Help with a little project

ANB_Medic · Post by **ANB_Medic** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 4:19 pm

Looking for some input on a little project we're working on.

We have a couple of new fire pumpers that we'd like to make more user-friendly. Current set up is a GM-300 in the cab with a mic, nothing else. We'll be adding a speaker in the cab - not an issue.

When the engine operator is in back running the oh-so-very-noisy pump, the current setup is that he must don a GP-300 with a /\/\ headset. This is very cumbersome, and creates much feedback if he's too close to the onboard radio.

What we want to do is put a mic, speaker and volume control on the panel near the pump. We'd also like to have a pair of headphones on a 1/4" jack on the same panel. All of this running off the GM-300.

Of course, everything would have to be waterproof.

Anyone want to chime in with their thoughts about making the connections, and maybe suggest a waterproof speaker and mic?

Thanks!

Todd

Bruce1807 · Post by **Bruce1807** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 5:51 pm

Have a look at the MCS series accesories.
You'll find the waterproof speaker and microphone.
There are plenty of headset companies around like Otto who build interfaces for most radios.

ANB_Medic · Post by **ANB_Medic** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 6:08 pm

the mcs speaker and mic are waterproof?

Post by **VE9MP** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 6:44 pm

yes Mr.T, you can order the water proof one, I don't know part numbers, or how much they differ from regular ones..

Fredericton FD has a remote mount MCS head and speaker mounted to the side of their pumpers, right out in the open, and no problems with it, they could all be waterproof, not sure, they look identicle to the radios mounted inside the pumper too, never looked at any part #'s.

ANB_Medic · Post by **ANB_Medic** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 6:46 pm

Hmmm... anyone have the part #

bernie · Post by **bernie** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 9:04 pm

My two bits worth:
Do NOT use garden variety 1/4" Telephone type jacks.
They are cheaply made, and famious for going intermittent after corrosion sets in.

I would assume that in your application that EVERYTHING gets soaked occasionally.

Everything needs to be weather proof.
Assume the worst conditions.

Will · Post by **Will** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:44 pm

Check on this site:

http://www.valleyindustrial.com/quickmo ... micbox.htm

http://www.valleyindustrial.com/CDM_QB_ ... ?QuickBox=

Bruce1807 · Post by **Bruce1807** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 2:48 am

Interesting link Will.
Probably easier to buy a kit rather than try and rig it up yourself.
Over the last year we purchased 15 new appliances from Pierce and Oshkosh. Luckily I was asked to sit in on the specs meeting and we sent out XTL5000 Dual control heads direct to truck builders.
When they arrived all I had to do was program and away we go.

ANB_Medic · Post by **ANB_Medic** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 3:43 am

My two bits worth:
Do NOT use garden variety 1/4" Telephone type jacks.
They are cheaply made, and famious for going intermittent after corrosion sets in.

I would assume that in your application that EVERYTHING gets soaked occasionally.

Everything needs to be weather proof.
Assume the worst conditions.

Not only must it be weatherproof, it must be waterproof. We wash our trucks with a pressure-washer. I am sure that someone will hit this stuff with 1000 psi at some point.

Will, That looks like it might work nicely. I'll ask for a quote. Thanks.

Todd

RFguy · Post by **RFguy** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 7:22 am

The answer is : David Clark.

Run a cable from the GM300 accy plug. Ground, PTT, Mic Hi, Speaker Hi, Speaker low (Do not connect any side of the speaker to ground or you will let the magic smoke out of the audio PA).

Install a jack box on the pump panel. Use a C3019 belt box and a compatible David Clark headset (3000 series such as the H3442) and you have a very durable pump panel headset.
When the headset is disconnected, put the supplied cap on the exposed pump panel jack and break out the power washer.
On page 5 of http://www.davidclark.com/PDFfiles/Seri ... ochure.pdf it shows the jack that mounts on the pump panel.

http://www.davidclark.com/TwoWay/s3000Page.htm
http://www.davidclark.com/PDFFiles/TwoWayBrochure.pdf

kf4sqb · Post by **kf4sqb** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:51 pm

What we've done on several trucks around the county here is use a GM300 with a Quickmount dual head setup. The rear head is mounted on (in?) the pump panel under a marine stereo cover. We simple have a local fabricater build a small stainless steel box to go behind the panel and actually hold the control head, then put the marine stereo cover on the outside to cover it. If you're not familiar with what I'm talking about, it is a 'flip-up' plastic cover, gasketed, of course, used to protect the face of a stereo on a boat. The only drawback to this arangement is that the mic won't fit under the cover, and must be unplugged to close the cover. We simply keep the mic in the cab untill needed. So far, we haven't had any problems with water damage to radios, and we've certainly had these trucks out in some nasty weather, like hurricane feeder-bands (we're not all that far from the Gulf of Mexico here).