Guest tx2sturgis Posted July 7, 2008 #26 Posted July 7, 2008 Uh breaker one-nine, Kandaje, can you hear me now? My foots asleep! Hey...you are a talented wordsmith, even if your a bit cranky. But your point is well taken. I myself prefer to hear the road stories told by co-riders at the gas stops and meal stops along the way. I travel in small groups, if at all, and relish those stories shared over a good chicken fried steak at the end of the day. I dont need to hear a rambling monologue all day long. Look at that! Lets stop here. I gotta pee! What a pretty flower by the side of the road. Crap. All Crap. If you share every thought DURING the ride, whats left to share AFTER the ride? Ever been in a roadside restaurant or truckstop and observe a couple that is eating, and completely SILENT during the meal? Thats because they have said every damn thing they thought of during the drive, and there is nothing, nada, to share during the meal. No thanks. And by the way, just for your info, the FRS radios are legally restricted from having any kind of removable antenna. Limited to 1/2 watt, and 14 channels. The combo FRS/GMRS radios can have more power, features and channels, but you are SUPPOSED to get a license to use them. Yeah right. Like thats gonna happen. Hey...people...get a grip. Get the wifey an mp3 player, use a few hand signals, wait for her if she gets caught in traffic. Share stories down the road. Enjoy life. Enjoy riding. Forget the damn CB. Keep a cell phone handy. Take good pictures. At the end of the day, drink good beer. 10-4.
dr_bar Posted July 10, 2008 #27 Posted July 10, 2008 I'd also go with the better unit offered by J&M. I have one on my Valkyrie and never had a problem with it. For the wife's bike, buy the model without the intercom and it will save you a few dollars... http://www.jmcorp.com/SeeProducts.asp?PF=24
themickeyd Posted July 10, 2008 #28 Posted July 10, 2008 You can take a look at http://www.wirelessriders.com/ They have the BlueAnt unit that was refered to above and a couple other devices that might work. PS: I have my 3 year old (4 next week) that rides with me and loves talking about what he's seeing and doing while he's riding in the sidecar. Having a good intercom system just adds to our rides together
Kandaje Posted July 15, 2008 #29 Posted July 15, 2008 Greetings... I'm going to be doing an install/replacement of the CB with: Midland XT511 base camp. Midland AVPH1 open-face Headset. No doubt I'll have to build all the interface connectors myself. It's definately - not straight drop in - but I will have it tied in to the standard 5 pin DIN intercom, and the handlebar PTT button by the time I'm done... DC Powered while on the bike, 28 mile (10 real world) range, Portable, Easily replaceable if damaged, destroyed or fails. All in all - it meets nearly all my requirements - I had considered a used Chatterbox - But the severly limited range (no better than CB - which is unacceptable to me) and limited channels/codes was a turn off... The funnest part of this build will be designing and making the armored box for the Base camp radio so that it is quickly removable and hide-able. And it will all come in at Under $100.
Bob Myers Posted July 15, 2008 #30 Posted July 15, 2008 Before you actually go to the trouble of mounting and building your interface you may wish to give those a real world test. That is a GMRS radio and if my memory serves me correct they are 450-470 MHz.This coupled with a possible 5 watts will give you maybe 3/4 mile range. At that high of a frequency you need 30 watts to make a 10/15 mile carrier heard. Possibly, and i mean this with knowledge of communications equipment, possibly 500 yards on flat terrain. The mfg so overrates and over states those thing it should be criminal.
Kandaje Posted July 15, 2008 #31 Posted July 15, 2008 Greetings... Yes - that's why I eventually choose the midland AVPH1 as the helmet set - Just in case the radio itself was not a "Great one". It's at least upgradable. The Midland double pronged mike/speaker plug is the closest thing to a standard that currently exists for these consumer grade GMRS things. That was actually the deciding factor. I only want to build the intercom-interface ONCE! I've read as many reviews as I could find on the XT511 - Certainly - A very mixed set of reviews. And I'll certainly real world field test it before building the box. We've got a number of other walkie talkie style GMRS units - which even the cheapest 8 mile ones we've tested - can communicate indoor-indoor at 2.5 miles between my and the GF's House... The ONE thing that I have 'discovered' since I decided on it, is that the AC/DC power option is possibly recharge only? - It doesn't actually power the radio directly? This isn't yet clear, until I actually receive the unit. I can't find any hard facts on the unit from people who've experienced it. Even if it turns out to be a dog on the bike - It will still find a useful home among our traveling gear - as a back up unit at least... I'm willing to be the guinea-pig on this one - and I'll definitely share my experience with it here!
Rick Butler Posted July 16, 2008 #32 Posted July 16, 2008 Tom, The best and cleanest CB set-up I have seen lately is the J&M 2003CB. It has a handlebar headset almost like our Ventures with a nice PTT switch. It also has an external antenna with is nice, 5 weather bands, and an input for a MP3 Player. Its not cheap but IMHO worth what you pay for it. If she has a sport bike with a tank bag, I have a friend that is using the J&M Integrator which he mounted in his tank bag that also supports a cell phone as well as CB (external antenna) and MP3 player. Autocom also makes a nice tank bag alternative. Hope this helps, Rick
Guest tx2sturgis Posted July 16, 2008 #33 Posted July 16, 2008 When we are riding our Vulcans the wife and I have 2m HTs that are modded to work in the MURS channels. And I'm sure Bob, that your using those in receive only mode, since transmitting on those freqs using non-type accepted equipment would be against the law. (not that I'm particularly fond of the FCC right now, what with the BPL fiasco and the 23 cm farmout and now, the digital TV 'revolution'!)
Bob Myers Posted October 20, 2008 #34 Posted October 20, 2008 Actually her radio croaked early in the summer and she has a real live MURS radio, a commercial unit from Radio Shack. And yes like a good husband, all I do is listen. I usually ride in front of her and if I want to say something I hold my hand up(like a school kid) and if she feels like it she will let me speak for 10 seconds, but I normally get told to put my hand down and lead. She's going for her Tech class soon so likely next trip out i'll have to buy her another radio to get back into 2m. The 2m I have is actually legal in the 154 section, except for that little nuisance part about being able to go to other freqs off that band. It is only set up at 2 watts and looking at it on a bird is about 1.75, and the bandwidth is acceptable there too.
Guest tx2sturgis Posted October 20, 2008 #35 Posted October 20, 2008 (edited) The 2m I have is actually legal in the 154 section, except for that little nuisance part about being able to go to other freqs off that band. It is only set up at 2 watts and looking at it on a bird is about 1.75, and the bandwidth is acceptable there too. Nope. It isn't. Not that I really care a lot. But 2m and 440 radios converted to operate out of band are illegal to transmit on.* If they are not type-accepted in that service, they are illegal to transmit on those frequencies. It doesnt matter if you observe the power limits or bandwidth specs. The FCC has been known to level some hefty fines for this sort of infraction. You CAN lose your ham license over it. Hams sometimes get confused about this. It IS legal to convert say, a MURS radio, or a business band radio, such as old Motorolas and GE's to ham bands, hence all the converted repeaters in use all over the country. The chances of being caught are almost nill, unless, you brag about it on the air, or...brag about it on the internet. *MARS and CAP freqs, of course, with a permit, are legal to transmit on. Edited October 20, 2008 by tx2sturgis
Bob Myers Posted October 20, 2008 #36 Posted October 20, 2008 did you miss the above part about "except"? I know now it is not legal because of the "accepted" clause they like to throw in there. I am, as you were typing that doing more research and from what I have found so far the rules have changed again on transmitters but as of yet I have not found out what they changed to. So, either she will get her license or I will put the other RS comm radio on my bike. The novelty of using the 2m ht for its intended purpose on the bike has about left since I cannot power it from the bike without super loud alt noise.
CMIKE Posted October 20, 2008 #37 Posted October 20, 2008 We race motor cross and we use a thoat mic from Fire Fox. This is a band that goes around from the back of your neck to your thoat and has a ear bud for your ear. I use it to talk to my kid while he is riding on the track as a coaching tool. It mates up with FRS motorola walkie talkies that have voice activation on them. This a really cheap way to do it...Motorola makes some thoat mics also. http://firefoxtechnologies.zoovy.com/ You can see them on ebay also. No wind noise or bike engine noise, just voice. The mic picks only the virbrations from your thoat. They are very confortable and you forget you have them on.. We put the radio in your pocket or inside the motor cross pants. They tell me a lot of paint ball folks use them cause they are hands free. They have several different models...they work great. I got them off ebay and think I have about $50 in the two sets, radios included. You can use them for other stuff also...not just riding. We used them for hunting last year...
timgray Posted October 20, 2008 #38 Posted October 20, 2008 Get the midland GMRS radios and their helmet mic setups. Less than $90.00 for a 2 bike setup. It's incredibly popular in the bike clubs around here. In fact most riders dont use CB at all for all the noise and chatter of other people. so they all switched to FRS as it's cheaper and easier for all members to get.
stardbog Posted October 20, 2008 #39 Posted October 20, 2008 I Have Autocom Unit mounted on my Stratoliner. Best Clearity and sound quality ever. Could be connected with i-Pod, cell Phone, and CB. My Setup is for solo rider ( One headset ) Have Active noice canceling mic, and speakers are supperior quality comparing to J&M. Only Downside is Autocom has 7 pin headset connection (Extra 2 pins for noice canceling) so thats mean you have to buy autocom headset only when is time to replace one. Anyway I Can sell you my if you wish, just send me PM.
fardnarger Posted October 23, 2008 #40 Posted October 23, 2008 Tom, The best and cleanest CB set-up I have seen lately is the J&M 2003CB. It has a handlebar headset almost like our Ventures with a nice PTT switch. It also has an external antenna with is nice, 5 weather bands, and an input for a MP3 Player. Its not cheap but IMHO worth what you pay for it. If she has a sport bike with a tank bag, I have a friend that is using the J&M Integrator which he mounted in his tank bag that also supports a cell phone as well as CB (external antenna) and MP3 player. Autocom also makes a nice tank bag alternative. Hope this helps, Rick This is the best, I put one on my wife's bike, she plugs in her ipod and it works great with the head set, also if she talks or receives on the cb the i pod shuts off the sound and returns when she is not talk or receiving. I got hers for $175.00, I already had the cb antenna and coax, got the mount for the antenna at truck stop for $7.99, it is the mirror mount and it mounted right to her luggage rack. We made a 1500 mile trip and had no trouble communicating, and the weather channels are good on trips.
OutKast Posted October 23, 2008 #41 Posted October 23, 2008 We have the J&M cb on my wife's Intruder. It has a 6 pin setup. Headsets are the same, but need to switch the "lower cord" if she rides behind me, or I borrow her bike.
awsmsrv Posted October 23, 2008 #42 Posted October 23, 2008 A friend bought the Cardo Scala Rider Q2. It supposedly talks to other Q2's within 1000 feet. (I suppose it uses the intercom feature to do this) It has a good Bluetooth and the intercom function between passenger/rider works well. He called me from the bluetooth through his cel / GPS and it sounded better than his cel phone without the bluetooth. Regards, Ponch My wife & I got this as well. Works very well. Since my Blackberry has voice dialing, I can even call her while I'm riding without fumbling with the phone. It sits in the trunk. She says she can't hear anything but my voice, no wind, bike engine, nothing else. It's great.
silvercrew Posted October 24, 2008 #43 Posted October 24, 2008 I went with the j&m intergratr IV for my voyager. I installed it in one of the bags and used the remote mount kit for rider and pass with the volume control lower cords. I have the cords for the cb and motorola t radio and a satt radio input. I still have to get the cb and one head set from sierra but the sound is good from the radio. My wife doesn't go with me much since our boy was born so I am in no hurry. I have the motorola radio now but need to try it going down the road. I hope to have the other parts before riding in the spring then I can give a good update on how the whole system works.
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now