Intercoms?

[wkearney99]

Anyone found a useful intercom for below-to-flybridge use?

Sure, some VHF radios have this feature but most are a pain in the butt to use. They all require some combination of FUNC then BUTTON sequence or wandering through onscreen menus.

The main purpose being to call up/down from the flybridge, that's all. Not for docking or anything other than short question/answer. It'd be really nice to have open speaker on calling. As in, press a button on one, have it beep on the other and then open the mic from the calling station to the receiver. Push to talk otherwise.

I've entertained the idea of cordless phones but none I've come across give hands-free speak-on-call functionality. Might as well just be using a cell phone if we're going to have to pick-up to answer. If I went the cordless route I'd probably use Panasonic ones with Link2Cell like the ones we have at home.

Likewise walkie-talkies are less than ideal as their portable nature means they'll get misplaced, and still have much the same charging issues as phones.

I don't much care about the RF bands. FM, 433, Bluetooth, or whatever. I'm not expecting it to be private/secure but would prefer it not be something 'easily abused' like the FMRS/walkie-talkie bands.

Cordless for communication would be convenient, but it wouldn't be a chore to wire it. Likewise powered from 12vdc or adapted from it.

 

[diver dave]

A tube and two funnels?

 

[rslifkin]

On my Standard Horizon VHFs (GX1850) the intercom function can be assigned to a soft key so it's 1 push to activate it. However, it does require push to talk on both the head unit and the remote mic, no ability to just go open mic on one side.

 

[MYTraveler]

I put the Furuno (LH3010) throughout my boat. The master station is at the PH helm (and there may be a second master at the FB helm, as I tried to replicate functionality at both of those main helm stations), and find it quite useful for things like calling to individual staterooms (or throughout the boat) for watch changes, and announcing that we have found fish, etc.

 

[denverd0n]

A tube and two funnels?

The traditional method, used on boats for centuries. As recently as 35 years ago, you could still find this method of communication on U.S. Navy vessels.

 

[Comodave]

We had a Standard Horizon loud hailer on our last boat that I had an intercom tothe cabin from the flybridge. It was nice because it had the hailer functione and the intercom.

 

[wkearney99]

A tube and two funnels?

heh, that would be one small step up from the 'bang heel on the flybridge sole' to get someone to come out the aft door. An old school brass tube and flapper would really make for a steampunk nautical air.

 

[wkearney99]

We had a Standard Horizon loud hailer on our last boat that I had an intercom to the cabin from the flybridge. It was nice because it had the hailer function and the intercom.

The latest SH units have probably the "least annoying" interface for activating the intercom. I've been leaning toward one of their GX-series VHFs to replace my Icom M602 (that can't do hailer from the remote mic!).

 

[ranger58sb]

We just use the headsets if one of us needs to go below for any length of time. Which isn't often, while we're underway...

Could use our handheld VHF below for that, low power, low-use channel... but haven't...

-Chris

 

[Bmarler]

i bought these from amazon and have been satisfied with them. wireless so can go anywhere. we use them for docking too. my wife doesn't like headsets so this was an alternative. you get some engine noise when used for docking but it's not bad on our boat.
once you establish a call it stays on so you can just talk at it. reasonable battery life.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085W91J9X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[wkearney99]

i bought these from amazon and have been satisfied with them. wireless so can go anywhere. we use them for docking too. my wife doesn't like headsets so this was an alternative. you get some engine noise when used for docking but it's not bad on our boat.
once you establish a call it stays on so you can just talk at it. reasonable battery life.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085W91J9X/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Interesting, thanks for that link. They also have a model that has a pendant remote of sorts.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089GDWRM8/ref=emc_b_5_i

The flybridge is open and exposed to the elements. So I can't really use a unit that's not at least somewhat weather resistant. The more I put something inside a locker or behind a cabinet door, the less likely it'll get used. Likewise things that require charging "a lot". Cordless and cell phones are definitely a problem on that front, as are many walkie-talkies. I just want an easier to use intercom setup.

I think these might be worth a try:
https://www.amazon.com/Wuloo-Intercomunicador-Waterproof-Electronic-Rechargeable/dp/B07MF29C33

Not really an exact fit to my specs but cheap enough to maybe try out for a bit.

https://www.amazon.com/Wuloo-Intercomunicador-Waterproof-Electronic-Rechargeable/dp/B07MF29C33

 

[kchace]

Newmar has some real ones. Did you see them? Link to some for sale here:


https://www.wmjmarine.com/communication-marine-phone-system.html


Ken

 

[wkearney99]

While searching for possible solutions, a query for 'explosion proof intercom' lead to doorbell setups that use IP (SIP/VOIP) for communication. Sort of overkill for what I'm after... but it could be an interesting solution.

Sometimes finding solutions hinges on discovering the right 'key words' that fit a given market's ontological domain. I figured if waterproof wasn't bringing up what I was after, maybe other keywords like IP ratings might... and stumbled across units designed to work in areas with explosion hazards, which operate over IP.

Meanwhile I've ordered some cheap doorbell intercoms and will report back later.

 

[High Wire]

We just use the FRS Motorola walkie talkies. Set up a pair on a channel of your choice. Put them in scramble mode and lock the keyboard. If you need the other person hit the CALL button. Its loud enough to hear over the running engine. You just have to remember to charge them occasionally. I think the pair was $70. T402s??? They are the rechargable ones with a light.
And they are bright yellow. Can't lose them without trying real hard.

 

[Simi 60]

A tube and two funnels?

And we do have a clear run from wheelhouse to ER.

Might look into this.
Any idea on tube size?
Would PVC work?

Just found this

funny thing here, when I was building an addition to my house I had a 1/2 inch water pipe running from the 2nd flr bath to the basement that had not been hooked up yet. I was working on the bathroom when could hear my step son talking to a friend in the basement as clear as if he was next to me. So us both being wise guys, I softly started saying, Mike, I am stuck in the duct work. I could hear him looking all over the place for me. ha ha
https://www.practicalmachinist.com/...n-shipboard-communication-215789/#post1474403

 

[diver dave]

I was just thinking of perhaps 1 1/2” tubing

But, a lifetime of electronic comm has not prepared me well for this question.

 

[Simi 60]

I was just thinking of perhaps 1 1/2” tubing

But, a lifetime of electronic comm has not prepared me well for this question.

And on eBay, door bell/intercom for $40 so probably not worth the effort to look further.
Been without for 6+ years so obviously not important to us.

 

[rgano]

On the salvage ship I commanded in the US Navy as well as on a couple of the destroyers I served in, there was the simple old fashioned 2-inch brass tube and speaking funnel arrangement between the officer-of-the-deck and my cabin. My end of this arrangement terminated next to my pillow, and if the OOD tapped a ring or other metallic object on the rim of his funnel, I would quickly wake up. The fidelity was quite good, possibly owing to the all-metal construction - not sure how something soft like sanitation tubing would carry the sound. On practically all the ships I served in there was a brass speaking funnel over the helmsman's head with branch tubing out to both bridge wings with funnels at those stations for the conning officer's use. All funnels in the weather were equipped with hinged brass covers. If the OOD left his funnel's cover open, I could hear conversations on the bridge.

Another marvelous system was the 21MC or as it was known colloquially, the bitch box. It was a box with a speaker, a push-to-talk lever and of a set of push buttons used to select the station you wished to speak with. The called station's speaker broadcast your voice at that end - no privacy. Many communications were carried on over sound-powered circuits normally manned by enlisted personnel with headphones and a microphone to keep noise levels done, but when the supervising officers needed to talk or bitch at each other, well, the 21MC was always right there.

There are all sorts of far simpler systems around for just two stations.

 

[Bmarler]

While searching for possible solutions, a query for 'explosion proof intercom' lead to doorbell setups that use IP (SIP/VOIP) for communication. Sort of overkill for what I'm after... but it could be an interesting solution.

Sometimes finding solutions hinges on discovering the right 'key words' that fit a given market's ontological domain. I figured if waterproof wasn't bringing up what I was after, maybe other keywords like IP ratings might... and stumbled across units designed to work in areas with explosion hazards, which operate over IP.

Meanwhile I've ordered some cheap doorbell intercoms and will report back later.

hopefully those will work out ok. my requirement was for full duplex communication without having to push a button to talk. my wife is in the cockpit with the stern line and i'm in the pilothouse with my hands busy. we chat the entire time we're docking.
if not for docking, a push to talk would be just fine. i'm kind of digging the brass funnel idea though.

 

[Honch]

We purchased a Newmar PL-2 system. Two phones and 40 feet of wire for around $100. Each phone has a buzzer button and the phones buzz loudly and communication is perfectly clear.