For touring with a mate, I just use a cheap Wilkie talkie with a headset and PTT switch wired in. You can get two bikes up and running for £50 and you won't notice any difference for bike to bike comms compared to far more expensive bike specific systems. It's not much cop if you want to plumb in music, but that can be done with a bit of lead trickery. I'm fortunate in having access to a whole bunch of avionics engineers who happily knock "special projects" when they're supposed to be working!
From what you're looking at I guess you want the comms setup for longer trips rather than day to day so maybe a tank bag isn't such a bad option?....especially something clever like the SW Motech Quick Lock tank bags with 12v connection: nach Produkten - Gepäcksysteme - Tankrucksäcke - QUICK-LOCK Tankrucksäcke 12V - SW-MOTECH & BAGS-CONNECTION Have a look at this thread for some comments on the SW-M bags and the Givi equivalents: http://ducatiforum.co.uk/f6/ducati-tank-bag-2136/
The thot plickens.....the story thus far.... Bike; Autocomm Logic Single rider system: Kit L-1 PTT system (part # 2388) Autocomm (ICOM UHF 41s) Connector lead (part # 1434) Autocomm adapter lead (part # 2356) Powered by AAE batts. Fitted? Inside leathers? Hmmmmm....to be continued + ICOM 41s UHF connected (somehow) to the bars and it's either re-chargeable or bike powered. Car; Uniden 7700 + Aerial kit (cig lighter powered and hand held mike).
A couple of words of caution re carrying stuff about your person (in pockets and/or in rucksacks)...... 1) I know (should say knew....long and sad story that I'll not go into but roots from this incident!;-) a guy that got his spine broken in a pretty straight forward off due to the fairly 'solid' contents of the rucksack he was wearing. 2) Even relatively small objects like mobile phones can produce some really nasty (painful!) bruising or even broken bones - I know a couple of guys that have had simple low speed offs (both ice as it happens) that learnt from experience with their worst injuries resulting from the contents of their pockets! :-O ....worth thinking about ;-)
Bump......I'd be interested to hear more on what anyone else has done/recommends. Marty, sorted anything yet?
I'm close to ditching my current autocom and moving to Sena's SMH-10 Bluetooth configuration instead (married to my Zumo 660). I'm sick of plugging and unplugging wires, and the electrical interference from having two bike powered devices is driving me to distraction. It doesn't seem to matter which bike, which autocom, or which in-line gizmos I use, there's always a background buzzing from the engine as revs build :frown: If the SMH-10 solves this, I will be a very happy bunny, and the option to speak to mates who also have Senas will be a nice bonus. Will report back when I've swapped over and have had a chance to draw any kind of conclusion...
Yes Steve but I need to communicate farther than BT range. Bike to car. 2-5 kms. I'm trying to nut out how to get the Earmold earpieces to splice into the Autocomm headsets with the mouth VOX too. Hmmm. The UHF, power source, location, shouldn't be too much of an issue. Famous last words I'd suggest too.
I have exactly the setup you describe - sena smh-10 linked to my Zumo 660 - works a treat, some phantom connections rider to pillion now and again but no big deal
Hey guys you might want to have a look at the new UClear HBC200 from www.uclearstore.com/motorcycle in the States. Me and 3 mates bought them for our trip in the Picos this year in North Spain - no horrible boom mic to faff around with, battery life is amazing and they worked a treat!
Cans and string are the best option, because they won't work. Then you can have peace, which is surely part of what biking is all about.
Totally with you on the earpiece issue....I want to hear the talking/directions/music etc etc but still want ear protection whilst still being able to talk back!
We have scala rider pro set q2 they are Bluetooth activated you can connect your phone to them take calls, make calls listen to the radio I tunes /mp3 also talk rider to rider up to 1 mile absolutely brill also can connect up to four riders, they quite expensive but best 240 quid we spent, also fit nicely on your lid and easy to use. I always say buy cheap you buy twice!!
LONG POST WARNING Ok update from the OP. UHF success! The bikes UHF radio (I'll post pics later today) slips into the Kreiga 5L tank bag; easy access. Now the cable for the aerial is semi- permanently plumbed all the way through to the rear grab rail, neatly using the rear indicator cable hole under the rear end as the exit. From there it feeds up into the GME aerial. The aerial base was mounted to an AltRider top box plate and was, I say was and you'll understand at the end of this endless post, was mounted with an 3 mm aluminum bracket (affixed to the AltRider) a mate fabricated (yes, pics later)... Now the tricky bit is that the coax cable is "fixed" into the aerial base when you purchase the aerial, so when fitting, you have to start from the rear obviously and thread (the non aerial end obviously) it through the hole and weave it through the bike where it comes up under inside the right hand side of the nose, the up to the tank. 2.5mtrs of cable is the ticket. The aerial actually ships with 4.5mtrs as standard, so get the comms shop to chop it down. The ICOM 41s UHF handheld is the one for the job here. 5 watt and dead easy to setup and use. The screw off stubby standard aerial is replaced with a small screw in adapter which has the threas on one end and the "bayonet" quarter twist bizzo on the other end (sorry, pics later folks). So now the cable that is near the tank has fitted the male bit that twists into the aerial. 1 second on and off, yet secure. Stay with me here; no pun intended;-). Ah, so how do I transmit, hear etc. Glad you asked because this was the kicker when asking around from the get go. You could you a boom setup with the type of helmets that are pre-plumbed for this however I chose to stick with my old style Shoei....and the answer is.... Throat mike! Yep same as the Spec Ops guys use, well same principal anyway. IXCommunications in Singapore are your men. Soft fabric loop that houses the curly clear earpiece and 2 throat transponders and goes right around your neck and is secured by a Velcro tab. Curly earpiece into the ear ( with a range of different ear hole plugs too). Now, there's a port on the ICOM for when you want to fit the traditional hand held mic or....you buy the adaptor (IX Communications again) to suit the 41s and that adaptor screws into that port. Note: you will also need to specify what type of push to talk adaptor you want as it fits into the throat piece. Mine has both a big push to talk button AND the optional thumb / finger button that is mounted on the left mirror stalk with a bit of creative Velcro work and it comes with its own Velcro loop too. too easy. The cable for the push to talk on the bar is looped around the handle bar and the up under the bar where the risers are and skits happy as a clam under the front Kreiga bag strap. Perfect. The cable for the throat mic/earpiece hangs off the throat mic and you connect it to its buddy already screwed into the UHF. UHF in tank bag, snick on aerial, throat mic on and adjusted so its snug but not choking you, earpiece in, helmet on, connect your other two connections, UHF on. Done! Now, latest update after 1000ks! Perfect bike to car comms tested so far in varying environments up to about 5kms. If wearing a balaclava you must pull the opening down so your mouth is totally exposed otherwise it's like talking through a blanket. The curly tube and earpiece is comfortable even under a balaclava and helmet AND no problems at all for spec wearers such as myself. Sounds complicated getting all plugged in? Not at all, you'll get your technique down pat after 3 stops. Remember to turn it off when refueling!!!!! Otherwise your are punching out some decent wattage near fuel and that is not a good combo! Easy to use either push to talk buttons; either the big clown button the clips onto the the Kreiga or the handlebar mounted button. ...and the "was" mounted via 3mm alum' bracket to the AltRider? Riding at speed on the way down here to Phillip Island I received a last & frantic message from the wife, perfectly clear mind you; "pull over now you have a problem with your aerial!" ...and so it was...hanging off the back attached only by the cable. Alum' bracket fatigued and snapped off. No damage thankfully and aerial, cable and aerial mast all ok! Ark! Gaffer taped the aerial mount to the AltRider plate and pressed on. Found a bloke here yesterday who fabbed me up a new bracket using the remains of the alum one and added additional bracing. Welding ain't pretty but industrial strength and poor old Alt' rack took the welding hit, as you'll see too, but it was always the sacrificial plate for this project anyway. No mean feat to weld up that bracket with the cable and aerial mast unable to be removed and not roast the cable! $100 South Pacific pesos. Result! Ok, now let me post some pics to put all this in context for you all.
