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Reviews For: TalkSafe

Category: Audio Accessories for Transmitter & Receiver

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Review Summary For : TalkSafe
Reviews: 3MSRP: ca. 220 USD
Description:
Bluetooth interface for mobile communications which makes radio communications totally hands-free
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.rpf-comms.com/26.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0033.3
WR6S Rating: 2009-02-06
Talksafe on motorcycle Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I started my Bluetooth radio stuff with a Yaesu FTM-10SR on my Suzuki DRZ400. I was dissapointed with the radio, the digitized compressed tx audio that came out of it,the lack of a continuosly variable tx audio gain adjustment and NO support from Yaesu. I finally had to pot the mic on my Blueant Interphone helmet bluetooth system. This was not an easy task as the mic stalk was made of spring steele!
I decided i needed a bigger bike so bought a Suzuki DL650. This time i decided to take a different route. I was going to put a remote mounted Yaesu FT7100 on it using a Talksafe box. I got all the parts,including the Talksafe and bench tested it. It was truly plug and play. I opted to do the hardwire PTT mod as listed on their websight. The instructions were clear and concise, no problem here.
Once i was sure everything worked together i installed it on my DL bike. The audio gain tx adjustment on the Talksafe made the hot mics on several bluetooth helmet systems i tried helped things like getting rid of windnoise a snap!The PTT functions flawlessly rigged to my horn button. I put the body of the radio under the seat and the head on the dashboard. The Talksafe went in the right fairing so i could see the indicator lights. I did have to put a power switch on the unit as it does draw power when off.This is explained in their manual,unlike Yaesu where we finally figured out the radio was drawing power and killing our bike batteries when supposedly off. The talksafe audio is better then the Yaesu and i get good reports. People are surprised when i tell them im on a bike and using a Talksafe. The unit is well made,the instructions are good,and support from RPF industries in the UK via email was excellent. There are a few tricks i had to learn though. Since i switch the unit off every time i get done riding,it has to pair up when powered up. I found that i had to turn the Talksafe on first, then my bluetooth helmet system 2nd. The pair up process does take some time, usually about 2 minutes. Doing it this way i have yet to have a pair up failure. I think it takes so long because i am completely powering the unit down each time im done. Also, different helmet systems have different audio characteristics. Fact of life,different earpiece or helmet system manufactureres use different chips and different mic elements. Remember, this is not some ham sitting in his radio room using a FTDX9000 with a heil studio mic,this is relatively new bluetooth technology where not all manufacturers have the same standard. You may need to go thru several earpiece/headsets to get the absolute best sound. This is no fault of the Talksafe, just a fact of life when using new technology. Or, get one and use it unless it is absolutely horrible and consider you are on the cutting edge of a new platform. In my case i have extremely finicky and picky elmers and friends so i strove for the best i could get,even if the extra 5 percent in better audio isnt worth the 100 bucks for a new headpiece. So far i think i am one of the few to use the Talksafe in this application on a motorcycle and it has worked better then i hoped,and much better then the Yaesu offering. I am so impressed with the capabilities of the unit that my next project is going to be playing with their handheld version. I will put this on my daughters quad. I think the key to success with this unit is in the external earpiece or helmet setup u use. Be prepaired to purchase,test,and return a few times until you get the audio you want. Or,if you have the technical skill, you can open up the unit and audio shape or mod the unit as you see fit. But i will refer you back to what this is and is not meant to be. It aint gonna sound like a 7800 with a 400 dollar studio mic. Heck,different 2 meter mobiles each have their own sound.There are many more variables here then just the Talksafe box. It is meant to get you wireless,and in my case allow me to be wireless with 50w vhf/35w uhf,without wires hanging all around me off my helmet!This thing is awesome and gets the job done. Maybe next generation units will have audio equalizers in them?
M0BOV Rating: 2008-04-10
A half finished product Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Hi all, U have had a talksafe for about 4 months now. The first one I got was dead, and upon checking the serial number, it appears it had a known fault and should never had been sold.

Anyway, manufactures sent replacement to me, great! Got it up and running with an old Motorola headset, got fast tx/rx and goot rx audio. The main problem is the background "hash" that's a bit annoying. I mailed them about this, but got no reply.

The other thing is the tx audio is a but muffly and bassy.

The idea is good, and I do use it daily and generally happy with it, I power it direct from the back of the IC-7000.

I would go for Motorola BT headsets and be prepared to try lots of them! Talksafe should really come out into the open and declare which headsets work and are proven!
PA3FAW Rating: 2007-12-14
great idea, poor quality Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought this unit because I allready had some very good experience with a homemade BT-interface but missed some features like PTT functionality. I only work HF mobile and so safe operation during the ride is very important for me. With my own BT-interface made with a Cardo BTA II and an additional mic-amp I tested 7 BT-headsets from different Manufacturers. One worked better than the other but overall I was satisfied with the result. I missed the PTT function and so after some googling I for the new TalkSafe made in UK. Alltough the relatively high price I decided to buy it and test it. Its an easy plug and Play interface. I decided to use the best bluetooth headset i have used so far, the Plantronics BT stereoheadset. RX-Audio sounded execellent but TX-audio was very bad. Too much low-freq. and RFD problems. I decide to brake the warranty seal and make some improvements myself. I replace a series capacitor (22uF) at the TX-audio transformer by a 100nF and shlielded both audiocables. This was a 100% improvement. The only issue that remains is the sissing sond on the audio. according to so experts this is caused by a bad impedance matching between mic-amp. and BT-chip.
All together the TalkSafe is first step to safe mobile operation. With some extra attention payed to the above mentioned issues, a better support from the manufacturer (I didn't get any reply on my supportrequest yet) and some more HAM-pricing, it might become a top hit.