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Starting my own VOX system!!!


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Thanks to John, TK 1446, for the inspiration, as well as Skullworks, and Puget sound, i've decided not to purchase that "other" sound system, and have some fun building my own. I've assembled the pieces, and will be working on it this week. I'm a teacher, and have February vacation this week, so i "should' have plenty of time to devote to working on this project.

 

Here are some pics of the pieces i've got:

(Warning: some of my terminology may be a bit technical!)

 

Radio Shack Amp/Speaker

Radio Shack Microphone

2 computer fans

2 switches

2 9V battery attachments

2 solder-able microphone plugs

some wire

5 feet of wire tubing

2 Hovi-Speaker Mic Tips (not pictured - they're already on my bucket, but i threw the old mic tips in the picture for posterity)

 

Once I get "some" progress made, i'll post more pics here. Wish me luck!!!

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Way to go Gordon.... Make me proud.

 

Dont forget to take the speaker out of that amp. You just unscrew the main screw... then there are (2) more inside on the board. Next you can use a tiny screw driver and simply pry the speaker out (it's just glued in there...) You can cut those speak wires and just tuck them aside...cause you won't ever use them. You're going to use the external jack for your aerator speakers.

 

Remember, you can use the existing jacks or you can solder the wires directly....

 

Let me know if you have ANY questions...at all.

 

GOOD LUCK!!!

 

PS...Now that I'm thing about it... those switches.... are they going to be mounted directly in that tubing?

 

I know Radio Shack carries those red squared ones...see my post... they go in really nice.

 

Also.... you're gonna need more wire than that. Radio Shack has the 3 pack rolls... I think they're like 30 ft rolls for $6 for the whole pack (90 ft).

 

Just some input... let me know if you need part numbers.

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first off, id like to appologize for the quality of these pics.. apparently my digital camera (8 years old and still ticking) doesnt like to zoom that far in... so, please, feel free to use your imagination

 

special thanks to the tutorial at http://www.whitearmor.net/uploads/TKBucket...eakersystem.ppt

 

the first thing i wanted to do was to finalize the sound system in the bucket. to begin this, i decided to create the wire that will go from the amp to the speakers. it needs a mic jack on one end. i'm no electrical engineer, but i have soldered before...

 

basically, the red wire (positive) goes on the short clip, and the black wire (negative) goes on the loger clip.

pict2429sb0.th.jpg

 

Next i soldered them together, being careful not to cross the connections, as this will make the wire not work.

pict2430vt9.th.jpg

 

Lastly, i screwed on the cap to the plug, making it complete.

pict2431ew5.th.jpg

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Most of the parts came from my local radioshack. This includes:

the amp

the microphone

switches

9v battery attachments

tubing to contain the wires

 

from the local electronics store:

solderable speaker mic plug (dont know what else to call it) would've got this at radio shack but they were sold out the day i went.

 

just lying around my basement:

wire

solder, soldering gun

 

i got the hovi-speaker-tips on list somewhere

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Jeeze why doesnt the radio shack here carry any of that stuff. I went in there and asked for a resistor and they were like "a what?"

 

uh oh... you could always find a different radio shack, or order online... there are 3 i bounce around between in my area. the one closest to me is the smallest, and doesnt always have the largest selection. so sometimes i have to go to #2 or #3 for what i need.

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I have to ask: this looks like a direct break down and copy of Scot's Skullworx kit. Did you or John get Scot's permission to do this & post the info?

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I have to ask: this looks like a direct break down and copy of Scot's Skullworx kit. Did you or John get Scot's permission to do this & post the info?

 

 

didn't know i needed permission... i've taken his system, as well as a few others for inspiration, and am creating my own version. i like working with my hands, and like to tinker with wires and switches (i'm a ham radio guy, and have built a box with a GPS, and a radio, which sends takes the gps signal, through a processor, and out the radio, so it transmits the location of the box).

 

i've changed a few things so its not exactly like skullworx. all of my components are different, mic is different, switches are different, everything is placed differently. the only think im borrowing from skullworx is the black tube that holds the wires together.

 

if this becomes a legal issue, i have no problem not posting any more of my progress, and even deleting what i've already put up there. last think i need is a copyright infringement lawsuit.

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While Skull Works does have a business license, I don't believe the design is copyrighted. It's generally a nice gesture to give credit to those that gave you the inspiration to take the next step.

 

Keep in mind if you ever borrow ideas from Hyperdyne Labs, they copyright everything and do keep an eye on the prop boards.

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okay so this build is taking a little longer than i expected... stupid "graduate school" assignments... argh...

 

so ive measured my tube to length, and have attached it with velcro, so its removable. i've used blue painters tape to mark the spots where the varous attachments will be.. well.. attached...

 

now ive taken the tube out of the bucket, and am preparing to do the wiring.

 

pict2436lx0.th.jpg

 

 

i've laid everything out, just to see what is going where... ive cut holes and have temporarily installed the switches...

 

ive figured out how to attach the sound board (regular velcro), 9v batteries (small velcro strips, easily replacable), and fans (glued to inside of bolts, but i might move them later on)... all thats left is to figure out how to attach the microphone, and just wire everythign together!

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