Fog Signal?

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PicoGoss

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 10, 2013
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47
Fluid Motion Model
C-28
Hull Identification Number
FMLT25171910
Vessel Name
Nano
The Garmin VHF 200 has the capability to generate fog signals. Any chance this was implemented on my 2010 R25 C or could be?
 
You will need to install an external hailer horn (speaker) to the VHF200. There is a red RCA jack at the rear of the radio for this. You should use a 4 ohm speaker.

Howard
 
That 220SW is the one I have also. Available at West Marine for $39.99.
 
Thanks for the input. I am familiar with the hailer method as I use it on my sailboat. However, doesn't it strike anyone else as being kind of a Rube Goldberg solution on a boat already equipped with a whistle and an air horn?
 
Using the foghorn feature on your radio is automated - you just set it and forget it - except when it blasts :lol: . Otherwise you would have to honk your horn manually, unless you have the FogMate to automate your horn. Using the hailer on your radio, you have actually added three features to your radio:, a PA, a hailer, and a foghorn.
 
I would like to install a hailer horn to my Icom 504 but was told at the Seattle boat show last week (Icom rep) that these things turn yellow and then look terrible. Is this true? If it is, how long does it take and can something be done to stop them from turning yellow, polishing, waxing, paint or whatever. Thanks.

Dave
 
Hi Dave,

I would like to install a hailer horn to my Icom 504 but was told at the Seattle boat show last week (Icom rep) that these things turn yellow and then look terrible. Is this true?
Click to expand...
...I have had mine installed for three years now and it still looks good. I have it tucked up under the brow so it is protected a bit. My hailer is a smaller one that I picked up at Fisherman's'. It comes in handy for listening for other vessels in fog also.
Good luck
 
New Moon's 220SW hailer horns have lasted something like 6-7 years , and never turned yellow. The plastic did get old and a little more gray after a while, but they did not look terrible by any stretch. I wouldn't let this stop me from having one. They're useful, and easy to replace when necessary.

One thing I like about having the hailer/foghorn setup is that when it's turned on but not producing sound, it listens. Like a bow watch in fog, you can hear boats forward of you, or waves splashing on rocks, before you can see them.
 
After reading this topic I'm going to install a loud hailer/fog horn on my 2010 R25.

I've looked at the 220SW 20 watt loud hailer and find that there are two others available at about the same price.

There is a 230SW and a 240SW hailer/horn 30 watts and 40 watts respectively.

I expect these two units are simply louder given the increase in wattage, however, suspect my Garmin transceiver may not be able to drive these higher wattage units. Maybe I should stick with what works and stay with the 220SW?

Bob
 
As Howard mentioned near the beginning if this thread the specification you really need to pay attention to is the impedance. The speakers themselves are passive devices and don't produce any power. The wattage specification is an indication of how much power the speaker can safely handle. The power comes from the amplifier in the radio and will typically be specified as (for example) 20 watts at 4 ohms. While you can safely use a 8 ohm speaker with a radio amplifier rated down to 4 ohms it will effectively cut your output power in half. Inversely, you should not use a 4 ohm speaker with a radio amplifier rated at 8 ohms as too little resistance or load to the amplifier will result in overheating and ultimately self destruction.

All that being said, the 240 is a larger megaphone and should theoretically carry farther given an equal amount of power from the radio amplifier. That's the one I chose.
 
Bob, for best performance, the number of watts for the hailer should match the watts output of the radio. The output of the Garmin 200 is 20 watts. The Standard Horizon radios have a 30 watt output.
 
Rod
The 230SW and 240SW are both 4 ohms.

Rick
If my VHF200 is rated for only 20 watts, then a 220SW is the hailer that I should buy.

From what I now understand to efficiently drive a 240SW hailer/foghorn I would have to up-grade my VHF200.

Drats, I was looking forward to having a mega-loud foghorn on board.

Thanks to you both for the input.

Bob
 
Bob, The OHMS and watt input of the speaker/hailer should match the output of the radio for best performance. You could put a 40 watt speaker/hailer on a 20 watt radio, but you would only get 20 watt of output through the speaker. The speaker would not amplify the sound. If you were to put a lower power speaker/hailer on a higher power radio (e.g. 20 watt speaker/40 watt radio) you would , at a minimum overdrive the speaker and you would not be able to understand the output, or at the most, blow the speaker.

The Garmin VHF 100 and 200 radios have a speaker/hailer output of 20 watts. The Garmin VHF 300 radios have a 30 watt output. All of the Standard Horizon radios have a speaker/hailer output of 30 watts. If you wanted 40 watts output you would have to go with another manufacture or install an amplifier, but I don't think you could get 2-way communication with an amplifier.
 
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