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PA speakers

jester983

Member
Apr 22, 2006
13
0
11
Hi guys. I have a question regarding using a PA speaker with a CB radio. This is going into my truck by the way.

Im wondering how much wattage I will need? Ive seen some with 15 watts or 30 watts and up. Im just wondering If maybe 15 watts would be enough to be heard well over the engine while im driving?
 

That's just the rating of the speaker.

I used a15 with my galaxy 959 - sounds kind of low.

Not sure what the solution is . . . . . . I'm thinking the radio doesn't have enough punch . . .
 
I use a cheap MFJ 8 watt speaker under the hood of the car and it's loud! I don't think drivers going down the road with their windows up can hear me though. The other day I was behind someone that did not notice the light had turned green. So I went to PA and said " the lights green " the driver looked up very supprized and took off. he he....
 
Haha, parkair thats exactly what I can't wait to do.

So really the wattage amount of the speaker isn't to big a deal then? or no, like would a 30 watt speaker be better then a 15 watt speaker? I mean like louder?

How did you guys mount your speakers? Like where abouts on your vehicle?
 
the wattage is the ammount the speaker can handle. the highest output levels today are 7 watts, if you look at a brank new cobra box it says 7 watts on the front, what it doesnt say is 7 watts audio output as measured at the speaker, not radio output.

i always used alarm speakers, the bull horn style, they are all over in the junkyards and they always give them away. as far as mounting goes i usally put them one of 2 places. either on the inner wheelhousing or in front of the radiator/ behind the bumper.
 
Carl is correct. Most CB's and exports only put out about 3 to 7 watts worth of audio. The Uniden Pro series has one of the highest levels, usually around 8 watts or so, as do the HR2510, HR2600 and President LIncoln radios. If you need more wattage, run the PA output through a high-level-input stereo amp in bridged mode, and use a higher-wattage PA speaker to take the output of the amp.
 
Alright thanks guys.

Ive pretty much decided to go get one from radio shack, but i know theirs have two spliced cables. One is for power and the other is for signal I believe.

Im just wondering if I would hook up the cord for power like up to my battery along with my cb radio power cord, and plug the signal cord into my cb (3.5mm plug i believe).

Is that correct? Or is there another way I need to hook up the PA speaker power/signal wise?
 
Y'all are going to love this. Today I was sitting at a stop sign waiting for a car to pass. The car was on a four lane highway so when it started getting close I started going, but all of a sudden the car I had been wating on slowed and turn in front of me causing me to stop suddenly. I switched to PA and told the driver (she had her window down and was from south of the boarder) that her turn signal was not working, she pulled over and held both her arms out the window!!!! I drove away, she pulled her arms back into the car and when I lost sight of her she was still sitting there. I geuss she thought she was going to get de-ported!
 
the audio power amp is only a 5.8 watt audio chip in most cb radios even the export models, so a 15 watt pa speaker sould work great. 73's
 
parkair said:
Y'all are going to love this. Today I was sitting at a stop sign waiting for a car to pass. The car was on a four lane highway so when it started getting close I started going, but all of a sudden the car I had been wating on slowed and turn in front of me causing me to stop suddenly. I switched to PA and told the driver (she had her window down and was from south of the boarder) that her turn signal was not working, she pulled over and held both her arms out the window!!!! I drove away, she pulled her arms back into the car and when I lost sight of her she was still sitting there. I geuss she thought she was going to get de-ported!

hahahahhaa, thats great! I got my PA from radio shack. 25watts, now all i need to do is hook it up. which im thinking of putting it in the inside of my front bumper.
 
I have checked with a few police officers i know, and they have said that they haven't heard anything about a law against PAs. So im not too worried about it, but I know just not to abuse it.
 
jester983 said:
Alright thanks guys.

Ive pretty much decided to go get one from radio shack, but i know theirs have two spliced cables. One is for power and the other is for signal I believe.

Im just wondering if I would hook up the cord for power like up to my battery along with my cb radio power cord, and plug the signal cord into my cb (3.5mm plug i believe).

Is that correct? Or is there another way I need to hook up the PA speaker power/signal wise?

Let us know how it turns out and if you like it which one you got. I also what to put a PA in my truck but want to make sure I get one that is loud enough to be heard over my diesel motor...

Thanks,
Casey
 
PSDfreak said:
jester983 said:
Alright thanks guys.

Ive pretty much decided to go get one from radio shack, but i know theirs have two spliced cables. One is for power and the other is for signal I believe.

Im just wondering if I would hook up the cord for power like up to my battery along with my cb radio power cord, and plug the signal cord into my cb (3.5mm plug i believe).

Is that correct? Or is there another way I need to hook up the PA speaker power/signal wise?

Let us know how it turns out and if you like it which one you got. I also what to put a PA in my truck but want to make sure I get one that is loud enough to be heard over my diesel motor...

Thanks,
Casey

Will do Casey. Hopefully it shall be installed the by the end of the week. I will let ya know the results as soon as I can.
 
MatchboxMan said:
Better check local laws first, you might do something like that to a local undercover and get a big surprise :shock:
I was going to suggest that very same. In my town, I did witness a traffic stop for that very reason. Often the driver can be cited for impersonating an emergency vehicle as those are typically the only PA equipped vehicles on the road. You have to use caution on when and what you say, other than that it's not illegal to have that feature in the vehicle.

It's fun when you see a hitchhiker up ahead and say, "need a ride? Buy a car!" or Need a lift? Stick a jack up yer ass!". :shock:
 

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