Problem with Autocom kit 200 bike to bike at high revs

[daesimps]

I have a slight problem with the wife's bike/Autocom setup. She has an ER5 with a bike powered Autocom 200 which is connected to a puxing 777 radio (running off battery).

We've noticed that once her revs go above about 3000 the radio doesn't transmit (or at least I don't receive it and she doesn't receive my transmissions). She still gets the roger beep from her radio, so the VOX is definitely kicking in and trying to transmit. It may be that the radio thinks it's transmitting but suffering electrical interference which is blocking the signal.

When we are moving along if she pulls in the clutch so the revs drop everything works fine. The opposite is also true, if we sit at the lights everything works fine but stops if she revs the engine to about 3k. Transmissions both ways stop - I can't receive her and she can't receive me.

The radios are attached to an external aerial mounted on the number plates using the kit from the guy at Biker's Oracle.

Does anyone have any ideas - it's frustrating that we can only talk when almost stationary as it defeats the purpose of the radios?


Thanks
Dae.

 

[Kritou]

........... She has an ER5 with a bike powered Autocom 200 which is connected to a puxing 777 radio (running off battery) ........... /QUOTE]


Do you mean the PMR battery?

 

[daesimps]

What I mean is that the Autocom is bike powered and the PMR is simply running off its own battery - i.e. the PMR isn't bike powered.

Dae

 

[daesimps]

Yesterday we tried again after fitting Autocom's recommended filtered power supply for "noisy" bikes. It didn't make the slightest bit of difference.

My next option is to run the Autocom from 9v batteries, but don't fancy that in the long run as it will work out expensive and inconvenient. We're going on a 5 day tour soon and since the wife also has the Zumo running through the Autocom for music I think it would eat batteries at a fair old rate.

Any other suggestions for fixing the problem would be greatly received.

 

[advancedbiker]

PROBLEM WITH AUTOCOM

Do you have any problem with the music from the Zumo. Is it all the radio issues. I had this when running some radios as it is picking up the electrical feed from the bike. You could try popping into Maplins and getting some Ferrite Blocks and wrapping the radio round it. Other than that have you got the oportunitty to try another radio. If you are handy for North Staffordshire, I have a few spares you could try.

Regards

Nigel

 

[daesimps]

I have no problems with anything except for the bike-to-bike. Zumo music, bluetooth and phone are fine.

The latest lead I've installed for the power is direct from Autocom themselves and has integrated electrical noise isolators.

We are also on our second set of radios (previously tried Cobra and now using Puxing 777 with external aerial mounted on number plate)

I'm now completely out of ideas.


Dae.

 

[divelandy]

How was the trial when you powered both from independent power sources?
- if still bad, this proves it's not the power source

What is the effect of using the wip antenna on the radio rather than the external one?
- i.e. prove if the external antenna is an issue @>3k RPM

Is the power/antenna cable routing near the alternator/spark plugs of the bike?
- both of these can induce a lot of interference.
- keeping them at the back, apart from the riders cable can help

 

[daesimps]

LONG POST WARNING!!!!

I actually got to have a play with this today. Before I describe what happened here are the answers to your questions.

How was the trial when you powered both from independent power sources?
- The radio has always been powered by its own internal battery, and the Autocom from the bike.

What is the effect of using the wip antenna on the radio rather than the external one?
- I've had the problem with 2 makes of radio. When the 1st exhibited this problem with the internal (non removable) antenna I changed radios. I then tried the second radio with it's own aerial before moving on to the external radio, so I know that's not the issue.

Is the power/antenna cable routing near the alternator/spark plugs of the bike?
- both the Autocom and the radio are under the pillion seat and away from the plugs/alternator


Now for some weird results.

I started out with then intention of powering the Autocom off a 9v battery, but before I changed it over I decided to go for a ride and see the problem with my own eyes. Before I set off I put the Autocom back under the seat and removed the cable ties which the dealer had put around the excess wires when he coiled them up. I also couldn't be bothered putting the Autocom where I got it from, so velcro'd it further back under the seat out of the way. I also turned off the CTCSS on the radios. Then, with the radio from my bike in the living room with its own internal aerial and connected to the PC which was set to record the audio, I set off on a ride. The whole time I was simply reading out the revs so I could see from the recorded audio where it broke up. It didn't!!

I then fastened everything back in place, the only difference was that the Autocom is now about 2" further back under the seat and the excess wire is still cable tied up, but not coiled as tight and the CTCSS is off. I repeated the recording test and it was perfect.

I then repeated the test a number of times - with CTCSS, without CTCSS, with the Zumo, without the Zumo, with the zumo playing music etc. Every time it worked!

I then turned my attention to my bike and used my radio with external aerial and repeated the same tests. It worked every time!

I'm now thinking that it was a proximity thing. The only thing I haven't been able to do is test it between the bikes as the wife was working, but the signs are there. If both radios on both bikes can communicate with the radio at home up to 12k revs then they should both be able to work between bikes.

I'm a bit lost as to why it seems to have resolved the issue, as the 2" movement shouldn't have made that much difference. The original location is still well away from all electrical cables. It was almost at the very back of the bike and all cables relating to the install are contained in the tail pod. Her bike is an ER5 which is relatively simple, and everything is way up front (e.g alternator, spark plugs, ingnition circuits).

It just goes to show that 2" can make a big difference

I'll update you when we've had chance to run both bikes together to test it fully.


Dae.