New ham setup

[trump]

But, the Azden unit appears to be an input audio mixer. Seems it would work well if you want to use three microphones into a radio or other device, but it doesn't appear to be an output (post-amp) device.
What does each device want for output impedance? What is the speaker impedance? What are the individual and combined output voltages?

It was suggested, but I'm not really looking into using a mixer. Each devices' volume is easy to chance independently... looking into adding diodes (cheap, simple.)

Uniden ESP5: 5w, 4-16 ohms
FTM-350AR: 4w, 4 ohms
Cobra 19: 4w, 8 ohms

 

[4RunAmok]

But, the Azden unit appears to be an input audio mixer. Seems it would work well if you want to use three microphones into a radio or other device, but it doesn't appear to be an output (post-amp) device.
What does each device want for output impedance? What is the speaker impedance? What are the individual and combined output voltages?

That's a good point about the variances between input and output impedance, I didn't consider that... I was just trying to get something to isolate the units from one another so that output from one device does not damage another device.

Diodes may very well be the way he needs to go, but I have NO CLUE as to which diode to use.

 

[4RunAmok]

Diode info from the12volt.com!

http://www.the12volt.com/diodes/diodes.asp

Should be helpful!

 

[ScoutII]

Maybe I missunderstand what the diode is being used for in this application.

I'm thinking speaker input is an A/C wave. The diode would do a good job of clipping the tops off?

 

[gary in ohio]

A mixer is ok, but mobile it might get bounced around and the volume level can change. Fleet radio had a nice speaker combiner, but they are no longer in business. Its pretty easy to make a many to one combiner.

Using 70v audio transformers feed the audio from each radio into the 8ohm side of the transformer. Then combine the feed two transformers into a 3 transformer, the output of that transformer go into the speaker.

radio 1--------{}\
.........................\
..........................{}---- speaker sorry about the dots, had to do that to space out the pix.
......................... /
radio 2 --------{}/

its a very low cost solution. The transformers are $3-5 at radio shack and you get the isolation you need on the radio's.

 

[trump]

A mixer is ok, but mobile it might get bounced around and the volume level can change. Fleet radio had a nice speaker combiner, but they are no longer in business. Its pretty easy to make a many to one combiner.

Using 70v audio transformers feed the audio from each radio into the 8ohm side of the transformer. Then combine the feed two transformers into a 3 transformer, the output of that transformer go into the speaker.

radio 1--------{}\
.........................\
..........................{}---- speaker sorry about the dots, had to do that to space out the pix.
......................... /
radio 2 --------{}/

its a very low cost solution. The transformers are $3-5 at radio shack and you get the isolation you need on the radio's.

That's a big help thanks for posting. I'll be looking into doing that.

 

[mmccurdy]

So... not to throw (another) monkey wrench in here, but when you run all three inputs into a single speaker, how are you planning to be able to differentiate between the audio sources being used?

I too run GPS, CB, and ham in the cab, and I love the quality and audio level of my ham speaker, so I've thought of combining them before. What gives me pause is that right now I know my GPS guidance comes from over my left shoulder (well okay, this one is easy to differentiate because I don't wheel with many people who speak in a robotic, British female monotone), my CB comes from the tinny Cobra 90 on my dash, and the ham comes from over my right shoulder mounted on the roll bar. Even with this spatial differentiation, I still get confused and pick up the wrong radio to reply on occasion -- i.e. someone calls out over the CB and I pick up the ham mic to reply -- so I've avoided combining them so far.

My fear is that running all three (but especially the CB and ham) through a single speaker, I won't be able to tell who's calling on what radio at all...

thoughts?

 

[4RunAmok]

I brought that up on the phone with Trump.. There is so much space above the headliner, he could have 10 speakers if he wanted to... there's a certain utility to having only one speaker, but getting it work without causing damage to the source units themselves is another issue, one that could most easily be solved by separate speakers. To make matters worse, he's running a dual band radio with the ability to listen to both bands at once.

I would certainly love to be in the cab with him when both bands, the CB, and the GPS all sound at once...bet if I watch closely, I'd see trump short-circuit! lol

All in all, it comes down to preference.

 

[gary in ohio]

So... not to throw (another) monkey wrench in here, but when you run all three inputs into a single speaker, how are you planning to be able to differentiate between the audio sources being used?

For me its a moot point, being deaf in one ear, everything comes from one side anyway. Even with that I have not had an issue with determining where the audio source comes from. The nature of the radio services or audio sources lend them very well to combined speaker.

Now if you have multiple ham radios in the vehichle, 2m, 220 and 440 then it might take a little bit of work, but someone call on a CB is going to sound a lot different than a ham radio.

 

[1911]

My fear is that running all three (but especially the CB and ham) through a single speaker, I won't be able to tell who's calling on what radio at all...

thoughts?

Pretty easy really:

Robotic, British female monotone = GPS

Whistling, yelling idiot with reverb tank = CB

Polite person with call sign = ham



For the record, I run all three also; each with their own speaker but all the units and/or speakers close together. I don't often use the voice guidance on the GPS, and I never have the CB on at all unless there is a specific need for it, i.e. a trail group without ham, so in practice it is not much of a problem for me.

 

[xtatik]

pretty easy really:

Robotic, british female monotone = gps

whistling, yelling idiot with reverb tank = cb

polite person with call sign = ham

lol!

 

[trump]

I don't often use the voice guidance on the GPS, and I never have the CB on at all unless there is a specific need for it, i.e. a trail group without ham, so in practice it is not much of a problem for me.

It's like you were reading my mind... <slips tinfoil hat back on> :coffeedrink:
For me it's pretty easy to tell them apart. Also if anybody is interested, the 350AR with the external speaker plugged in still powers its stereo face mounted speakers. It makes it that much easier to tell two ham bands apart. If I ever get my butt in gear, I'll have one side of the radio tied up with APRS.:snorkel:

 

[cdnabn49]

Firmware 1.6 USA has been released - on Yaesu's site