I know you said you are looking for alternatives, but the RUGGED M1 is claimed to be water proof. According to the website: Waterproof, IP67 sealed housing. It is at least guaranteed to work with the 660 intercom.

 

I did see this one, but would like to stay at a lower price point if possible.

If you're a licensed ham operator, perhaps consider the BTECH UV-50X2 dual band mobile unit, which (since Chinese) can be programmed with Chirp for FCC-compliant simplex/duplex frequencies as well as non-FCC compliant "race" frequencies as RR uses. My buddy and I use the smaller Btech UV25X2 model in our MavS XRC cars but that unit isn't compatible with RR's interface which requires an aux speaker output jack (which UV50X2 has) whereas our comm setup uses the headphone jack port in combo with another brand interface system.

thanks for this suggestion, I will check it out.

Yep, can't get them wet. Been down that road, LOL. Rugged Radio fixes their radios, I would call them and ask how much it would cost to fix. Definitely will be cheaper than a new one.

i hadn't even considered this, but I will give them a call

 

If you're a licensed ham operator, perhaps consider the BTECH UV-50X2 dual band mobile unit, which (since Chinese) can be programmed with Chirp for FCC-compliant simplex/duplex frequencies as well as non-FCC compliant "race" frequencies as RR uses. My buddy and I use the smaller Btech UV25X2 model in our MavS XRC cars but that unit isn't compatible with RR's interface which requires an aux speaker output jack (which UV50X2 has) whereas our comm setup uses the headphone jack port in combo with another brand interface system.

 

Yep, can't get them wet. Been down that road, LOL. Rugged Radio fixes their radios, I would call them and ask how much it would cost to fix. Definitely will be cheaper than a new one.

 

Getting that radio fixed is the best option in my opinion. To answer your post question, there are NO direct, plug and play replacements for the RM-60. With that said, let me clarify why. Rugged adds a pigtail on the back of their radios to match their intercom systems. The Chinese radio they model their radio after does not have that pigtail. This is not to say another radio cannot be used, it just means you will have to purchase (if available) an interconnect cable to match with the intercom, or fabricate one yourself if you are so inclined and have the appropriate knowledge and soldering skills. If you do out yourself, connectors and cabling might cost $25.00 at the most, due to the cost of the mini connector being about 12 bucks by itself. Rugged does offer some interconnect cables and you can always call them to see if they are willing to make a custom cable for a different radio but that kinda negates the lower cost of a different radio. Bear in mind whatever radio you choose will also need to be programmed with all of those “race” frequencies. If you have no experience doing that, there are plenty of guys on this forum (myself included) that can help out.

 

Thank you for the informative reply, I was not aware of the pigtail/connection differences.

Rugged might be able to fix your radio depending on what was damaged. When my RM60 went bad due to water they were able to replace the face of it and it worked.

I have the M1 radio in my new ride. It is a good radio and I do not have to worry about it getting wet. I would wait until Rugged has a sale and get the M1. By the time you source a cheaper radio and get the cable needed to work with your intercom you are not saving that much money.

Now as dive into looking at it seems like the M1 would be the way to go.

My two cents is that no matter what radio you get unless you get the M1 you will have water issues, PCI or Kenwood or whatever, very few are water proof except like was pointed out earlier and then you need programming and a connection cable, by the time you do all that you spent the cost of an M1.

Check with Craig on here UTV parts guy and see what sales he has going on.

Tim

I agree, might as well just go to waterproof while i'm at it.

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Looks like I am leaning toward the M1. I've reached out to a couple of places for pricing.

 

Rugged might be able to fix your radio depending on what was damaged. When my RM60 went bad due to water they were able to replace the face of it and it worked.

I have the M1 radio in my new ride. It is a good radio and I do not have to worry about it getting wet. I would wait until Rugged has a sale and get the M1. By the time you source a cheaper radio and get the cable needed to work with your intercom you are not saving that much money.

 

My two cents is that no matter what radio you get unless you get the M1 you will have water issues, PCI or Kenwood or whatever, very few are water proof except like was pointed out earlier and then you need programming and a connection cable, by the time you do all that you spent the cost of an M1.

Check with Craig on here UTV parts guy and see what sales he has going on.

Tim

 

I have done business with Craig in here a couple of times.

I like the fair price but the service was great for sure.


Good luck either way.
Tim

 

You will be happy with the M1. You will have to buy the program from RT Systems to input the channels.

 

It does come programmed with about 15 frequencies.

Tim

 

^^^ However, all non FCC compliant race freqs. Sufficient for car-to-car comm but useless in remote locales in an emergency where no cell service exists. I won't beat this to death but obtaining FCC license is fairly simple, allowing legal access to nearest duplex repeater towers to TX specific needs. That can be a lifesaver. If not for you, perhaps a loved one, buddy or even a stranger. To clarify, using FCC freqs is legal by those non-licensed, although knowing the specific frequencies used by region and especially the primary repeater tower TX/RX freqs by location requires an investment of time. Something usually difficult to do when time is of the essence.

 

Along these lines can you recommend some resources to get familiar with learning the basics of getting FCC licensed and when it is/isn’t necessary?
I know radio comm/ham itself can be a whole lifelong time investment , and I have no interest in going that deep, but I definitely can appreciate the usefulness of knowing a bit more than just turning a radio ‘off and on’

 

^^^ Most of the fundamentals for the basic FCC Technician license is common sense with some stuff learned by rote memorization which might not stick long term. There are several online study tutorials wherein you can self-test until confident of actual test success. I aced mine at 100% correct using that method, however some stuff not retained years later. Once licensed, you're legally ready but first need to determine simplex and duplex frequencies in your area and how to access (and program) them in your radio. It's not difficult but does take some time or help from a buddy that can mentor and/or share. Ham Test Online

A good example is our local town jeep club in which my buddy and I both are members but not much active these days. A few years ago, we were instrumental in convincing a number of members to augment their usual CB radios with handheld transceivers (HT) or mobile units for the above reasons. Some but not all of those became licensed. If even just one of those can use their equipment/knowledge to reach a repeater in a true emergency, a life could be saved. BTW, I'm not one of those ham operators whom enjoys weekly "net" chat sessions on a specific frequency. For me, it's a tool for comm convenience while fully functional in remote locations as outlined.

 

I was going to stay out of this thread but I decided not to. As someone who is active in HAM radio as well as GMRS I can say that communications for emergency use have improved exponentially in recent years, specifically on the GMRS repeater frequencies but it certainly isn’t the be-all-end-all by any means. The recommendations for a satellite form of emergency comms is great advice mostly because most who buy the Rugged or PCI setups are using it for car to car on the trail or back to camp. In order to effectively use your radio for emergency, knowing what frequencies to use in your particular area is the most important piece of knowledge you can have. No matter what band you can transmit on, having the frequency you need to reach someone for help is imperative. There is no absolute frequency to my knowledge on any band (excerpt marine) that is tagged for this purpose. This is always a hotly contested discussion which I will not comment on further since for years it hasn’t been worked out. The specific frequencies in your area where you ride are different from others in different locations. Being able to access the repeater is always a concern, due to terrain, and not always feasible. Better at this point to use something proven, like satellite for peace of mind especially if you often ride alone or in very remote locations. Also bear in mind that in an emergency situation, the FCC (big brother) will excuse the unlicensed use of the frequency and I personally have not seen an instance where the user was sanctioned in any way for that use.

 

I was going to stay out of this thread but I decided not to. As someone who is active in HAM radio as well as GMRS I can say that communications for emergency use have improved exponentially in recent years, specifically on the GMRS repeater frequencies but it certainly isn’t the be-all-end-all by any means. The recommendations for a satellite form of emergency comms is great advice mostly because most who buy the Rugged or PCI setups are using it for car to car on the trail or back to camp. In order to effectively use your radio for emergency, knowing what frequencies to use in your particular area is the most important piece of knowledge you can have. No matter what band you can transmit on, having the frequency you need to reach someone for help is imperative. There is no absolute frequency to my knowledge on any band (excerpt marine) that is tagged for this purpose. This is always a hotly contested discussion which I will not comment on further since for years it hasn’t been worked out. The specific frequencies in your area where you ride are different from others in different locations. Being able to access the repeater is always a concern, due to terrain, and not always feasible. Better at this point to use something proven, like satellite for peace of mind especially if you often ride alone or in very remote locations. Also bear in mind that in an emergency situation, the FCC (big brother) will excuse the unlicensed use of the frequency and I personally have not seen an instance where the user was sanctioned in any way for that use.

Excellent post for the cause! I'm a licensed HAM also and understand just enough to be dangerous at best..lol.

 

I got our InReach from Amazon and noticed the price has since jumped up to ~$480... monthly subscription is $12.02 for our basic plan.

I used a big arse zip tie on the steering wheel and modified the Inreach clip a bit for easier R&R....it has never come off when riding, but yet is easy to pull and hide from tempting eyes when parked. The passenger stashes our 10" Active Pro tablet and driver hides the InReach.

 

I would at least take it out and remove the outer covers as reasonably possible and let it air-dry. They are fairly watertight, which also equates to any moisture that may be inside may not be able to escape when closed up. Good Luck...worth a try.

 

My Nighbors went out. We took it over the Rugged trailer at contingency row during the 425 they blew it out & stuck a new O/F switch in and away he went

Keep an eye out for events their team attends and they most times repair it that’s when they convinced to get the mag cover

Same with PCI most times they are both there to support the race teams

 

My Nighbors went out. We took it over the Rugged trailer at contingency row during the 425 they blew it out & stuck a new O/F switch in and away he went

Keep an eye out for events their team attends and they most times repair it that’s when they convinced to get the mag cover

Same with PCI most times they are both there to support the race teams

I have the pci system with upgraded headsets. It’s been fantastic but over 2 grand. Cheaper to fix yours if possible.