Powered External Speaker

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Oriley

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Planning on buying the 996XT but not until I'm sure I can figure this out. Can't afford two scanners so I'll have to run an external speaker ~100' to my garage.

After searching for hours and hours today, I don't know. I've found 12 VDC ones that I guess I could make work but I'd rather stay AC.

Could I buy a couple small computer speakers without breaking the bank on wire to the scanner? My old computer has Altec speakers with power and volume buttons, that would be perfect if it would work and not eat a whole pension check. :)

Thanks very much.
 

majoco

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I have various radios (scanner, HF, company etc) connected to a 4 channel mixer. That's fine when I'm sitting at the desk. I was given one of those little FM transmitters ( for sending your MP3 player music to a car radio) that wasn't working - just a dry joint fixed it up. The case was broken so I removed the guts, put it into new box, connected it to a 12Volt supply and attached a bit of wire about 20" long as an antenna. Works well, covers about 50yards all round to a normal broadcast FM radio. Don't know what the neighbours think of it!
 

ST-Bob

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It is illegal to transmit on any broadcast frequency with enough power to go 100 feet. Any FM modulator which can do this is illegal to sell and/or use. I wouldn't risk it.

It is also illegal to rebroadcast the scanner's audio since you cannot control who is receiving it with their FM radio. This falls under the prohibition against divulging what you hear to 3rd parties.

Run the wire... Better yet, get a pair of low impedance to 70-volt transformers and send the higher voltage (at lower current) through shielded wire between the house and garage. A decent amplifier of 3-5 watts should be more than adequate IMHO.
 

N2JDS

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Guess I'm going to jail. I have an XM radio unit in my vehicle that I just set my radio to it's freq., that people in convoys with us have been able to get while in their cars at more than 100 feet. I wonder how the people who set up the broadcasts for homes for sale do theirs. I've seen where they have it set and you adjust your radio to whatever channel they show, and it has the home information, I'm sure those could go more than 100 feet.
 

OCO

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Pages 10-15 of this user manual for the Ramsey FM100B gives a good coverage of Part 15 transmitting..I believe the most important thing is don't interfere with licensed broadcasting..(and keep the power output legal)..
 

M105

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Just my 2 cents worth... The amplified computer speaker will work. Keep in mind that the jack on your scanner is probably mono whereas the computer speakers use stereo plugs. You may only get audio on one speaker. There are mono to stereo plugs etc. available.
 

SkyPager

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Puhleese!. The FCC won't bother you unless they get a complaint. They are currently more concerned with cellphone jammers and spend time driving by schools looking for them. Besides they don't have the staff to look for this kind of stuff. They already know that some of the Sirius/XM units out there are in violation of part 15 limits. Ramsey makes an FM transmitter that will cover a 1/4 mile and its legal. Just pick a freq at the far end of the dial.

Seriously. the scanner has maybe 100-300 mW audio output. Maybe enough to drive 100 feet of wire. Because people don't know enough to turn the audio down when using earphones they audio output is limited at the phono plug. Use a piece of wire wrapped around the ground of the audio plug and run it to the ground of the antenna jack on the scanner this will boost the audio output. Powered computer speakers are the easiest way, because you will find lots of them at swap meets and they are cheap; the other choice is to feed the stereo AUX in and run a set of speakers to the garage or desired location. RS sells 100 ft of speaker wire for maybe $9.00 add a couple of connectors and you are out less than $20.
 

RadioDaze

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You could also get a pair (2) of these: MCM Custom Audio L/R Stereo Audio Balun | 50-7724 (507724) | MCM Custom Audio
They will let you send the audio over a cheap 100 ft network cable to a cheap pair of computer speakers.

I should clarify that it would be LINE LEVEL audio with virtually no loss by the time it reached the amplified computer speakers. And it requires no external power. Use the Record Out. You will be able to control the volume of the radio's speaker independently of the audio from the computer speakers. So when you go in the house, you can still listen. Use your existing Altec speakers - they'll be fine. You might need some miscellaneous adapters, like inline RCA female joiners: RCA Dual Inline Coupler

You should be able to find a 100' CAT5 cable for $10 to $20 on Amazon.
 

ST-Bob

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Where did I say the FCC would come down on your ***???

I said it would be illegal - not that you'd get caught. Stay off the airwaves unless you're licensed to be there (as those home-show broadcasters are).
 

Citywide173

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With fear of bringing ST-Bob down on me since it's a rebroadcasting solution..... :roll:

If you have wireless network coverage (or wired for that matter) in your garage, why not just use a laptop in the garage, and Radio Feed ( ProScan ) on a computer where the scanner is? You could also open a port on your network to the internet so you could listen wherever you are.
 

Oriley

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Great, it is possible without too much pain. Thanks.

Comments:

>No wireless here so that's out.

>If I lived in the country I might try the FM transmitter, not in town. I'm sure I'd have dreams of FBI agents breaking down my door and smashing my scanner with a huge hammer. lol.


So, naturally a couple more questions:

These are the speakers I think I'll buy. Reviews don't mention buzzing, humming etc. My garage is full of florescent lights......

Amazon.com: Altec Lansing VS2620 Speakers for Computers and MP3 Players (Black): Electronics

Wire is RCA CCA 16 gauge, is that heavy enough for ~100', maybe a little less?

I take it for this wire you solder RCA plugs on the end then use RCA to 3.5mm adapter?


Considering the mono to stereo plugs:

Do I just put the adapter where it goes into the speakers or on both ends?


Sorry for all the questions but I'd like to order it all at once for the free shipping. :)


Thanks very much!
 

M105

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mono to stereo: If you convert the mono from the scanner to stereo before you feed it into the speaker amplifier you are done. In other words, just feed the scanner audio output to both the left and right channels of your speaker input.

If you plug a stereo plug into a mono jack, only the tip and ground ring will make contact. The center ring will get no signal. The result is you only get audio on one side (probably the right). On a converter plug the signal from the tip is split to feed both the tip and center ring of the stereo plug.
 

RadioDaze

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Where is the 100' wire going to be hooked up... between the scanner and the speakers?

Those speakers are expecting to be fed with a line-level signal though a shielded cable. You can't simply use plain speaker wire in place of that. You will pick up a ton of noise and interference. You'd be better off just using a regular 8 ohm speaker, like a single cheap stereo speaker. You could buy something like these: Amazon.com: Pyramid 2022SX 200 Watts 3Way Mini Box Speaker and then just use one of them. You'd still have one left for another use, like putting it next to the scanner and using a switch to listen when you're in the house.

Or better still, just get something like this: Uniden 4" External Speaker
 
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Uplink

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You can listen to your 996XT anywhere around the house with the Radio Shack 900mhz intercom. Has an RCA jack for line input and great audio. They are commonly found on Ebay used too.


pRS1C-3176083w345.jpg
 

Oriley

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Those speakers are expecting to be fed with a line-level signal though a shielded cable.

Darn, I was afraid of something like that. I do have ~200' of RG-6/U Duel Shield coax, would that work to the powered speakers? I like to go with the powered if I can so I can adjust the volume out there.

In another thread somewhere here I read about the external speaker outlet on the 996XT and I think they mentioned another outlet?? I can find pictures of the front of the scanner but none of the back. I'll see if I can find that thread.


Thanks
 

RadioDaze

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There should be a "Record Out" or "REC OUT" on the back which would be a line-level output that amplified computer speakers could be plugged into. But you wouldn't plug a regular speaker into it. This is the equivalent to what you would plug a cassette recorder into on a stereo receiver - you would never plug speakers into it, and you wouldn't plug your recorder into the speaker outputs.

You could plug amplified computer speakers into the headphone jack or the external speaker jack on the scanner, but you would need to be very careful regarding how high the volume control on the scanner is set.

Maybe someone else has an opinion about using the RG-6/U for the computer speakers?
 

drsl2000

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It is also illegal to rebroadcast the scanner's audio since you cannot control who is receiving it with their FM radio. This falls under the prohibition against divulging what you hear to 3rd parties. .[/QUOTE said:
But it is OK to rebroadcast to listeners worldwide via the internet?
 

M105

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If you put the amplifier at the scanner location and run the amplified signal down the 100 ft distance to a speaker you will have less chance for interference. It is a simple signal/noise ratio. Running a high level signal after the amplifier would be better than feeding possible noise into the amp which will magnify it. It also puts the amplifier between the long run of wire, which can pick up electromagnetic pulses from lightning strikes etc., and your valuable scanner. Let a pulse blow the cheap speaker amp instead of your scanner.

Normal shielded audio cable has a 110 ohm characteristic impedance but the truth is at audio frequencies it is not too critical. 75 ohm coax will probably work fine. I do recommend grounding the shield to the earth.
 

Oriley

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I would like to use the powered computer speakers so I can adjust the volume in the garage.....

Amazon.com: Altec Lansing VS2620 Speakers for Computers and MP3 Players (Black): Electronics


As far as lightning goes, the wire between the house and garage will be underground running in conduit with the phone line and the cable TV coax. More noise? The length in the conduit would only be maybe 20'.

If I can use the coax that would be great. I have compression fittings I can install then transition to a male mini at the scanner and female mini at the speakers.


Thanks
 
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