GPS and com systems questions

[GVmerle]

Looked at Sena.. It has some interesting ideas, but each has only half of the solution.  The FRS does not have MP3 or 2-up capability... The Sena10 doesn't have FRS.. It seems like I'd have to buy both units and slave one to the other.  Am I reading all of this wrong??

Anyone use the JM stuff?
I have the J&M set up with a Zumo 550 and am quite pleased with it.  I like CB because everyone I ride with has CB's, mostly a Goldwing group.

Snype

[Pokey]

IPhone and IRadar setup. Use the phone for maps, tunes, and yes answering phone calls. 

Phone call? We are supposed to ride to get away from all the foolishness! 

[Pokey]

Tech mount II with a good ole cheap non waterproof Nuvi 260W.

[Gumby]

Phone call? We are supposed to ride to get away from all the foolishness! 

Ya, but how cool is it when somebody calls and asks, "Hey man, what's going on?"

And you can answer with.....

"I'm flying at very low altitudes railing some corners and you?"

or better yet,

"I'm testing out my new highway pegs as I check out the Teton's!"

 

[fmwhit]

I have the Garmin 3790 with the same mount that Rhino pictured.  I opened up the mount and tapped the speaker so that I could get audio to my Autocom.  I use the Ram Ball mount extender and the Ram Mount that holds the Garmin Mount.  This is a very tight mount.  The problem with using this type of GPS is that it is not waterproof.

IMHO Bluetooth is a very poor way to communicate on the road. Range is limited and without a standard format most units will not communicate with another mfgs unit.  CB(27 Mhz) allows you to find out whats going on the interstates by monitoring the 18 wheelers and FRS (Family Radio Service-461 Mhz) gives you decent range if your looking to communicate with other riders, and certainly amateur radio(146 or 440 Mhz) through repeaters will give the rider a range of many miles from just a walkie talkie. 

Most riders want the versatility of hooking many devices to their Communications system such as GPS, FM, MP3 Player, as well as rider to passenger and bike to bike communications.   This is best accomplished thru a mixer type of unit such as an Autocom.  Now I am not suggesting that the interface and audio matching of all these different sources will be easy, but once they are set operation should be pretty good.

I would not suggest using your smart phone for all these tasks unless you have an unlimited data plan as using your phone for internet based radio stations uses data fairly quickly.

Fred 

[Snype]

Mainly i want to Bluetooth my phone, my helmets to an integrated com system that has harnesses to FRS, CB, radar, and GPS.  I wan to be able to jump on my bike and go.. not spend 10 minutes wiring myself tot he bike.  This should be pretty straight forward, but the systems on the market seem to want to hard-wire everything directly.

J&M basically told me that what I want was stupid.  I am really afraid of spending the money Autocomm wants after my last experience.  My previous autocom rarely worked right, wires frayed after 8 months and the helmet wires were so annoying!!

Why is it so hard to find this setup.  As was said, most riders want this... And today, it not really much to expect with the country's current technology level....

Riders?? How would you solve this??  Farty, Sadly I think you are right.  I have the Kenwood.. found it on ebay for a steal.. but I think you need 2 Bluetooth dongles if you want a passenger.

Manufacturers... WTF!!! catch up with the rest of the world!!!

Snype

[Snype]

Ok... getting closer to even understanding what i am trying to build <lol>.  Just spent 40min on the phone with Keith at Tulsa Truck Center Inc.  He doesn't know about Bluetooth, but he totally schooled me on everything else.  Keith is a long time biker and has a plethora of ideas on how to wire up bikes.  Even more, he was really willing to work with me and even design and build custom harnesses.  He is an Autocom dealer that has been known to give amazing prices.  Because he is new to the Bluetooth stuff, he was willing to send me a base kit to try out (about $450ish to buy it and he'd refund me if I didn't like it or wanted a higher priced version).  I may take him up on this next week

Snype


 
Tulsa Truck Center Inc
5503 W 61st St
Tulsa, OK 74131
 918-446-2245
tulsatruckcenter@sbcglobal.net

[fmwhit]

Snype, just a quick note on the Autocom units.  As the owner of an Autocom(the last generation), I will tell you that they work great for communications, but for mp3 the fidelity lacks.  You need to understand that in Voice Communications the clarity or the intelligebility is in the higher frequency range.  That being said, you may not get the Bass response that you may be looking for if you plan on playing alot of music thru the system.

The Beauty of the Autocom system is the versatility of the system, as I said in my previous response the system allows the interface of different types of devices for your communications needs which include real radios with extended range as versus being locked into a propriatary Bluetooth system with limited range.

Fred