PA Systems

adventureduo

Dave Druck [KI6LBB]
I've been on a few runs where a PA system came in really handy with spotting someone backing up when your behind them, telling someone vital information when their out of their vehicle on the trail, on a night run or out in the snow when you don't want to get out of your rig.

Yes, i know you can do some of that stuff with your CB or HAM or handheld... but..who's all running a PA system on their rig? Did you run it off the CB jack or did you buy a entire different unit? How many times have you used it? What did you use it for?

I've had one on past vehicles and i'm thinking about installing one on the 80 series (if i can find a spot!!).
 

articulate

Expedition Leader
A lot of CBs have a PA "option." I'm pretty certain all you need is that lovely bull horn speaker on top.

Very expedition:
Blues_Brothers_L.jpg
 

Pskhaat

2005 Expedition Trophy Champion
Instead of the big Eezi-Awn, maybe I could swap with a full-scale version of one of those?
 

mountainpete

Spamicus Eliminatus
My 2 cents: grab some dirt cheap FRS radio and keep them in the truck. It means one less set of wires that have to be run through the firewall.

Pete
 

kcowyo

ExPo Original
Not relevant at all but where else can I tell this story?

When I was in high school during late 80's, my best friend drove his Dad's old lime green '67 Caddy that he had installed a CB radio and PA speaker in it. He was an odd, quiet kid who was into speed metal music, target shooting and cigars at 17 years old. He and his car definitely stuck out amongst the VW Cabriolets, early XJ's and Camry wagons most of our friends drove.

One Saturday night we were out, cruising the town in his Caddy looking for something to do. We crossed paths with some friends from school at the Burger King, who had just bought up all the toilet paper they could find and were headed for our principal's house. They invited us along to help "decorate" his trees. It was almost midnight and my buddy said no, he had to be home before curfew so we left.

He'd never had a curfew that I knew of and I was surprised when instead of dropping me off, we headed out to the neighborhood where the principal lived. Our principal, Mr. Dowler, had a daughter in our class so we knew where they lived. My buddy pulled over about a few houses down from the Dowler's house and turned the car off and killed the lights.

I asked him, "What are we doing?" and he just said, "Wait."

A few minutes later we could see the silhouettes of 6 kids carrying armloads of toilet paper sneaking into the principal's yard. With speed and precision they started lobbing the TP into the trees, around the shrubs and mailbox. Within minutes it looked like a Charmin blizzard had hit their house.

As our friends were lobing rolls of TP into the trees, my buddy started his car and started coasting forward with the headlights still off. I asked him again, "What are you doing?" He just shushed me and told me to wait as he inched down the street to our principal's home. As he eased up in the dark, quietly next door to the Dowler's he reached down and grabbed his CB mic and flipped the PA switch. And then in the silence, into the mic my buddy said,

"WAKE UP!! WAKE UP MR. DOWLER! YOUR HOUSE IS GETTING ROLLED!! YOUR HOUSE IS GETTING ROLLED!!"

The porch lights came on and lights inside the house came on and I have never seen 6 kids bail so fast. They were diving over hedges, ducking behind cars in the driveway, running down the street in the dark with toilet paper stuck to their shoes. The yard was a disaster, a total mess as Mr. Dwoler stepped outside and just shook his head. My buddy turned on his headlights and continued down the street with me by his side, as I tried not to cry and pee while I laughed hysterically.

So here's to my buddy Foster Watts and his '67 Caddy. :beer:
Last I heard he was working for the FBI, which given his love of guns, comms and covert operations, makes sense.

That is all -
 

overlander

Expedition Leader
I'll be installing one soon on my truck when I get my CB replaced next week with a new one PA compatible. I had one on my jeep when I was younger, and it was really handy having one more for monitoring the CB channels when you are working around a campsite or out of vehicle, when you are expecting calls from others inbound or out and around. (The other non-conventional use of a CB.)

Just as handy, I'll be getting a cobra cb that will turn itself on when a hazardous weather alert is broadcast on the weather bands. that would be nice plugged into the PA, to have my vehicle alert the area that a thunderstorm or whatever is approaching. That'll get you up and out of your tent fast!
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
Oh, heck yeah Mark, the 1974 Dodge Monoco Police model...

Blues_Brothers_car_chase.JPG



Elwood: You don't like it?
Jake: No I don't like it...
Jake: Car's got a lot of pickup.
Elwood: It's got a cop motor, a 440 cubic inch plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspensions, cop shocks. It's a model made before catalytic converters so it'll run good on regular gas. What do you say, is it the new Bluesmobile or what?
Jake: Fix the cigarette lighter.

Elwood: Oh no.
Jake: What the **** was that?
Elwood: The motor. We've thrown a rod.
Jake: Is that serious?
Elwood: Yup.
 

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