Rant: Kirby Morgan vs Guess work on comms gear

I had to pick between spending $800 on a new Kirby Morgan headset or rigging something with a cheap radio and a lot of tape. I went with the Kirby Morgan because my last DIY setup cut out at 60 feet during a harbor job in San Pedro. That silence scared me half to death. Has anyone else had a close call with budget comms that made you shell out for the real thing?

2 comments

2 Comments

lunah8610d ago

dude that "silence scared me half to death" line hit hard. i had the exact same panic moment with a cheapo setup i hacked together from a parts store radio. it just went dead at about 80 feet during a bridge inspection, not even a crackle or beep just nothing. i was scrambling around slapping my helmet like that would fix it. totally get why you sprang for the kirby morgan, that moment of absolute quiet underwater is a special kind of terrifying.

robertsmith9d ago

i've been there with that exact quiet and it really does something to your brain. that moment when you realize you're completely alone under all that water and your only lifeline just went silent. i remember thrashing around trying to tap my earpiece like i was fixing a broken TV. it's crazy how fast your hands start shaking and your breathing goes all ragged. you're not just hearing nothing, you're feeling that nothing in your chest like a weight. that kirby morgan was probably the best money you ever spent, not for the gear but for the peace of mind knowing it won't do that to you again.