Radios and external speakers

Hi Melissa,

So you have done the deed and got the HF - What did you get? I will be interested in how it performs as I'm still looking. Cant help re the installation - hopeless with stuff likr that.

Regards

John

DO NOT directly connect more than one radio to one speaker - even if one of the radios is turned off.

It _may_ work with a particular radio(s) but even when one of the radios is off it's audio output stages are still "seeing" the voltage/current from the radio which is turned on and they may place an electrical load across the working radio in such a way that one or both of the radios will suffer damage.

If you want do this do it via a 2 pole 3 way switch (Dick Smith / Jaycar should sell them) and use that to switch each radio independently to a single speaker. If you don't understand; ask and I'll do a diagram.

Have fun with your new set :)

Mike Harding

mike_harding@fastmail.fm

Hi Melissa
I would put in a seperate speaker for the Barrett, we often have the Barrett running on selcall mute during the day if we are on the road and so need the speaker to work.
Regards Ray

Melissa - welcome to the world of HF ! Re the speakers..... I'm no techo (Mike must be) but I've never connected a speaker to multiple devices. Also, you will have occasion with incoming traffic where you just might have more than one unit on at a time. My GME UHF has inbuilt of course, the 27 Meg HF speaker (Uniden PC122XL) is under the dash (works very well) and the Barrett 950 is in a foam box on the end of the lead, that is placed here and there according to need. This Barrett speaker is usually on the dash in the corner while mobile, but can be put out on the roof or bonnett when cooking dinner by the campfire etc - that way we can monitor sked traffic. BTW... re the 27 meg speaker ... its under the drivers side dash pointing at the floor - while mobile, you would swear that the sound is coming straight at you from the windscreen - odd, but great ! Pics at homepages.picknowl.com.au/darian

Run your extra speaker. Then you can have BOTH radios on at the same time.

Wolfie

To be safe, use separate speakers.
IF the 2-ways each use an earth for one speaker lead, then the speakers can be shared, but then only with a resistor in each active lead from the radio (about 3-5 ohms). If the 2-way uses an audio amplifier with a bridged output, where both legs of the output are above earth, then you could do damage by sharing the speaker.
Small 2-way speakers are cheap, and can be hidden under the dash. The tinnier the speaker, the clearer it sounds on a 2-way; you don't want a speaker with any bass.
Gerry