Big horn sound

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Docktor

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What is the best horn sound you have heard on a motorboat?

I want to re-new our 12v electric horn and think a low bellow would sound good - probably have to go for a compressed air horn. Most websites list the volume (dB) of the horn but I think the frequency is more important. Frequencies range from 120hz to just under 500hz.

Traditionally the lower the note suggested a bigger boat - and I don't want to sound bigger than my 10m and five and a half tonnes!

Any advice?
 
I know someone with real ex-BR train air horns on their boat, very very loud, would be good in fog.

Their dog doesn't seem too keen however..
 
What is the best horn sound you have heard on a motorboat?
Click to expand...
The whistle on a steamer.

Back in the 1970's I knew the then owner of Churr..

ch014001.jpg


But in slightly different league.

I was working by the river at Tilbury some years ago when one of our aircraft carriers which had been visiting Greenwich went past. You could feel the ground vibrate when they gave Tilbury and Gravesend a blast
 
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Docktor said:
What is the best horn sound you have heard on a motorboat?

I want to re-new our 12v electric horn and think a low bellow would sound good - probably have to go for a compressed air horn. Most websites list the volume (dB) of the horn but I think the frequency is more important. Frequencies range from 120hz to just under 500hz.

Traditionally the lower the note suggested a bigger boat - and I don't want to sound bigger than my 10m and five and a half tonnes!

Any advice?
Click to expand...

You are extremely correct, the deeper the note of the horn, the larger the vessel. The downside of deep notes is the amount of air needed to product said note. The phrase 'Do you want a cabin onboard' may come up in conversation if you want a which produces 120hz...

However, there are some good options available to you. As JFM said, the D-330 is a great horn!
For vessels between 12 - 20m (so using the harbour masters tape measure, you're around 15 metres...) the S-0A or D-0A horns found here could be slightly better suited for you ?

VicS said:
The whistle on a steamer.

Back in the 1970's I knew the then owner of Churr..

ch014001.jpg


But in slightly different league.

I was working by the river at Tilbury some years ago when one of our aircraft carriers which had been visiting Greenwich went past. You could feel the ground vibrate when they gave Tilbury and Gravesend a blast
Click to expand...

Gift for you :cool:
 
Thanks everyone for your replies - there really is no substitute for listening to sound samples! I decided the tone of the Kahlenburg S-0A is perfect (320Hz). Preferentially I would prefer not to have to use a compressor as it would require the teak coach house ceiling to be removed - the existing horn is electrical and the wiring is not redundant. I had looked at some other electromechanical makes of horn with similar frequency specifications but few sites have sound samples.

Advantages to replacing existing horn with electromechanical horn, in my situation, are - ease of installation, price and power consumption.

Disadvantages are - few are all SS/bronze and brass diaphragm and trumpet construction, would require trunking air hose through coach house roof.

The Marco EMX has a frequency of 340Hz and seems to my criteria - does anyone have experience or possibly a sound sample of this horn before I make the purchase? Thanks again.
 
Docktor said:
The Marco EMX has a frequency of 340Hz and seems to my criteria - does anyone have experience or possibly a sound sample of this horn before I make the purchase?
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No experience of EMX model, but this is the Marco model I've got on my boat.
Proper boating sound imho, compact and very reliable.
You can hear it by clicking the icon on the top right of the page.
Maybe you can find also that EMX stuff on their website, I'm not sure.
 
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