Autocom questions.... yes, I finally bucked up and got one.

[Lone_RT_rider]

I recently purchased an Autocom Active-Rider kit (and the various cables). I have a couple of questions at this point, and possibly more in the future.

 

1. I purchased the extra cable that goes to the helmet (PN 1188) that allows me to use the earplug speakers with this unit. Do you have to mount the regular speakers in the helmet if you go the earplug speaker route? If not, how do you get rid of the regular speakers?

 

2. When installing the microphone boom into a Shoei Helmet, how do people snake the boom around to the proper position? Autocom wants the microphone dead center about a couple of mm right off the front of your mouth. I am curious how people achieve this without putting the boom on top of the cheek pad?

 

That's a start, I am sure I will have more questions in the future. Any constructive help with these Autocom questions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Shawn

 

P.S. After about 7 years with a hacked Motocomm system, I feel like I sold out to "the man", or bought a Mac.....or something...lol.

[johnlt]

#1. no, you can either unplug them if they have plugs (the latest headsets have plugs) or just cut them off.

 

#2 Autocom used to have instructions for several different helmets on their website, try checking there. Normall the mic goes between the shell and cheek pad but I know on my Schuberth, it goes through the chin strap.

 

Other: When you hook it up, make sure you run the negative directly to the negative battery terminal. Not to some common ground like the frame or a fuse block. It saves a lot of problems later with noise.

[Lone_RT_rider]

#1. no, you can either unplug them if they have plugs (the latest headsets have plugs) or just cut them off.

 

I just got this thing yesterday, but the only plug is for the microphone boom, though I am hesitant to cut the speakers off. If I mount them anyway, will the system continue to feed sound to them even after I plug in the earplug speakers, therefore lowering the volume to half what it should be from either speaker output?

 

#2 Autocom used to have instructions for several different helmets on their website, try checking there. Normall the mic goes between the shell and cheek pad but I know on my Schuberth, it goes through the chin strap.

 

Found it here, thanks so much!

 

Other: When you hook it up, make sure you run the negative directly to the negative battery terminal. Not to some common ground like the frame or a fuse block. It saves a lot of problems later with noise.

 

At this point, I am going to try and keep the entire thing self contained in my tankbag so I can move it back and forth between the R11RT and the R12RT. So, I will power it with 9V batteries until that gets annoying, then I will worry about something else. I tend to only use the com system with I ride with others and need the ability to talk bike to bike. At the rate I have been riding with others, that's maybe three times a year, so batteries wont be that expensive.

 

Shawn

[Bernie]

You can mount the speakers in the helmet and use the ear plug speakers with no problem and volume loss. I did it both ways. My wife wanted max room in the helmet and only uses the ear plug speakers, while I use both together.

[marcopolo]

I cut the wires and removed the Autocom speakers. I just wrapped a bit of electrical tape around the wires (pull the wires leading to each speaker apart, then tape). If you're not going to use them, you'll probably find it more comfortable without them (at least I did).

[Firefight911]

Cut them off if you don't want BUT, you need to peel back the outer sheath and copper wiring that surrounds the inner sheath and wiring. Once you've done this just put some heat shrink on the area to protect the two wires from a direct short. If you fail to do this you run a big chance of getting a bad noise through your ear buds.

 

The 1187/1188 runs as a bypass and does not split the signal between speakers/ear buds so that will not be your concern. A short circuit can be.

 

I hot glue gunned the boom mic in place to the outer shell behind the cheek pads. Start with the boom as straight and as flat aa possible. Place the mic (it IS directional!!) dead center on your helmet chin bar at the position of your pursed lips. Carefully work your way back and form the flexy mic stalk to the contours of the helmet interior until you've worked all the way back. Take your time and make sure the mic stays centered where you started from. The cheek pads need to be outnof the way and you need to makes ire you don't interfere with the helmet strap. Once done, double check your work and then hot glue fun the mic in place. Let cool and reassemble.

 

Before putting helmet on for first time pull mic back some and then adjust to optimum position once in place.

 

VOILÀ

[Firefight911]

Cut them off if you don't want BUT, you need to peel back the outer sheath and copper wiring that surrounds the inner sheath and wiring. Once you've done this just put some heat shrink on the area to protect the two wires from a direct short. If you fail to do this you run a big chance of getting a bad noise through your ear buds.

 

The 1187/1188 runs as a bypass and does not split the signal between speakers/ear buds so that will not be your concern. A short circuit can be.

 

I hot glue gunned the boom mic in place to the outer shell behind the cheek pads. Start with the boom as straight and as flat aa possible. Place the mic (it IS directional!!) dead center on your helmet chin bar at the position of your pursed lips. Carefully work your way back and form the flexy mic stalk to the contours of the helmet interior until you've worked all the way back. Take your time and make sure the mic stays centered where you started from. The cheek pads need to be outnof the way and you need to makes ire you don't interfere with the helmet strap. Once done, double check your work and then hot glue fun the mic in place. Let cool and reassemble.

 

Before putting helmet on for first time pull mic back some and then adjust to optimum position once in place.

 

VOILÀ

[EffBee]

Shawn, you may not find that you have enough room for both the speakers and the earbuds. If you decide to remove the speakers, here's an insulation trick that works beautifully.

 

After cutting the speakers off and putting them on the workbench, take the headset lead that you just cut and split the pos/neg wires back about 1/4". Now fold one of those wires back on itself. This will put the exposed cut ends about 1/2" apart from each other. Put some shrink over the whole thing and there's no way on earth they can ever short (unless you're in a lake at which time you have other problems).

 

[Woodie]

The speakers cut out when the earplugs are plugged in.

 

I have both, use the earbuds for longer trips, the speakers w/ Hearos for short trips.

 

[Lone_RT_rider]

Thanks everyone for all the input!

 

I put the thing in my tankbag today and it all seems to work just fine, totally plug and play. I did mount the speakers in the helmet for now and it is a big tight, but it's not painful. It just feels like my Shoei did when it was a tad newer. I still need to work on a mount setup that allows me to move the PTT switch from bike to bike, but I have some ideas on that as well. The good part? It all fits in the map pouch that Velcros on top of my Big Mak tankbag.

 

Shawn

[Bernie]

If you adjust your vox and mic position carefully, you can operate the B2B by vox with no problem. Then you can clip the push to talk button/switch to the top of the tank bag, letting you use the selector switch to select between push-to-talk and vox.

I do it all the time.

[ltljohn]

Shawn,

Try attaching the PTT to a velcro strap that can move from bike to bike

[tallman]

Shawn,

I run mine in the Diamond space cse (sounds like what you got) too.

I used the 9v for a long time, but went to the powered lead that can be disconnected.

I feed all my wires out the bottom of the DSC (there's a hole in the front) and can remove the DSC and GPS in seconds.

The 9v works, but the part designed for use as a powered disconnect is better in my experience.

[Matts_12GS]

Shawn,

I think we're using the same model helmet, call me if you need any help.

[elkroeger]

#2 I ignored the instructions and used a hot wire to melt a small hole in the chin guard styrofoam, just off to one side. Then I ran the mic through there. Works great. ymmv.

 

I also anchored the wires to the styrofoam with duct tape to ensure that there aren't any stress points. The Mrs. put hers in and skipped that step. Now I need to order her a new headset. I'll be a little more involved in her install this time around.