Doggone Autocomm!

[Mike_H]

I have a 2003 LT with the dealer-installed autocomm system. I bought the BMW/J&M headsets so I can listen to the radio and GPS while riding. I don't use the mic because my usual passenger doesn't want to have a headset in her helmet.

I need your advice to help me solve these autocomm-related problems.

1. I hear "spark plug" noise through the headsets. It's the same electric interference that happend when radios were first installed in cars back in the pliestocene era. How can this noise be filtered out?

2. Sometimes and for no apparent reason, the radio will not play through the headset. It will play through the speakers, but not the headset. All the cords, plugs, connections are okay. Turning the radio off then back on does not make a difference. The next time I use it it may work just fine, or may not. Has anyone else had this problem, and how was it solved?

3. Turning on the Navigator III will kill the radio coming through the headsets, sometimes for 20 minutes or longer. Does anyone have a solution?

Thanks.

Mike

[jackd]

I'm not sure that the J&M headsets will work with the AutoCom. I use AutoCom and I don't have the symptoms that you have. Actually it works pretty good. They are other systems.. and you sure can spend more.

As long as the J&M pin configuration for the speakers coming off the connection to the AutoCom is correct or compatable with the AutoCom headset it probably will work. I'm pretty sure the mic won't work. I believe that the AutoCom is different..

If they (the pin connections) are not compatable I don't know what kind odd symptoms you will have.

[grifscoots]

1. I hear "spark plug" noise through the headsets. It's the same electric interference that happend when radios were first installed in cars back in the pliestocene era. How can this noise be filtered out? Check how you ran your wires. You don't want them adjacent to any of the bike wires. You also want the ground the Autcom directly to the battery ground (if you haven't)


2. Sometimes and for no apparent reason, the radio will not play through the headset. It will play through the speakers, but not the headset. All the cords, plugs, connections are okay. Turning the radio off then back on does not make a difference. The next time I use it it may work just fine, or may not. Has anyone else had this problem, and how was it solved?
You have a short in either a cable to the helmet or in the speaker/mic itself. You can buy a computer cable for a couple of bucks that exactly matches the pin out from bike to helmet.

3. Turning on the Navigator III will kill the radio coming through the headsets, sometimes for 20 minutes or longer. Does anyone have a solution?
Not sure here, but I believe #2 should alleviate that one.

[tobiwan]

the process of adding GPS, cellphone, and connecting an ipod, I found the service dept at AUTOComm very helpful. We discovered that even though the cables looked good the cable to the pillon was pinched and shield was broke. Also learned cables are specific for the device you intend to use and if you have a splitter or 2 into 1 it makes a difference what is pluged in the "A" or "B" slot as to which as to which has priority and which is supressed.

Go to their website http://www.autocomamerica.com they will (maybe) be able to help you.

HTH

[Mike_H]

I think I may have used the wrong description for the system installed in my LT. I called it "autocom" since that seems to be its generic name. It is actually the BMW system that is installed by the dealer as an option and resided under the stingray cover. It doesn't look anything like the pictures of the Autocom system on the Autocom website.

Sorry for the confusion.

[grifscoots]

I think I may have used the wrong description for the system installed in my LT. I called it "autocom" since that seems to be its generic name. It is actually the BMW system that is installed by the dealer as an option and resided under the stingray cover. It doesn't look anything like the pictures of the Autocom system on the Autocom website.

Sorry for the confusion.Oh. In my best Emily Latilla, "never mind".