Speaker?

I'm thinking about installing a speaker in my plane.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

4 ohm? 8 ohm? Waterproof? I'll have King radios, but a Dynon intercomm to control the whole audio thing.

CC

Why a speaker?

David:

Not trying to be deliberately dense; what use is an audio speaker in an RV?

My 9a is very loud; the volume a speaker would have to generate, to be heard over engine, propeller, and wind noise while flying would be significant... and significantly annoying.

If you have a speaker loud enough to hear in the typical RV cockpit, it will damage your hearing....

Let's see:

Loud environment
Heavy
Magnetic

Hmmm, I had a C150 that had one once, couldn't hear it either

Only use is to listen to ATIS prior to engine start. I'd pass on it.
Also, the Dynon intercom will not power it - speakers need a lot more current than headphones.

I installed a speaker jack in the sub panel of my -6A thinking I would plug in an "aircraft rated" speaker while on the ground and when I wanted to listen to the local traffic while outside the aircraft. That scenario has never happened. I have never plugged in the speaker to listen to anything. To do so would require the Master Relay to be active, the radios and intercom to be on, etc. This represents a significant current draw from the battery without the engine / alternator running. I am just not anxious to run down the battery just to listen to local traffic using the installed aircraft radio.

Instead I got a stand alone aircraft band receiver / scaner and use it.

Also, if you are going to attach an external speaker to your aircraft radio or audio panel, you may find that the output impedance of the aircraft stuff is not 4 or 8 ohm, but more likely in the order of 600 ohms.

Thanx all...

Thanx for the thoughts.

1. Yes, I'm thinking on the ground ATIS, Clearance delivery, etc.

2. Radios are on essential bus, so you do not need to have master on for radios.

3. Asking questions does not make you dense. I ask all the time and I'm only slightly dense. All advice I get from VAF is pretty good. Please feel free to question anything I say. It is why I ask.

4. I Learned to fly in a C-150 with no headsets. I do have headsets now, and was not planning on having a running engine without them.

5. I did not know the Dynon audio would not power a speaker, so an audio amp would be required? Now we are getting messy (another volume control?)

6. I think the best advice here is don't bother, but I did sit in an RV-6 with a speaker last Saturday at KWHP, and thought it was pretty cool.

I installed one - switchable. Not for use while flying, more for listening on the ground waiting for startup or so. The speaker is installed in the flap drive cover, so no interference with other equipment. I also have a hot switch for the radio for the same purpose. So I can use the radio on the ground without booting all the electrics.

speaker

I bought a handheld for this reason. Now I can check atis and have a emergency backup that came in handy when a rental airplanes radio refused to transmit.

paul mosher said:

I bought a handheld for this reason. Now I can check atis and have a emergency backup that came in handy when a rental airplanes radio refused to transmit.

Click to expand...

Yes, an inexpensive handheld avoids all the disadvantages of installing a speaker and still provides the utility you want with several additional advantages. I purchased a Yaesu for a very reasonable cost and it works like a charm, even with a headset adapter.

I put an 8 ohm speaker in the top rear panel just outside of the shoulder harness gap.
About a 2 1/2 inch hole with a painted screen door patch as the screen.
My hangar mate (avionics wiz) wired a three position switch (headset, off, speaker) with switchable power from the battery for the number 2 radio (Icom A200). Speaker is not wired through the intercom and has no external amp. Works great for ATIS.