not as powerful as cell phones in strength, but placing them directly in contact with ones head means high exposure. Prolonged use looks like problems, in my assessment.

Just as we learned the effects of silica dust when I worked in the concrete shop (and how to mitigate) ; I feel it is wise to be aware of possible long-term health effects of our tools and materials. I know the frequencies are nebulous and invisible, even more than inhaling gas fumes you can smell, but that does not guarantee they are innocuous.

To repeat: I think Senas /bluetooth are Awesome for moments of crucial communication. Mainly I am encouraging folks to consider if they are needed for regular ground operations (dragging brush on a pruning job). If a worker is using them half the workdays rather than all, that could allow the body to process those frequencies through grounding, etc. and not overwhelm the body to the point it develops into a tumor.

I know this is a long read. I have worked in environments exposed to concrete dust, fiberglass dust, boat paint fumes, VOCs etc. I choose the risk of falling logs and moving chains over the risk of long-term cancers. Just my choice.
Information presented for consideration. No need to take a side or hard stand. Proper risk assessment as always.
 
dspacio said:
Mainly I am encouraging folks to consider if they are needed for regular ground operations (dragging brush on a pruning job).
Click to expand...
That’s when the Erykah badu comes on!

I hadn’t thought much about the Bluetooth health aspect. Fellow coworkers and I have always expressed some dismay at the lack of situational awareness that being on Sena all the time can lend. It improves safety and efficiency up to a point, and then you start to lose your concentration and memory of what it is to be a soft fleshy object in the world.
 
We have Sena SMH10R and are happy with them.

They sending units are on the outside of the helmet...how much shielding does that provide if you are concerned about radiation? You could certainly put some foil tape on the inside of the helmet directly under the unit for extra shielding...or use a foil hat - but that is a different thing all together.
 
While we are talking communication devices (again):
Are there any communication systems that would work with AfterShokz bone conduction headsets? My helper has one he really likes for music. I think it would be a great tool for pruning jobs where chainsaws aren't being used so hearing protection isn't needed, but better communication is. Short of being connected on a cellphone call, I'm not sure how you would be able to use these though? Any thoughts?
 
I've never considered any health problems from using Bluetooth (worth considering but had never crossed my mind), but I can tell you that senas have saved injuries from happening. Even on the ground you can spot a danger that a coworker may not see. Cars speeding around work trucks, hangers in trees falling free, neighbor kids getting too close to the workzone....


The thing about crucial communication, is that you don't always know when it will be critical to be able to communicate.
 
i have not personally used them but i have heard great things about sonetics. people that have used sonetics, senna, packtalks, say the sonetics are superior @ 5:25 is when jake starts talking about them. whats wrong with the good ol classic portable cb radio? with the correct antenna setup it would be king of distance and pentation.


does anyone have issues with your bluetooth headsets if there is a bunch of trees or brush in the way? how do they work when there is building in between yous? what is the range on them?

talking about the health aspect of the bluetooth, that also includes wifi routers, cell towers. there are cases of cell towers going next to schools and then all the sudden there is a huge rise in cancer in the students.
 
Mesquite said:
...
does anyone have issues with your bluetooth headsets if there is a bunch of trees or brush in the way? how do they work when there is building in between yous? what is the range on them?
....
Click to expand...
We get connection a couple hundred yards away from each other in the woods with thick understory. Maybe less with foliage on? We so most of our woodland work in the winter... trying to think back to August when we were out there - we were pretty far apart before loosing clarity.
 
Mesquite said:
whats wrong with the good ol classic portable cb radio? with the correct antenna setup it would be king of distance and pentation.
Click to expand...

A small two-way radio costs 25 bucks with at least a mile of range. one needs to pay the FCC for a callsign to use some of the bands (UHF / VHF ) but no test is needed. There are thousands of available bands, I think that would work well, for my liking anyway.
downsides would be size, and needing to press the talk button.

They are also fun, as you can listen to local public works departments, or fire departments, talking about all the downed trees after any storm..
 
Press to talk sucks when you need to coordinate active work in progress sick as pulling or lowering while cutting.

If you only have 2-3 people connected, starting connected all the time is counter-productive, imo.

I hate people jabbering in my ear about stupid that had no bearing on what I'm doing.


The down side is when people want to talk without bothering to look first. When the climber is changing life-support systems and the groundie just starts talking, it's distracting.



Personally, i call the person's name I wish to talk with, and wait for a response from them to start the conversation.
Too much ______ for some people to do that, strangely.
My daughter was literally taught that in preschool.
 
there are handheld radios with voice activated pieces for 2-way radios. Really, the big downside to radios is size. One advantage they would have is you could put the rest of the ground crew on a separate channel than the climber/crane/one ground support.

Thinking through that size piece...maybe it would make sense to take apart a radio and mount the guts spread throughout the inside of a helmet. that would get rid of the bulk of the case and distribute the weight evenly. It would obviously leave everything unprotected, but that wouldn't be hard to figure out. (first thought would be coating with thin layer of epoxy if that wouldn't damage the helmet)
 
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