Loud Hailer Not Very Loud

[colbysmith]

I have the Standard Horizon GX2150 VHF, paired with a Standard Horizon 240SW Loud Hailer. I used one several times on Midnight Flyer and I remember being able to turn up the volume so that it was rather loud. I moved that same radio over to C-Traveler, and eventually purchased a new Loud Hailer as the old one had cracked at the mount. I went to use the Fog function yesterday while on Lake Michigan, and wasn't able to get much sound out of it. I finally started just timing and using my regular boat horn to sound a fog signal. (Trumpet style horn, and it is quite loud!) Testing the hailer, it seems I can get a little more loudness out of the PA mode. Any suggestions on anything I can do to "turn up the volume"? (The volume of the Hailer is controlled by the channel knob while in PA or Fog function. I have turned that all the way up. The "hear back" mode is controlled by the volume knob, and I'm not sure I'm getting as much volume there as I use too. If it matters, the fog horn uses 400 mhz. However I tried from 250 to 400. And yes, my hearing aids were in! Colby

[gulfcoast john]

Colby,

I didn’t search the site (my bad) but recall this issue as being a common complaint.

My Garmin VHF300 (not a cheap unit) and SH PA/Hailer (now on the third one, as the other two also ‘broke off at the mount’ like yours) have very, very lame Foghorn as well as PA loudness at max volume regardless of HZ. I have come to believe it’s just the nature of the beast.

In almost all scenarios that I can think of, I’d rather have a modern B+ AIS (rec/tx) than any ‘horn’ to signal my presence in fog to anyone bigger than us who could take us out if the captain did not know we were there.

Another ‘nature of the beast’ is that sound just DOES NOT propagate reliably in fog as well as AIS signals.

Get a B+ AIS (we haven’t yet) and get in to port or a marina.

Appreciate your insights on this issue as always!

John

[colbysmith]

The earlier set up on Midnight Flyer was much louder. So not sure if it’s this hailer (can’t really remember using this one before), the wiring or the radio. However I’m not sure a 25’ vessel is legally required to sound a fog horn and I know I’m one of very few rec boats that does. I do have my AIS transceiver and radar, which actually provided the best help with about a dozen other fishing boats in the vicinity, none of which were transmitting AIS. Visibility was less than 100’ by the time I got back to the harbor. Pays to know how to use the radar and it’s saved my bacon a few times! Colby

[ssobol]

Are you checking the loudness of the hailer from the operator's position or from a position to receive the sound the hailer makes?

Maybe the horn is better and not as much sound comes spills back to you.

[colbysmith]

Sticking my head out the window next to the loudhailer. Colby