Update: the Avee BlueLink MkII
The Avee BlueLink MkII is making reasonably good progress, although we have issues concerning the lead time on electronic components.
In the industry, we are now facing lead times on 50+ weeks on many components, and we have been forced to do some redesigns to avoid these significant setbacks. Sadly these redesigns have taken time.
The good news is that pilots are now testing several units, and we are making both software and hardware tweaks to make the BlueLink a product we will like to fly with.
And, we are doing our very best to get the product available to you as soon as we possibly can.
The design
Keeping this unit as simple as possible has been a fundamental goal during this development process.
All keys are reasonably prominent, have a distinct tactile feeling, and are easily accessible on the side of the unit.
The Avee BlueLink MkII has a belt/shirt clip on its backside – so for all of you asking for an Avee belt clip, here it is.
When is it available for purchase?
Due to the challenging component situation, we have been forced to redesign the electronics inside the BlueLink numerous times. And this has taken lots of time.
We are now aiming for a release of the BlueLink before March 2022.
The technical specifications
The technical specifications ( version October 3rd – 2021 ) for the BlueLink Mk are according to the following:
Battery and charging
Battery capacity:
Charging connector:
Charge while use:
Charge time:
Led charge indication:
Led finished charge:
Led charge error:
24 hrs active use
USB C
Yes
< 1 hr
Red/green/blue breathing indication (interval TBD (To Be Decided)
Blinking green (interval TBD)
Blinking red (interval TBD)
Bluetooth connectivity
Profile support:
Simultaneous connections:
Bluetooth reconnect:
A2DP/AVRCP/HFP/HSP/SPP
2 ( for example, phone and pad at the same time)
Automatic reconnect to the two units it was last connected to.
Physical connections
Connector to aircraft:
Connection to Avee mic:
The standard Avee20 Aircraft Interface is used
Separate Avee45 – 45 cm (TBC (to Be Confirmed)) cable
- Angled USB C connector for the Avee Aviation Microphone end #1
- Straight USB C connector for the BlueLink Mk end #2.
User interface
Indication led:
Indication music:
Indication phone:
BlueLink status/indications:
Display:
Keys:
Dimmed color led, switches off 10 sec after any keypress
Breathing green (interval TBD)
Breathing red (interval TBD)
Spoken indications (power on/off/pairing/battery low/connected/disconnected/Mute function
No display
4+1
- On/off key (combined with pair/reset)
- Volume increase key
- Volume decrease key
- Play / pause (combined with accept call/reject call)
- Mute / active source key
Power down handling
Power off
Auto power on:
Auto power off:
The Avee Aviation microphone works like normal when the BlueLink MkII is powered off/out of power.
The Avee Bluelink MkII is switching on automatically when the aircraft mic bias voltage is detected.
The Avee BlueLink is switching off 60 seconds (TBD) after aircraft bias voltage is not detected.
The Avee BlueLink can be switched on/off manually with the on/off key.
Physical connections
Connector to aircraft:
Connection to Avee mic:
The standard Avee20 Aircraft Interface is used
Separate Avee45 – 45 cm (TBC (to Be Confirmed)) cable
- Angled USB C connector for the Avee Aviation Microphone end #1
- Straight USB C connector for the BlueLink Mk end #2.
Audio handling
ATC audio level:
Bluetooth audio level:
Audio muting:
Fixed – set from aircraft
Adjustable with volume knobs
Configurable
Automatic full Bluetooth mute
Automatic partly Bluetooth mute (mute level is configurable)
Bluetooth / ATC mix ( no muting)
Output for external recording
Audio types:
The BlueLink MkII has a built-in 2.5mm audio connector to be used by external recording devices for recording analog audio:
- ATC / intercom mono audio or
- Headset stereo audio (this is the audio going to the headset, including Bluetooth audio)
The Avee BlueLink User Manual
This is the User Manual for the BlueLink MkII.
Version October 3rd – 2021.
On/off key
The on/off key is the key placed on the top of the Avee BlueLink MkII.
The key has multible functions.
- Switch on:
Press the on/off key to switch on. - Switch off:
Press and hold the on/off key for two seconds to switch off. - Bluetooth connection reset:
Switch off -> then press and hold on/off key for 10 seconds > spoken ‘Audio Full Reset’ is announced by the unit. - Paring mode:
Switch on -> Then press and hold on/off key for 1 second.
A spoken ‘pairing’ is announced by the unit.
Volume +/- (2 keys)
Please note that that ATC/intercom audio level is set from the aircraft. The volume keys on the BlueLink will only ajust the Bluetooth volume level.
- Press + key to increase Bluetooth audio volume
- Press – key to increase Bluetooth audio volume
Play & call key
The play and call key is a combined key. Its function depends on if we are playing music or if we are in an active call or incoing call.
Play/pause music & Accept / reject incoming call (one combined key)
Music mode:
- Press to switch between play/pause
Incoming call :
- Press shortly (< 500ms) to accept.
- Long press ( > 500ms ) to reject
Active call:
- Short or long press ( > 500ms ) to hang up
The Mute & source key
The Mute & Source key is combined.
The muting functionality is important for us when flying. Unfortunately, there is no way we can differentiate between ATC calls and intercom calls.
On the BlueLink MkII we have three ways or manners (modes) for the Bluetooth mute.
Press the mute key shortly ( < 500ms) to skip between these three modes. A spoken audio message (‘pause mute’, ‘level mute’, ‘mix mute’ (TBD)) is announced by the BlueLink.
Pause mute:
- Pause mute pauses Bluetooth audio when ATC / intercom audio is detected. Playing music starts automatically 5 (TBD) seconds after ATC/intercom silence.
Level mute
- level mute is partly (0-100%) muted Bluetooth audio when ATC/Intercom is detected.The mute level level can be adjusted with the volume keys within 5 seconds of pressing the mute key.
Mix mute
- Mix mute is actually no mute at all. Bluetooth audio is mixed with ATC/intercom audio.
Active Bluetooth source
A long press (> 500 ms) on the mute/source key is used to force the BlueLink to use either source #1 or source #2 as the active connection.
The BlueLink will respond with ‘Source one’ or ‘Source two’ when we activate the source funtion.
Practically selecting source #1 will play music & connect to calls from source #1, while selecting source #2 will play music & connect calls from source #2.
If no sorce has an active connection (playing music or call), the source that initate the music playback or call, will be the actiuve source on the BlueLink,