vhf ext speaker

I have an Icom M45 VHF radio on my 20' runabout and although the radio
itself is great, the little built-in speaker is very nearly worthless
when I'm underway. It's loud enough at the dock but I can't hear a
thing while I'm moving, even if I sit down behind the windshield. This
was driving me nuts until a friend suggested getting the Icom SP-24
external speaker. This thing costs almost $50 which I thought was nuts
but he had put one on his boat and it seemed to work well (he has a 502)
so I went ahead and got one (from Consumers online marine - I think).
It really makes a difference. I can really turn the volume up loud
with it and actually hear the radio. With the built-in speaker it would
just distort. It is expensive, a little big and hard to find but it has
made my VHF radio a lot more useable. I still think the only thing that
will let me really hear the radio clearly while under way is a headset -
but it would give me a funky headset tan.

Poly Planar makes a variety of low cost extension speakers that will plug right into
your VHF and deliver remarkable voice. The smaller one costs under $20 and is more
than adequate (I have one).

All the major boat stores sell them.


"mike hicks" <mhicks130.DeleteThis@cox.net> wrote in message
news:06c6b.46376$xf.21825@lakeread06...
 > I have an Icom M45 VHF radio on my 20' runabout and although the radio
 > itself is great, the little built-in speaker is very nearly worthless
 > when I'm underway. It's loud enough at the dock but I can't hear a
 > thing while I'm moving, even if I sit down behind the windshield. This
 > was driving me nuts until a friend suggested getting the Icom SP-24
 > external speaker. This thing costs almost $50 which I thought was nuts
 > but he had put one on his boat and it seemed to work well (he has a 502)
 > so I went ahead and got one (from Consumers online marine - I think).
 > It really makes a difference. I can really turn the volume up loud
 > with it and actually hear the radio. With the built-in speaker it would
 > just distort. It is expensive, a little big and hard to find but it has
 > made my VHF radio a lot more useable. I still think the only thing that
 > will let me really hear the radio clearly while under way is a headset -
 > but it would give me a funky headset tan.
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->