VHF External speaker

[Rosemarine]

I want to fit a extra speaker in the cockpit. Has anybody any advice on the best way of doing it? We have a Raymarine 54E (which has wiring for an extra speaker) below at the chart table. I like the look of the Raymarine active speaker which has a volume control on the front, but I am not sure if this will only work with a Ray 240E?

Any advice would be gratefully recieved.

 

[ebbtide]

Raymarine speaker linking to Raymarine radio?
I might just phone Raymarine for the answer!
Doh . . .

 

[FullCircle]

[ QUOTE ]
I want to fit a extra speaker in the cockpit. Has anybody any advice on the best way of doing it? We have a Raymarine 54E (which has wiring for an extra speaker) below at the chart table. I like the look of the Raymarine active speaker which has a volume control on the front, but I am not sure if this will only work with a Ray 240E?

Any advice would be gratefully recieved.

[/ QUOTE ]

I would adopt the KISS principle and keep it simple. MY VHF cockpit speaker is a SIMRAD unit, but located in the kick area, and is robust. It has no volume adjuster to go wrong.
I keep my external speaker switched on at the set, but I have a toggle switch on my panel down below so I can switch off the external speaker without going through the radio menus each time.
Usually I have the VHF set ( a Silva S15) to almost max volume on passage so I don't miss anything. That may be an anooyance in the Solent of a weekend.
I think you will find that most 'marine' external speakers are interchangeable between manufacturers, as the impedance is between 4 and 8 ohms usually.

 

[johnalison]

My external speaker is similar, but I have a toggle switch in the cockpit beside the speaker. The reason for this is that occasionally I use a handheld set and if I use the same channel as the main is set to I get feedback. On my last boat (Sadler 29) I had a switch at the radio allowing me to have the external speaker only, to avoid disturbing someone sleeping below while on passage.

In other words, think about how you want to use your system and arrange it to suit yourself.