analog to digital radio upgrade

[Matt Clark]

I am looking to upgrade my radio system from analog to digital. I have a Club Racing Radios kit now, and since they have gone out of business, I cannot compare hardware there. I have searched online, but have not had any luck finding an answer.

Can I just upgrade the radios themselves, and continue to use the rest of my existing car kit?

[Peter Olivola]

I am looking to upgrade my radio system from analog to digital. I have a Club Racing Radios kit now, and since they have gone out of business, I cannot compare hardware there. I have searched online, but have not had any luck finding an answer.

Can I just upgrade the radios themselves, and continue to use the rest of my existing car kit?

You should be able to do that provided you find radios with compatible connectivity.

[DaveW]

You should be able to do that provided you find radios with compatible connectivity.

In my case, that was correct. I had to change the headset cables and the helmet cable because the new digital radios had a different pin setup. The screw-in car antenna adapter/connector was also different.

[Matt Clark]

Thanks, guys.

For reference, I am looking at the more budget Sampson 5-watt radios & their 12" Flex Antenna. Looking at their "Digital 5-watt Starter Package" pictures, it appears my current car harness is identical, but I will double check my car for sure.

Any ideas as to whether the TYT or Baofeng is better for our use?
The TYT seems simpler, kinda "set & forget", with less buttons to mess up... but is more expensive.

https://www.sampsonracing.com/TYT-MD...-tyt-md280.htm

https://www.sampsonracing.com/Digita...c-dm-1701d.htm

[Peter Olivola]

Thanks, guys.

For reference, I am looking at the more budget Sampson 5-watt radios & their 12" Flex Antenna. Looking at their "Digital 5-watt Starter Package" pictures, it appears my current car harness is identical, but I will double check my car for sure.

Any ideas as to whether the TYT or Baofeng is better for our use?
The TYT seems simpler, kinda "set & forget", with less buttons to mess up... but is more expensive.

https://www.sampsonracing.com/TYT-MD...-tyt-md280.htm

https://www.sampsonracing.com/Digita...c-dm-1701d.htm

Both the Baofeng and TYT use the Kenwood K2 connector. There is nothing simple about programming a digital radio compared to analog. There are far more settings, some fairly obscure, and if things aren't matched exactly the radios wont talk to each other. By far the best software package for programming any radio, analog or digital, comes from RT-Systems. You'll also need a different cable for the digital radios.

https://www.rtsystemsinc.com/

[Matt Clark]

Both the Baofeng and TYT use the Kenwood K2 connector. There is nothing simple about programming a digital radio compared to analog. There are far more settings, some fairly obscure, and if things aren't matched exactly the radios wont talk to each other. By far the best software package for programming any radio, analog or digital, comes from RT-Systems. You'll also need a different cable for the digital radios.

https://www.rtsystemsinc.com/

hmm. I guess that is something I need to consider also then... because I assumed that if I bought a set of radios from them, that they would be pre-programmed before they arrived.

[DaveW]

hmm. I guess that is something I need to consider also then... because I assumed that if I bought a set of radios from them, that they would be pre-programmed before they arrived.

Speedcom set mine (car + 2 crew) up - it was really simple on my end. Email: toto@speedcomracing.com

[BeerBudgetRacing]

hmm. I guess that is something I need to consider also then... because I assumed that if I bought a set of radios from them, that they would be pre-programmed before they arrived.

They will - and they will save your specific configuration if you need an additional radio in the future.

I had problems with a set of Vertex radios I bought somewhere else and the Sampson team help me resolve the issues.
Part of which was crappy equipment from a company that sells 'rugged' equipment.

[Lotus7]

Matt, I dealt with Sampson, very happy experience.
They'll put in whatever frequencies you want.

[Phil Creighton]

Just a follow up to Daves post above, Toto at Speedcom passed away earlier this year. The company is being run by his wife but I am not sure that his email is still valid
Phil

[Matt Clark]

Thanks to everyone for the help.

I ended up calling Sampson & just ordered a pair of the TYT MD280 radios (a little more than Baofengs, but simpler & less buttons to accidentally mess up). I also grabbed a 12" flat blade antenna to hide inside the car, per discussion in this thread:
https://www.apexspeed.com/forums/sho...analog+digital

And I always search for discount codes (because why not) and I found a post somewhere that Sampson has a 15% discount code of "CHAMP15", and that worked... so I saved $60 on top of the sale price. Not bad!

So anyway, hopefully it can all get here in time for the PittRace FRP event next week. Thanks again for all the information & experiences. It's hard to wade thru all the random pages & searching sometimes, and hearing it first-hand is way easier to digest.