Sena 10U Communication- Basic questions

I've been searching, reading, and researching the Sena 10U for about a week now and not having ever used a communication system or seen one, there are some things I don't understand that are very basic and I'm hoping I can get some help with. I've read through the manual but it's more like a list of features and how to turn something on/off rather than explaining the things I don't understand.

If two of us are riding with them, how is does the intercom work? I understand once paired, you have to push the button on the remote, or if using voice commands say a loud word to get it to connect, but if I'm rider 1 and by buddy is rider 2, and we are paired and I push the intercom button, what happens? Does it automatically open the intercom or does it beep on rider 2's helmet and he has to push a button to accept it, or do I push the button and it just instantly opens the connection?

What I'm trying to understand is it's use. If we are riding down the highway and I see a piece of a tire in a lane or a side of the lane, is the communication method quick enough for me to say "tire, right side, watch it", or, does it take so long to push the button, connect, and talk, he's already ran over or it seen it himself? Is it useful for stuff like that, or more for "Hey, I need some gas next chance you get".

If rider #2 likes to talk to himself or sing to his radio while riding down the road (don't judge him ), how's that work? If he's singing "YMCA", is it going to open the intercom if he's got the voice commands on? If so, then he'd have to turn the voice commands off for the intercom and resort to pushing the button on the remote to start all intercom conversations? (last thing I want is an open mic and having to listen to him singing)

The main purpose of getting these is to communicate between riders, not so much for radio/phone. I would like to use it so my GPS comes through, so my use would be GPS and intercom.

Can someone explain the mechanics/actions of the actual initiating intercom conversations?

I've probably spent 4-5 hours reading reviews, watching videos, etc, and haven't seen that side of it and there aren't many videos of the 10U on Sena's YouTube channel.

Thanks in advance!

My 20s linked to a friend's 10-not-S works by either rider initiating the intercom mode, then either can speak, and either can close the link. Its a simple press of the main button on the 20s. Voice commands must be initiated by tapping the 20s's case. I haven't found them to be useful.

The 20s has "audio multitasking" option which one to be in intercom mode while listening to music. If the other guy says something then they speak over the music.

Its hard to say how quickly the intercom link opens, it might be a couple of seconds. Its not like PTT on 2-way radio.

Thanks N4HHE. If I push the button to start an intercom connection, what will the other person hear? Does it beep, automatically connect, or does the other rider have to "accept" the connection? If I push "connect" and I going to catch the tail end of him singing "We Are the Champions", and he'll here me telling him to stop singing?

VOX -- voice operated switch -- say a word loudly, preferably a word with hard, sharp consonants (BANG is good) and it will open a voice channel which will time out and close after the talking stops for a period of time. After it closes the VOX session you will have to use The Word again to open a new session. Bluetooth VOX sometimes has a delay before the channel opens.

Duplex operation -- push the talk button and a channel will open between headsets allowing you to talk with riding partners like they were in a room with you. It's called duplex because both people can talk and transmit simultaneously. This channel will remain open until one of the people pushes the talk button to close the session.

For me to hear bluetooth directions from my Zumo 550 into my Scala headset I have to be in the VOX mode; if you have a VOX session open and you are talking to a riding partner the GPS will take priority and override the partner session and give you the directions. The partner often doesn't know that they have been overridden and will just keep talking and wondering why you don't reply

With my Scala's there is no beep, you simply push the button and connect and you may indeed catch the end of whatever the person was singing. You will quickly find out if someone has Tourettes and an unexpected loud sneeze can cause a quick and unanticipated lane change.

Spousal Unit and I have been using Senas for five years for bike to bike communications. They are simple to use and have proven to be very reliable, but there are some aspects that require some adaptation by the users. I'm assuming that in most respects that the 10U is the same as the 10S that we have been using.

Once paired (the radios will pair automatically when turned on after the initial pairing procedure is accomplished), when either rider initiates a conversation then the other rider will hear what ever is transmitted. There is no cue tone. Once connected both riders are able to transmit and receive without a need to do anything but speak.

They have limited ability to be used as "Lookout!" sort of communication. Once a rider pushes the button to initiate a conversation it can take two or more seconds for the radios to connect. The time can vary for the connection to take place and I do not know what causes the variation. You can leave the connection open at all times if you choose; we do this when we are in an urban situation where we are making several turns or looking for a fuel station, for example. Leaving the channel open is not feasible while riding at highway speeds in my opinion because of the wind noise.

The voice activated mode (VOX) has not proven useful. It can be activated by random noise and if the sensitivity is adjusted to stop this problem, it will be somewhat unresponsive. I've used VOX in the military and know how it is supposed to function and our Senas do not do it well.

They are strictly a line-of-sight device. If you cannot see your partner, then you are unlikely to be able to communicate.

Again, I am making an assumption that the device you are considering will have the same attributes as the devices we've been using for several years. If my assumption is bogus, well then..... never mind.

Thanks guys, I appreciate it. That helps me understand the mechanics of how it works a lot better. The manuals talk about features, but they don't explain who/how things happen in much detail.

Knowing that it's not something to use for emergency avoidance issues helps a lot too. At least I know that going in and don't end up buying one believing that's how they work, only to find out they don't.

Thanks!

10U is awesome but... If you like wearing earbuds, the 10u does not have the capacity to do that. If you ride with more than four people the 10u will not do that, four it the intercom limit. [20s does 10].

On the other hand, the 10u is big time stealth and you almost have to know what your looking for in the helmet to see it. Also the 10u

seems to have a little better range than my 20s.

If the 10u would work with earbuds I would have one in my Shoei Noetec as we write.

+1 on what Niehart said - I wanted the 10U for my Schuberth but the lack of earphone support was a deal breaker. I also didn't like that it couldn't be charged while riding. I went with the 20S instead.

BTW, I had the SMH-10 for years and never had an issue but I wanted the extra features of the newer units.

Thanks for the heads up guys, I'm not a headphone user so I think I'll be alright.

I know of one person on here opened up his mount for his SMH-10 and put a plug on it for his earbuds. And yes I know he didn't have to do that because Sena now makes a mount that has ear buds connections. for the SMH-10. Maybe it would be possible to do the with the 10u.... don't know.