Autocom - Radio & GPS/Phone

[Flipper_Man]

Evening...

I've got a Autocom Super Pro Avi with bluetooth dongle. I've got a TomTom Urban Rider attached via autocom bluetooth dongle which, in turn, is connected to my iPhone via it's own bluetooth. I've also got a Kenwood TK3201 which I bought in a moment of madness after I had all the Autocom gear fitted a couple of years ago........I've never used it in anger.....it was a 'bargain' on eBay and I couldnt resist...

So...I thought I'd throw even more good money after bad and buy the dummy battery powering thingie for the Kenwood (good offer on the For Sale area of this site).

My question is this.......when I connect my radio to the Autocom gear and I speak into my microphone headset......will it automatically transmit my voice on the Kenwood radio with VOX ?

Next question - if I take a phone call via my TomTom........when I speak.......will that also get transmitted via the Kenwood radio at the same time as being directed to the phone (via TomTom)?

I was going to get a PTT button to control this.....but the above question is still valid - which has precident/priority ? Whilst the PTT will stop everyone in the locality on my frequency hearing expletives about blind car drivers......I still dont know if the voice 'signal' will go down more than one channel.

I guess the next question will be about pillions - but I have one so infrequently that its not a priority.....but if fancy having a go at the question

Anyone have the experience (he asks....knowing that one/many of you will !).

Cheers.

 

[judge]

From experience I've always preferred to have the choice of VOX or PTT and I've always preferred to be on the receiving of PTT as most people stuggle to get VOX set right and as far as I recall if the mic audio is open via VOX its an all ports broadcast - pillion, pmr radio and phone if you're on a call.

At least with PTT you only open the radio on pushing the button... unless you have it set to VOX or always transmit on the PTT switch

 

[Tinytim]

You have just GOT to get a PTT switch.
A Blackbird rider I know refuses to have one ( ) Anybody riding with him now just turns their PMR's off as he ruins the ride and thinks it funny to boot. I have just stopped riding with the coont.

 

[daesimps]

If the phone is coming in via bluetooth on AUX1 then it will not broadcast over the Kenwood when you are on the phone.

If you look in the manual or Autocom website there is a chart showing what happens to the other ports when you receive audio into an aux port or the rider/pillion speaks.

I have the iPhone via the Zumo 550 in Aux1 using the bluetooth module and use a bike to bike. The wife also has this setup. It works perfectly and has not required any PTT switch - once you spend the time to setup the VOX and do it correctly it appears to be faultless. The wife's bike is a naked ER5 too, so it's not as if it's quiet to ride. The Super Pro AVI VOX is better than the cheaper Autocoms (Easy Duo and Active Plus?) as it has the background noise sensor which detects road noise in your helmet and turns the VOX sensitivity down accordingly.

There's only one issue with the audio to the radio being cut when you are on the phone. That is that the other bike has no idea that you are on the phone and just thinks you are not receiving or ignoring them.

Dae

 

[Goose]

You have just GOT to get a PTT switch.
A Blackbird rider I know refuses to have one ( ) Anybody riding with him now just turns their PMR's off as he ruins the ride and thinks it funny to boot. I have just stopped riding with the coont.

+1 for the PTT...... part of the riding experience is for the "me-time" and having someone constantly natter in your ear is disturbing and downright rude! We use the radios to inform each other of turn-offs, dangers, pub and stopping for pics.

Recently my mate's PTT (Autocom's can switch to always on) was bumped and I had to listen to his Elton John impersonation for only so long...

PTT the way to go!

 

[Bumpkin]

PTT the way to go!

I concur, VOX on Autocom is pretty good but you know exactly when you're TXing with a PTT switch. The VOX on my Active Rider would trigger at high speed from wind noise with my old helmet. I now have a Super Pro Avi so that would probably be less of an issue with the BGNS which compensates for ambient noise. However, having ridden with friends with PTT set-ups I decided to go down the same route and I've got to say its better and none of the pre TX utterances are required to activate the VOX.

I purchased an Autocom PPT switch off eBay and butchered it, in accordance with these instructions, as I don't like the way that it's supposed to be mounted. I fitted a small push to make switch from Maplin doing away with the VOX and permenant TX options, they're not missed TBH. The button is within easy reach and whilst not rated as waterproof is sheltered enough with heat shrink encapsulating the joints and rear of the switch.

 

[Flipper_Man]

Hmm

Thanks for the comments folks. I like the neat Maplin solution but would want the option of switching to VOX as I've found it to be excellent when on the phone. I can see the PTT being useful when on a ride using the radio also......best of both worlds I think !!

 

[Bumpkin]

Thanks for the comments folks. I like the neat Maplin solution but would want the option of switching to VOX as I've found it to be excellent when on the phone. I can see the PTT being useful when on a ride using the radio also......best of both worlds I think !!

I'm pretty sure that the PTT switch only operates the PMR, it plugs into the lead between the radio and the Autocom. The phone, I believe (I don't have mine hooked up to the Autocom), is on a different channel/socket. As far as I know it operates thus; dial out/auto answer > channel opened > duplex conversation > either party hangs up > channel closed.

Even though I cut off the Autocom PTT switch and wired up to only give me PTT functionality it would be relatively easy to add a switch so as to have switchable VOX/PTT. You'd just need to duplicate the wiring in the original switch to provide that and find somewhere to mount the switch.

 

[wilbjr21]

Its not socially acceptable to be without PTT and have a PMR radio.

 

[MotorbikeAdventures]

Evening...

I've got a Autocom Super Pro Avi with bluetooth dongle. I've got a TomTom Urban Rider attached via autocom bluetooth dongle which, in turn, is connected to my iPhone via it's own bluetooth. I've also got a Kenwood TK3201 which I bought in a moment of madness after I had all the Autocom gear fitted a couple of years ago........I've never used it in anger.....it was a 'bargain' on eBay and I couldnt resist...

So...I thought I'd throw even more good money after bad and buy the dummy battery powering thingie for the Kenwood (good offer on the For Sale area of this site).

My question is this.......when I connect my radio to the Autocom gear and I speak into my microphone headset......will it automatically transmit my voice on the Kenwood radio with VOX ?

Next question - if I take a phone call via my TomTom........when I speak.......will that also get transmitted via the Kenwood radio at the same time as being directed to the phone (via TomTom)?

I was going to get a PTT button to control this.....but the above question is still valid - which has precident/priority ? Whilst the PTT will stop everyone in the locality on my frequency hearing expletives about blind car drivers......I still dont know if the voice 'signal' will go down more than one channel.

I guess the next question will be about pillions - but I have one so infrequently that its not a priority.....but if fancy having a go at the question

Anyone have the experience (he asks....knowing that one/many of you will !).

Cheers.

Hi There,

Heres the link that will explain what happens to other channels when you talk on your phone etc!

http://www.autocom.co.uk/PDF/Brochure_KitSP-A.pdf

As mentioned by many its best to have a PTT as per the link works great.

http://www.motorbikeadventures.co.uk/product.php?id_product=88

If you need any help just give me a call.

Regards

Mick

 

[gipsymagpie]

I purchased an Autocom PPT switch off eBay and butchered it, in accordance with these instructions, as I don't like the way that it's supposed to be mounted. I fitted a small push to make switch from Maplin doing away with the VOX and permenant TX options, they're not missed TBH. The button is within easy reach and whilst not rated as waterproof is sheltered enough with heat shrink encapsulating the joints and rear of the switch.

I don't reckon this is necessary. Just got the PTT switch and it sits perfectly (R1200GS) on the left hand mirror stem. I twisted it back from being parallel to the handlebars to being at about 45 degrees. The red PTT button nows sits just above the hazard button. It can be reached without removing my hand from the bars.

 

[Bumpkin]

Make sure you drill a new drain hole in the PTT switch housing as the original won't be at the bottom any more. You might want to blank off the original as well as it looks like it'll be in 'line of fire' for water ingress as you have it set-up.

Whilst I could have strapped the full PTT switch alongside my existing switch gear it wouldn't have been as neat as it now is. Each to their own though.

 

[gipsymagpie]

Good point! You're probably right on the neatness front. Where do you reckon to drill? Don't want to wreck it as most of the reason I left it whole was for resale value. They barely depreciate looking at eBay. Cheers, George

 

[Bumpkin]

Good point! You're probably right on the neatness front. Where do you reckon to drill? Don't want to wreck it as most of the reason I left it whole was for resale value. They barely depreciate looking at eBay. Cheers, George

I would separate the case before drilling to avoid damaging the switch gear, it's not hard ISTR. Once inside asses the low point, in respect of the orientation when mounted, as far as the moulding on the inside is concerned and drill a small hole there. Block the old drain hole with epoxy or silicone sealant.