AutoCom & GPS?

[Larry]

I have a AutoCom I want to use a CB, Cell Phone, & maybe a Mp3. I will not be using the radar detector connection.I use a Screamer. I am also willing to give up the rider to passanger connection (I get tired of hearing my wife gap anyway). The GPS is a Garmin Quest. The AutoCom does not seem to have a connection for a GPS. Is there a way to hook up the GPS, besides useing one head phone for the GPS and the other for the AutoCom? Thanks for any info. Larry

[Ken H.]

You can use any of the Autocom audio inputs for your Quest. If your using the GARMIN Quest MC Mount kit, it adds on-screen volume control to the Quest. It takes bery little to feed the Autocom. I usually have my Quest set at volume level "2".

[johnlt]

Autocom sells several splitters depending on whether you use a bike powered GPS or battery powered. Also, the model Autocom will need to be known. I'd give Autocom America a call and they are very helpful. Just tell them what functionality you want and what system and leads you currently have and they will set you up with what you need. Good folks,

[Toml]

>>GARMIN Quest MC Mount kit, it adds on-screen volume control to the Quest.

 

Really? I have one and have not noticed it. Where is the control? Under "Settings"?

 

thanks...

[KDeline]

I asked this on another post, do they all have a 20 second delay between the time the GPS stops talking till you can transmit/receive on the Kenwood radio, and the music kicks back on?

[BitScribbler]

>>GARMIN Quest MC Mount kit, it adds on-screen volume control to the Quest.

 

Really? I have one and have not noticed it. Where is the control? Under "Settings"?

 

thanks...

 

Press and hold the "speaker" button, until the volume control pops up. Then you use the left/right rocker switches to adjust it.

[EffBee]

Larry, I'm a staunch supporter of Autocom. However,for all its wonderful capabilities, I'm going to warn you about using Autocom with a CB unless you're a tinkerer who loves a challenge. Even Autocom themselves says it isn't advised, although they say that if you MUST, then they've found the hand-held Cobra 38 to be among the least problematic CB to work with. LEAST problematic. . .NOT problem-free.

 

Autocom is not designed to be used with CB. Neither is any other off-the-shelf communication system, regardless of brand. I have customers who come in complaining of what CB does to their Starcom or Baehr units, and wanting to know if Autocom will fix the problem. The answer is that the problem isn't with Autocom or Baehr or whatever comm system you're using. It is with CB. CB radio is ancient technology. It is AM radio. And it is dirty, i.e. it bleeds RF all over everything. It is popular because it is prevalent, but it is far from modern. Even truckers are starting to switch to other forms of communication like simple amateur radio (ham).

 

Bikes like GoldWings and BMW LT's and some Harleys can use CB with their intercom systems because the manufacturer knows precisely where each component is going to be placed on that motorcycle and shields those components specifically to the location of the CB. With an aftermarket comm system, which can be mounted in any one of several different places, it is impossible to know in advance where things are going to be placed, and thus to shield for those locations. Therefore, the shielding falls on you.

 

The problem is that unlike an oil leak, RF bleed from a CB doesn't leave a visible trail. So it's going to take a fair bit of hit and miss. You can use the frame rails to which you zip tie your Autocom cables to shield said cables. Some people have run their comm -system wiring through the inside of a braided wire tubing and grounded it to the battery neg. You can try fitting the Autocom main unit into a small metal box and ground the box to the battery neg. You can try different mounting points for your CB. And be sure to keep the CB and all other comm wires as far apart as possible.

 

Again, I've seen it done many times. In some cases it's been relatively easy to isolate the CB from the comm system. In some cases it's required a lot of tinkering. But for the most part it is not plug-and-play.

 

Solution? If you ride with others who have CB on their bikes, you're just going to have to plug ahead. However, if you are preparing to ride with someone else who's installing a comm system with bike-to-bike capabilities, go with FRS radios. Clean FM technology. Plenty of channels. Battery-powered portabiliity makes it easy to take them off and use them as walkie-talkies if, for example, you decide to explore different areas of a national park or some other attraction. And it is simple plug-n-play.

[John Bentall]

Larry, there are several useful pages on the Autocom website. Here is a link to one I discovered today

http://www.autocom.co.uk/pdf/Phone_GPS_Radar_Musi_40C301.pdf .

Armed with the ideas from here you should be able to have a meaningful discussion with the importers, Top Gear.

[Ken H.]

What Colin said, but some of the very first Quests have to have a flash upgrade to add the feature. It's available on GARMIN's website.