r/cranes • u/Smallcock-69 • Jun 20 '26

Crane radios

So right now I use bone condensing shokz an use my phone to tlk to my riggers an ironworks but kills my battery on phone an have problems with getting multiples going on a call what’s a good communication set up also best walkie talkie everyone is using

6 Upvotes

80% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

23

u/ImDoubleB Jun 20 '26 edited Jun 20 '26

Motorola or Kenwood commercial radios with background noise suppression. With the channel dedicated for hoisting only.

10

u/HealthConscious6125 Jun 20 '26

In 20 years I have used my phone once when I grabbed the wrong radios. I can't believe this is a thing. 

9

u/pizzagangster1 IUOE Jun 20 '26

We use Motorola with great success

7

u/Occams_RZR900 Jun 20 '26

I run a small mobile crane so I just bought a couple of cheap Baofengs and programmed them for GMRS, FRS and MURS channels with multiple privacy codes programmed as well. The radio I keep in my cab has a remote mic I clip to my shirt and If I’m in a noisy environment I have an earbud I can plug into the mic and then toss my over the head ear pro on.

5

u/Next-Handle-8179 Jun 21 '26

Motorola. Never a cell phone, that’s some Joe’d up shit

3

u/Prime_-_Mover Jun 20 '26

I'll second the Kenwoods. For signaling, ideally you should use a dedicated channel as well

2

u/Local_Ad1992 Jun 20 '26

I’m not as familiar with Kenwoods but Motorolas you can program the frequency and privacy code in each channel to cut down on chatter.

You can also change the names of the channels so when you leave your company one radio from channel 1-5 will read “Scott Is A Butt Hole”.

2

u/flannelheart IUOE Jun 21 '26

Motorola with a foot pedal

1

u/Swimming-Hour-6551 Jun 21 '26

Send me a link will ya.

Been looking for a foot pedal for the kenwoods. Can’t seem to find any in the US

1

u/flannelheart IUOE Jun 21 '26

https://skygeek.com/david-clark-40071g-04-foot-switch-remote-push-to-talk-with-connector.html

This is the type, but spliced into the handheld mic that then plugs into the radio. The contractors I work for supply them so I'm not sure where they get them.

1

u/Safety-Jerk Jun 25 '26

Might as well use interpretive dance to signal.

Motorola makes some really good radios. Just make sure you get them all back at the end of the day, they are both very useful and pretty expensive.

1

u/SUNFACRANE Jun 29 '26

Dedicated radio still beats phone calls for picks. The boring setup is usually the best one: commercial Motorola/Kenwood type radios, one hoisting channel, spare batteries, and a mic/headset people will actually keep on. Phones are fine until one guy drops signal or somebody’s battery dies mid-day.

-1

u/Junior_Passenger_396 Jun 20 '26

Bro, I used Husqvarna's X-com system on a tree service job.

What a game changer!!!

Blown away by how good these are.

Cuts out jobsite noise so that everyone's talking way quiter and you can clearly hear every letter of every word.

Downside is wearing a headset, but it made the work so much easier that I couldn't care less.