PA function for CB's

frodo · Post by **frodo** » Sat Nov 06, 2004 1:44 pm

I've been looking at a new mobile cb to replace my dinasour. My question is regarding the PA function.

Is the output of the cb amplified? Does it go right to the speaker?

Would it be possible for me to rig my existing whelen setup (pa and horn) to it so I could have one less microphone in my car? My existing setup is a 100 watt horn/pa.

Hope I explained it well enought.

Thanks
Matt

AVFD2922 · Post by **AVFD2922** » Sat Nov 06, 2004 2:02 pm

Think I can safely answer that:
No, Yes, No

EOppegaard · Post by **EOppegaard** » Sat Nov 06, 2004 10:23 pm

CB...what's that?

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Sat Nov 06, 2004 11:26 pm

Remeber back in the day when that was all we used?? Wow....

There is no easy way to share the mic between the Whelen and CB. Anything can be done, but the amount of effort and customization is not worth the end result.

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:32 pm

Is it true that CBs PA output only 25w (maybe 50w) at best?

jhooten · Post by **jhooten** » Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:36 pm

Adam wrote:Is it true that CBs PA output only 25w (maybe 50w) at best?

You forgot the "."

that should read 2.5w (maybe 5.0w) if your lucky.

va3wxm · Post by **va3wxm** » Mon Nov 08, 2004 5:56 am

Yeah, I was gonna say something. 25 w through a 2 amp fuse (typical of CB power leads) probably won't work.

Adam · Post by **Adam** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 5:30 pm

You're right.... a manual for a cobra CB says the PA outputs at 4 watts

007 · Post by **007** » Wed Nov 10, 2004 9:13 pm

I think they are talking about the Public Address feature, not the RF PA. All CB's are 4w RF.

The external PA is probably 15w or less.

jhooten · Post by **jhooten** » Thu Nov 11, 2004 3:54 pm

Look in the fuse holder. There you will find a 2 amp fuse. Even a 15 amp audio amp will have to be very efficient to draw less than 2 amps. Now checking in the manual for my Midland/Cobra/Motorola/Radio Shack CB radios, every one of them says to use a speaker of at least 4 watts power. Why would they tell me to use a 4 watt speaker if the PA amp could put out 15 watts?