Good Bluetooth Solution

[F6Bster]

That's great and you can't beat that price. I've always been pleased with items from EC. Lewis does great work!!

I just finished installing Bluetooth to my F6B, but a bit more complex and expensive as I wanted to be able to include a CB radio since the guys that I ride with use CBs. My current installation included:

--New HJC IS33 NIRO open-face helmet (I needed a new helmet) with Sena 20S EVO bluetooth headsets, etc. Will be able to pair with other bluetooth devices for bike-to-bike communications as needed/desired. Helmet shape fits my head really well and matches my bike also. 20S connects via bluetooth to the SR10 listed below and to my iPhone.

--Sena SR10. Mounted in my left cubby. Powered from switched power under left cubby via dual USB power port installed in the left cubby. Inputs to the SR10 include wired aux output from my ZUMO550 GPS (yes, it still works really well and I just updated to the new map version), wired output from my F6B comms system (probably won't use much but it is there as I wish; I listen to music from the USB stick in my right saddlebag via the speakers on the bike), wired connection to my Midland 75-822 portable radio which I also have in the left cubby, and wired connection to the CB PTT switch which is mounted by my left grip. I have SR-10 connected via bluetooth to my 20S on my helmet.

--For the Midland CB, I installed a Firestick NGP (no ground plane) antenna in place of the FM antenna on the right rear. I have the original FM antenna laying horizontal under the rear top cover and it seems to work just as well there as when mounted as stock. I purchased a second OEM antenna mount that is used for the FM antenna, drilled it out so that my CB antenna would fit inside the metal mount (ensure no grounding from the mount) and then installed that mount with the CB antenna to the original location of the FM antenna. Perfect as it is a solid mount and the CB antenna now comes out of the antenna molding on the right rear of the rear top cover and is a perfect. CB antenna wire runs from the rear of the bike and up to the area under the left cubby.

Everything seems to be working well, but I won't know about the CB quality until I get together with my buddies in a few months. With the NGP antenna I had trouble adjusting the SWR, but we'll see out it works and made adjustments to the antenna length as necessary. Nice clean mount, which is what I wanted.

My thanks to Hornblower from this forum for his help with my decision on the SR-10 and the mounting of the CB antenna in place of the FM antenna. He sent me a picture of the antenna mount that he made for his bike, but I thought it would be easier for me to modify an OEM FM antenna mount (which I purchased from wingstuff.com).

I also installed a dual USB power outlet in my right saddlebag (not switched) so that I can plug in my iPhone or SENA 20S EVO to charge while at lunch, etc. I think this will be very handy at times.

[gadgeteer]

F6Bster I have questions.
Do you have any pictures? Did you go with the 2 foot ngp Firestick? What did you do with the extra length of the ngp coax?
Sorry for all the questions but I have a similar setup... Sena smh10, Sena sr10 w/remote PTT switch for my Midland 75-822. However, I DO listen to my on-board infotainment center along with my music (which is plugged into USB port left saddlebag). I'm currently using the rubber duck antenna supplies with the Midland. Range is unreliable at best. Don't want to drill extra holes in my bike since I only hook up CB about 25% of the time but listen to the rest of the goodies 100% of the time.
So. Replacing stock radio antenna with something that would possibly be a cure-all (for me at least) would be wonderful!!!
Hmmm. I wonder how an am/fm/cb splitter from Firestick would work with this setup?

[F6Bster]

F6Bster I have questions.
Do you have any pictures? Did you go with the 2 foot ngp Firestick? What did you do with the extra length of the ngp coax?
Sorry for all the questions but I have a similar setup... Sena smh10, Sena sr10 w/remote PTT switch for my Midland 75-822. However, I DO listen to my on-board infotainment center along with my music (which is plugged into USB port left saddlebag). I'm currently using the rubber duck antenna supplies with the Midland. Range is unreliable at best. Don't want to drill extra holes in my bike since I only hook up CB about 25% of the time but listen to the rest of the goodies 100% of the time.
So. Replacing stock radio antenna with something that would possibly be a cure-all (for me at least) would be wonderful!!!
Hmmm. I wonder how an am/fm/cb splitter from Firestick would work with this setup?

Yep, the 2 foot Firestick NGP. Don't yet know how well it works and may not know for a couple of months. I don't live where I can check it out with someone so will not know how it works for a couple of months probably. I think it should work well. If not, then I'll install a regular antenna that grounds to the bike. That should work also as it worked on my GL1800 for years. You cannot cut or coil the special NGP coax and they have you put the extra length into a bowtie shape with 1' or more width of the bowtie. I placed mine in the area under the passenger seat area and it fit fine. No holes drilled for this installation.

Not sure on the splitter from the Firestick. I don't use the FM on the bike very often (I also used the USB from the left saddlebag for my music), and it seems to work just as well laying horizontal at the back of the bike as it did mounted.

Have attached a couple of photos. In the picture of the mount with the antenna, I put extra tape around the mount and antenna connection just to ensure that it not get grounded to the bike. After installation I did a continuity check to ensure that I did not have the antenna grounded to the bike. A reminder that I purchased an additional OEM antenna mount that I drilled out for the CB antenna. I was going to make a bracket, but decided that this was simplier for me and would give me the exact mounting location and angle. The original mount for the FM antenna is still attached to the FM antenna and I simply moved it to the back of the bike under the top cover. That way I can put that antenna back as original if I desire.
CB antenna.jpg IMG_1126.jpg IMG_1125_sm.jpg