Fusion stereo for VHF reception?

[Gin]

Have any of you used your Fusion stereo for VHF reception? I'm interested in it for the Christmas ships parade this December. By tuning the stereo to the channel the fleet uses, and setting the sound for the back cockpit speaker zone only, passengers outside in the cockpit could listen in on the chatter among the skippers (which is both informational and often entertaining in its own right).

If you've used the Fusion for VHF reception, how was the quality? Did you use the regular AM/FM antenna that came with the stereo?

Gini

 

[Helgerso]

Gini

You could use a handheld and run a line out (or headphone) to the input on your stereo. I've done this with other boats to pick up airport signals with a scanner and listen to the landing and takeoff a at pdx. Works great!

Look forward to seeing you from our floating home when you come by!

Bryce

 

[Gin]

Bryce, interesting option! Last year, I did give guests a handheld. But it seems to interfere with the regular VHF at times from inside the cabin. Still, your idea gives me a good option for better sound in the cockpit than I can get with the handheld alone, if I can avoid the interference issue.

Where's your floating home? Off of Hayden Island, or over on the Willamette? Look for us! Our boat top display should be very distinctive this year. I will post a pic once we have the boat decorated, which should happen the weekend after Thanksgiving.

Gini

 

[baz]

Gin: Is your Fusion Radio connected to your Garmin Chart plotter via N2K ? On my 2016 R-21EC my Fusion radio is connected in this way and can be controlled from the Garmin Chart Plotter. I also believe Garmin VHF 200 radio chatter can be directed to the Fusion in some way.... just a thought.

 

[Gin]

Barry, I wondered if connecting the Fusion into the N2K backbone would accomplish the same thing. I haven't done that. I don't feel a need to control the Fusion from the chart plotter since (a) the Fusion is all of 2 feet or so away and, more importantly (b) I otherwise never use the Fusion when underway. But I have been intrigued at the idea of connecting it up because . . . well, just because I can and it seems kind of cool to do that. If I did, would the Fusion output the VHF audio from my Garmin VHF? That's what I couldn't figure out. If so, it would work. Otherwise, I would be able to control the Fusion from the chart plotter but I would still need to set the Fusion up to independently pull in the VHF signal.

So no one yet seem to have done that. Guess I'll have to report back!

Gini

 

[Gin]

Turns out that using the Fusion as a VHF radio is ridiculously easy. I scrolled through the options for input, selected VHF, and then went about setting a few presents. There wasn't any radio traffic on the usual stations, so I tuned it to the NOAA weather station. The small "wire" antenna that came with the radio pulled in the Wx station just fine. I set the others that I expect to use regularly as presets. That lets me scroll through those four stations easily. Having the VHF playing through the interior and exterior stereo speakers is a nice feature. For the Christmas ships parade, I will play the Fusion VHF into the cockpit for guests to listen to, and have the interior speakers off so that I don't get any interference with the Garmin transmission. If the other channels on the Fusion come through as well as the weather station did, this will be a great solution for me.

Gini