Thread: Somthin' Different

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I've been a car show addict for several years now and it's getting worse.....

Many of the shows I go to are one day affairs where I get to drive the Olds there and back. Part of the fun.

When I get there, many of the shows are held on public streets and many don't have any tunes available.
So...... I bring my own. I plug in my headphones, pull up my lawn chair and
chill.

So two years ago, this hottie comes up and says, "Hey! What are you listening to?"
I hand her my over the ear earphones and she starts singing and dancing and really started enjoying herself.
Frankly, I was enjoying the show too.
So after a bit, she hands the phones back to me and says, "thanks, but ya know, it's a shame we can't all hear these oldies.

Next year I show up with this battery operated PA speaker that I can plug my MP3 player into.
Now I find lot's of folks standing around the car and listening and a few were even dancing. Later some folks a couple of cars down yell to me to turn it up a bit.

Next thing I know the car show folks come up and ask if they can put the speaker up on the stand where they were doing the sign in's.

Well, one fifty watt box just can't cover an area as big as a supermarket parking lot.

So, this year, I've built a SYSTEM!!

I've included a few pix so that in case any of you guys have similar functions you might consider building up something like this. It was pretty easy.


The first pix is one of the MAIN BOX

Inside is a Kenwood player that will play MP3 selections.
This unit has the ability to play from a plug in bulk storage stick.
I've got about 1200 songs on the one in the player and it's half the size of
a stick of gum. 2GB capacity.

From the output of the player the Kenwood drives two internal speakers with the one in front not used.
There are also two jacks on the side to allow pluging in external detached speakers.

Now, the trick part is the wireless transmitter.
It is a 10 mw UHF transmitter made by Phonic. It works great. It has an ultra stable transmitter with built in audio limiting and indicator.
The downside is that the antenna that comes with it is just a small three inch spike. Range is only 300 feet. Audio fidelity is fantastic.
SO, I built up a high gain "bazooka" style antenna out of old radio transmission line and copper pipe. This increased the range of the remote speakers to a reliable quarter mile. Of course that's not needed but in this case it allows me to operate from indoors to out and through walls with no degradation of range.

The audio is also fed through a small preamp that has a microphone mixer built in. It automatically detects mike audio and smoothly mutes the music until after the announcement is over. It can also be manually controlled.

From there, the signal is transmitted over the air to a UHF receiver that is attached to the little 50 watt PA speaker.
I have two of these.
I'm currently building a 125 watt box with a 12' two way speaker and two more 15 inch Fender 2 way 500 watt speakers.

The neat thing is that everything is battery operated and will last for 8 hours between charges.
The big 500 watters will use a car battery and inverter. All portable and all wireless.

So this year, I'm going to provide music for two car shows and I haven't even
advertised. I might be able to make a few bucks at this but I've decided to
ask the Show promoters to just make a donation to American Heart Asso or some other worthwhile group and then I won't have to worry bout my Social security.....Har Har.....

Anyway If anyone wants to do a similar project, I'll be happy to share what I know.
Bottom line, I'm having fun.

Dogtag

Wow, I thought you were telling us about a medical condition.

Not. Just another Hobby!!

wow! nice system , most shows i attend around here will ask you to leave for having music turned up to loud and i listen to oldies ....

necessity is the mother of invention... very nice work!


-Chris

Dogtag great idea joined my first Mustang Club last year just in time to help with there first event . They held it here at the Autobahn racetrack in Joliet . They had a P A system but it was under sized . Allmost 200 cars and with them spread out some where coming up asking to have music turn up so they could here it in the back rows . No houses nearby so that would not be a problem . This year will be the same place and i may have to mention this to the Prez. The equipment looks compact so moving would be a little easier .