Bluetooth Capable comm system with bike to bike comm

[dderrig]

Does anyone make a bluetooth comm system (for communication say to your GPS or phone or I pod) that also has 5 mile range bike to bike communications and this is key....lets you use your own ear buds??? If I could find this I'd buy it right now. Chatter box makes a system but I would have to splice my earbuds into their cable to get rid of their helmet speakers. I don't want to be tethered in any way to the bike either.

Dave

[Mollygrubber]

http://www.cardosystems.com/scala-rider/scala-rider-g4

This is the new one, I have the Q2 mult-set (which I love).

Mine are only good for a mile or so (basically line of sight), but hook up to my phone/gps (Zumo 660) effortlessley.

Last for hours and hours on a charge. The new one is supposedly more powerful, but less weather protected.

You would need to splice these earbuds as well, but the speakers are pretty fair...

Peter

[dderrig]

Peter can you hear the speakers in yours even with earplugs in? I really wanted something that I could use with more than just 2 bikes so say a group of 8 of us are on a trip everyone picks the same channel and we can all communicate (although not full duplex like the G4). I love my ER6i etymotic earbuds as they are very slim and my helmet slides right over with no problem, I bluetooth from that to my GPS and it works great but I need to talk to the boss sometimes to tell her to speed up So as a group we are trying to find the right system for everyone.

[Mollygrubber]

I'd think you could hear with earplugs in, although I don't wear them ( )...

They are quite loud, if not audiophile quality. If you spliced in some decent quality etymotic buds, it would be awesome. Might try that myself.

A word of warning if you wear a snug helmet (shouldn't we all???). My RF1000 is QUITE snug, and has no built-in earpiece recesses in the helmet foam, so before I performed helmet surgery it was quite painful with the hard speaker rubbing my ears. Note that it is NOT a problem with the system, but my tight helmet... the new RF1100 HAS the cutouts, and I am saving my pennies for one.

Peter

[Meatloaf]

I'm a big fan of the Scala Rider Q2 system, but no bluetooth system is going to meet your requirements of 5 miles of range and more than 2 people communicating at once.

Bluetooth is line of sight and 2 people at a time. For a group, your best bet will be CBs. I tried several different brands including Chatterbox (don't waste your money) - J&M makes the best. It is not a cheap setup though. I had two for a couple years, one for my wife and one for myself, and while it was the best I found, I still ditched it for the Scala Rider Q2. Better sound quality and more reliable communications. Since I'm only interested in talking to my wife and we always ride within sight of each other, it was a better solution for us.

For a group though, CB is about your only choice. You won't get 5 miles unless you're very lucky but it has more range than bluetooth Here's a link to the J&M system:

http://www.jmcorp.com/SeeProducts.asp?PF=40

[Mollygrubber]

and we always ride within sight of each other...

...unless your wife gets lost and you lose contact - DAMHIK...

Peter

[tl440]

and we always ride within sight of each other...

...unless your wife gets lost and you lose contact - DAMHIK...

Peter

. . . or she thinks if a little squelch is good, a lot must be better - DAMeither

dave

[Mollygrubber]

LOL

We're so mean. Good thing we're perfect... and I didn't drop my bike inside the garage last night... and almost burn the house down over the weekend...

[Meatloaf]

No such thing as squelch on bluetooth (and yeah, been there done that with CBs). Plus, since the bluetooth setup hooks into the cellphone, out of sight, no problem, I can still call her

[ka5ysy]

There are actually a number of other options:

The FRS/GMRS radios are UHF-FM and have much better range than CB's. My objection to CB is that it is AM, and is subject to a lot of interference from all kinds of sources.

Much better option is HAM radio gear. You have the choice of mobile radios of up to 70 watts on VHF and 50 or so on UHF, with literally hundreds of usable frequencies to choose from. Simplex operation (everybody on one frequency) gives 5 miles most of the time, depending on terrain you are riding. These require a license, and a little bit of study, but no longer requires morse code for the entry (no-code) technician class license. There are thousands of open repeaters that can be used by all HAM operators, so not much problem like the CB channels getting jammed. Check www.w5yi.org for information on licensing.

I have a Yaesu VX8R tri-band transceiver interfaced into my Autocom system and it is PTT and VOX operable with outstanding results. It can also access the FRS stuff so you can listen in. As a bonus it has AM/FM broadcast receive capability too!

If you dont want to get licensed, then FRS is far superior to any CB for a group ride.

[sweatmark]

As previously stated, Bluetooth signal transmission is short range, actually very short range e.g. 100 ft. You can use a Bluetooth device in order avoid wire connecton to helmet, and to integrate other Bluetooth devices within a wire-free network on the bike.

Again as mentioned, CBs are a pain due to noise pickup from ignition system, and require a long antenna to best match wavelength. OK maybe for the GoldWing and Electra-Glide crowd, where the CB has been a standard, but not something I'd choose from scratch.

Sure, HAM radio offers hardcore range and frequency optoins, but will require licensing and equipment purchases for yourself and any other riders with whom you wish to communicate.

My strong recommendation is for FRS/GMRS, because of the following:

1. North American standard frequencies;
2. Inexpensive radios- we've used "bubble pack" family radios with success, along with more expensive business radios that possess FRS/GMRS capability;
3. Decent transmission range using GMRS at maximum 5 watt TX power (requires an "honor system" license from FCC, $85/5 years/entire family);
4. Allows mucho flexibility for the bike audio system you may or may not select, like the Autocom mentioned above, and that I own... actually, I have several Autocoms right now, and have my wife set up for bike-to-bike, and can get riding friends "wired" in a few minutes if we're road-tripping together.
5. The latest Autocom series from the UK manufactere has built-in Bluetooth option.
6. And if you're really hitting the road with some long days in the saddle, I strongly recommend something like the Autocom or StarCom or even the spendy J&M system, because integration of music source makes a world of difference. Satellite radio and an iPod with audio books and lots of podcasts is my recipe for success.

[Mollygrubber]

Wow, you guys put a lot of thought into this... but once again, I've forgotton what forum I'm in...

Peter

As the new BMW ad says, "Just ride the damn thing"

[Meatloaf]

Hmmm... I'll have to look at FRS/GMRS again. The only two people I knew that had sets hated them so I never gave them a second glance. As I said I normally only talk to my wife, but our daughter has been coming with us more frequently. Would be handy to loop her in too.

[Mollygrubber]

The new Scala Rider G4 set purportedly lets 3 people chat. Although with my daughter and wife both yammering I'd be hard pressed to concentrate...

Peter

[dderrig]

http://www.cardosystems.com/scala-rider/scala-rider-g4

This is the new one, I have the Q2 mult-set (which I love).

Mine are only good for a mile or so (basically line of sight), but hook up to my phone/gps (Zumo 660) effortlessley.

Last for hours and hours on a charge. The new one is supposedly more powerful, but less weather protected.

You would need to splice these earbuds as well, but the speakers are pretty fair...

Peter

Peter, I went ahead and got the Scala Rider G4 (Powerset) and so far I really like it. I have not spliced in my ear buds yet but if you get the speakers positioned well it's plenty loud and has the gets louder as you go faster feature which seems to work well. I haven't fooled around with the full duplex vox intercom yet as the wife was out of town but I will this week. I love the FM Radio and it worked will with my Zumo 660 also. So far so good.

Dave

[Mollygrubber]

Cool! I really like mine, so I bet yours is killer.

I like the active noise reduction feature (for the microphone); people that have called my cel while I was on the highway can't belive I'm on my bike.

I guess when my set goes T.Up I'll have a look at the G4 set. Let me know if you have any issues with it...

Thanks,

Peter