i have been looking for a headset to communicate with friends while riding. i searched the forum but came up empty. i am assuming a bunch of you guys have been using them, so i thought i would ask what you guys are using, how well they work, or don't work, any suggestions, pro's and con's? :music:
Autocom comms system with an ICOM 41s 5 w hand held been working for years never had a problem, but I do have a fairly large ground independent antenna that I hang off a removable bracket attached to the Givi rack.
It's the GI antenna that makes all the difference :biggrin:
I have a few mates with those Bluetooth units but they just don't get the range which is a problem if you get the group spread out.
Travis, glad you asked, I was wondering what to get for the Northeast Summer rally to keep in contact with all of you folks. I hope this is more clear cut than a motor oil thread. I much prefer simple and proven reliable over new and feature laden.
Doug
Few months back my son needed to go into town
to complete some VET modules. He's into this whole
geekdom thing and will likely end up locked in a
dark room and the bottom of an abandoned stairwell
behind a black door with a sign that reads
"beware of the with a giant server".
But I digress ...
Bluetooth devices have numbers at the end of their specs,
e.g. 1, 1.5, 2, 6 etc. These are not bluetooth version numbers
but refer to the distance in metres the devices will transmit.
My concern with any communication device is the radiation output.
If brain cancer worries you too, then a patch cable to
a seperate transmitter stuffed in the tail section would be the go.
Otherwise use bluetooth to connect to a transmitter on your bike,
thereby minimising transmission power through your brain.
Or, to hell with it all, just stick an aerial on your helmet. :wacko2:
I've always used the ever reliable iCom (http://www.icom-australia.com/products/uhf/uhf.html) in my work utes,
but I don't know anything about using them whilst riding a motorbike. :unknown:
I have a Chatterbox GMRS X1. Works great. All the wires hanging off the side of your helmet is a pain though.
Quote from: Travis398 on April 11, 2010, 01:01:56 PM
i have been looking for a headset to communicate with friends while riding. i searched the forum but came up empty.
I posted the below message on the Yahoo list in Feb 2006:
--------------------------------------------------------
I believe the Starcom is (with the exception of the Baehr...but I wasn't
about to spend $1K) the best unit on the market. It blows Autocom out of
the water. I think I spent something like $340.00 for my setup that
included 2 headsets, cell phone cable, motorola cable, push to talk, XM Sat
radio cable. At the time http://www.casporttouring.com/ (http://www.casporttouring.com/) was the only US
importer, but I just got http://www.bikeeffects.com (http://www.bikeeffects.com) to start stocking
them as well for a tad cheaper. To my knowledge they are the only 2 US
importers. http://www.bikeeffects.com/products.asp?cat=8545 (http://www.bikeeffects.com/products.asp?cat=8545)
I've said it before, but the unit works easily above 100mph with earplugs.
I have had conversations with my passenger at 120mph (though above 105mph
you do have to start yelling a bit). Autovolume, 2 channel amps, VOX that
actually works (though I use the push to talk button anyway), stereo sound,
kick ass hands free intercom, etc. I've been on business phone calls at 75
mph and the guy on the other end didn't know I was on a motorcycle.
And I don't even have the "Advance" unit....I have the less expensive one.
The "Advance" wasn't out yet last summer when I bought my unit...
It's been a long time since I mentioned this so FWIW, I also setup this
group to get 10% off any http://www.bikeeffects.com (http://www.bikeeffects.com) purchase above
$50.00. Just enter FJ1200 in the coupon field on the checkout page. If
someone was interested in a Starcom unit, that adds up...
Note: In case anyone was suspicious, I get no money or anything from
this...I just did the guy's website so I have a little pull that is all.
-----------------------------------------------------
They now also sell a Bluetooth interface module (which I have) for the Starcom which I love so I don't have to plug in my cellphone everytime like I used to. It works flawlessly!
Something else I was just made aware of: about 2 months or so ago Autocom went out of business. Tecstar, the parent company of Starcom bought the rights to the name Autocom (nothing else – just the name). Back in the day Autocom had the big name distribution and dealers and was pretty good as far as quality – though not as good as Starcom and also a little bit more expensive. My point being – future Autocom units will be better! The new Autocom units are NOT being manufactured now – anything Autocom being sold currently is left over stock from before the company went bankrupt.
after much stuffing around trying to get rid of wires I have come to the conclusion that wires maybe ulgy but they are a good thing when it comes to quality of sound and reliability etc.
I run my moblie phone/MP3/GPS/2way though my autocom, all are very clear, the wife can listen and speak over both the moblie and the 2way, we both have similar taste in music so all good there and we can hold a conversation and listen to music at speeds up to 160 KPH with no sound distortion.
I always ride with the MP3 or radio blasting away, the only down side is my riding mates always say we better get moving soon because it takes Dave ages to put his entertainment system on :biggrin:
Some of my mates have starcom but always find them a bugga to set up initally but if you do mange to get them working are very good, the big plus for them is you can get a remote handle bar sound control, which you cannot get for autocom.
The bluetooth system for the older autocoms like mine is quite ordinary as it is not stero capable and sounds very so so (read crap), I use the 4 pin wire and the sound is brilliant, the bluetooth dongle is IMHO way over priced at $190.00 AUD.
Also if I charge my phone through the 12v socket and have it connected to the autocom via the 4 pin plug I also get a ground loop which can be a bit annoying, so I only charge it when it really needs it :dash1: autocoms response was we know about that tough luck :flag_of_truce:
I am good mates with the autocom disty in Oz and he reckons its business as usual for him, but he would say that :lol:
I guess you always love what you got and what your used to :lol:
tired of re-editing this post to add this and that so I am :bomb: my keyboard.
That's funny, I was just talking about this last night with my girlfriend, saying it would be good for the Northeast Rally. The Autocom and Starcom look like a pain to set up yourself, but I could just be getting intimidated by the wires and such. :unknown:
Being that everything on my bike is stock (other than the suspicious wire under the seat that looks like should be a ground to something) would it be better to just have a shop install it?
This too from 2006:
All-
As promised, I figured I'd pass along my impressions of the IMC
MIT-100 motorcycle communication/ audio hub. If you're at all
interested read on.
THE STORY
Ordered it From sierra Electronics http://www.sierra-mc.com/ (http://www.sierra-mc.com/) on the
12th and I it arrived promptly Jan 16th ostensibly for my birthday on
the 24th. I indicated to the sales guy that I had the Kenwood
FreeTalk FRS radio, with the dual pin and he said 'that's what it
comes with'.
It arrived to my home via UPS during the day while I was at work, and
by the time I got home my wife had wrapped in birthday wrapping paper
-with a bow and everything. So now I had to wait for the 24th...
Opened it last Tuesday night, un-packed it, figured it out, and stole
away to the basement to hook it all up and test it. MP3 sounded good
-stereo sound does make it worth the extra $50 over the Motocomm IMO.
However, I could not make my Nady MRC-11 or my Kenwood Free-Talk work
with it. I even had a friend look it over with me and he agreed it
should work as configured. Called Sierra on Wednesday and they
immediately shipped me out a new one thinking there was a problem,
which they said was not at all common.
Got the new one on Friday and it did the same thing! I was pissed and
had already figured out where I was going to be buying my new Autocom
Active 7-Smart [all 2005 7 series units are 50% off anywhere they're
sold if you can find 'em] out of pocket it would have been 240.00
with shipping and the required cables (that's where they make their $$
by the way, on the cables). So in any case, I called Sierra yesterday
and they put me in touch with their tech guru who immediately
pin-pointed the issue, the two pinned adapter looks like it will work
with Kenwood, it fits and everything, but it does not actually work
-it's wired wrong. IMC apparently does not make a Kenwood adapter
either. I wish the sales guy had pointed that out when I told him I
had a Kenwood originally... Still skeptical, on the way home from
work last night I picked up a pair of Midland radios, $38.00 on
clearance at Bestbuy which he said would work. They did. I was relieved.
THE REVIEW
Sierra, and the IMC distributor in Canada are the only two places I
found who sell it. Both had it for $199.00. Sierra did a pretty good
job all in all, except for not catching the Kenwood incompatibility
issue. But their customer service was basically good, engaged and prompt.
The unit was reasonably well packed, everything in little bags etc.
The first thing you notice is that they give you too much stuff. It
comes with 4 head sets, two open face and two full face head sets. The
main unit, two coiled headset extension wires, an MP3 extension wire,
a cell phone (2.5MM) short Adapter, the infamous two pronged (non
Kenwood) FRS adapter, a power plug, and a PTT switch. It has a BMW
style Power adapter (Which I happen to have -which is good). FWIW, IMC
is German company, but the unit is manufactured in Korea apparently.
There is no option to run the unit on batteries and all of the wires
are well... hard wired to the unit. To me it would be nice to be able
to unplug (and cap) components that are not in use -AKA the passenger
headset) as well as throw in some AA batteries, but that would make
the unit bigger I guess. The main unit has 6 wires in total coming
from the small (about the size of a pack of Camel unfiltereds) black
box; 2 power, (pos and neg), an Audio wire (3.5MM standard MP3 jack),
two head sets shunts (driver and passenger) and a line out that
handles both the FRS and the telephone.
The unit will travel in my tank bag so the wire lengths are a bit too
long, and in fact, they would almost certainly be too short if I
decided to mount the unit inside the rear cowling. They's probably be
just about right for those of you that have removed the air box and
are looking for something to do with all that extra void...
In my garage without the bike running, it sounded good, but a bit too
loud, (the black box does do fixed amplification), and a bit too soft
under hard acceleration during my little test jaunt last night.
Probably about right at 60 mph on the highway, and too soft at 90, but
that just goes to show you what kind of noise biking crams into your
ears. Plus, the somewhat lower screen, coupled with the Two Brothers
exhaust on the Hurricane do not help this at all. Still there is no
volume adjustment, the unit relies on the device supplying the signal,
MP3, FRS, phone etc to control the volume. I think I would add a
volume adjuster (like on the Autocom Pro7) if I were building this.
The music is lowered by 50% when an FRS is used or during a cell
conversation. It comes back up after 15 seconds of non FRS or Cell
signal. FRS and Cell are clear and strong and the music is clear and
the Hi Fi stereo speakers do sound good in all three cases, but the 2
second transition back to 100% is slightly distorted -not sure why
that is. The speakers are sufficiently thin to mount in my helmet and
be comfortable. and mounting was pretty easy, although my Icon liner
does not come out so I wound up stuffing wires into crevices and using
the supplied Velcro to attach the speakers, and mic directly to the
liner. The whole process took maybe 20 minutes, and was not
challenging.
The on line literature, as well as the instructions that come with it
are seriously lacking. The written material is translated poorly into
English and is about three pages of 8.5 X 11 paper stapled together.
There is even less information about it on line. Little doubt, what I
have written here represents more information then they provide.
Overall, it's seems pretty good. I'm going to keep it and not get the
Autocom. [Although I talked to Autocom and they swear that their key
differentiation from their competitors is that their VOX/ noise
cancellation works and is apparently guaranteed to work "at any
speed". I'd like to test that claim b/c it's completely contrary to
all of my VOX experiences...] Obviously I have not taken the MIT on
any long rides yet, but it seems like it will do well.
I looked pretty closely at about 9 companies that make these things
and ruled out; Beahr, Starcom and Autocom for cost; Motcomm mostly b/c of the
mono; Chatterbox, and Collett b/c they mount outside of the helmet;
J&P, Nady and J&M b/c they were mono, and not functionally rich
enough. To me, seems like the IMC is a decent balance between cost
and functionality.
Hope that all helps...
Dan
wow a lot of great stuff so far, thanks guys. i guess this is a tad more complicated than i was thinking. it doesn't help when i am the type of person that has to
research every spec from every model and compare them until they are obsolete. (like the new TV i have been researching for the past 2 years, my wife was going
so crazy from this she told me she don't care how BIG or how MUCH
"JUST BUY THE DAMN THING :ireful: SO I CAN STOP HEARING YOU TALK ABOUT IT"
i suppose it is meaningless to her, but very important none the less, anyways the search goes on)
back on topic, :pardon: i was wondering how comfortable the stuff is crammed in the helmet, earplugs seem like a good way to go, i really don't know if i like the idea
of not being able to adjusting the volume. and i never thought of the MP3 thing but that would be so cool rocking out to tunes while riding. :music:
where does all this stuff go? radios, splitter boxes, MP3, cell phone, chargers.........etc.)
a tank bag? holy shit do i have to rewire the bike and mount a satellite dish on the back? :rofl:
i forgot to ask how far apart the bikes can be before you start loosing someone? a mile 2, more?
Radios: The effective communication distance between riders depends a lot on your radio type and the terrain. GMRS vs. FRS are the two basic types. Google it for more information -there's lots... But basically, GMRS is stronger and in entry level trim (+/- 3-5 watts) it's good for as much as 5 miles (on the salt flats) and depending on the terrain, maybe 2-3 miles in average obstructed riding conditions. I have seen less than a mile in the twisty mountains. From what I'm to understand, GMRS radios can go up to 50 watts, but these are not common at the consumer level.
The down-side of the GMRS, is that you need to apply for an FCC license to be 100% legal, although many folks ignore this... In my case it was a form I had to fill out and send in with a few bucks, not terrible.
An FRS radio, in my experience is good for maybe a mile at best but there's no FCC license requirement.
None of these bike units come with a built in radio, you'll need to buy one and that leads you to the above decision. Do make SURE you buy one with the right connection for your unit, they differ, and some bike units do not sell/ provide connections for all radios. Kenwood for instants has a +/- proprietary connection, but some folks have a Kenwood connection and others do not... Also, some offer PTT (Push To Talk) as part of their wiring... I would decide on your bike unit before you buy your radio.
Hope that helps.
Dan :hi:
Quote from: Travis398 on April 12, 2010, 05:34:41 PM
so crazy from this she told me she don't care how BIG or how MUCH
"JUST BUY THE DAMN THING :ireful: SO I CAN STOP HEARING YOU TALK ABOUT IT"
Meaning you can not buy one at all. Then she doesn't have to hear you talk about it, and you can't hear her when you're riding. Best of both worlds!
Dan, thanks for the info, you just answered all my questions. My wife & I are looking to get an intercom so we are able to talk while riding. The music/phone functionality is a bonus and is only $150 for the IMC.
Marsh, Dan or anyone else for that matter,
I have been looking at both products recommended by you guys and I have one question that I think I know the answer, but I need to confirm.
I am looking at these two way systems for bike to bike communications. Does that mean I need to purchase two "kits". I do not see how the second rider can communicate from the separate bike as I do not see any PTT switch.
I am familiar with the radios we use in our race cars which require two radios, an adapter kit to convert the radio to helmet & PTT and the crew headset/mic combo to communicate from car to pit or car to car. This looks to very familiar to what I currently use; http://www.intaride.com/bike-to-bike-radio.html (http://www.intaride.com/bike-to-bike-radio.html)
I plan on doing more research but this question effects my decision more than any. I have several FRS radios, unsure of the brand, that we use at the race track during event to keep in contact since cell service doesn't work half of the time. I was hoping to use these radios on our two bike with a system and not have to purchase new ones.
This is going to be our Christmas present in anticipation for the 2011 WCR and first rally we will be attending.
Randy - RPM
Yea, good question Randy.
I reviewed Marsh's 2006 comments and I recall that this was the first time where someone wrote that the VOX feature actually worked worth a damn.
On other units, many folks have commented that the wind noise inside the helmet would activate the VOX causing disgruntled riders in the group who share the same channel.
I recall back then (2006) that it was the general consensus of the group that a PTT was the only reliable way to activate the radio.
Is this still true?
TIA
Randy-
If all you are doing is bike to bike, and not cell phone, music/ mp3, radar detector and GPS inputs, or driver-passenger communication then the 'kits' you require will be really simple, and nicely, cheap too. You may be able to get what you need directly from your radio manufacturer. All you really need for each rider/ bike is a radio, with a remote speaker, mic, and optionally a PTT switch. If you're willing to take you had off the bars to use the radio, you can even forgo the PTT switch and just key the radio itself by hand to talk. I've done this, it's not too bad.
As for whether you can use your existing radios, it's going to depend on whether they have the ability to hook in an external mic and speaker(s) and PTT -which is going to depend on the make and whether you can source a generic or from-the-manufacturer, set of the external components.
Baring that, most manufacturers of 'kits' offer simplified versions of their flag ships, for bike to bike only.
If one of the two of you does all the talking and the other simply wants to listen, then you only need one rider with a kit/ external componets and one radio with an external speaker and no kit. Most radios will accommodate this.
In reality, I suspect you will struggle finding a radio/ external mic/ speakers only for your existing radios, unless they happen to be Kenwoods, then I believe they make a setup to be used without a 'kit'. As I remember, and it has been a while so check me on this, I think they were not cheap. Expensive enough to look seriously at 'kits'.
Kit names to look at:
Beahr
Starcom
Autocom
Motcomm
Chatterbox (outside of the helmet)
Collett (outside of the helmet)
J&P
Nady
J&M
If money were no object, I'd think I'd buy the Beahr or the Starcom, or possibly the J&M.
Hope that helps.
Dan
Quote from: Pat Conlon on December 02, 2010, 11:12:48 PM
I recall back then (2006) that it was the general consensus of the group that a PTT was the only reliable way to activate the radio.
Is this still true?
I have never seen one that works well, and been the recipient of another riders' 'false opening' mic. It sucks.
Maybe the technology has come around, I just can't vouch for it.
Dan
Quote from: Dan Filetti on December 02, 2010, 11:34:10 PM
Quote from: Pat Conlon on December 02, 2010, 11:12:48 PM
I recall back then (2006) that it was the general consensus of the group that a PTT was the only reliable way to activate the radio.
Is this still true?
I have never seen one that works well, and been the recipient of another riders' 'false opening' mic. It sucks.
Maybe the technology has come around, I just can't vouch for it.
Dan
Dan, are you talking about a PTT switch being unreliable.... or are you talking about VOX being unreliable?
Quote from: Pat Conlon on December 02, 2010, 11:42:22 PM
Quote from: Dan Filetti on December 02, 2010, 11:34:10 PM
Quote from: Pat Conlon on December 02, 2010, 11:12:48 PM
I recall back then (2006) that it was the general consensus of the group that a PTT was the only reliable way to activate the radio.
Is this still true?
I have never seen one that works well, and been the recipient of another riders' 'false opening' mic. It sucks.
Maybe the technology has come around, I just can't vouch for it.
Dan
Dan, are you talking about a PTT switch being unreliable.... or are you talking about VOX being unreliable?
I think he's talking about VOX.
BTW, Uniden radios automatically go into VOX whenever a mic is plugged in. DAMHIKIJK. :dash2:
Randy T
Indy
Correct -it VOX that seems unreliable. (PTT works great) In principal it is only supposed to open the mic for you, when you begin speaking. In my experience, it opens the mic when you do not want it -especially when you goose the motor/ road noise increases, and consequently, everyone else you're riding with get's to hear you breath, and the sound of your motor through their speakers. Oh, and because there IS a mic opened, sometimes for extended periods of time, no one else can even call you to tell you to turn the damn thing off... It can be frustrating.
Not great.
I'd love to know that this issue has been fixed, and that someone has resolved it well, but motorcycles generate an awful lot of noise, especially at speed. Noise canceling, and differentiation from voice needs to be fairly sophisticated, and I just have yet to see it work well. Marsh did say he has so I'll await updated feedback from him on this.
Get with the times!
Expensive, hardwired, push to talk bike to bike radios are out. I have been using a Scala Q2 - (Bluetooth) for the last 3 years (before they became popular) and could not recomend it highly enough. The entire unit is helmet mounted - look it up on the net- a single charge is good for about 600 -700 km's of constant chatter, I have my GPS, phone and intercom programmed into it and can prioritise their order, this could also include mp3 player. It's good for about 700m line of sight transmission. Mine has done about 40,000 km's and my riding buddy's about 100,000.( original batteries) I can't think of a single area of performance or convenience that could be improved on - and their relatively cheap! I researched every system on the market and could not be happier with my choice. Being voice activated and two -way talk it like talking on the phone. I can also make and receive voice activated phone calls. It was so cheap compared the other systems I was prepared to give it a shot and throw it away if it was no good. Check it out.
I Just read Dan Filetti's post while typing this, bike and wind noise have never been a problem with unintentional mike activation even at high speeds.
Noel
Noel,
Ironically after I posted my questions, my wife showed me the Scala Q4;
http://www.cardosystems.com/us/scala-rider/scala-rider-g4-powerset (http://www.cardosystems.com/us/scala-rider/scala-rider-g4-powerset)
I am going to do some more research and see if this type of system is the one for us.
Thank you to everyone who offer suggestions.
Randy - RPM
My experience with those types of helmet mounted battery powered systems is that they just don't have the amplification power to the speakers to hear well at anything above 30-35 mph. In town use only in other words. They are the same as hooking up speakers or earbuds (without an AMP) to an mp3 player or walkman (or two way radio directly even) or the like.
Then again - I was a musician for the majority of my life and I'm probably half deaf... YMMV
I like to protect what hearing I have so I wear custom earplugs and then have speakers (powered by a Starcom AMP) over those. I know the audio quality is better with in ear speakers (ear buds or custom ear plugs with ear buds in them)...but I just hate all of the hassle and wiring involved in putting on my helmet and taking it off...
I also have poor hearing (80-85%) in one ear only from a medical condition. I also have professionally made (audiologist) custom plugs. My FJ has the "finned" screen and the combination of that, and my helmet, is so noisy that without the plugs the noise becomes pain - literally- from about 140+ (kph). intense enough to make me back off while overtaking sometimes. However, even with the plugs, at those speeds (on full volume) I can hear very well and imagine a better fairing/helmet combo, that would be ANY other combo would not even require full volume.
Randy,
I should point out that my unit is the earlier one and the current Q4 is much more powerful so it should be even better!
Noel
Double check the local laws if you're using these for music or communications. In the states:
CA - Single earphone only
FL - No earplugs, speakers in helmet ok
GA - No music, communication only
IL - No music, communication only
MD - Single earphone only
MA - Speakers under helmet illegal
MN - single earphone only
NY - single earphone only
OR - some cities have restriction, state does not
PA - Communication only (earplugs are illegal it seems even!)
RI - speakers under helmet illegal
VA - Communication okay, earplugs illegal (?!)
May not be entirely up to date, but gives you a starting point. States not listed = no restrictions.
Quote from: ribbert on December 03, 2010, 09:58:32 PM
I also have poor hearing (80-85%) in one ear only from a medical condition. I also have professionally made (audiologist) custom plugs. My FJ has the "finned" screen and the combination of that, and my helmet, is so noisy that without the plugs the noise becomes pain - literally- from about 140+ (kph). intense enough to make me back off while overtaking sometimes. However, even with the plugs, at those speeds (on full volume) I can hear very well and imagine a better fairing/helmet combo, that would be ANY other combo would not even require full volume.
Noel-
This is interesting. To date, I have not been so much of a fan of outside the helmet systems, they seem klunky and an affront to aerodynamics, possible obstruction for neck/ arm range of motion... I don't know any of this first hand, but I had ruled them out before for similar reasons -additionally, chatterbox was reported to be fairly unsable too.
How about radios. Do you know, if you're riding with a larger group, all with different radios FRS, GMRS can you also talk with them? I suspect it's an FRS type, based on the published range, but it would be a non-starter for me if everyone in the group needed one of these to do bike-to-bike. Is it frequency (Kenneth) proprietary or open as with other radios.
Can you let me know?
Thanks
Dan
Quote from: andyb on December 04, 2010, 06:57:53 AM
Double check the local laws if you're using these for music or communications. In the states:
CA - Single earphone only
FL - No earplugs, speakers in helmet ok
GA - No music, communication only
IL - No music, communication only
MD - Single earphone only
MA - Speakers under helmet illegal
MN - single earphone only
NY - single earphone only
OR - some cities have restriction, state does not
PA - Communication only (earplugs are illegal it seems even!)
RI - speakers under helmet illegal
VA - Communication okay, earplugs illegal (?!)
May not be entirely up to date, but gives you a starting point. States not listed = no restrictions.
Good to know.
Dan
I have been on business cell phone calls while riding the FJ at freeway speed with the Starcom where the other person had no idea I was not sitting in my office. My client was utterly floored when I told him I was riding a motorcycle while talking with him.
On another note - if it is true that the Scala can have the amplification power necessary to actually hear conversations at speeds above 65mph that would be truly significant and awesome! However; I still remain a skeptic. Klavdy and I both tried them once and we both thought they were shit - we couldn't hear crap at speed. Maybe we had a 1st gen model or something...but we got rid of them...it was a couple of years ago.
http://www.starcom1.com/ (http://www.starcom1.com/)
Marsh, this system seems to sell itself quit well.
My question, are the amount of bike-bike communications limited to two, or are several bikes able to communicate at the same time?
I've been wanting some music while on the road also, and I like the features of the StarCom. and the optional equipment they offer.
Leon
Quote from: 1tinindian on December 04, 2010, 03:51:34 PM
http://www.starcom1.com/ (http://www.starcom1.com/)
Marsh, this system seems to sell itself quit well.
My question, are the amount of bike-bike communications limited to two, or are several bikes able to communicate at the same time?
Leon
The Starcom has inputs to plug into any radio - so yes - it can communicate with as many bikes as you choose depending on different radio compatibility you and others are using. The Starcom does NOT come with a bike to bike radio built in. Think of it as the AMP and mixer and brains for anything you want to plug into it. These guys: http://www.bikeeffects.com/products.asp?cat=8559 (http://www.bikeeffects.com/products.asp?cat=8559) give a good breakdown of every optional cable and thing that it does (there are also 3 different Starcom models). Fjowners.com members also get a 10% discount via the info in this link through this vendor: http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=92.0 (http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=92.0) As I explain in the link - this is a website client of mine - I turned them on to the Starcom (after I purchased it and tested it MANY years ago) as the ONLY Starcom importer in the US back in the day. They stock everything in house and carry every option available I believe. I have no idea if they are the cheapest now - so feel free to shop around - but they were the last time I checked. FWIW.
Quote from: Marsh White on December 03, 2010, 07:28:50 PM
I was a musician
Marsh, what do you play?... we gotta jam! :good:
Marsh,
I have no vested interest in promoting the Q2's or similar units, but can't fault mine, and it's the first generation model. However, it is absolutely critical that the speakers be mounted in the right spot. For example, twisting the helmet on your head ( not much movement ) can take it from loud and clear to almost no sound. This I have found is the single biggest problem encounted by users of this device. I have set mine up so that intercom is the base setting, overridden by phone, my phone contacts list show up on my GPS, or, without the GPS, I have voice activated phone directly through the Q2, and that is overridden by GPS alerts such as directions, speed camera's, school zones etc. and an Mp3 player can also be included in the mix. (The FJ engine is enough music for me!) The only issue, as someone enquired recently, is that it's not practical for multiple users (ie more than 2). It can be done but requires manual switching between users.
It may not be everone's cup of tea, but I can't fault mine.
Noel
Quote from: TRoy on December 06, 2010, 06:12:03 AM
Quote from: Marsh White on December 03, 2010, 07:28:50 PM
I was a musician
Marsh, what do you play?... we gotta jam! :good:
I have a BA in Music Performance on Trumpet - and a Minor in Jazz Piano (Blues mainly). What do you play TRoy? (besides the Timpani of course) ;)
Quote from: Marsh White on December 06, 2010, 10:46:11 AM
BA in Music Performance and a Minor in Jazz What do you play TRoy? (besides the Timpani of course) ;)
:crazy: wow, I just beat on drums... but I do have brushes and I kinda know how to use them. :crazy:
I think we could have a really good time getting it on.
Well,
After looking at options and cost of a bunch of different systems including all of those listed here, I have decided to bite the bullet. I bought a Cardo Scala G4 powerset system which will allow the bike to bike communication no matter which bike we are riding or if we are riding on one bike.
I read a ton of other reviews for all of the different products and for the price and simplicity of just having the helmet mounted system, I am going to start here.
If they do not work to our satisfaction, I will upgrade my bikes to accept the radios I use in my race car(s) and just switch them back & forth as needed.
I will give my impression as we get to riding after the first of the year.
Randy - RPM
Randy, good choice!
I'm sure you'll be pleased. In case you missed my post several days ago, what I discovered myself, and what I overheard the Cardo guy telling people at a recent motorcycle expo is that the placing of the speakers is critical. I tried several ways and the best was standing in front of a mirror with a torch to visibly position them. Moving your helmet up and down and side to side is good for fine tuning and also realising how sensitive they are to positioning. Before earplugs I had them mounted under the liner, I now have them mounted on top of the liner. Once done it's a terrific system. If you're into really big rides ( approx. 12 hrs or more) take the chargers and give them a quick zap over lunch, nobody ever minds you plugging them in.
Noel
Just curious about anyones experiences with the Scala G4 radios. Are you happy with them? Or dissappointed?
I'm thinking of buying these and i have to git-r-done in time for the rally....
Thanks
Quote from: paulfj03 on July 02, 2011, 10:09:18 AM
Just curious about anyones experiences with the Scala G4 radios. Are you happy with them? Or dissappointed?
I'm thinking of buying these and i have to git-r-done in time for the rally....
Thanks
I have the earlier Scala Q2,'s, they are fantastic. If you go to my "member profile"and read posts 39 - 43 it covers my experience with them in more detail. All that has changed since then is one set has now done 127,000 km's on original batteries over 3 and a half years, both have seen plenty of weather and I'm yet to see anything hit the market that seems to be an improvement - except of course, the G4 which should be even better than the Q2. If you have any specific questions about them, ask away.
Noel
Thanks Noel :drinks:,
I had read your previous posts in this thread :biggrin: and I see you have had alot of luck with the Scala Q2's....and like you say, the G4 should be even better.... the reviews generally seem to be good too...:good:
Anyone have any problems or dislikes about the scala G4?
Thanks in advance
Randy,
How did the G4 work out for you?
Keep in mind that I have to try to keep up with Doug, which can on occasion force me to ride at high speeds. It would be nice to be able to talk him out of his insanity at those speeds... :crazy:
Any other thoughts on this topic?
So far so good. The two-way function works very well. I am not sure about the 1 mile distance; that must be a mile on flat land with no obstructions.
Last weekend I notice the communications from my wife were getting scratchy and I could not see here behind me. We were in the hilly twisties so I pulled over, I was probably out 20-30 seconds ahead of her and as she came closer to range the transmissions became clearer.
I asked her if she heard any distorted signal from me and she said no, so I am not sure.
I do not use the blue-tooth portion via my phone as I;
1) don't want to talk on my phone while enjoying the ride.
2) don't usually have cell coverage in the mountains
I use the radio portion when I ride to & from work, the reception is better at 7:00am than it is a 7:00pm. The sound clarity for the radio is okay, but for the two-way communication is crisp & clear. I did not know and do not recall reading that is has an auto-volume adjust the adjusts to speed & noise. I like that because the volume would be deafening if it stayed the same and it would not be very rider friendly to adjust the volume every time you came to a stop and wanted to communicate.
So far, we are happy with them. It has taken some of the pressure off of both of us. I don't have to wait for her and she doesn't have to keep up with me when we are in the twisties as our riding experience is vastly different.
They only thing I notice is they work so good, that each of use hears the other one talking to themselves. I hear a lot of "woes, urrrghs, and oh shits" but at least when shes talking I know she is still behind me.
Randy - RPM
Randy, good to hear you are pleased with the G4's. I have been using the Q2's ( earlier version) for nearly 4 years and love them. 1 set has done 45k and the other (my riding buddy) has done 100k, both still on original batteries. I do have my phone connected but through my GPS so I can disable it if I want, it's a handy option if someone gets lost. If you have a compatible phone, the incoming call will be identified on the screen. Sometimes I like or need to be contactable and sometimes I like spoken GPS directions eg. in the city. Regarding hills and twisties, they are "line of sight" transmission and as I have mentioned before it is critical that the speakers are positioned correctly. Being able to chat conversationally with your riding partner is great. Ours are good for about 10hr./600km of reasonably constant chatter before going flat. If we plan a bigger day we take the chargers and give them a zap over lunch. I have done 900km in a day still going strong with just a short charge over lunch. They have also been subjected to a lot of rain, been frozen solid and the heat and dust of 18k around Oz.
Noel
gps directions
The G4's require all bikes you are riding with to also have a g4? Looking at their web site, it was not even clear it it would work even if everyone did, if was more than 1 other bike. It said something about rider/ passenger and another bike. I was not sure if that meant I could not have say, 5 bikes all using the same comm channel, or whether I would simply need to get my riding buddies to drink the G4 cool-aid. Depending on the answer, this could be sort of limiting. Otherwise they sure do sound attractive.
Dan
That is the one limiting factor, they are only for use between 3 users at once with only 2 of those able to talk at any one time. For me that is not an issue, I mostly only ride with, or wish to talk to one other person while riding.
Noel
All I want is a way to communicate with anyone I'm riding with, at least to let them know I'm stopping and it's okay. Or nancyg and I like to point things out when we get together. Well I have a couple of headsets, ptt switches, anyone want to buy them, cos' I haven't been happy with them at all.
I'm still trying to figure out a way to go....so this thread has helped.
NancyK
Nome I'm really overloaded. We just got the Scala G4 set. Intercom clarity sucks. Not what I'd expect for a $500 unit.
Quote from: nvmike24 on August 08, 2011, 12:30:13 PM
Nome I'm really overloaded. We just got the Scala G4 set. Intercom clarity sucks. Not what I'd expect for a $500 unit.
As Randy said about his newly fitted G4's a few days ago and from my own experience over the last few years, if they are paired properly and speakers mounted correctly, the clarity is brilliant. As I have said a number of times it is imperative that the speakers are positioned correctly. Once you've found that sweet spot the intercom sound quality is excellent.
Noel
Thanks Noel, I will do some adjusting and see how it improves.
Quote from: racerrad8 on August 06, 2011, 06:53:17 PM
So far so good. The two-way function works very well. I am not sure about the 1 mile distance; that must be a mile on flat land with no obstructions.
Last weekend I notice the communications from my wife were getting scratchy and I could not see here behind me. We were in the hilly twisties so I pulled over, I was probably out 20-30 seconds ahead of her and as she came closer to range the transmissions became clearer.
I asked her if she heard any distorted signal from me and she said no, so I am not sure.
I do not use the blue-tooth portion via my phone as I;
1) don't want to talk on my phone while enjoying the ride.
2) don't usually have cell coverage in the mountains
I use the radio portion when I ride to & from work, the reception is better at 7:00am than it is a 7:00pm. The sound clarity for the radio is okay, but for the two-way communication is crisp & clear. I did not know and do not recall reading that is has an auto-volume adjust the adjusts to speed & noise. I like that because the volume would be deafening if it stayed the same and it would not be very rider friendly to adjust the volume every time you came to a stop and wanted to communicate.
So far, we are happy with them. It has taken some of the pressure off of both of us. I don't have to wait for her and she doesn't have to keep up with me when we are in the twisties as our riding experience is vastly different.
They only thing I notice is they work so good, that each of use hears the other one talking to themselves. I hear a lot of "woes, urrrghs, and oh shits" but at least when shes talking I know she is still behind me.
Randy - RPM
+1
At high speed, the intercom works great, where as the sound of the radio is distorted and hard to listen to. I have just learned how to connect my phone so i can listen to my own music. I am about to try it out.
Make sure the microphone on the boom is facing the right way...You have to remove the boom sleeve to check and make sure it is not facing ahead of you. I got the G4 powerset (2 Units) for $360 shipped. Cyclebots.com