Setting up a FRS/GMRS Radio

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I know many of you use them but I have not seen a thread detailing how to use the radios on a bike. I have found the FRS/GMRS radios on Amazon and there are many to chose from. They are all walkie talkie radios. I have a Scala Q9 that Bluetooth to my Zumo 665 GPS. My phone Bluetooth to the GPS. Right now I get voice commands from the GPS and can make and receive calls. How do I get the FRS/GMRS radios to work with this system, Bluetooh prefered?
 

bcnu

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I use GMRS but have it wired into a Starcom advanced unit, and a push to talk button. sorry I can not help with Scala
bluetooth is ok in my opinion but you have to charge batteries. and I already carry a charger for phone, computer, camera so I stay away from bluetooth because of the charging
 

Blrfl

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I have a Scala Q9 that Bluetooth to my Zumo 665 GPS. My phone Bluetooth to the GPS. Right now I get voice commands from the GPS and can make and receive calls. How do I get the FRS/GMRS radios to work with this system, Bluetooh prefered?
Two-way gets a little hairy. There is a Bluetooth profile for two-way radios, but the only model I know of that supports it is the Motorola MU350R. You'd have to see if your GPS understands how to deal with it or if the headset can be paired with both at the same time and there's some way to direct it to one or the other. (Personally, I have my doubts that either has those features.) Push-to-talk is a problem unless you go the VOX route.

--Mark
 

Tom Mac 04a

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I use to run a 2m unit with the Autocom.
Now, I run the Sena 10s...and they have an option for the access unit to run a radio... but I didn't want spend the extra for something I really didn't use much...

BUT, I was going on a weekender where others had radios. I took the Midland one ear/mic unit and just used it inside the helmet. It was small enough it didn't get in the way on the fullface and worked ok. If I was going to use more often, I would disassemble the ear/mic unit and rebuild it... really just separate the ear piece from the mic... I'd use a small speaker from an old cheap headset placed near the current sena speaker and also velcro the mic section down at the front. The line has a PTT button on it at chest level and/or the radio has vox.

Good luck... let me know how u work out.
 
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After seemingly endless research on comm units, and there are many very good ones (narrowed my final research to U-Clear, Sena SMH-10s or 20s, and Chatterbox) I settled on Chatterbox X1 Slim because of the radio range and compatibility with all other FRS/GMRS. Up to 180+ channel/talk group combos, bluetooth, built in FM radio, etc. Kit includes speakers, two types of mics, and a wired remote PTT button. BT pairs with smartphone, can take calls, play FM or MP3 tunes from your phone or iPod, and audio from your Zumo. VOX mic w/ PTT override. Worth a look IMHO. It's daunting looking for the "best" radio system and the worst part is different manufacturers' units don't work across product lines (except U-Clear within limits).
 
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dohboy
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I heard something about a dongle that I could hard wire to the radio and the bluetooth to my Scala Q9. Is that possible? If so where can I find the dongle?
 

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For years my brother and I have tried to get our radio systems talking, connected through our Autocoms, starting out with the "cheap" Motorola" and similar radios and had nothing but headaches from them...not being able to hear each other, he could hear me, I couldn't hear him, etc...

I was able to pick up a set of Kenwood TK3100 (or similar) from someone on the forum and we have had very little issues since. Infact, on our last trip (two weeks ago) Dave, Justin and I were able to communicate the whole time without any issues...once Justin quit trying to use his home grown cables...;)

I would like to look into a remote antenna in the furture so I would have longer coverage.
 

Tom Mac 04a

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I heard something about a dongle that I could hard wire to the radio and the bluetooth to my Scala Q9. Is that possible? If so where can I find the dongle?
A simple A2DP dongle can be plugged into the ear jack... it will sync with the a2dp in the sena units... but its Listen only, no talk!

if you still want one , ebay has plenty.
 
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I recently converted from wired autocom system to BT wireless SENA SMH10's. To interface with the ham radio(which would work the same for FRS) I use the SENA SR-10 radio adapter. it wires direct to the radio then pairs via BT with the SMH10 headset. the SR-10 has a PTT button right on the unit or you can use a wired PTT on the grip. These work awesome together. With my full face helmet on and at highway speeds no one on either the HAM radio or my cell phone can tell I am riding.
 
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dohboy
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I recently converted from wired autocom system to BT wireless SENA SMH10's. To interface with the ham radio(which would work the same for FRS) I use the SENA SR-10 radio adapter. it wires direct to the radio then pairs via BT with the SMH10 headset. the SR-10 has a PTT button right on the unit or you can use a wired PTT on the grip. These work awesome together. With my full face helmet on and at highway speeds no one on either the HAM radio or my cell phone can tell I am riding.
The SENA SR-10 sounded like just the thing I was looking for but a comment said that anything running from the bikes power supply (my GPS) would make the unit inoperable. Can you comment on that?
 
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Ron,

I run my GPS connected to power at all times. It's an older Nuvi 760 and has sucky battery runtime. I keep it b/c it has an audio out jack and I run a 3.5mm audio cable from the GPS to the SR-10 b/c the 760 wouldn't connect to the SMH-10 headset directly via BT. Only Zumo's connect directly to the SMH-10 via BT (at least that's my understanding).

I have no problems running the SR-10 with this setup. I don't run with with SR-10 connected to power, only off the batteries and it's lasted all day without a problem. Granted I usually charge it every night. I've read where problems have been encountered when the SR-10 unit is run off power but not if run off the battery.

I also run a 3.5mm audio cable from the FRS radio to the SR-10. My iPhone is connected to the SMH-10 via BT.

Therefore the SMH-10 headset is connected simultaneously (via BT) with my iPhone and the SR-10 (which is connected to the FRS radio and GPS via 3.5mm cables)

I don't know if the Scala can connect to two BT peripherals at a time. However, sounds like your phone goes through your Zumo so if you get the SR-10 then just run your Zumo and the FRS radio to the SR-10 via 3.5mm cable and you might be good to go. But don't hold me to that lol!

Michael
 
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This above is assuming that the Sena SR-10 and the Scala headset can connect via BT. I've read on WebBikeWorld that they can but have never seen it personally. You could always switch to the Sena SMH-10 or the new 20 that's out but that means more dough from the dohboy.
 
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dohboy
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Ron,

I run my GPS connected to power at all times. It's an older Nuvi 760 and has sucky battery runtime. I keep it b/c it has an audio out jack and I run a 3.5mm audio cable from the GPS to the SR-10 b/c the 760 wouldn't connect to the SMH-10 headset directly via BT. Only Zumo's connect directly to the SMH-10 via BT (at least that's my understanding).

I have no problems running the SR-10 with this setup. I don't run with with SR-10 connected to power, only off the batteries and it's lasted all day without a problem. Granted I usually charge it every night. I've read where problems have been encountered when the SR-10 unit is run off power but not if run off the battery.

I also run a 3.5mm audio cable from the FRS radio to the SR-10. My iPhone is connected to the SMH-10 via BT.

Therefore the SMH-10 headset is connected simultaneously (via BT) with my iPhone and the SR-10 (which is connected to the FRS radio and GPS via 3.5mm cables)

I don't know if the Scala can connect to two BT peripherals at a time. However, sounds like your phone goes through your Zumo so if you get the SR-10 then just run your Zumo and the FRS radio to the SR-10 via 3.5mm cable and you might be good to go. But don't hold me to that lol!

Michael
Mike that is just what I'm looking for. The Zumo should BT to the SR-10, the FRS radio hard wired to the SR-10 and the SR-10 BT to the Scala. Now one more question. Should I get a radio that has a PTT button on the handle bars? Any suggestions anyone?
Ron
 
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I don't know if the SR-10 can BT with the Zumo. I'd have to check the manual first. I have my gps wired to the SR-10. BT protocols can ruin the best of plans - A2DP, HFP, blah, blah. Gives me a headache. My SMH-10 connects via BT simultaneously to my iPhone and to the SR-10 via something called 'multipoint pairing. I have to connect my iPhone first (HFP and A2DP channels), then my SR-10 (second HFP channel I think) or it gets screwed up somehow. Whatever.

The SR-10 has a PTT button on the surface that I use. I have the SR-10 attached to the clutch fluid reservoir via Scotch fasteners (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00347A8EO/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1). Works well.

Also the SR-10 comes with a wired PTT button you can wrap around your grip but I don't use it as the PTT on the SR-10 is within easy reach for me.

Michael
 
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Just checked the manual. Doesn't mention bt b/n gps and sr-10. Does mention bt b/n phone and sr-10. Seems like they want you to wire the frs radio and gps to the sr-10, which then connects to the smh-10 via bt. You can wire your phone to the sr-10 as well (it has two 3.5mm ports), but if your phone goes through your zumo, then just wire the zumo to the sr-10 just like the frs radio. Then your only bt connection to the Scala will be with the sr-10. Hope that makes sense. Your issue will be the bt compatibility of the sr-10 with the scala.

Michael
 
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dohboy
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Just checked the manual. Doesn't mention bt b/n gps and sr-10. Does mention bt b/n phone and sr-10. Seems like they want you to wire the frs radio and gps to the sr-10, which then connects to the smh-10 via bt. You can wire your phone to the sr-10 as well (it has two 3.5mm ports), but if your phone goes through your zumo, then just wire the zumo to the sr-10 just like the frs radio. Then your only bt connection to the Scala will be with the sr-10. Hope that makes sense. Your issue will be the bt compatibility of the sr-10 with the scala.

Michael
Mike and others,thanks for the help. I have ordered FRS radios, two way radio cable and an SR-10. I do believe that my Scala G9 will BT with the SR-10. I will let you know how it all works out.
Ron
 
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The SENA SR-10 sounded like just the thing I was looking for but a comment said that anything running from the bikes power supply (my GPS) would make the unit inoperable. Can you comment on that?
SENA warns of potential ground loops with anything bike powered. I run everything audio related thru a filter to minimize ground hum and alternator whine.
Now as a side note, I've sent my SR10 back to SENA for a replacement because while it worked awesome with the radio, it was not working with my audio from the radar detector thru the 3.5mm jacks. waiting for the replacement to arrive.
 

T_C

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SENA warns of potential ground loops with anything bike powered.
You can greatly reduce your risk of ground loops if you use a star wiring method for the negative (ground) on your bike farkles. Each and every audio component should gets it's power feeds from the same location. Don't use a part of the bike frame to get your negative feed up front in the dash and then use a direct to battery connection to feed another piece of audio gear.
 

perk263

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Let me know Ron how it works, I'm interested in getting into Amateur radios. Going to a class next week.
 
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