PA and CB SYSTEM

[kahybod]

I have a CB/PA system currently hooked up in my truck. Everything works perfectly but naturally my CB only puts out 4 watts of power to my PA speaker. This is okay whenever I am not moving but cruising along the roads this is not nearly enough power to be able to yell at people (especially with their windows up and radio on). I recently bought a fairly cheap 160 watt standard car audio amp. I was going to hook it up to two 200 watt speakers I bought with the amp. Before I did I went into radio shack and an old man told me that it would blow my whole PA/CB system because i needed a special amp to amp a PA system. He told me I have a dual channel amp and I need a single channel amp. He also added that apparently single channel amps are illegal so naturally he didn't know where I could find one anyways. I just ant some opinion on this and some information. I would really like more power but at the same time I don't want to ruin what I already have. I apprecaite all the help. Thanks.

 

[Alec]

Welcome!

I had a cheapo stereo Radioshack amp hooked to my PA. I only used one channel of it. You want to use an outdoor speaker for your PA, or else they'll get old quickly.

 

[tex_n_ct]

Single channel amps are illegal????

The only thing I can even come close to equating with that statement goes back about 30 years when CB was in every other car on the road. CB transmits on what is called the '11 meter band'. At one time this was used in Canada for Ham radio and some people (I'll never say who) were importing the amps from Canada and using them on their CB's. Needless to say, they were VERY illegal but gave one heck of a good CB that would transmit for hundreds of miles.

I will not give specifics but can reassure you that an external speaker can be rigged to be audible at highway speeds. If you don't believe it just try to ignore a highway patrolman sometime and see how long it takes them to speak through their system.

I can also assure you that the parts are readily available and they have been for many years. In the early 70's my Dodge van was called 'The Voice of God' because of the habit of telling other drivers what I thought of their driving abilities (or inabilities as the case may be).

Final thought. Be careful listening to old guys, especially at discount retailers. Just because we have gray hair does not mean we know what we are talking about - just that we have more experience sounding convincing.

 

[kahybod]

1 Additional PA / CB Question

Thank yal so much for your replies. I really appreciate your time. Before I go about this operation of mine I want to ask one more question. Is there a certain kind of audio amp I need to buy? Or anything that I definately need to avoid/watch out for. Again I definately don't want to mess up what I already have. If you wouldn't care to take a look this is the kind of amp I have ready to install if it will work....

http://store.teptronics.com/pb75.html

If this will work just give me the green light and I greatly appreciate it again! Thank you! If for some reason I need another kind of amp, could you please direct me into some kind of direction where I need to be looking for a new one? Have an awesome day.

 

[Alec]

please don't double post. I replied to your other one.

 

[kahybod]

I'm Sorry

I didn't realize what I had done before I already sent. I'm sorry everyone. I couldn't take it back though.