mdelzer
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Mark
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2018
- Threads
- 13
- Messages
- 254
- Reaction score
- 333
- Location
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Website
- www.undercontrollabs.com
- Vehicle(s)
- 2018 JULR Sting-Gray
- Occupation
- Developer, Home Automation and AV
- Thread starter
- #1
I have a Cobra75 with a CoolTech antenna mount and a 4' fire stick. I also want to add a ham radio and GMRS. Locally our clubs are running CB with a few members switch to GMRS and pushing it hard. Personally I think GMRS with the ability to use FRS for newbs and out of vehicle makes the most sense, but that's a whole other topic.
For GMRS I want to add either the Midland MXT400 or the MXT275. I like the form factor of the 275 because I can hid it under the seat. But I also like that the 400 is 40 watts vs the 15 watts of the 275. That said if I also have a ham mobile in vehicle the power of the GMRS doesn't mean much. Or is it worth having a full 40 watts for communicating in small groups?
As for ham I got my technicians license last December but then COVID hit. The intent for HAM is basically hobby and long distance emergency communications.
For antennas I'd like to get the new NMO mount that CoolTech is working on to mount both ham and GMRS antennas at the front of the Jeep and put one on each side of the cowl. Is there any reason that GMRS, ham, or CB would interfere with each other? There would never be simultaneous transmission.
And last but not least, I don't mind adding in an external speaker, but I don't want to add in 3. Does anyone make a mixer with ducking or a ducker that can do priority before sending the signal to the speaker? I realize that the "speaker" outputs of radios is actually an amplified speaker level output and not line level, but that can be managed with some minor electronics if it's not already managed by a mixer/DSP between the radios and the speaker itself. Or another thought is a line level to Bluetooth or USB adapter and just bring it in on the radio. But I wouldn't want my ONLY way of monitoring the radios to be through the stereo and I assume that external speakers on radios will make the audio stop going to the built in speaker when it's plugged in?
Anyone have any thoughts or experience on what the best options are?
For GMRS I want to add either the Midland MXT400 or the MXT275. I like the form factor of the 275 because I can hid it under the seat. But I also like that the 400 is 40 watts vs the 15 watts of the 275. That said if I also have a ham mobile in vehicle the power of the GMRS doesn't mean much. Or is it worth having a full 40 watts for communicating in small groups?
As for ham I got my technicians license last December but then COVID hit. The intent for HAM is basically hobby and long distance emergency communications.
For antennas I'd like to get the new NMO mount that CoolTech is working on to mount both ham and GMRS antennas at the front of the Jeep and put one on each side of the cowl. Is there any reason that GMRS, ham, or CB would interfere with each other? There would never be simultaneous transmission.
And last but not least, I don't mind adding in an external speaker, but I don't want to add in 3. Does anyone make a mixer with ducking or a ducker that can do priority before sending the signal to the speaker? I realize that the "speaker" outputs of radios is actually an amplified speaker level output and not line level, but that can be managed with some minor electronics if it's not already managed by a mixer/DSP between the radios and the speaker itself. Or another thought is a line level to Bluetooth or USB adapter and just bring it in on the radio. But I wouldn't want my ONLY way of monitoring the radios to be through the stereo and I assume that external speakers on radios will make the audio stop going to the built in speaker when it's plugged in?
Anyone have any thoughts or experience on what the best options are?
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