Helmet to 2 meter radio communication

[silverwings]

I have just recently got a good solution which includes a bluetooth PT button. I previously had installed a Sena 3Sw bluetooth headset in my full face helmet. Fairly easy to do. I just purchased a new 2meter radio with internal bluetooth. The radio is an AnyTone AT-D878UV PLUS. This ham radio has a lot more capability than I will ever use but it has bluetooth built in and comes with a separate bluetooth PT! It was $238.99. The separate bluetooth PT button has a velcro attachment loop that I put around my gloved finger. It was easy to set up the bluetooth connection from the radio to my helmet's bluetooth and it works great! The battery that comes with the radio is heavy duty and suppose to last for a long time of communications. I have not flown with it yet but testing with other 2 meter radios is working fantastic.

[markc]

Googled a bit for BTooth dongles for my years-old Vertex VX-150, but (with PTT) the cost was roughly $200. Seems like a radio upgrade might be in my future, thanks for the info John!

[mcgowantk]

Hi John

Is there a good blue tooth solution for the helmet speakers? I would love to get rid of those wires.

Thanks

Tom

[Ward Odenwald]

Here’s what works for me:

A Sena SMH10 Bluetooth headset clamped to the outer shell of my 4Flight helmet with setscrews (first image). The speakers are mounted via Velcro to the helmet padding. Sena provides all of the installation tools, so it’s easy. The Sena SR10 Bluetooth ptt button (second image) is attached to my harness left shoulder strap (via a provided bungee cord secured to the reverse side of the ptt). The image shows the ptt wired to my Vertex (VX-150) radio by a single pin radio connector. During flight, the radio is in my harness pocket with its antenna projecting out of the pocket along with the ptt cord. Due to the tension created by the coiled configuration of the ptt connector when stretched, the cord hugs the harness during flight (no flapping).

Two additional nice things about the Sena setup: You only have to pair the headset with its ptt button once during the initial setup (so one less hassle before launch) and two, the headset volume control is the knob on the rear of the headset so volume can quickly be adjusted during flight without taking your winter glove off.

Ward

[mcgowantk]

Thanks Ward. I believe it's time to upgrade my radio set up. Hopefully, using blue tooth will simplify the radio set up for me.

Tom

[silverwings]

Ward's system may work fine but I wanted a separate Bluetooth PTT button/transmitter that could be around my finger. With my vx-150 radio and Sena 3sw in the helmet, the PTT was part of the bluetooth connection (PRYME-BLU) to the radio, so I would have to reach to that and push to transmit. Pryme offered a separate Bluetooth PTT button which I tried but it would break the pairing to the radio or headset. Note: Sena now offers a separate bluetooth PTT wrist band that might work.

[dbodner]

Here's a bit of a perspective from the motorcycling world.

I have John's headset, the Sena 3S-W, on my motorcycle helmet. The noise reduction built into these microphones is fantastic. Callers don't even know I'm on the highway. Ward's unit, being higher-end, will be as good or better.

John's unit is much smaller and less expensive. It doesn't do as much, and it'll probably need more complicated button-presses to do what it does, but for our purposes, that really shouldn't matter. From a day-to-day perspective, either unit should function easily and well.

Both units have a radio built in, which you will probably never use. It's good out to maybe 1/2 km under optimal conditions. Ward's unit will have somewhat better range. Using the built-in radio requires you and a friend to "pair" your radios before launch. It might be useful for serious team flying, since what you say won't be heard by others.

Since we already fly with a VHF radio, I would consider something without a built-in radio. But, finding one, and determining whether it has good noise reduction, is a bit frustrating.

I've never used my unit with a VHF radio connected via Bluetooth. Most people will BT-connect with their phones. I believe most of the headset units out there can make more than one BT connection, so you should be able to fly with both your phone and your VHF.

David Bodner