Sun Oddysey 409 419 Extension VHF Speaker in the Cockipt

[ianr]

Hi all,

I want to install an extension VHF Speaker in the Cockipt of my Sun Oddysey 419. I will probably install the speaker on the blank control panel to the left and below of the port wheel or possibly inside the cockpit table.

The biggest challenge is running the speaker cable from the vhf in the cockpit - has anyone any experience or advice please. The

cable presumably needs to run behind the heads (somehow!) to the aft locker or to the engine compartment via an underfloor or over ceiling route.

Any suggestiosn welcomed.

//Ian

[rc sail]

do some deep exploring below your electircal panel and under/behind nav table/station and you may find Jeanneau put in extra
plastic chase tube/hose with a chase string in the hose. If so the chase should run aft allowing you to fish a speaker
wire from your VHF aft to cockpit. I am surprised your 419 did not come equipped with remote vhf ram microphone/speaker.

[moonshadow]

I had to run a cable from nav station to cockpit. I used a electrician fish wire and a cheap “Endoscope” flexible lighted camera to help behind blind spots The camera semi rigid wire blue tooth links to phone, iPad etc. taping it to the fish wire helped. $39.00 on Amazon.

[danydv]

Good morning,
you have to be carefull because an extra speaker can influence you compass. If i see the picture correctly you compass is right above the indicated location.

An other, and i my opinion better solution could be the following: If you have a speaker system for your radio in the cockpit, you can put a switch ont those speakers. On my boat i have a switch and i can choose what i want to hear through the speakers:Radio or VHF. I can also put it on radio and when a VHF signal comes in, it changes the radio off and the VHF signal on.

By putting a switch as discribed, you do not change the magnetic fields around you compass.

Greetings,

Dany

[ianr]

Thanks for the feedback.

[calipir8]

Since you're going through the trouble of running a cable from your radio in the salon to the cockpit, why not install a RAM mike? If your radio will accept one, that is.  One of the best cockpit mods you can do, seriously.

[calipir8]

As for the routing, there are empty or nearly empty plastic conduits running all the way around your boat that will take the cable close to any spot in the cockpit. I've installed a RAM mike below and to the left of my starboard helm, on the side of the pedestal that forms the base for the compass. No detectable deviation.

[rick63]

Hi,
I have fitted a small cockpit speaker which sits on the shelf just below the plotter binnacle on the centre table. Cable runs follow the same route as the plotter power and data cables. A bit fiddly to route the cables from the electrical panel, behind the port heads but once that is done it is easy. Also fitted a simple toggle switch just below the toggle switch for the table lights so the speaker can be easily switched on and off.

Rick

[rene460]

We normally sail with only two of us on board. A minor incident a couple of years ago left my wife at the wheel with a vision of me disappearing overboard. We had a discussion about whether she should go below and call the Coast guard, or stay at the wheel and try and keep me in sight, while sailing the boat single handed. Fortunately I was hanging on, and only brushed by the main sheet, but it made very clear to us the issue of a radio only operable from the cabin, with only two on board.

We gulped at the cost, as we had to upgrade the radio to a model that would accept the remote microphone, but we took a deep breath and went ahead. Now, the one at the helm can hear the radio, use it to call, change channels and volume and even squelch of necessary. We had given up on the radio as we could not easily hear it, and it was too hard to free up one of us to operate it, so it was no use to us, or to anyone unfortunate enough to need to call for help with us the nearest boat. We now realise what a great safety upgrade this is, and would not be without it.

I presume that external microphone is what others have called a ram mike. But I would strongly add to the votes for going the whole hog, the speaker alone is just not sufficiently useful. Getting the cable through was as others have described, with minor differences in detail for each boat design, but not difficult with a suitable flexible strip to push through the inaccessible areas.  Do take care in locating the microphone so that it does not interfere with the compass.

Rene460

[ianpowolny]

We had cockpit speakers already fitted and when we mentioned adding a speaker for the VHF to our electrician he suggested we just add a 4-way switch. We now use one of the cockpit speakers to relay the VHF. It's very loud and easy to hear.

I also concur Rene460 about the VHF remote hand set. We had one fitted. Easy as the RayMarine base station was already wired to accept it.

Ian

[hoppy]

I fitted a RAM mike in the cockpit. No point hearing the radio if you can't call from the cockpit. Also, fitting the mike connection requires only a small hole to be cut.

If your radio does not accept a remote, get a hand held if you don't want to upgrade the radio.

Follow existing wiring and look and look again to see if you have unused conduits.

[ianr]

to complete the story...

once I took the wooden back panel out of the port aft cabin wardrobe the job was quite straightforward. Used a strecthed out wire coat hanger to feed wire behind the heads.

For info the steel tube that links the cockpit table to the engine compartment is sealed so I couldn't create run the cable into the table.