2Dig Plain comparisons of crane signalling and jobsite communication tools

Eartec vs Setcom in 2026

Eartec and Setcom make wireless headsets for crane crews. See what each does, prices, setup, and how phone signals compare in 2026.

By 2Dig ยท

2Dig is published by the makers of OperatorLink, which is compared here alongside other tools.

Eartec and Setcom each sell wireless headsets for crane crews. Setcom's page says its system is up and running 30 seconds out of the box with no push-to-talk. [1] A dollar price for either is not published here. OperatorLink, made by the team that publishes this site, shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the crew and passes button presses, chat and voice between phones in a phone browser. [2] It is currently free with no paid plan built. [3]

OptionCrew size statedPublished price
EartecMultiple users connected and talking at once on the same setup, as its page states [4]Not published [5]
SetcomUp to seven wireless headsets from one base station [6]Not published; its page calls the LiberatorMAX its least costly wireless option [7]
OperatorLinkAny crew member who joins from the shared link or QR code [8]Free, with no paid plan built [3]

The short answer

Eartec's headsets link to the radio by Bluetooth without wires and filter out background machinery noise with noise-canceling microphones. [9] [10] Setcom sells a wireless headset system its page says is up and running 30 seconds after the box is opened and works without push-to-talk. [1] Its headsets pair simply by being set to the same channel. [11] Each source points to a different need: Eartec's points to radios and clear talk in machinery noise [9] [10], and Setcom's points to fast, push-to-talk-free setup. [1]

What Eartec, Setcom is built for

The EPak beltpack weighs 2.5 oz and is worn clipped to clothing or tucked in a pocket. [12] The Lazer-Pro headset links to the radio by Bluetooth without wires. [9] All Eartec headsets use noise-canceling microphone technology to filter out background machinery noise. [10] The company says it has provided customer support for over 60 years. [13] Setcom's page says the LiberatorMAX system supports full-duplex communication so nobody has to push-to-talk. [1] Headsets pair simply by being set to the same channel. [11] The System 977 with the LiberatorMAX Wireless Headset adds hands-free operation, full duplex and integration into mobile radios. [14]

What OperatorLink is built for

OperatorLink is made by the team that publishes this site. It shows STOP, HOLD and SLOW to the jobsite crew and passes button presses, chat and voice between phones in a phone browser. [2] It runs in a phone browser with no app install. [15] A STOP press releases every held direction on every phone and shows a full-screen alert to everyone else. [16] HOLD and SLOW stay on for everyone in the jobsite and are cleared when the last person leaves. [17] Holding a move button keeps sending that move to the other phones, and the crew drops it if it stops arriving for 2 seconds. [18] One-tap radio-style calls such as Go Ahead, Copy That and All Clear go out as chat messages. [19] Anyone who joins can take part in a voice call run from the phone browser. [20]

Pricing and fees

Eartec's page states its return terms instead of a price: a set can be returned for a full refund if it is sent back undamaged within 30 calendar days. [21] If a customer chose Expedited shipping and returns the set, that shipping fee is deducted from the refund. [22] On the OperatorLink side, the product is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. [3]

Setting it up on a jobsite

For Eartec, a crew member wearing a Lazer-Pro links the headset to the radio by Bluetooth without wires. [9] For Setcom, the LiberatorMAX system is up and running 30 seconds after the box is opened. [1] Crew headsets pair by being set to the same channel, so there is no separate pairing step. [11] With OperatorLink, the person who starts a jobsite shares a link or QR code, and the crew joins from it in a phone browser. [8] The app can be added to a phone's home screen as a standalone app. [23] A jobsite link stops working 12 hours after the first person joins. [24] A jobsite with nobody in it is wiped after 3 idle hours. [25] On Android browsers, STOP makes the phone buzz, while iPhone Safari ignores the buzz. [26]

Things to check before you choose

Ask how many crew members each jobsite holds, and whether that number fits inside a tool's stated reach. For phone-based signaling, check what happens to a STOP or HOLD when a phone screen is locked or the browser is closed, and how the crew is told a signal has gone out when nobody can watch the screen. Ask about battery life over a full shift and whether the gear survives the dust, water and weather where the work happens. Ask how new crew members get onto the setup, and what it takes to hand signals back and forth between a spotter and an operator already carrying radios.

How to choose

For a crew that wants to be talking within seconds and without push-to-talk, Setcom's sources say its system is up in 30 seconds. [1] For clear talk against background machinery noise, Eartec's headsets use noise-canceling microphones. [10] For a crew already carrying phones and wanting STOP, HOLD and SLOW on screen without new hardware, OperatorLink runs in a phone browser and is currently free. [15] [3] Buyers who want a stated price should ask each seller, since neither Eartec nor Setcom publishes one.

Frequently asked questions

How many crew members can use Eartec headsets at once?

Eartec's page says its Lazer-Pro headsets link to the radio by Bluetooth without wires and filter out background machinery noise. [9] [10] A crew should confirm with the seller how many headsets one setup will hold before relying on a single setup.

Does Setcom need cables or mounting to set up?

Setcom's page says the LiberatorMAX system is up and running 30 seconds after opening the box, with full-duplex communication and no push-to-talk. [1] Crew headsets pair simply by being set to the same channel, with no separate pairing step. [11]

Does OperatorLink need an app install or a paid account?

OperatorLink runs in a phone browser with no app install, though it can be added to a phone's home screen as a standalone app. [15] [23] The person who starts a jobsite shares a link or QR code and the crew joins from it. [8] The product is currently free to use, with no paid plan built yet. [3]

How does OperatorLink pass a STOP signal to the crew?

When someone presses STOP, the action releases every held direction on every phone and shows a full-screen alert to everyone else. [16] On Android browsers the STOP signal makes the phone buzz, while iPhone Safari ignores the buzz. [26] A crew should confirm how an alert is noticed on the phones each member carries before relying on it.

Can an Eartec set be returned for a refund?

Eartec's page says customers can buy a set, try it, and return it for a full refund if they do not like it. [27] Items must be returned undamaged within 30 calendar days of receipt. [21] If the customer chose Expedited shipping and returns the set, that shipping fee is deducted from the refund. [22]

OperatorLink is currently free to use, and no paid plan is built yet. [3]

Try OperatorLink

Sources

  1. Setcom, setcomcorp.com/industry/crane, read 2026-10-08
  2. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  3. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  4. Eartec, eartecindustrial.com/crane-lift, read 2026-10-08
  5. Eartec, eartecindustrial.com/crane-lift, read 2026-10-08
  6. Setcom, setcomcorp.com/industry/crane, read 2026-10-08
  7. Setcom, setcomcorp.com/industry/crane, read 2026-10-08
  8. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  9. Eartec, eartecindustrial.com/crane-lift, read 2026-10-08
  10. Eartec, eartecindustrial.com/crane-lift, read 2026-10-08
  11. Setcom, setcomcorp.com/industry/crane, read 2026-10-08
  12. Eartec, eartecindustrial.com/crane-lift, read 2026-10-08
  13. Eartec, eartecindustrial.com/crane-lift, read 2026-10-08
  14. Setcom, setcomcorp.com/industry/crane, read 2026-10-08
  15. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  16. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  17. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  18. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  19. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  20. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  21. Eartec, eartecindustrial.com/crane-lift, read 2026-10-08
  22. Eartec, eartecindustrial.com/crane-lift, read 2026-10-08
  23. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  24. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  25. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  26. OperatorLink's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)
  27. Eartec, eartecindustrial.com/crane-lift, read 2026-10-08

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