My bluetooth helmet setup. Radio, phone, comms etc.

[Funkibug]

Hi all, I have just finished putting my all singing and dancing paramotor headset together and thought I would show you what it looks like.

first of all I purchased an Icaro Solar X helmet.

http://shop.airways-airsports.com/paramotor-equipment/paramotor-helmet/icaro-solar-x-helmet.html

I chose the Ice Op ll matching ear defenders. Cost was £195 inc free next day postage.

Next I went to Amazon and ordered the Sena R10.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Automotive/Sena-10R-01-Motorcycle-Bluetooth-Intercom/B01ARY6O4Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488134145&sr=8-1&keywords=sena+10r

there is slight confusion as Amazon sell two r10's and one is £160.89 and the other is £235.21. After reading through both discriptions, I came to the conclusion that both were the same and ordered the cheaper ones. There is no difference so don't pay the extra.

Next up is the Go Pro bluetooth setup. I didn't need the waterproof case it all slides in as I am not using it underwater or on a bike. And I won't be flying in the rain. Price is £89.99

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Electronics-Photo/Sena-Bluetooth-Audio-GoPro-cameras-voice-video/B010BQ09CQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1488134302&sr=8-1&keywords=sena+gopro+pack

Now I already have a couple of Go Pro cameras but the Go Pro 5 is out. I don't need to shoot in 4K so the 1080P of the 3+ is more than adequate for Youtube.

But if you want one.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/GoPro-HERO5-Action-Camera-Black/dp/B01LWK3MNR/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1488134526&sr=8-2&keywords=go+pro+hero+5

£347.65

Helmet mounts are a couple of quid on ebay and come with the 3M stickies. 

Now that's all you need.  

I have tried to insert pictures from dropbox but it doesn't seem to be working so I will just give links to images.

The helmet

As you can see the Sena r10 fits nicely onto the side of the helmet. Front mounted is the Go Pro with Sena Go Pro bluetooth adaptor attached. The Sena microphone and ear speakers come with the r10 and are a doddle to fit into the two Peltor ear cups. No extra tools required other than a drill to make a small hole in the earcups to pass the wires through.

Battery Placement

As can be seen here, I have placed the sena r10 battery at the back of the helmet. The wires all tuck nicely between the helmet and padding. You don't feel them.

Drilled hole for flexible microphone.

There is ample room inside the Peltor for the mic and ear speaker. Bother are held in place inside the earcup with adhesive pads which come with the r10. I played about with the mic to get the optimum position for the mic to be close to my mouth. Works a treat.

Hole on top of Peltor for speaker wire.

This shows the small hole needed to be drilled for the speaker wire. The Peltor pulls apart with no tools. Just take a furm grip on the ear cushion and pull away from the outer housing.

This shows other ear defender with microphone and speaker wire.

On the other side is two wires. The speaker and microphone wires. They are thin so no need to make a larger hole. The wires all feed between the head cushion and shell. You don't feel them.

So that's the setup. Cost is I guess not cheap but I wasn't trying to do this on the cheap.

Helmet £195.00

Sena r10 £160.89

Go Pro bluetooth. £89.99

Plus say £8 for Go Pro mount.

A total of £453.88

Of course savings can be made but I like the look of the Icaro Solar X in orange!

so what does this setup bring other than Steve Wright in the afternoon or Pop Master with Ken Bruce? Yes it has an FM radio to listen to as you buzz the bushes. It has comms direct to the Go Pro from the microphone by your mouth, so nice clean audio.  You can make and take phone calls from your iphone or Android phone. You can listen to music from your iphone or android. You can speak to any other pilots within a 900 metre range ( four way intercom) and if you are recording to the Go Pro their voices will also be recorded.

There's extras inc side tone, which I haven't yet worked out, speed dials, voice prompts. Bluetooth 4.1.

I took my time and it took me a couple of hours to put it all together. But I got a setup I think I will be more than happy with. The weight is not noticeable either.

Hope this is of use to any of you.

cheers

Steve

 

 

Edited February 26, 2017 by Funkibug

[Casper]

Very nice, I did something very similar with my Bell segment Darth Vader limited edition helmet (über cool ) and Peltor optime 2 from the hardware store, same wire installation, same place for the Sena battery, I used melting glue on the inside to hide the wires between the cellfoam. Camera is the Garmin Virb Ultra 30, love it! Cheap ski googles from China with lots of different shades depending on weather. Mostly I fly without the googles, but if it's cold up there then it's nice to have.

Next up would be to add an air band transceiver to the Sena with the SR10. Not sure if it would work, don't have the equipment yet. But see no reason why it wouldn't.

[Dariuszk24]

Hi Casper

I've got the same question,how to connect any off Bluetooth units like your and Funkibug,with airbander and 2m radio.

Bluetooth are wonderful if you fly with many friends in range of unit usely less than 500feet ,use phone to music and calls.

But if you fly alone and not listening music ?

I preferred my own-not listening music because sometimes something can go wrong in matter of second with engine,when you concentrate on music you can simply mist irregular work and stall motor in most dangerus moment

Crash Landing with for example sized engine in forest or dens building aerial with song AC/DC "Thunderstruck" and smile  on face are not pleasure

Fly high over 800 feet phone calls are impossible

If you not switch phone in to plane mode then phone start keep active searching transmitters in background, discharging very quick battery

Edited February 27, 2017 by Dariuszk24

[flexxyb]

Hi Steve/Casper

Great timing as I have also been busy integrating my Bluetooth communications into my Peltor Optime III ear defenders.  This cost about £90 in materials (Not including the helmet).  

Here's a video from start to finish of the project:-

I went for a Excelvan 6 Riders bluetooth device which cost about £30, I have already been using this between myself and another paramotor pilot for about a year now.  It has excellent range of nearly a mile and enables both pilots to have a full duplex conversation.  The only down side is you can only have 2 people talking at once, unlike the Sena which can handle more.  If you fly in close formation up to a mile then its crystal clear with no interference from the paramotor engine.  However as a standalone device it is tricky to operate when you have thick winter gloves on and even without gloves, you really need to be able to see the buttons you are pressing.  So I hacked it apart, took out the electronics and integrated them into my Peltor Optime III ear defenders.

This video documents some of the stages on how I went about integrating the bluetooth into my Peltors. It was a huge challenge, but with lots of patience and careful soldering skills I knew it was possible.  

Here’s some of the items used in this project:-

1200M Bluetooth Interphone BT Motorcycle Helmet Intercom Headset Mic 6 Rider
This is the Bluetooth device that works perfectly well on its own, alternatively this device can be placed on a flight deck and you can’t really go wrong for about £30 on its own or £60 pair!
EBAY:-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2X-1200M-Bluetooth-Interphone-BT-Motorcycle-Helmet-Intercom-Headset-Mic-6-Rider-/201595905471?hash=item2ef00d65bf:g:IpQAAOSwl9BWIa6M

3M Peltor H540P3E Optime III Helmet Mounted Attachment Earmuffs Ear Defenders
These are the ear defenders used to integrate the Excelvan 6 Riders Interphone  bluetooth device
EBAY:-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3M-Peltor-H540P3E-Optime-III-Helmet-Mounted-Attachment-Earmuffs-Ear-Defenders-/181809757971?hash=item2a54b4bf13:g:GBQAAOSw9r1V-87F

12 core cable 7/0.22 Small Power or Data Cable (Overall Diameter 6.10mm)
This was used to connect both sides of the ear defenders to the bluetooth electronics. 
EBAY:-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151098156884?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&var=450197301019&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

2 SLEEVED BLACK PVC GROMMET 7.6mm HOLE MAX CABLE DIA 6.1mm
I used these to retain the 12 core cable in each ear defender.
EBAY:-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/272236180843?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

3.5mm Mini Jack Chassis Panel Mount Stereo Headphone Input Socket Connector
This was used to extend the existing 3.5mm charging jack to the peltor ear defenders.
EBAY:-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/322081328156?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Off(On) Momentary Push Button Switch Horn Doorbell Car Dashboard Dash 12V
4x Blue Buttons = For channels B to E
1x Black Button = For volume down
1x Red Button = For volume up
EBAY:-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/261385367950?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&var=560284572808&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

12V OFF (ON) Momentary Push Button Horn Switch Car Light Dashboard Boat SPST
1x Black = For off & reset
1x Blue = For the power on & Channel A
1x Green = For the phone/play
EBAY:-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/361345440863?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&var=630688152396&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Glassfibre Sheet GRP Epoxy Glass G10 FR4 Fibreglass Sheet 12"x6"
This was cut to size to fit in each ear defender and position the speakers.  I also cut a piece to size to super glue the electronics to it to keep the bluetooth electronics in the required position.  I also used this to glue some terminal tabs for attaching the 12 core cable and small copper wire to each tiny button on the bluetooth electronics.
EBAY:-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301153020803?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&var=600236590644&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

NOTE:-
To do this project you will also need some important tools such as a drill for the button/wire holes, stanley knife, hacksaw and files to shape the fibreglass sheets and most importantly a decent soldering iron!

Andy

Edited February 27, 2017 by flexxyb

[Garry]

Looks like we have all been doing similar things during the non flying weather. They all look great

I used the Sena 20S for my setup but not enclosed within the ear defenders.

I'm too tight to spend the money on a SR10 so hard wired up the Aux port of the sena through the ear defenders to my Baofeng radio (Kenwood style Plug). This allows me to hear anything from the Baofeng through the Sena speakers.

A PTT button to the ear defenders. An extra mic was also added Because I couldn't get a mic signal from the 20S to work with the Baofeng although In tests it worked with my phone through google. Obviously the noise cancelling only works for the 20s and not for the extra mic/baofeng radio.

I will post a couple of pics when I get a chance.

How comfortable is the Icaro Solar X helmet Steve?

Would you recommend it?

 

Garry

 

 

[Casper]

Great video Andy! Really nice result, and looks easier to use than the Sena 10r thanks to the bigger buttons.

[Funkibug]

Hi Gary the Icaro Solar X is extremely comfortable. Lightweight and pretty cool looking. Very pleased with the purchase.

I couldn't do half the stuff Andy has done. I am not very savvy with a DIY job like that. Caspers setup is almost identical to mine.

one of the main reasons I went with this setup is so that I can talk clearly directly to the Go Pro while in the air, ala Tucker Gott. If you haven't seen or subscribed to his Youtube channel I would suggest you check him out. He has gone from a coule of thousand subscribers to over 30,000 in the space of a few weeks. I believe its good to chat away as yu fly and its a good record of the flight.

Only thing I havent worked out is sidetone. I would like to hear my voice through the headset when talking.

casper I like the ski goggles. Look very cool. Cool looking helmet as well.

 

 

Edited February 27, 2017 by Funkibug