Not all recorders pass audio, the one I have off ebay does not, so I have to split audio before it if I'm using it.
The biggest issue I have with an external recorder is the rats nest. The main reason that I'm still using dual radios, with the D74a being the receiver. With a built in recorder, it is 1 less cable, and about 4 points of failure removed from the setup. My FM setup has 1 audio cable coming from the RX radio and coax going to the TX radio. If I had a shorter headphone cable it would be great, but the ones that I have been using require a TRRS splitter which the shortest I have found is 6", so the cable is still longer than needed.
...
Back to the original topic, the 2nd radio. For the cost of most HT's either used or new that have a good/decent receiver, you can nearly get a "duplex" mobile radio and at the same time get those extra watts needed for the weekend FM pass demo's. I am have been thinking about selling my D72, which I use as a TX radio, and go this route.
On Fri, Jun 21, 2019 at 1:23 PM Patrick STODDARD (WD9EWK/VA7EWK) via AMSAT-BB amsat-bb@amsat.org wrote:
Philip,
I used an adapter from Fry's Electronics for a long time, with a 2.5mm stereo plug on one end and a 3.5mm stereo jack on the other:
https://www.frys.com/product/601036
It stuck out of the side of the TH-D72 over an inch, and with a cable I think it put extra stress on the radio's speaker jack. I found the right-angle plug with the short pigtail, and I can run the pigtail under the strap from the SC-55 soft case that goes over the top of the radio (or under both of those straps, across the top and on one side) to lessen the stress on the radio's speaker jack.
Be careful with the selection of adapters for the TH-D72's speaker jack. Some have enough metal and plastic around the plug, where those adapters won't stay plugged into the speaker jack. The one I listed from the Fry's Electronics web site above was the best of the few I originally tried with my TH-D72, and stuck with until I found the Amazon adapter with short pigtail and right-angle plug I referenced previously.
With an extension cable, I can have my speaker about 15 feet away from me, but usually am somewhere between 5 and 10 feet from it when I do demonstrations. Even at 10 feet or so away, I can get audio feedback if I transmit with the speaker firing at me, but 5 to 10 feet is usually far enough where I can avoid the feedback. An amplified speaker may be what you need to get a little more volume, without running into the feedback issues. Places like Fry's Electronics should have a selection of those speakers, as would online sources.
Good luck, and 73!
Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/ Twitter: @WD9EWK or http://twitter.com/WD9EWK
On Fri, Jun 21, 2019 at 12:23 PM Philip Jenkins n4hf.philip@gmail.com wrote:
Patrick, the former is pretty much what I've been doing at demos. A fairly large unpowered Radio Shack speaker with a long cord, plugged directly into the D72's output jack. I then point the speaker away from me and stand several feet away and use the D72's internal mike, full duplex
.This has worked well for the audience being able to hear. No feedback problems reported yet. I would like to be able to hear better though, hence the point of my post. ;-) I think I've only made a couple of Q's for this reason.
I'll check out the Amazon link. I think Fry's Electronics may have something similar. (I need a good reason to go to Atlanta anyway <grin>; Ham Radio Outlet is only about 5 miles away from Fry's). I'll look for a Bluetooth speaker like you described too.
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