VHF speaker.

[Stix]

I have just bought a Standard Horizon GX1500 and a Remote Access Mike(RAM).
There will be a speaker by the main unit on my nav table and another in the cockpit with a switch to select
The RAM has an internal speaker and the facility to switch from that speaker to another external speaker.
My question is "if the main unit is outputting to the cockpit speaker AND I have the RAM switched also to the same cockpit speaker, will I have a problem.ie echo, feedback,or worse
At the moment Im having problems getting an answer to this question from both the retailer (a prominent player in marine electronics) and SH themselvs.
Can any of you electronics wizards suggest any problems? and maybe any solutions? diodes, resistors. etc

 

[Channel Ribs]

Why so many speakers?

Surely the one in the main unit and one in the remote mic are enough?

 

[Stix]

well actually the main unit doeasnt have an integral speaker. this is because the unit can be panel mounted. so that necessitates a speaker on the nav table.
I want one in the cockpit for the occassions when the RAM mike is stowed below. (I have a berth alongside a quay wall, and dont like to have too much on show!!)

If I should then connect the RAM but forget to switch of from the main unit; well thats the reason for the question. Thaks for your interest

 

[Channel Ribs]

[ QUOTE ]
well actually the main unit doeasnt have an integral speaker.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am fairly sure they do have a speaker built in?!

 

[Stix]

well, lets put that aside. The speaker in the saloon is not the issue. the fact remains that potentially i could have two feeds to one external speaker

 

[Channel Ribs]

[ QUOTE ]
well, lets put that aside. The speaker in the saloon is not the issue. the fact remains that potentially i could have two feeds to one external speaker

[/ QUOTE ]

And that would be bad. Why does the RAM need to feed into a speaker?

Could the cockpit speaker be a relay to the main unit with, as you say, a local switch so it can be isolated when you are set.

 

[William_H]

I think youy will find that the speaker output is always muted whenever you press the button to talk. So no sound from speaker when transmitting so no feed back. ie do9n't worry. olewill

 

[pvb]

[ QUOTE ]
well, lets put that aside. The speaker in the saloon is not the issue. the fact remains that potentially i could have two feeds to one external speaker

[/ QUOTE ]You can't do that. The speaker output wires in the RAM mic cable can't be connected to the same speaker as the main set. If you want the flexibility to have a cockpit speaker without connecting the RAM mic, as well as having a cockpit speaker instead of the RAM mic's internal speaker, you'll need to either fit two speakers or have some sort of foolproof switchgear.

 

[FulmarJeddo]

I bought a GX1500 and RAM mike at the London boat show. Firstly the main unit has its own integral speaker. The cable to the RAM mike has a pair of wires at the socket (cockpit end) to connect an external speaker. By default the RAM speaker is on, but you can simply switch the external speaker on from the RAM mike which disables the RAM speaker. I don't have an external speaker and not tried it but I assume that the set will retain the setting with the RAM unplugged. I have only used the boat once since installing the new radio but the RAM speaker seemed perfectly adequate in the cockpit. There is also an intercom facility between the RAM and the main set, not a lot of use on my 25 footer but I should think very useful on a bigger boat.