Cardo Freecom 1+ User guide

For easy reference while on the road, download the Pocket Guide from www.cardosystems.com/wp-

content/uploads/guides/pocket/en/freecom1Plus.pdf.

This is version 2.0 of the FREECOM 1+ Manual. The latest version of the manual in your preferred language
and various tutorials can be found at www.cardosystems.com/wp-

content/uploads/guides/manual/en/freecom1Plus.pdf

Register your FREECOM 1+

Registering your device allows you to download software patches, enjoy new features that are offered from
time to time, and most importantly, assures smooth handling of any warranty issues you may have. Your
registered FREECOM 1+ is also eligible for free product upgrades.

It's easy, just visit www.cardosystems.com/update and you'll be done in no time. Also, rest assured: Cardo
does not share your details with others.

Be SMART, register your FREECOM 1+.

2

CONTENTS

1. Introduction 4

2. Getting Started 5

2.1 Getting to Know Your FREECOM 1+ 5

2.2 Charging the FREECOM 1+ 5

2.3 Switching Your Unit On/Off 5

2.4 Using Your FREECOM 1+ 6

2.5 Pairing Your Unit to Bluetooth Devices 6

3. On the Road 8

3.1 Basic AUDIO Functions 8

3.1.1 Making and Receiving Phone Calls 8

3.1.2 Streaming Music 9

3.2 Listening to FM Radio 10

4. Riding with Others 11

4.1 Bluetooth Intercom 11

4.2 Starting/Ending Intercom Calls 12

4.2.1 Receiving Bluetooth Intercom Calls 12

4.3 Resetting Bluetooth Intercom Pairing 12

4.4 Sharing Music and Radio 13

5. Troubleshooting 14

5.1 Soft Reset 14

5.2 Reset Pairing 14

5.3 Reset to Factory Settings 14

5.4 FAQ 14

6. Personalizing Your Device 15

6.1 Setting the Default Mobile Phone 16

6.2 Using Parallel Audio Streaming 16

6.3 Audio Source Priorities 16

7. Updating your Device 18
Appendix A. FREECOM 1+ LEDIndications 19

8. Glossary 21

9. Support 22

3

1. INTRODUCTION

Thank you for choosing the Cardo FREECOM 1+ communication and entertainment system for motorcycle
helmets.

We wish you a great FREECOM 1+ experience and encourage you to

www.cardosystems.com/support/freecom-1-plus/ regarding any questions you may have.

If you have not yet installed the FREECOM 1+ unit on your helmet, please install it as described in the
Installation Guide provided in the package.

And don't forget to register your FREECOM 1+ at www.cardosystems.com/update.

4

2. GETTING STARTED

2.1 GETTING TO KNOW YOUR FREECOM 1+

2.2 CHARGING THE FREECOM 1+

Make sure that your FREECOM 1+ battery is charged for at least 4 hours before initial use.

To charge the unit:

1. Using the supplied USB cable, connect your computer or wall charger to the USBport on your FREECOM
1+.

● Charging with the wall charger is faster than via a computer USB port.

● Charging your unit switches it off automatically. To use your unit while it is being charged, switch it on.

(see Switching Your Unit On/Off on page 5).

While charging, the LED indicates the charging status as follows:

● Red LED on — charging

● Red LED off — charging complete

2.3 SWITCHING YOUR UNIT ON/OFF

To switch your FREECOM 1+on:

● Press both

and for 1 second.

The speaker plays an ascending tone and a voice message greets you.

The LED confirms your FREECOM 1+ is on:

● Normal and low battery — LED flashes blue three times.

● Charging — LED flashes red and purple three times.

5

To switch your FREECOM 1+ off:

● Press both

and .
The LED flashes red three times, confirming that your unit is switching off. The speaker plays a
descending tone and a voice message, "Goodbye".

2.4 USING YOUR FREECOM 1+

You can operate the various features of your FREECOM 1+ in the following ways:

● Press a button or combination of buttons on the unit.

● Use the Cardo Mobile App on your mobile device (once it is paired with the unit).

You can also configure your unit by connecting it to a computer with the supplied USBcable and running the
Cardo Updater while your computer is connected to the Cardo Update website.

2.5 PAIRING YOUR UNIT TO BLUETOOTH DEVICES

Your FREECOM 1+ has two Bluetooth channels for connection to Bluetooth devices such as mobile phones,
GPS devices, and Bluetooth music players with A2DP.

To connect your unit to a Bluetooth device, you must first pair them. Once paired, they automatically recognize
each other whenever they are within range.

If you are pairing more than one device, Cardo recommends that you pair the mobile phone to channel 1,
and the additional device (such as GPS, music player or additional mobile phone) to channel 2.

If you are pairing the unit to more than one mobile phone, the phone paired with channel 1 is the default
phone for outgoing calls.

To pair Bluetooth channel 1 to a mobile phone:

1. Enable Bluetooth on the mobile phone.

2. On the unit in standby mode, press

for 5 seconds.

The LED flashes red and blue.

3. On your mobile phone, search for Bluetooth devices.

4. When your FREECOM 1+ appears in the list of available devices, select it.
If prompted for a PIN or Passkey, enter 0000 (four zeros).

The phone confirms that pairing has succeeded and the LED flashes purple for 2 seconds.

To pair Bluetooth channel 2 to another Bluetooth device:

1. Enable Bluetooth on the device (for example, your mobile phone, GPS device, or music player).

2. On the unit in standby mode, press

for 5 seconds. The LED flashes red and blue.

3. Tap twice. The LED flashes red and green.

6

4. If you are pairing a GPS device, press .
The LED flashes slower.

5. On the device you are pairing, search for Bluetooth devices.

6. When your FREECOM 1+ appears in the list of available devices, select it.
If prompted for a PIN or Passkey, enter 0000 (four zeros).

The device confirms that pairing has succeeded and the LED flashes purple for 2 seconds.

● If pairing is not completed within 2 minutes, the unit automatically returns to Standby.

● If you have paired two different mobile phones directly to your FREECOM 1+, set one as default for

making calls (see Setting the Default Mobile Phone on page 16).

● Not all Bluetooth mobile phones broadcast Bluetooth Stereo music (A2DP) even if the phone has an

MP3 player function. Consult your mobile phone’s user manual for more information.

● Not all Bluetooth GPS devices allow connection to Bluetooth audio devices. Consult your GPS User

Manual for more information.

To cancel the pairing process:

● Press

for 2 seconds.

The LED stops flashing red and blue/green.

To reset all Bluetooth device pairing:

1. Press

for 5 seconds.

The LED flashes red and blue.

2. Press

and for 2 seconds.

The LED flashes purple 5 times, confirming that pairing has been reset.

7

3. ON THE ROAD

FREECOM 1+ makes it easy for you to receive phone calls and listen to music in a convenient and safe
manner.

3.1 BASIC AUDIO FUNCTIONS

The basic audio functions are the same whether you are listening to music, speaking on the intercom, or
having a phone conversation.

To turn the volume up:

● Tap

.
An increasingly louder tone is played on the speaker until you reach the maximum volume, as indicated by
the maximum volume tone.

To turn the volume down:

● Tap

.
An increasingly quieter tone is played on the speaker until you reach the minimum volume, as indicated by
the minimum volume tone.

To mute the microphone and lower the speaker volume to the minimal level:

● Simultaneously tap

and .

To unmute the microphone and raise the speaker volume to the previous level:

● Tap

or .

An ascending tone is played on the speaker.

3.1.1 MAKING AND RECEIVING PHONE CALLS

You can use your mobile phone to make and receive phone calls while paired to your FREECOM 1+.

To make a phone call:

● To dial using your mobile phone's voice dial option, simultaneously tap

and , then make your call as

per the instructions for your mobile device.

● To redial the last number called on your mobile device, press and hold down for 2 seconds.

● To dial your preset speed dial number, tap 3 times. (The speed dial number must be set in the Cardo

Mobile App prior to use.)

● If you connected two mobile phones to your unit, you cannot make an additional phone call from the

other phone while a phone call is already active.

8

To answer a call:

● Tap

or say "Hey" in a loud voice.

To reject a call:

● Press for 2 seconds.

To ignore a call:

● Simultaneously tap

and , or wait 30 seconds.

To end a call:

● Tap

.

3.1.1.1 SWITCHING BETWEEN TWO CALLS ON TWO MOBILE PHONES

Your FREECOM 1+ can toggle between two calls on two mobile phones when both mobile phones are paired
to your unit.

To toggle between two calls on two mobile phones (without disconnecting either call):

● Tap

twice.

To disconnect the current call and switch to the other call:

● Tap .

3.1.2 STREAMING MUSIC

You can stream music from your paired device to your FREECOM 1+.

To start music streaming from your paired device:

● Tap

.

To stop music streaming:

● Press for 2 seconds.

To skip to the next track (while streaming):

● Tap .

To skip back to the previous track (while streaming):

● Tap

twice.

9

3.1.2.1 SWITCHING MUSIC SOURCES

If two music (A2DP) audio sources are paired, FREECOM 1+ uses the audio source from which you last
played music.

To switch to the other audio source:

1. Stop music (A2DP) playback from the current device (see Streaming Music on page 9).

2. Play music (A2DP) from the other device.

FREECOM 1+ automatically remembers your last played device.

3.2 LISTENING TO FM RADIO

The FREECOM 1+ is equipped with a built-in FM radio.

To turn on the FMradio:

● Tap

twice.

When you switch on your FMradio, the station that was playing when you last switched off resumes
playing.

To turn the FMradio off:

● Press

for 2 seconds.

To skip to the next station:

● Tap .

To skip back to the previous station:

● Tap

twice.

To scan for and select a station:

1. Simultaneously tap

and .

The FMradio plays each station that it finds for several seconds.

2. When you hear a station you want to select, tap

.

To store a scanned station in the active preset:

● Tap within 20 seconds of stopping the scan.

10

4. RIDING WITH OTHERS

4.1 BLUETOOTH INTERCOM

To connect your unit to another unit with a Bluetooth intercom, such as a Cardo Bluetooth unit or other
Bluetooth-enabled devices, you must first pair their channels. Once paired, the units automatically recognize
each other whenever they are in range:

For FREECOM 1+, Rider-To-Passenger only.

● Pairing a channel replaces any existing paired unit on that channel with the new unit.

● If you purchased the FREECOM 1+ DUO, the retail package contains two pre-paired units.

● The Intercom range with other models is limited to the distance of the unit with the shorter range.

To set up a Bluetooth intercom connection:

1. Confirm your unit is in Standby mode (LED flashes blue slowly).

2. To initiate 2-way pairing:

● On your unit, press for 5 seconds to enter pairing mode.

The LED flashes red.

Bluetooth intercom pairing needs to be initiated on the other device.

If pairing is not completed within 2 minutes, the unit automatically returns to Standby mode.

To pair a non-Cardo Bluetooth intercom unit:

1. Confirm your unit is in Standby mode (LED flashes blue slowly).

2. To initiate 2-way pairing:

● On your unit, press

for 5 seconds.

The LED flashes red.

● Tap

to activate the Cardo gateway.

The LED flashes red and blue.

Mobile phone pairing needs to be initiated on the other device.

If pairing is not completed within 2 minutes, the unit automatically returns to Standby mode.

11

To cancel the pairing process:

On your unit, press

for 2 seconds.

The LED stops flashing.

4.2 STARTING/ENDING INTERCOM CALLS

You can initiate Bluetooth intercom calls with other riders, including non-Cardo riders.

To start communication with a rider or passenger:

●

: Tap or say "Hey" in a loud voice.

To end communication with a rider or passenger:

●

: Tap .

4.2.1 RECEIVING BLUETOOTH INTERCOM CALLS

If another paired unit calls you via Bluetooth intercom, the call begins instantly.

4.3 RESETTING BLUETOOTH INTERCOM PAIRING

Resetting Bluetooth intercom pairing also resets all Bluetooth device pairing.

To reset Bluetooth intercom pairing:

1. Press for 5 seconds. The LED flashes red.

2. Press

and for 2 seconds.

The LED flashes purple 5 times slowly, confirming that pairing has been reset.

12

4.4 SHARING MUSIC AND RADIO

You can share music and FMradio with a passenger or other rider. Music sharing is more suitable for
rider/passenger combinations, whereas FM radio is also intended for rider/rider combinations.

● Music and radio can be shared with only one passenger/rider.

● Bluetooth intercom calls are disabled when sharing music.

● FM radio sharing opens a Bluetooth intercom call automatically.

● If you paired your unit to two mobile phones, music will be shared from the mobile phone through which

you last played music.

● When sharing FM radio, either passenger/rider can change station while the Bluetooth intercom call

remains open.

● When you stop sharing FM radio, the Bluetooth intercom call remains open and the FM radio continues

to play independently on each passenger/rider's unit.

● When you stop sharing music, the music continues to play on your unit only.

To start/stop sharing:

● While playing music (A2DP) or the FM radio on your unit, press

for 2 seconds.

13

5. TROUBLESHOOTING

5.1 SOFT RESET

If your FREECOM 1+ stops responding, reset it in one of these ways:

● Turning it off and then on again (see Getting Started on page 5).

● Using the supplied USB cable, connect your unit to the computer or wall charger for 30 seconds.

5.2 RESET PAIRING

The options below delete all paired units or devices.

To reset mobile device pairing:

1. While in standby mode, press

for 5 seconds.

The LED flashes red and blue.

2. Press

and for 2 seconds.

The LED flashes purple 5 times slowly, confirming that pairing has been reset.

To reset intercom pairing:

1. While in standby mode, press

for 5 seconds.

The LEDflashes red

2. Press

and for 2 seconds.

The LED flashes purple 5 times slowly, confirming that pairing has been reset.

5.3 RESET TO FACTORY SETTINGS

This option deletes all paired units, devices and all configuration settings.

To perform a factory reset through the unit:

1. Check that your FREECOM 1+ is in Standby mode (see FREECOM 1+ LEDIndications on page 19).

2. Simultaneously press

+ + for 5 seconds.

The LED flashes purple 5 times slowly, confirming that pairing has been reset.

5.4 FAQ

Additional answers to common problems can be found at www.cardosystems.com/support/freecom-1-plus/.

14

6. PERSONALIZING YOUR DEVICE

Get the most out of your FREECOM 1+ by changing the settings and customizing your unit according to your
own personal preferences, using either of the following methods:

● Cardo Mobile App on iOS or Android devices.

● Unit buttons.

Cardo recommends you customize your settings before going out on the road. You can adjust any of these
settings as required after experiencing them under road conditions.

Object

AGC sensitivity
(Off/Low/Medium/High)

Audio priority
(A2DP/Bluetooth

intercom)

Background Audio
Level

Bluetooth friendly name FREECOM1+Sets the name that appears on your phone while

FMBand According to

Language According to

Mobile priority Mobile 1 If you paired your unit to two mobile phones, you

Parallel audio
streaming in Bluetooth
intercom
(Enable/Disable)

RDS (Enable/Disable) Disable Radio Data System allows the radio to automatically

Set speed dial numbers Empty Pre-set phone numbers for automatic dialing.

Set the 6 FM radio
presets

Spoken Status
Announcements
(Enable/Disable)

Default

Value

Medium AGC automatically adjusts speaker volume

according to ambient noise and riding speed. For
example, when set to Low, higher ambient noise will
cause the volume increase to kick in at a higher
level.

Bluetooth
intercom

N/A Sets the background audio volume when parallel

Your Region

Your Region

Disable You can hear two audio sources simultaneously. For

107.5 Pre-set FM radio stations.

Enable Voice announcements inform you to whom or to

Priority of audio source playing through speakers.
Either music is not interrupted by an intercom call, or
vice-versa.

audio streaming is on (see Parallel audio streaming

in Bluetooth intercom (Enable/Disable) below).

pairing and in the Cardo app.

If you are in Japan, select Japan. Otherwise, select
Worldwide.

Voice announcements language (see Spoken Status

Announcements below).

must set one of them as the default phone for
outgoing calls.

example, hear GPS while listening to music.

Note: Parallel audio streaming may not work
properly with some iOS devices (i.e., music player or
GPS navigator) due to connected device limitations.

retune to the strongest frequency available for the
FM station you are listening to when the signal
becomes too weak.

what device you are connected.

Description

Cardo Mobile App

(iOS/Android)

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

ü

AGC performance may vary based on environmental conditions, including riding speed, helmet type,and
ambient noise.

15

6.1 SETTING THE DEFAULT MOBILE PHONE

If you paired your unit to two mobile phones, you must set one of them as the default phone for outgoing calls.

If you do not set a default phone, the phone that you first paired with your unit is automatically set as the
default phone.

To set the default phone:

● During a mobile call, press

for 5 seconds.

6.2 USING PARALLEL AUDIO STREAMING

With parallel audio streaming, you can hear GPS instructions during a mobile or Bluetooth intercom call, or
while listening to other audio sources, such as music or FM radio.

Parallel audio streaming may not work properly with some iOS devices (i.e., music player or GPS navigator)
due to connected device limitations.

Your FREECOM 1+ sets the various audio sources to either foreground (volume remains the same) or
background (volume reduced) as described in the following table:

Mobile Phone 1/2 GPS Intercom Music FM Radio

Foreground Foreground

Foreground

1

Foreground Foreground

Foreground Background

Foreground Background

Foreground

Foreground Background

Foreground Background

Foreground Background

1

Foreground

2

Foreground

3

1

If you add an intercom call to a mobile phone call creating a conference call, the volume for both audio

sources is the same.

2

If you play music only, the music volume is not reduced.

3

If you play the FMradio only, the FM radio volume is not reduced.

In some cases, parallel audio streaming may not work properly due to connected device limitations (music
player or GPS navigator). For more information, see www.cardosystems.com/support/freecom-1-plus/.

You cannot use music sharing for voice audio during parallel audio streaming.

You can configure parallel audio streaming via the Cardo app.

6.3 AUDIO SOURCE PRIORITIES

If Parallel Audio Streaming is disabled, FREECOM 1+ manages the audio sources you hear through the
speakers according to the following audio source priorities.

16

Priority Audio Source

Higher Priority

↑

Lower Priority

1

When audio priority is set to Intercom, you cannot hear navigation app or SMS messages from your phone

Mobile phone, GPS device instructions
Intercom or Music

Music or Intercom
FM Radio

1

2

during an ongoing intercom call.

2

When audio priority is set to A2DP (music), the intercom is disabled while listening to music (via A2DP). A

rider/passenger calling you by intercom hears a sound indicating you are not available.

If you pair your unit to two mobile phones (see Setting the Default Mobile Phone on page 16), music is
shared from the mobile phone through which you last played music.

17

7. UPDATING YOUR DEVICE

Always keep your unit updated. Stay up-to-date by downloading software updates whenever a new version is
available.

● Cardo Update on Windows / Mac - minimum requirements - Windows® 7 / macOS X 10.8

To upgrade your FREECOM 1+unit:

1. Download and install the Cardo Update tool https://www.cardosystems.com/update

2. Open the app.

3. Register (first time only).

4. Connect the unit to the computer using an USB cable and update the firmware.

18

APPENDIX A. FREECOM 1+ LEDINDICATIONS

Your FREECOM 1+ operates in various modes. Each mode consists of a group of features currently available
for your use. For example, when FREECOM 1+ plays music, it will be in music playing mode, enabling features
related to playing music such as skipping to the next and previous tracks.

Events are considered to occur whenever you operate a feature and when FREECOM 1+ responds. For
example, turning on music is an event.

The device's current mode is indicated by the unit LEDs. You also hear voice announcements on your unit for
mode changes and events.

The following table shows LEDindications for modes and events according to the current battery state.

LED Flashing Battery State Mode or Event

Blue For 2 seconds Normal ● Rider B connected

● Set voice control to enabled

Blue Fast (three times) Normal

Low Battery
Charging

Blue Fast (repeating fast) Normal,

Low Battery
Charging

Blue Slow (repeated at 3-second intervals) Normal ● Standby

Blue Slow twice (repeated at 3-second

Normal ● Incoming/outgoing call (intercom or

intervals)

Purple For 2 seconds Normal

Low Battery
Charging

Purple Slow (5 times) Normal

Low Battery

Purple/Red Purple twice slowly, then red Charging ● Incoming/outgoing call (intercom or

Purple/Red Slow purple and red (repeating) Charging ● Standby

Red Slow twice (repeated at 3-second

Low Battery ● Incoming/outgoing call (intercom or

intervals)

Red Fast (repeated at 3-second intervals) Low Battery ● Standby

Red Fast (repeating fast) Normal

Low Battery
Charging

Red Fast (3 times) Normal

Low Battery
Charging

Red For 2 seconds Normal

Low Battery
Charging

Red Remains on Charging ● Off

Red/Blue Alternating fast Normal

Low Battery
Charging

Red/Blue Alternating slow Normal

Low Battery

● Power on

● Pairing intercom rider B

mobile)

● Audio active (intercom, FM, A2DP, GPS)

● Mobile pairing successful

● Mobile connected

● Reset pairing

mobile)

● Audio active (intercom, FM, A2DP, GPS)

mobile)

● Audio active (intercom, FM, A2DP, GPS)

● Pairing intercom rider A

● Power off

● Rider A connected

● Set voice control to disabled

● Pairing Mobile 1

● Pairing GPS 1

19

LED Flashing Battery State Mode or Event

Red/Green Alternating fast Normal

● Pairing Mobile 2

Low Battery
Charging

Red/Green Alternating slow Normal,

● Pairing GPS 2

Low Battery

Yellow For 2 seconds Normal

Low Battery

● Intercom call attempted without

microphone or audio kit connected

Charging

20

8. GLOSSARY

Term/Abbreviation Description

A2DP Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (for music). A protocol for playing

music over Bluetooth.

AGC sensitivity AGC (Automatic Gain Control) automatically adjusts speaker volume and

microphone sensitivity according to ambient noise and riding speed.

Device Mobile phone, GPS or music player.

Language Voice announcements and voice commands language.

Unit

Voice control Voice activation (by saying a word or phrase) of certain features for hands-

Voice control sensitivity Adjusts your microphone sensitivity for voice activation while you are riding.

Cardo or non-Cardo Bluetooth Communication system.

free operation.

21

9. SUPPORT

For additional information:

: www.cardosystems.com/support/freecom-1-plus/

To avoid potential problems and to receive our support and warranty coverage, we strongly recommend
buying our products only from authorized Cardo dealers.

Your favorite brick-and-mortar store is always your best bet. Unauthorized online resellers and online
auction sites such as eBay are not among Cardo’s authorized dealers, and purchasing our products from
such sites will be at your own risk. Cardo strives to provide quality products and exceptional customer
service. We select dealers who share that vision. Buying grey market items from unauthorized online
dealers is counterproductive and also adversely affects unsuspecting online consumers who may be
purchasing used, counterfeit or defective products or devices whose warranties are void. Protect your
investment by purchasing genuine Cardo products only from authorized dealers.

© 2021 Cardo Systems

All rights reserved. Cardo, the Cardo logo and other Cardo marks are owned by Cardo and may be registered.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Cardo Systems assumes no responsibility for
any errors that may appear in this document. Information contained herein is subject to change without notice.

22