TRIBE
- Thread starter B4ndit
- Start date
Ive got a tribe with an f5sxt. It is a two way radio instead of bluetooth so the range is much longer and being two way means if your mates ride with two ways you can also listen to them.
I have set something up wrong at the moment though - everyone can hear me broadcast but I cant here them.
Hth.
Tom
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
I have set something up wrong at the moment though - everyone can hear me broadcast but I cant here them.
Hth.
Tom
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
buncobooth
Registered user
I have been looking at this option but have heard the same issues with the volume. Think I am going to go for the Sena SR10, this allows you to use any compatible radio with a BT headset.
Not sure if this is a solution for the quietness.
I have only had my headset for a week. I found the music cycled from loud to quiet quite randomly. In the settings menu I turned off Auto volume control. The music sound is very loud now.
I haven't tried it with another biker yet. Hopefully later today.
I have only had my headset for a week. I found the music cycled from loud to quiet quite randomly. In the settings menu I turned off Auto volume control. The music sound is very loud now.
I haven't tried it with another biker yet. Hopefully later today.
Bumpkin
Registered user
Bought one for an Interphone f4 equipped ridding buddy and gave it to him on the ferry on route to a tour to Nurburgring, Austria and back via Vosges. To say we were disappointed with it's performance was an understatement. The auto volume was rubbish, sometimes OK but frequently inaudible. It didn't have an option to turn this off so it looks like they've updated the firmware at least, either that or we didn't find it. Not for the lack of trying though. Numerous calls to Sam at Chainspeed from Germany to no avail, he did try but couldn't help. Got sent back for a full refund on our return. When it worked I would say that the range was around the 1 mile mark at best.
A fairly cheap PMR radio, at pro kit money, but without the benefit of being able to use it off the bike as it's Bluetooth only. If PMR combined with a BT headset is the way you want to go then I'd say something like this combined with a Kenwood TK3201 or Puxing PX888 would be a far better bet. A few batteries to look after though...
Me, I run an Autocom with a PMR and PTT, works really well (all bike powered as well) and with a BO external antenna kit I get a real world 1-3 mile range. More in exceptional circumstances but, although encouraging, they don't really count. Whatever you do don't believe the figures quoted by the companies making and selling PMR kit, it's a gross exaggeration.
Can't remember but I think it's on the website.
Regards
Tom
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
Bumpkin
Registered user
That will probably be your CTCSS (Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System) settings. What brand of radio are your riding buddies using? CTCSS, commonly called privacy tones, suppress the incoming signal on the selected channel from being output to audio. This prevents cross-talk between users who are on the same PMR frequency, sort of useful where the airwaves are busy*. There are usually a range of CTCSS frequencies to choose from, 38 pre PMR channel in the case of the Tribe. It's likely that your buddies are transmitting with a different tone frequency to what you have set and hence their transmissions are being suppressed.
The confusing thing is that different manufacturers use different ways of referencing the CTCSS setting. ISTR that we had an issue with the Tribe I bought my friend and had to resort to trial and error to find the right one.
There's a chart of some of the varying systems here.
* one of the issues with CTCSS is that someone closer, or with a more powerful signal, on the same PMR channel but a different CTCSS frequency can wash out a tranmission from someone in your group. CTCSS are not sub channels as such, despite what some manufacturers say, you're still transmitting on the same frequency. The audio is just being suppressed unless it's opened up by recognising a frequency match of the CTCSS sub-tone that's transmitted along with the PMR signal.
I can't recall if the tribe has a Tx/Rx indicator (either an LED that glows one colour for Tx and another for Rx, or a segment on the LCD display). If this is still indicating Rx (received signal) but no audio is heard, then it'll most likely be a CTCSS issue. Again the lack of a speaker on the radio means you can't rule out a BT or headset issue I suppose.
Thanks for explaining it. I figured that this was the area I need to set up but hadn't understood why.
Ah well - trial and error it is!
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk
Checked it out. It says 5000 metres on a sellers web site. Thats a nice big increase. Bit worried about the simplex issues though.
Bumpkin
Registered user
Pinch of salt required there unless you intend to always be stationary on a mountain top 5km from your line of sight buddy also on a mountain top with good atmospherics thrown in for good measure. Seriously, you'll never get that in the real world. Expect line of sight about 1 mile, less with minor obstructions such as other road users or trees. Start to add buildings and solid topography and you'll be down to hundreds of yards. Go with that and you'll not be too disappointed.
I by far prefer to ride with people with PTT switches on their radios, with VOX you'll regularly get unintended transmissions. Admittedly the Tribe that we used wasn't too bad in this respect apart from my touring buddy who rides a 996 Ducati with Termigonis, whenever he got near a rock-face or tunnel I was treated to 'that noise'. OK in isolation but became a bit tiresome after a while.
Not sure if it was limited to his f4 headset but he could only have one thing, sat-nav enabled phone (also with music for autoroute) or Tribe. He had to manually switch between the two which was frustrating when I wanted to ask him something to say the least.
That is a limitation we seem to have hit already without TRIBE. Annoying but some comms are better than no comms. Going to fit the handlebar switch next and see how that improves things.
We already get that with the Bluetooth connection. So might stick with that for a while and see how it pans out over time.
Bumpkin
Registered user
Are you getting a mile from a Bluetooth headset, which one? I would estimate the Tribe would give better range, just not the stellar improvement that they claim.
For small groups of friends that ride at similar pace the Bluetooth systems are adequate. It's when you get spread out over a few miles that a decent PMR set-up* comes into it's own. Useful doing drop-off-system where the lead can keep in touch with the TEC. VHF would give even better range but you'd need a licence (£75 for 5 years ISTR).
* I'm talking external antennas and not exactly OFCOM approved radios here.
It all starts to get a bit geeky...
Probably 500 metres. Obstacles seem to affect it.
Annoying thing is for an all singing all dancing Bluetooth setup. You can't have music and talk at the same time.
Bumpkin
Registered user
As I mentioned above this was one of the other major shortcomings of the Tribe/f4 combo that my mate used. Having to resort to hand signals to get him to switch over from his phone/sat nav, especially when he was in the lead (the mirrors on a 996 Ducati are pretty useless), was pretty frustrating to say the least.
Why they can't design a system that can switch between inputs as required like my wired intercom can I don't know
I have Three devices connected (Sat nav, phone and PMR radio) and all work together, there are inputs for more if required plus a pillion which I don't usually have. There's a priority stack which is well considered by design and can be changed should I want to, though the standard set-up works well for me.There's some evolution required with these BT intercoms, unless some has occurred that I'm not aware of, anyone?
Similar threads
