Re: Time to include communications at each driver station?
 

I really like the idea, but only for Coach-to-Coach interaction. As a former drive coach, I see little use for communicating with my drivers over a mic. I'm standing within easy hearing of my team, with the exception of the HP (subject to change based on game).

Communicating with my alliance partners via PTT* I think would be quite useful to save time and concentration. I too agree that a Bring-your-own-headset would be a major plus, though not exactly a necessity.

*I think PTT, as mentioned above, would be a must. Having the channel open at all times could be annoying and/or confusing as I communicate with my drivers. Other coaches don't need to be bothered with what I'm saying to my drivers, just as I don't need to hear what they are saying to theirs.

Re: Time to include communications at each driver station?
 

What about VOX(voice activated)? Thus you would would not need to worry about a button for talk, yet the mic would not alwaus be on.

Re: Time to include communications at each driver station?
 

But what if you're saying something to your own drive team? Then the other coaches would hear it. That would be very annoying.

Re: Time to include communications at each driver station?
 

If it was permitted, a good portable setup would be this:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...cs_skycom1.php

and three of these:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalo...ges/h10_20.php

with some extension cables, for a voice actuated setup. PTT would be additional wiring/cost.

I picked the DC headsets because they're durable. The cheap ones would not last long in the competition environment.

Re: Time to include communications at each driver station?
 

Giving each coach (each driveteam member) a headset is a brilliant ideal, but may also be a dangerous one if implemented poorly.

As it stands, a lot of coaches in the upper tier tend to "run the box" for inter-team communications, or if they're lucky, the team in the center is the facilitator for the team on either side, calling overall match strategy. Looking at how things are now, I'm hesitant to support any idea where the communications are not wireless, or at least not proven to be perfect prior to the season, because if the headset looses comms, Now you've got tethered headsets in the way when dashing from station #1 to #3.

Allowing each team a spotter, through a dedicated channel, especially one that's wireless would be simply amazing, especially if this spotter were allowed into a designated box (akin to the drivers station) where they have an effective vantage point for the entire field. This person could be a student, or a mentor, and more than likely still provide vital influence, assuming the information can be conveyed in real time.

Anecdotally, I have never coached on field without a spotter, on season or off season. That spotter's role and position (relative to the field) changes from year to year, but they are most always waiting to convey information immediately before or after a match. In 2014, our Human Player became the spotter during matches where he'd relay through hand signals (or facial expressions, much more amusing and probably effective) where we needed to be, or whether or not what we were doing was right. Prior to that, (different team) the spotter was also my replacement/backup, where he'd watch the match as a scout and provide feedback immediately after a match, we'd pick a spot where he could yell over the barrier and stick to it.

I guess the long and short of this is, headsets would be awesome, but they need to work, without question, and the models / specifics need to be open, similar to how the Drivers station is open, because as Adam cited before, I doubt many of us are warm to the idea of sharing equipment that's been on someone else's head...

Or make the driver's station soundproof. And let a team send its drivers to the field, and the coaches to a "box". Have all communications sent between them wireless, through headsets. That'd be interesting for sure, although, I'm not sure if every coach would want to sit back in a chair and watch the match from 100ft away.