Intercom's...anyone use them?

[Slingshot]

Anyone tried that?

I've been toying with the whole DIY intercom off and on for a while now.

A simple condenser mic installed on the chin bar is absolutely useless - over about 40Ks it will pick up wind/engine noise and you can't speech. I considered a double condenser mic set up, one in front of you mouth and one further around the side, wire them out of 180 out of phase and in theory both mics would hear the same wind/engine noise and cancle each other out, but only the mic in front of your mouth would hear the speech.

I'm currently working on a bit of R&D into throat mics (they pick up on vibrations in your throat rather than vibrations in the air). Initial tests have been positive and they're only about $25 from Jaycar.

The earpiece is the next important aspect, unless you find the perfect earpiece, it will start to hurt after about 10 minutes. Installing a speaker in the helmet is a good option but again can start to hurt if not installed properly.

You can get passive noise cancelling ear buds (basically an earplug with an ear piece in it), bloody expensive though >$100.

I'm about to start testing an active noise cancelling ear piece (from the Warehouse - $10). I'll give an update once tested.

My advice is...buy an already developed unit, or wait until I've finished my R&D (could be years away ).

[vifferman]

After the vifferbabe complained about getting a bit bore on the back of the VifFerraRi on long, straight, uninteresting bits of road, I suggested we get an intercom system, and investigated the possibilities. I was thinking of a full system installed on the bike - something along the lines of the Baehr one, that I could plug my cellphone and a music system (mp3 player, discman, whatever) into, but the vifferbabe said she just wanted to be able to talk to me, so I checked out Pinfold's rider to pillion system, and ended up buying it two days ago.
This $117 system comprises two headsets (dual headphones and mikes), all the plugs and connectors, spare headphone cushions, and a small, thin control unit. The quality is brilliant, and the clarity of the full-duplex system is very high.
Mike Pinfold's service is also terrific - he went into his office on Saturday for us, and waited around till we turned up, then spent a considerable amount of time making sure it worked for us and we were happy with it.We haven't yet used it, as we were in the car on the weekend (had to take one of our sons with us), but we've struck a couple of problems, unrelated to the quality of the unit. My helmet is VERY tight: my head is 59cm, but the helmet is 58. (I probably should have tried/bought a different brand, but I've had three AGVs - included a previous 58 and a 60 - and like them, and Yamahamaman sold it to me for an unbelievable price). The second is the lining of the AGV doesn't provide much grip for the headphones, which adhere using velcro. The third problem is that I was doubtful about twice or four-times daily donning/removal of my helmet with the gear in place. I've solved ALL these problems by fixing the headset inside a thin balaclava, which I will put on under my helmet on the occasions we go for a ride together.

When we have a decent ride using this system, I'll do a full write-up. In the meantime, here's some links:
Intercoms in general:
http://www.epanorama.net/links/intercom.html#motorbike

Pinfold's Systems:
http://www.amalgamate2000.com/sales/products.htm

Baehr's Intercoms:
http://www.webbikeworld.com/r2/baehr/baehr-intercoms.htm#intercoms

[Hitcher]

After an interest sequence of faults with our Pinfolds system, this weekend (until Mrs H's "off") it was working magnificently...

[Skunk]

My wife and I have bike to bike from Pinfolds. Good system. When I had my "off" it wasn't any use though. I did it 20 metres from her while showing her how to get down the hill!

[bugjuice]

my bro and I use Uniden CBs with headsets. The helmets fit over them and the leads from the radio to the headset has a PTT (Push To Talk) button (apparently some voice activated ones might pick the road/wind rush noise up and won't shut up) which works fine for us. I sometimes wear ear plugs too, cos the acoustics in my helmet is crap, so I crank the volume up and I can still hear ok up to about 120 then wind takes over.. cheap n cheerful for us.
Only downside is setting the volume for slow to fast cruising, if it's like mine where I have mine in my jacket insides, but still works

[Yokai]

Well, I ripped a pair of headphones apart and shoved the earpieces into the helmet, above the cheekpads in a nice little gap (that scarily goes all the way to the plastic... Hmmm - Zeuss helmet). Just leave the lead dangling and plug into the iPod in my pocket.

Works a treat at the moment, and with the catalog that came with my WONDERFUL!!!! Alpine earpieces I am sure that when Mrs Y gets to come on the back I will be doing a full on Bike-Bike and Bike-Pillion with music setup (even on the SRV!!! hah!)

We have to keep our fingers crossed that Mrs Y gets a bike!

[Biff]

I've an Autocom (www.autocom.co.uk - distributors world wide) unit running my MP3 player, mobile phone, radar detector & rider to pillion com set up type thing. It's also got a separate auxiliary lead into which you can plug a hand-portable radio, providing you buy the correct adaptor for the radio this will then support bike to bike. I've made some minor technical improvements to the unit, but overall I'm very happy with it.

Sound quality is ok - even at speeds that you shouldn't be travelling at (tested at 150MPH by Micky Doohan).
Phone works off a voice operated system (VOX)
Not cheap to buy
Supposed to be the best there is - allegedly.

I'm an electronic, radio communications and audio
engineering freak - so if you need any techie help don't be afraid to ask.

[Krusti]

I talk to myself all the time! Faster I go, the loader I yell. Works great.

[bungbung]

I heard about Surf lifesavers trialling 'bone microphones' built into their helmets to overcome the engine noise problem afflicting conventional microphones while used in inflatable rescue boats. I'm not sure which part of the head the pickup is located.

Does anyone know anymore about these devices?

[Slingshot]

I heard about Surf lifesavers trialling 'bone microphones' built into their helmets to overcome the engine noise problem afflicting conventional microphones while used in inflatable rescue boats. I'm not sure which part of the head the pickup is located.

Does anyone know anymore about these devices?

Are you sure it's placed on the head?

And does the clarity improve is the wearer has a boner?

[Hitcher]

I heard about Surf lifesavers trialling 'bone microphones' built into their helmets to overcome the engine noise problem afflicting conventional microphones while used in inflatable rescue boats. I'm not sure which part of the head the pickup is located.

Does anyone know anymore about these devices?

These sound like what US bomber crews used from WWII until god-knows when. They fit around your neck like a loose collar and you push them up to engage with your jawbone when speaking. More "modern" versions have an earpiece that does two jobs -- acts as a speaker and as a microphone. Again the resonance comes primarily from the jawbone.

[Biff]

I heard about Surf lifesavers trialling 'bone microphones' built into their helmets to overcome the engine noise problem afflicting conventional microphones while used in inflatable rescue boats. I'm not sure which part of the head the pickup is located.

Does anyone know anymore about these devices?

I know quite a bit about these bits of kit, and they're pretty good too. They sit inside helmets and placed on the top of your skull, picking up the vibration through the head. There's are a few similar bits of kit out there as well. One is an ear piece/microphone that sits in your ear like an ear plug. Again picking up on bone vibration, the other is a throat mic that's strapped to your neck, although this works off the sound in your throat as opposed to bone. All of these are quite comon with UK fire brigades.

[CookMySock]

Anyone tried the pinfold bone mics ? Search for "bone" on this page, as there are a few products.

http://www.amalgamate2000.com/sales/products.htm

DB

[jim.cox]

Anyone tried two tin cans and some string?

Or how about a speaking tube as per a Tiger Moth?

And some Hardley's definately have room for a ship's telegraph.

:)

[McDuck]

Anyone tried the pinfold bone mics ? Search for "bone" on this page, as there are a few products.

http://www.amalgamate2000.com/sales/products.htm

DB

Dude check the frreking post date.......