Intercom - Series Land Rover

[debruiser]

Hi,
Well with the series being so loud and going on club trips where everyone communicates over the CB it's not so much fun not being able to hear the CB/Passenger. So I started looking into intercoms with CB integration/input etc. All i could really find were race systems with either big headsets OR helmet kits. Prices seem to start at $360 and then just to up and up and up.... I've also found the motorbike type kits but they seem to either ONLY be bluetooth or they are only helmet kits.

I'm not racing nor do I ever intend on racing - it's just 4x4 club trips and camping trips so can't justify spending big $$$. I would like to use an in ear sort of headset -something discrete and not completely noise cancelling since I'll be wanting to use it on-road. Something like this might be good? H10 Lightweight Offroad Headset (Clearance) [H10-OFF] - $32.50 : Rugged Radios: Headsets, Intercoms, 2-Way Racing Radios and Communication for Motorcycles, Offroad, Circle Track, Aviation, Drag Racing, NASCAR, Police, and more... (http://www.ruggedradios.com/index.php'main_page=product_info&cPath=111_153&products_id=1989) Wireless /bluetooth would be fantastic but I doubt that I can afford such niceties. I really want to at least be able to hear the CB through the system but Ptt would be fantastic, if I could also play the radio/stereo through it would be a bonus but not needed.

Has anyone got any ideas/experience with something that may work well? Even a DIY system? I have a mate who is a leckie and also an electrical engineer mate... so some skills and tools are available.

My Electrical engineer mate suggested using "Zello" apparently he has used it a couple times but that only does half the job. Plus I prefer to keep my phone charged in case I need to call someone for help.

[debruiser]

So I'm still looking around, thinking about solutions. Would be good to hear from someone who has played with this before.

[Homestar]

I have a set of terratrip terraphones in the 101 - with both the CB and an iPod connected through them. They can be a bit uncomfortable after many hours but they work very well.

[debruiser]

So do you use practise headsets? Or can you use pretty much any headset? Do the authorities find you using a headset an issue?
Do you think that in ear headsets would be ok?

[Aaron IIA]

I have a modern cd/radio fitted to my SIIa. It has an auxillary input, into which I plug the UHF radio. Being a diesel hardtop ute, it is quite loud, so at anything above 60km/h I wear good quality earplugs. The radio then gets turned up to be audible over the top.

Aaron

[debruiser]

I have a modern cd/radio fitted to my SIIa. It has an auxillary input, into which I plug the UHF radio. Being a diesel hardtop ute, it is quite loud, so at anything above 60km/h I wear good quality earplugs. The radio then gets turned up to be audible over the top.

Aaron

Ahh yes, I've tried this... I found it to be an improvement but didn't improve communication between passengers and at 100kph with mud tyres it was still difficult to hear much. Well, when I say hear much I mean much of the radio... rather than the wind, engine, tyre, g/box noise....


I'd like to move to ptt for the cb BUT i dont know if my cb will integrate with other systems well enough, it has the RJ45? connector - rather than the 5 pin which seems to be what most of the intercom systems use.

[Homestar]

So do you use practise headsets? Or can you use pretty much any headset? Do the authorities find you using a headset an issue?
Do you think that in ear headsets would be ok?

Not sure what the headsets are - the unit came with it when in bought it. They headsets just plug in on a 6.5mm jack, so anything wired correctly for the mic, etc would work fine. I've never been pulled up in the 101, so not sure if they are legal or not, but I don't see that they would be a problem.

[debruiser]

yea, i'm running without windows/roof so wanted to keep it a little more discrete... the car attracts enough attention without that.

I shall have to talk the mrs into it ;)

[Homestar]

They make a big difference - much quieter drive and you can talk to the passanger easily. I guess in a Military vehicle like my 101, it wouldn't look out of place. :D

I'm away from home at the moment, but I can take some pics and post more detail of my setup when I get home. The inputs for the CB and iPod were mods I made - this started out easy, but turned out a bit harder than I thought - it all worked well when testing, but the first time I tried it with the engine running, the Electrical noise was terrible. I built a small suppressor and tamed most of it - it's not pretty in there now, but it works. :D

[debruiser]

A few pics would be awesome!

[Homestar]

Will do when I get back. :)

[debruiser]

So my Terraphone and headsets turned up. Seems I've made a BIG rookie error..... A terraphone professional V2 has a 6mm socket for headsets. The headsets I have are rugged offroad units.... so they have an 8mm? socket??? https://www.ruggedradios.com/PDF/Rugged-Jacks-and-Conductors.pdf as per the top image in that link.

So I can get a Stilo and Peltor adapter for the terraphone, but not an offroad adapter.... dam.... I like these headsets and would like to use them! but i have to come up with some bodge to make it all work :( OR drop even more coin on more gear :(

[debruiser]

has anyone got some info/experience etc that they could share with me?

[Dorian]

I'd be contacting be Terraphone and seeing if they will give you the pinouts for their end. You've got the pinouts for the Rugged headset.
Go to Jaycar and get a 6 mm male ( I'm pretty sure it's 6.35 as it an imperial metric rather than a metric metric.) I'd take the amp along and check, Jaycar are always pretty good about that stuff.
While you are there, they may have a widget that does the job.
Cut the male off your rugged headset but leave a bit of wire on the cut off plug 30 mm or so. Peel apart the cabling on the cut off plug and using a multimeter, sort out the colours to pin. If you're having problems with this part your electrical engineer mate will be able to help.
Once you've sorted out the colours / pin connections, solder on the 6mm male.

Being audio signals you are unlikely to damage anything if you get things the wrong way around.

Cheers Glen