Garmin XT and Sena 20s
Posted: Thu Jun 08, 2023 2:36 pm
I messed with connecting my phone (Samsung Galaxy 10+) and Sena 20s to my Garmin XT last year. I kept getting static and clicking noises when making phone calls. It looks like that's all cleared up now in time for the California trip.
I went into the Bluetooth settings of the XT and the phone and chose all the previous paired connections and deleted them all. You click on each paired connection and choose "forget connection" or "unpair" (however your device words it).
Now we're starting with a clean slate with the XT and Sena20s powered off and Bluetooth turned off on my phone. I first turned on the XT and made sure Bluetooth was turned on. Then I turned the Bluetooth on for my phone (Samsung 10+) and in the Bluetooth menu on the Garmin XT, I chose to search for a new Bluetooth device. After several seconds, the phone connected to the XT. I opened the Garmin Drive app on my phone. I was able to see the weather radar, etc. on the XT The phone and XT are now paired correctly.
Now for the connection of the Sena 20s.... The trick here is the Sena needs to connect to the XT as a second phone and not as a GPS. Power on the Sena and hold the jog dial button in until you hear "Intercom Pairing". Within 2 seconds you have to press the phone button on the Sena and you will hear "2nd Phone Pairing". In the Bluetooth menu of the XT, select "Search for a New Bluetooth Device" again and after several seconds, the Sena with pair with the XT.
After pairing all three devices using this method, everything works flawlessly. You might ask, why go to all this trouble every time you head out for a ride? Uhhh, You only do this once folks in order to pair the devices with each other correctly. You don't have to pair these devices every time you ride. When I turn the devices back on after a shutdown, I power up the XT, make sure Bluetooth is turned on, Turn Bluetooth on on my phone and wait until the phone connects to the XT, Then power on the Sena and wait for it to connect to the XT. This all happens in a fairly short period of time.
No more crackling and ticking sounds during phone calls. I would imagine you pair a Cardo to the XT in a similar way.
Now I'm able to do so much on the Garmin XT screen. I can make and receive phone calls which are shown on the XT. Receive text messages on the XT, but not reply to them. Listen to music. See the weather and weather radar live. Check traffic and of course get GPS driving directions while seeing the routes on the XT screen. All of this while talking on the intercom. Shouldn't be distracting at all.......
I went into the Bluetooth settings of the XT and the phone and chose all the previous paired connections and deleted them all. You click on each paired connection and choose "forget connection" or "unpair" (however your device words it).
Now we're starting with a clean slate with the XT and Sena20s powered off and Bluetooth turned off on my phone. I first turned on the XT and made sure Bluetooth was turned on. Then I turned the Bluetooth on for my phone (Samsung 10+) and in the Bluetooth menu on the Garmin XT, I chose to search for a new Bluetooth device. After several seconds, the phone connected to the XT. I opened the Garmin Drive app on my phone. I was able to see the weather radar, etc. on the XT The phone and XT are now paired correctly.
Now for the connection of the Sena 20s.... The trick here is the Sena needs to connect to the XT as a second phone and not as a GPS. Power on the Sena and hold the jog dial button in until you hear "Intercom Pairing". Within 2 seconds you have to press the phone button on the Sena and you will hear "2nd Phone Pairing". In the Bluetooth menu of the XT, select "Search for a New Bluetooth Device" again and after several seconds, the Sena with pair with the XT.
After pairing all three devices using this method, everything works flawlessly. You might ask, why go to all this trouble every time you head out for a ride? Uhhh, You only do this once folks in order to pair the devices with each other correctly. You don't have to pair these devices every time you ride. When I turn the devices back on after a shutdown, I power up the XT, make sure Bluetooth is turned on, Turn Bluetooth on on my phone and wait until the phone connects to the XT, Then power on the Sena and wait for it to connect to the XT. This all happens in a fairly short period of time.
No more crackling and ticking sounds during phone calls. I would imagine you pair a Cardo to the XT in a similar way.
Now I'm able to do so much on the Garmin XT screen. I can make and receive phone calls which are shown on the XT. Receive text messages on the XT, but not reply to them. Listen to music. See the weather and weather radar live. Check traffic and of course get GPS driving directions while seeing the routes on the XT screen. All of this while talking on the intercom. Shouldn't be distracting at all.......
