Clear-Com IP intercom becomes an element of success for MRTC

This sports communications specialist uses the FreeSpeak II wireless digital intercom in many applications, including auto racing and other major events.

Based in the United Kingdom, MRTC is a global leader in motorsports communications, specializing for forty years in providing customized radio and intercom solutions.

A track record of success that its leaders attribute to its strong relationships with teams and racing circuits around the world, as well as its commitment to providing high-quality, flexible and reliable systems.

In this regard, the association with Clear-Com A decade ago it strengthened its product offering with the addition of IP intercom solutions. For Ken Rumbold, founder of MRTC, “the value and beauty of Clear-Com products, without a doubt, is the IP side of them.”

As this manager explains, "Communications are often at the bottom of the barrel in terms of consideration before a race, but once they start, they are absolutely essential. Any failure in communication could cost the driver the race, while a little encouragement through his headset helps achieve a victory."

The role of intercom in motorsport has grown considerably from the 1970s and 1980s, when only a few key people were connected with two-way radios, to the integrated network it is today, where all aspects of the event, including broadcasting, are connected over IP using a MADI feed.

"We started working with Clear-Com more than ten years ago and their products were already revolutionary -continues Rumbold-. The IP solution was simple and easily fit into the networks that customers were beginning to develop in their workshops."

Most contemporary sites are already wired with network-ready CAT5e/6, so Clear-Com IP intercom systems can be deployed without major infrastructure upgrades. For Rumbold, “IP is flexibility and minimizing infrastructure.”

IP systems offer security, flexibility and extremely high audio quality, as well as high bandwidth allowing teams to easily connect between different systems, off and on the track. It also facilitates critical intercommunication between personnel from different teams, with the possibility of choosing between direct connections (point-to-point) or one-to-many (group and party line or conference).

IP solutions can provide connectivity to any industry-standard intercom or audio device over LAN, WAN or IP networks, allowing seamless connection with other event organizations, such as the broadcaster covering the race.

It is common to change the selected intercom chat of racing and control drivers to a multi-channel feed for broadcasters, who can use it as background audio in their programs. “We can feed them high-quality audio without having to go through the analog process,” Rumbold points out.

MRTC has introduced wireless digital intercom FreeSpeak II in many applications, including races and other large events. “Its great flexibility is what counts and what triumphs over two-way radio,” says Rumbold.

FreeSpeak II is a five-channel duplex wireless intercom solution, ideal for complex large-scale designs or specialized applications. It delivers optimal RF performance and reliable connections throughout the system, giving users the peace of mind they need to stay connected at any important event. “With FreeSpeak II, users are guaranteed to be able to do their business without the worry of losing any information.”

An important aspect of the Clear-Com system is its API HCI, which has allowed MRTC to customize an integration with Kenwood two-way radios, so it can transfer key data from a radio driver's IDs and s to Clear-Com's intercom system.

The communication systems provided by MRTC make it easy for the intercom panel user to speak directly into a radio channel and provide all the messages required for that application at the push of a button.

One of the most important benefits of IP systems during the pandemic has been the ease with which it allows teams to work remotely. Whereas before COVID-19 there were up to 4,000 racing team members in motorsport competitions, this has now been reduced to around 1,000 employees.

“At a recent event, when motor racing was ‘restarted to the new normal’, I was in the UK and was able to remotely schedule, manage and monitor a system in Germany while the event was taking place live, using my mobile app. Agent-IC -Rumbold remembers-. There were two people there with the main system, but most of us connected through VP, and it was like we were there too!

Agent-IC works on smart devices over 3G, 4G, LTE and Wi-Fi networks and connects to the Eclipse HX Digital Matrix or LQ series interfaces. In the current pandemic situation, some clients and managers do not want to risk going to the racetrack, but do want to participate in the operations of the event.

To solve it you can download Agent-IC on your phones and connect to the main intercom system from anywhere in the world. “The applications for Agent-IC are endless and now we are promoting it and having customers use it for, what we would call, critical communications,” Rumbold notes.