Bluetooth Music and Phone without an Audio Panel

[mmarien]

I fly VFR and have a single com radio (with intercom) but looked with envy at the Audio Panels with phone and music bluetooth inputs. I fly solo half the time so a bluetooth enabled headset works but leaves the passenger to entertain themselves when I have one along. They are also pricy at $850+.

I found a solution in the iSimple TranzIt BLU HF made to interface car radios with bluetooth music and phone. $99 on Amazon. I wired it to my radio (GTR200) music input and wired the button to a button on my stick. I can connect my phone or my iPad with bluetooth and stream music to the radio. The button on the stick controls the music app on the phone so the phone can remain in my pocket.

The only problem is the mic for the telephone. I tried to wire the TranzIt BLU HF mic wires to the GTR200 record pins. That didn't work. I think the record only outputs incoming audio, not what comes through the headset mic. I didn't try the supplied mic at all. I figured the airplane would be too noisy but worth a try. The other solution is to wire the TranzIt BLU HF mic wires directly to the pilot mic jack. Everybody will hear the telephone conversation but only the pilot can talk on the phone.

The button on the stick also controls the phone conversation (answer/hangup) and can turn on the hands free mode on the phone.

 

[vlittle]

I fly VFR and have a single com radio (with intercom) but looked with envy at the Audio Panels with phone and music bluetooth inputs. I fly solo half the time so a bluetooth enabled headset works but leaves the passenger to entertain themselves when I have one along. They are also pricy at $850+.

I found a solution in the iSimple TranzIt BLU HF made to interface car radios with bluetooth music and phone. $99 on Amazon. I wired it to my radio (GTR200) music input and wired the button to a button on my stick. I can connect my phone or my iPad with bluetooth and stream music to the radio. The button on the stick controls the music app on the phone so the phone can remain in my pocket.

The only problem is the mic for the telephone. I tried to wire the TranzIt BLU HF mic wires to the GTR200 record pins. That didn't work. I think the record only outputs incoming audio, not what comes through the headset mic. I didn't try the supplied mic at all. I figured the airplane would be too noisy but worth a try. The other solution is to wire the TranzIt BLU HF mic wires directly to the pilot mic jack. Everybody will hear the telephone conversation but only the pilot can talk on the phone.

The button on the stick also controls the phone conversation (answer/hangup) and can turn on the hands free mode on the phone.

You can't wire the mic wires directly to the pilot mic jack. You wiil need at least a .1 uF isolating capacitor and a 10 to 1 resistor antennuator. You might possibly require this to be fully differential as well.

I am currently doing the same thing, upgrading my music only BT interface to support cellphone use. I wii update my whitepaper once complete: http://www.vx-aviation.com/sprocket/audio.htm

Vern

 

[mmarien]

Thanks Vern - I had a look at your page and will keep watch there. Wiring directly to the pilot mic didn't work. It just killed the headset. I have BT streaming music but no phone functions for now.

 

[mmarien]

The solution to my problem turned out to be simpler than what Vern suggested. The GTR200 has audio out for an audio panel. If you don't have an audio panel it can be connected to a recording device. Contrary to what I suggested in my first post, everything except the music inputs are output to the audio out pin10 on the GTR200. I wired my BT mic to that pin but got it wrong so it didn't work.

I did a lot of research on Vern's solution. Wiring the BT mic to the headset mic jack is a bit complex. For me anyhow. It also defeats what I was trying to accomplish. I wanted the cell phone conversation to be through the radio so the crew and passengers can participate.

The hack solution. Anyone that has a camera built for aircraft has a cable to connect the headset audio jack to the camera so that the radio communications are recorded on the camera. I just used mine to connect the headset audio jack to the BT mic jack. So any audio on the radio, including what the passengers or the pilot say, is sent to the Bluetooth device and out the cell phone when there is call in progress. This is exactly how it works in an automobile. Everyone hears the cell phone conversation over the radio and anyone can talk as it's picked up by the automobile mic.

This solution is a hack, but it works. The next time I have to pull my panel I'll wire the BT mic jack directly to the GTR200 pin10 - correctly this time. The bonus is that you can set the gain on the audio out pin10 so the volume to the cell phone can be adjusted independent of the radio volume.

 

[mmarien]

An update. I pulled my panel for something else but had the opportunity to wire my radio correctly to the BT mic. It works.

So no external plugs or jacks or devices. With the BT device I can connect my cell phone to the radio for both phone or music or connect my iPad for just music. One button on the stick manages the phone calls or music. If the iPad is connected it plays music in the background with ForeFlight running in the foreground.

When my cell phone is connected the phone calls are handled just like my BT enabled car radio. The answered call comes through the radio to both headsets and both headsets can take part in the phone conversation. The music (if playing) is muted during the telephone conversation.

I haven't tried the hands free mode on the phone yet. Hands free should allow me to make telephone calls or pretty much manage the phone by voice commands. Need a timer. The voice command "set timer for one minute" and "start" will start a countdown timer on my phone. Asking directions to the nearest Walmart should be a hoot.

Definitely less expensive then a BT enabled audio panel and promising to be a fun addition to the panel.

 

[jakej]

Murray

You have way too much spare time ;D ;D ;D

Jake J

 

[vlittle]

An update. I pulled my panel for something else but had the opportunity to wire my radio correctly to the BT mic. It works.

So no external plugs or jacks or devices. With the BT device I can connect my cell phone to the radio for both phone or music or connect my iPad for just music. One button on the stick manages the phone calls or music. If the iPad is connected it plays music in the background with ForeFlight running in the foreground.

When my cell phone is connected the phone calls are handled just like my BT enabled car radio. The answered call comes through the radio to both headsets and both headsets can take part in the phone conversation. The music (if playing) is muted during the telephone conversation.

I haven't tried the hands free mode on the phone yet. Hands free should allow me to make telephone calls or pretty much manage the phone by voice commands. Need a timer. The voice command "set timer for one minute" and "start" will start a countdown timer on my phone. Asking directions to the nearest Walmart should be a hoot.

Definitely less expensive then a BT enabled audio panel and promising to be a fun addition to the panel.

I think I spent a total of $20 my BT installation in my Rocket which works just like my car system now.. Phone calls, music, Siri voice rcognition and so on. Of course, since I am a perfectionist, I then designed a circuit board with mic circuit, mixing circuit and quiet voltage regulator... For only a $100... Sigh!

A fantastic mod, especially for helmet wearers.

Now I need to retrofit to my RV-9.