I want it all!

[Kendo]

OK folks,

Me and another member from this parish are going to be embarking on a cross USA trip next year and we have most things covered except bike to bike and cameras.

Now my questions are as follows:-
1) We are on a tight budget!
2) We want bike to bike (We have radios and wired headsets already) but want to know of anything else that may do the job. We will be camping most nights so need to think about charging etc for bluetooth headsets although they seem to be the cheapest simplest options. We have looked at the scals G4's but after a days riding we think they will need charging which could be a pain to do whilst camping and if we forget we will be without comms the next day.
3) We also want helmet cams and would need to be wired into the same system.
4) We also want phone commectivity (iphones) as well as Mp3 from the iphone as well.
5) Finally i have a navigator 4 and the audio from that would be nice but clever BMW have blocked the audio jack plug with there bracket so that would have to be bluetooth.

Any experience etc would be much appreciated on any or all of these problems. As i said before we are on a budget so if there is a cheaper autocom soloution out there then we would love to hear about it.

Cheers

 

[Bumpkin]

Firstly I'm pretty sure that you'll find that PMR radios will be illegal in the US, transmitting on a non-public frequency. You will need to obtain some FRS or GMRS sets. The latter need a licence and the former are licence free much like PMR. GMRS has more power and better range.

 

[Bumpkin]

Re. Helmet Cams, I purchased a kit off eBay last week for £125, has everything you need, even a hook-up lead for commentary via an Autocom or Starcom intercom if that's what you want. I've yet to get it set-up on the bike but first impressions are pretty good. Probably not the quality of the later higher bit-rate kits out there but at that price not a bad buy. You can get a similar set-up from DogCamSport for around £150 but you'd need to get the Autocom lead separately if that's a feature you think you'd need (you said wired into the same system).

Either Tippets are now trying it on (you can get practically the same at DGS as linked to above) or have realised that they sold mine too cheap compared with the RRP of £255

 

[AberdeenAngus]

Get a pair of Puxing 777 UHF sets. They are prgrammable from 400 - 470 MHz.
Program them for PMR 446 in the UK and FRS (462 & 467 MHz) in the states.
Cost about £50 each (if that) on e-bay.

Both PMR and FRS have a 1/2 watt power limit - which is pants.
The Puxings have a switchable high/low output which gives 1/2 watt or 4 watts which gives a useable range of several miles - much more useful.

Programming them via the tiny keyboard is a pain but i've got the gear to do it using a pc.
Drop me a line if you want me to set them up for you.

 

[Jon Seddon]

Charging whilst camping

OK folks,

Me and another member from this parish are going to be embarking on a cross USA trip next year and we have most things covered except bike to bike and cameras.

Now my questions are as follows:-
1) We are on a tight budget!
2) We want bike to bike (We have radios and wired headsets already) but want to know of anything else that may do the job. We will be camping most nights so need to think about charging etc for bluetooth headsets although they seem to be the cheapest simplest options. We have looked at the scals G4's but after a days riding we think they will need charging which could be a pain to do whilst camping and if we forget we will be without comms the next day.
3) We also want helmet cams and would need to be wired into the same system.
4) We also want phone commectivity (iphones) as well as Mp3 from the iphone as well.
5) Finally i have a navigator 4 and the audio from that would be nice but clever BMW have blocked the audio jack plug with there bracket so that would have to be bluetooth.

Any experience etc would be much appreciated on any or all of these problems. As i said before we are on a budget so if there is a cheaper autocom soloution out there then we would love to hear about it.

Cheers

Can't you get chargers that attach to your bikes for Cardo Scala's etc, I've not done it but I'm sure they're advertised.

Jon