Referee Radio

[DualYellow]

Let's say I want to pick up a set of those radioes that the premiership and other referees have been using lately. Anyone know where I could look?

[IASocFan]

Check out Official Sports (http://officialsports.com/electronic_flags.htm).

[Ref Flunkie]

Those are just the electronic flags.

[Alberto]

That's pretty cutting edge technology. I don't think you are going to find that anywhere. The pro's have only been using it since the last world cup and some matches before hand in champions league and the premiership.

[Ref Flunkie]

That's pretty cutting edge technology. I don't think you are going to find that anywhere. The pro's have only been using it since the last world cup and some matches before hand in champions league and the premiership.

I would think you could find something at non-soccer sites. It isn't like hands free communication is a new thing. They do it on "24" all the time!! :)

[USSF REF]

It's basically a VOX activated walkie talkie with a head set.

[intechpc]

Any FRS radio (walkie talkie) with a voice activated head piece would work fine. I have a couple that I use for hunting. The trick is finding a small one with a short to no antenna (so it doesn't interfere with your movements). They are out there, check out Walmart, Gander Mtn, or just about any electronics store.

[NHRef]

I use them for hunting and they can be found pretty small and inexpensive (as intechpc says, BTW nice to know there's another hunter here!).

However the ones at the WC were also encrypted to avoid anyone else hearing it, would have been "nice" to hear all the conversations around Zidane's headbutt!

[kenntomasch]

Anyone know if MLS refs will use it this year?

I'll find out when I see Dr. Joe next month, but I thought I'd ask if anyone knows already.

[LoewenBoy]

Let's say I want to pick up a set of those radioes that the premiership and other referees have been using lately. Anyone know where I could look?
Next time you are in Europe look for the Siemens product. Very nice with bluetooth headsets. Can record to a flash disk even. VERY expensive. Unless you are an MLS ref I doubt you would want all that....even doing college games.

[kenntomasch]

From what I understand, MLS will test them out during the Carolina Challenge Cup or whatever it's called.

And that they're about $10,000 a set.

Which sounds to me like somebody's getting taken for a ride.

[Bill C]

I think it would be interesting to try to use something like this to train new referees. Being able to quietly communicate with a new ref and give positioning advice ("get closer", "get wider", etc) or note a foul recognition problem ("that was a foul") might really help them develop skills much faster. A mentor acting as AR could note things in real time ("remember that") and then discuss it later.

[DerbyRam54]

Next time you are in Europe look for the Siemens product. Very nice with bluetooth headsets. Can record to a flash disk even. VERY expensive. Unless you are an MLS ref I doubt you would want all that....even doing college games.

The IFAB meeting last Saturday in Manchester set a protocol for these radion communication tools, stipulating that "the system should only link the match officials, that it is not [to be] broadcast and that it is not [to be] recorded"
http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/corshamref/sub/files/FIFAMediaRelease07.pdf
I've often thought that they would make a good training tool though as per Bill C's post.

[Claymore]

Kind of an aside, but did anyone else catch the Chelsea-Portsmouth game? Mark Halsey had the mic taped to his cheek, which I noticed very early in the match (about the eigth minute). Was it an equipment malfunction, or something else? I can't imagine it was too comfortable having that thing taped to your face for 90+ minutes.

[USSF REF]

Kind of an aside, but did anyone else catch the Chelsea-Portsmouth game? Mark Halsey had the mic taped to his cheek, which I noticed very early in the match (about the eigth minute). Was it an equipment malfunction, or something else? I can't imagine it was too comfortable having that thing taped to your face for 90+ minutes.

look at more refs who wear this device. I would say the majority of refs are taping them in place. They did so especially during the WC - but they try to use the tape that is the least noticeable.

[BC_Ref]

From what I understand, MLS will test them out during the Carolina Challenge Cup or whatever it's called.

And that they're about $10,000 a set.

Which sounds to me like somebody's getting taken for a ride.

This price does seem very high. Although I'd expect the sets to be much more expensive than your standard store version.

1) They need to be strongly encrypted - likely using some military style battlefield technology. Not cheap, but given the fact that you'd absolutely have potential eavesdroppers, essential.
2) Reliability. They need to work - although this part doesn't seem quite up to snuff given some of the EPL games I've seen
3) Activation. I'd be interested to see exactly how they activate - can't just be sound activated since a professional soccer field is a noisy place, and players/refs talk quite a bit.
4) Weather proof and relatively comfortable. They need to endure any conditions with minimal protection and must not be that cumbersome to wear. Although taping something to my face for 2+ hours doesn't seem like that much fun.

[kenntomasch]

I'm sure all of those things are taken into account in the price.

Still seems freaking high, though. That's $2,500 per unit.

Unless they have Jack Bauer Cellphone Reliability (TM).

[Claymore]

Unless they have Jack Bauer Cellphone Reliability (TM).

[Jack Bauer] If you don't notice my offside flag, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIE!!!![/Jack Bauer] :D

[kenntomasch]

Knock, knock.

[Doug the Ref]

Who's There?:confused: