Volume control from headphone jack

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bep

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I have a pro 106 utilizing an external speaker from the headphone jack. I also have a 197 utilizing the ext. speaker jack with a remote speaker. I want to control the volume of each speaker separately at my desk and not the scanner itself. Was wondering if the following item will do damage to the scanners.

Thanks much

AUVIO Volume Control Cable for Stereo Headphones : Headphones | RadioShack.com
 

aggie72

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The Volume Control Cable is designed for "headphone" levels. It will not hurt the scanner to plug it into the "ext speaker jack" but the extra current might blow out the control cable if the volume is up too high.
 

kruser

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I have a pro 106 utilizing an external speaker from the headphone jack. I also have a 197 utilizing the ext. speaker jack with a remote speaker. I want to control the volume of each speaker separately at my desk and not the scanner itself. Was wondering if the following item will do damage to the scanners.

Thanks much

AUVIO Volume Control Cable for Stereo Headphones : Headphones | RadioShack.com

Those generally do not handle the power levels that the radios audio amp can supply.
I've tried them before and smoked them when I gave them too much input. They do work on the radios that have power limited headphone jacks but that is usually not enough to drive an actual speaker worth a darn.
There are speaker level L-Pads ( I think that is what they are called) that offer an 4 or 8 ohm load at the radios speaker jack that can handle 10 watts and more depending on how much you want to spend. A 10 watt version should handle all scanners. RadioShack used to sell them but I don't know if they still do. They contained more of an audio transformer so they were large and designed to be mounted into a handy box like a receptacle or light switch on your wall would be mounted in. That's the proper way to work with controlling volume on speaker level outputs.

If you use what is in your link, it will smoke the potentiometer in the external control as those are usually rated for maybe a 1/4 watt max if you are lucky.
 
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bep

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Thanks good info
Guess I will go through the headphone jacks on both radios. I just like the clean look of nothing plugged into the front.
 
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