General Information Or Articles On Bike Comms?

PhaedrusMC

PhaedrusMC

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Anyone know of a resource for explanation/description of all the different principles, tech, functionality, options and pros & cons with the different types of bike-to-bike comms?

Bluetooth is obviously dominant now, but wired radio still seems common too.

TIA. :thumb
 
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PhaedrusMC said:
Anyone know of a resource for explanation/description of all the different principles, tech, functionality, options and pros & cons with the different types of bike-to-bike comms?

Bluetooth is obviously dominant now, but wired radio still seems common too.

TIA. :thumb
Click to expand...

Webbikeworld is a really good resource for this sort of thing...
 
I think I'm (a little) better informed now, so I'll ask this here rather than start a new thread...


How Do You Equip/Integrate/Run One Comms Set-Up For Two Applications?


APPLICATION 1 (Touring/hooning with mates-type application):

I want this set-up for the future.

Rider 1: Bluetooth comms unit, send & receive (plus GPS, music & phone calls).

Rider 2: Bluetooth comms unit, send & receive (plus GPS, music & phone calls).


APPLICATION 2 (Instruction-type application):

This is currently installed in my helmet and in regular use.

Rider 1: Autocom Logic + Kenwood FM radio, send only.

Rider 2: Kenwood FM radio, receive only.


I don't want to have to switch out the Autocom speakers & mic from my helmet and replace them with my bluetooth kit (and vice-versa) every time I switch applications.

I'll want my bluetooth kit permanently installed in my helmet (for Application 1 - phone, GPS, music, 2-way comms with a fellow rider), with the facility to easily and fuss-free integrate this permanently-installed bluetooth kit with the Autocom/FM radio system in Application 2 (for 1-way comms with another rider).

Please advise or point me to where to learn about this. No answers I've gotten from asking in the real world have helped me understand.

Autocom Logic manual PDF doesn't seem to cover it, and I'm not yet sure what bluetooth kit I'll get.

Or might I be better off getting my own FM radio to integrate with my own bluetooth kit (Rider 1 in Application 2), bypassing/ditching the Autocom kit, and then using just the receive-only FM radio from Application 2 (for Rider 2)?


TIA. :thumb2
 
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You need to ditch the Autocom and start looking at a Sena-based system. There are a range of Sena headsets and the Sena SR10 hub will interface your headset to the Kenwood radio.

I presume the instruction side of your life is too important to leave to chance, so find a local dealer who knows what they are talking about.
 
Thanks. :thumb

The school uses Autocom. Till I can invest in my own set-up, I've no choice. Other instructors use their own kit (Bluetooth + radio) for send, and the school Kenwood radios for receive.

My experience with Irish sellers (not just of bike gear, angling gear perhaps being an exception) is that they either a) know less than you do about what you're interested in, or b) are prone to pushing whatever brand they stock, regardless of whether it ticks your boxes.

Isn't it odd that there still seems to exist only one FM radio that's got integrated Bluetooth capability (negating the need for a unit like the SR10) - the Motorola MU350.

I do actually expect one of the newer Sena units to be my choice of Bluetooth kit, 10R + wrist remote (mounted on handlebar) being my current favourite.
 
**Motorola MU350

Not compliant for use in the UK or Europe. Thats an American spec radio.

Midland used to do a PMR446 radio with bluetooth, but dropped it for some reason.
 
Get in touch with
Cb shop in Holland
The guy know's his stuff on sena autocom midland
And so on

Verstuurd vanaf mijn SM-G935F met Tapatalk
 
I moved from autocom to Sena after some research , not as deep as yours I might add. Best thing I ever did !

Sena 10r headset for nav / phone / chat to others, SenaSr 10 hub connected to a Kenwood radio , works flawlessly !

When you purchase these items it is how you set them up that counts .
 
I've no doubt that the 10R + SR10 + PMR radio will do what I want with ease, and I'm already accepting that that's probably the set-up I'll end up going for, but it seems to me that a simpler set-up would be a 10R + bluetooth-enabled PMR. That'd be two devices rather than three - less to carry/break, and probably (should be) cheaper?

I'd like decent quality music, and I gather the SR10 is dual-mono rather than stereo - what bearing, if any, does this have if I'm using either my phone or GPS to play mp3s in my 10R earphones?
 
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Further to my last comment, Intaride have some very interesting gear including a combined "Hawk" Radio/Bluetooth box.

I would prefer someone "local" to a Far-Eastern/US based organisation.
 
As Beemerboy points out, have a look at Intaride. They are doing some very nice kit that should meet your requirements. One of my mates has just replaced his Autocom kit with their Hawk Bluetooth radio intercom and he is very pleased with it. He went down to Intarides premises and had a chat with them, they were, by all accounts, very helpful and knowledgeable, fully understanding his requirements.

Bob
 
So the Hawk system is similar to the Autocom Logic, albeit with built-in bluetooth?

And the BIRD-1 is similar to the Sena SR10 unit?

I really fancy the Sena 10R - great speakers, slim profile, compatible with a remote control. I can't tell from the Intaride website if the HAWK is compatible with other brands of bluetooth headset, or just Intaride's own.

One thing - when using a PTT button with a bluetooth + radio set-up, I take it that it's the bluetooth that's being controlled by PTT? The radio's function in the set-up is purely/primarily to extend transmission range? The HAWK unit can't operate VOX, IIUC? I'd like the option for PTT or VOX.

Thanks guys for your replies. :beerjug:
 
I've got the Hawk radio/intercom wired set up.

After a few teething problems with the unit, (it had to go back for new software) I now find it pretty good. I use it for intercom when pillion on board, and radio on group ride outs and when instructing. I've the wired system, with a Bluetooth input from my nav5.

The Hawk unit fits under the seat on my 1200GS LC, with the seat high at the front and low at the back.

I don't know of a Bluetooth helmet system that would pair satnav, intercom, and radio (Bluetooth attachment) permanently. The Hawk does all 3 with out any issues.
 
Distracted by life, so returning to this now.

HAWK (like Autocom) isn't suitable, as I don't want my solution to be fixed or wired on any bike - it needs to be on me (per se), rather than fixed to a bike; I'll be using it on multiple different bikes.

I've learned that a colleague uses a Midland G8BT bluetooth-enabled PMR radio paired with his Interphone BT helmet headset. Works well, but has flaws, primarily related to the Intaride headset rather than the Midland radio.

I do plan to invest in a decent Sena BT headset - hopefully a 10C, possibly a 10R or 10S.

So the element I'm stumbling on is the radio-headset connection. I see three possible options:

  1. Bluetooth-enabled PMR446 radio. I imagine most or all of the models below might only now be found used if at all. Anyone know of others?
  2. Sena SR10i bluetooth adaptor - https://www.sena.com/product/sr10i/

  3. Midland WA bluetooth dongle - http://www.midlandeurope.com/en/product/161476-wa-dongle-br-adattatore-wireless-br--c1199
I gather there may be issues between some of those products in terms of bluetooth profiles. I can't claim yet to understand how that might affect things.

The Sena SR10i blurb says it's "compatible with standard stereo or mono Bluetooth® headsets", so I guess that's a development over the mono-only SR10. Or am I misunderstanding things? If you're listening to music from your GPS unit paired with your BT headset, does it matter if your radio/BT adaptor does or doesn't support stereo?

There may also be the prospect of me using two different helmets. To avoid having to swap the BT helmet-mount/speakers/mic between helmets, I imagine that would involve buying a second helmet-mount/speakers/mic for the BT headset for the second helmet?


Such a quagmire.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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