scanner through car speakers

[RocketMan1]

I don't know if this has already been suggested.

I noticed it's sometimes hard to hear my handheld in my pickup, and almost impossible when driving my Mack. I went out and bought one of those CD adapters,($12.95, walgreens) the ones that you plug into the ear jack of the CD player and the other end looks like a conventional cassette you just push into your radios cassette port, WORKS GREAT! the scanners sound quality comming through my truck speakers is fantastic.

just thought I would pass it along.

 

[rbellows]

I was actually thinking of trying to hardwire mine in. I think I like your idea better. Glad to know it works...

 

[INDY72]

Yepper it works. I used to do that all the time.. its also a great security system when in a not so great nieghborhood... Folks hear the scanner and think your "POPO", and they don't go near you. Also its excellent for say when your at say a campsite, lake, etc... Its almost as good as actually having a public safety radio hooked to PA. Its also great for revenge at Fast Food Joints with crappy Intercoms.... They blast you with that garbled staticy what you want crap.. you have the scanner up rolling..... Eneough siad! I have also used this system in VFD duties. have the scanner rolling on the stereo so I can hear other agencies responding to calls while I am working say a wreck.. :twisted: It also is a great way to monitor rail comms at trackside.. and Aviation at an airport.....

You can also do the hard wire to an amplified speaker.

 

[safetyobc]

there is one at walmart that works without the cassette. hook to your scanner then into the cigarette lighter and it broadcast on a certain radio satation like 88.5 or something like that. You can choose several stations. It is a FM modulator or something cost about $30.00 here. anyway just my .02

 

[mlevin]

I had one like that ^^^, but could never get it to work. Wound up getting the cassette tape version.

 

[jdc50]

I use to use the cassette adapter but on my 202 chevy 1500 the cassette drive will not allow it to work. The dealer even called Chevy to see if there was a way. On my other trucks I use to do a combination of buttons to make it work. IF anyone with a 2002 Chevy 1500 extended cab has made it work I would be interested in how you did it.

Thanks

 

[soupster]

i might try this one myself

http://eshop.macsales.com/Catalog_Item.cfm?ID=7016&Item=NWTROADTRIP

 

[astrodanco]

I noticed it's sometimes hard to hear my handheld in my pickup, and almost impossible when driving my Mack.

Yup. Here is what I do with my PRO-2096 and Alpine head-unit (stereo). I have the speaker out on the back of the PRO-2096 connected to an adjustable high-low (speaker level to line level) converter which is then connected to the AUX input of the Alpine head-unit. To listen to the scanner, I just select "AUX" as the audio source. Works like a charm. Audio through the car speakers is much better than audio through the scanner's built-in speaker.

If you don't have and can't add an AUX input to your head-unit, you can get an inline RF modulator that connects to the coax connector from your AM/FM antenna and then to your head unit. These inline types can work better than the low power transmitter types -- if they are designed with notch filters to block interference from existing stations on the same frequency.

- Dan

 

[flyingwolf]

jdc50. The problem you are having is that your tape deck is smarter than the ones the adapter is designed for.

When the tape deck starts up it does a quick reverse on the spindles. Runs then in the oppisite direction from eachother. If it gets deag it knows the tape is ok to play and not broken.
If however it can easily spin it assumes the tape is broken and refuses to play it.

There are some higher end models of adapters that actually use a set of gears and a small spring to simulate the effect of hacing tape on the spindles. Thes will usually work with newer stereo systems.

These higher end models also allow you to adjust the head to get optimal performance from them. Just in case someone at the factory didnt align the heads quite right.

 

[jdc50]

Thanks for the information. Do you have any idea of a make/model of adapter that I need to look for?

 

[RocketMan1]

Thanks for the information. Do you have any idea of a make/model of adapter that I need to look for?

The one I bought, the only one walgreens had, is a Maxwell CD-330, it says right on the package "works in ALL tape players".

Just a thought: what if your not stuck in the stone age like the rest of us, and you have a CD Player instead of cassette in your car, then what do you do?

 

[flyingwolf]

search

Brings up alot of info.

As for the cd player question. You have a couple of choices. An inexpensive
Fm transmitter. Or you could hardwire the mic output to the amplifier input and you would be good to go that way. Make sure you incorporate some way
control the levl into the amp. Dont want to overload it.

:edited so the page doest have to scroll sideways.

 

[Tinkertek]

Scanner through car speakers

What we need to find is a way to set up a similar system like this:

When the scanner is quiet, allow the FM stereo to play normally. When a call comes through on the scanner, disable the FM station and route the scanner audio to the car speakers.

Any ideas on how to accomplish this?

Paul

 

[SCPD]

just bought an Philips cd to cassette adapter at walmart for under $10.00
it seem to work well. the only draw back is i have to many cable running all over........
:roll:
antenna cable, adapter cable and radar dedector power cable

 

[RolnCode3]

Here's another thread, discussing the same issues:
http://www.radioreference.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=18113&start=30

 

[Grog]

Just a thought: what if your not stuck in the stone age like the rest of us, and you have a CD Player instead of cassette in your car, then what do you do?

I use the Aiwa CDC-X204 CD Player http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=CDC-X204&btnG=Google+Search

$89.99
at http://www.crutchfield.com/ISEO-rgb...w.asp?g=178850&I=055CDCX204&id=review I paid $89.99 & $79.99 when they were on sale at bestbuy.


I bought one for my car & truck (easier to learn only one CD player ) I use it primarly for my XM, but I've hooked up my MP3 player, a BC246T, & one of my HTs. It really boosts the volume, but the scanner & two way voice sounds a little off over the car speakers. I'm still happy with the setup though

 

[astrodanco]

Re: Scanner through car speakers

When the scanner is quiet, allow the FM stereo to play normally. When a call comes through on the scanner, disable the FM station and route the scanner audio to the car speakers.

Any ideas on how to accomplish this?

Yes. Some head units, such as the one I have installed in my car (Alpine 9847) have an interrupt (mute) input in their wiring harness. Whenever this input is grounded, the audio is muted by 20db. This input is normally used with in car cell phone kits, but can be used by anything. All you need to do is connect a VOX (voice activated) relay circuit in parallel with your scanner's speaker output. Use the VOX relay to ground the head unit's interrupt input.

I do this with my Streetpilot III GPS speaker. The radio mutes whenever the GPS speaks directions to me. I built the VOX circuit into a small black Radio Shack project box and put it behind the radio in the dash.

 

[RocketMan1]

Astrodanco,

Sounds cool, and expensive! what did that setup set you back?

 

[astrodanco]

Astrodanco, sounds cool, and expensive! What did that setup set you back?

Assuming you mean the scanner: quite a bit!

The PRO-2096 ran about $500 all by itself. Then, because I had no room for a scanner to be installed (the factory head unit was using up all the available room in the dash) and because my existing factory head unit did not have any AUX input anyway, I had to replace the factory head unit with a (half the size) aftermarket head unit. The nifty aftermarket head unit I chose ran $200. Because it was unfortunately not going to be a straight forward process, I decided to have a professional do the head unit plus scanner custom installation into the dash rather than do that part myself. Add incidental odds and ends like the AUX adapter ($14), adjustable high low converter ($20), NMO mount with RG-8X coax already attached ($12), NMO scanner antenna ($25) and BNC RG-8X solder clamp connector ($2). On the other hand, I saved some bucks by installing the NMO mount myself. That only cost me my time and about $20 for the special hole saw (drill bit). I took instruction on that from various folks online (whom I thank for their kind advice).

And after all that, I'm made to plug earbuds into the earphone jack on the front of the scanner whenever my family is in the car. They hate the scanner. Boo!

 

[1Yankee]

Scanner through car speakers

The only other alternative aside from having a cassette with a "spaghetti"
coming out of your head unit would be if your deck has an auxillary (not all decks have this luxury) input in the rear.