New radio?

[Paul P]

My stock radio, which was trash to begin with, finally died. I used to try and use it for listening to the ball game if fishing in the evening and for music when hanging on the boat with the family. I can either replace the installed radio or just buy a portable. Are there any reasonably priced boat radios with an audio jack for iPods, etc., optionally has a disc player (not required), and is reasonably easy to use? Or should I just go the portable route?

 

[Sean Troy]

The stock Jensen that came with my boat actually sounds pretty good. I think you can find them for 129.00 or so. It has AM-FM, CD and Mp3 jack. It's the one that comes with the Targa

 

[Scott Savoy]

They are reasonably priced now. You can pick them up at Wal-mart, BPS, Cabelas, etc.....I have even seen them at some Autozones and BestBuys. Most come with IPod jacks. And most are easy to use. I do like my stock Jenson that came in my Targa as well.

 

[Paul P]

Since there is an overwhelming like for the Jensen radios that come stock now with the Targa, does anybody have a model # or link that I can reference?



Thanks!



Paul

 

[Sean Troy]

Jensen MSR3007

 

[Steve Johansen]

I picked up a stereo and speaker package from West Marine last year and it was about $120.00 on sale. It sounds pretty good, and has the jack you are talking about as well as a USB port. It is a Dual brand.

 

[Chris Droke]

I have a Dual brand that came from wal-mart. Cost about $70. It has the usb jack and ipod jack with cd player. Works well, for about $20 more you can get the bluetooth version. I wished I had got that one, would work great with the IPhone.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Just make sure any unit you get is marine rated.

 

[Paul P]

Thanks everybody!



With my old radio, everytime I stepped on the trolling motor the radio would sound like static. I think this is because the power for both are harnessed together. Is there an easy fix for this?

 

[Dan J.]

Your TM battery should be isolated to just the TM. Take any leads for accessories and transfer to your cranking battery.

 

[Paul P]

Hi Dan



I believe the trolling motor is the only device pulling from the TM batteries. I think the issue is that the power cable from the cranking battery and power cable from the TM batteries are harnessed together running from the stern where the batteries are to the bow area where the TM is and all of the accessories.



I think this is the issue. I'm wondering if this is the issue and if there is a simpler solution than running the 2 wires on opposite sides of the boat. Maybe it was the old radio itself that had some issue where it couldn't filter out noise like that.



Paul

 

[Scott Savoy]

@Paul..... You said when you use the trolling motor the radio went to static.....Does it sound like its interfering with the radio station? does it whistle? Does it get worse if you speed up the trolling motor? Get better if you slow it down?

 

[Dan J.]

If it were me, I'd spend a couple bucks first and put an RFI filter inline at the radio end. Radio Shack or someplace similar will have them cheap. I've used them various places in boats to clean up signals. Here's a link to one:



http://www.hometech.com/hts/products/infrared/emitters/gc-filter.html?key=A27&utm_source=google&utm_medium=referral&utm_term=GC-FILTER35&utm_campaign=Electronics+%3E+Electronics+Accessories+%3E+Remote+Controls&utm_content=Generic



Good luck!

 

[Paul P]

Scott -



I don't recall the behavior of the static. My old radio is no longer working. It did not whistle but I don't remember if it varied based on the speed of the trolling motor.



Dan -



Which wire would the filter go on?



Thanks



Paul

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Hot wire to the radio.

 

[Dan J.]

Hot wire to the radio.

Yep. Once, I used two on the hot lead, one on each end, to take the squeal completely out of my VHF radio when the big motors were running on my Sea Hawk years ago. They completely eliminated the generator whine under power. They've also cleared up speakers on just about every other installed marine radio/stereo I've had. I usually install them on the head unit main power, but I've also installed them on the pos. leg of speakers. I've installed several over the years to aleviate similar interference symptoms. Good luck!

 

[Paul P]

Thanks everybody. I will be getting a new radio and RFI filter to start.

 

[Scott Savoy]

If you have to run new power wire to the battery, run it away from the main battery wires. If your wires that run from the battery to the trolling motor are ran on the right side of the boat.....run your new power wire (for the radio) on the left side of the boat. The seperation of these wires will help also.

 

[Paul P]

I'm looking at buying a Jensen MSR3012. Cabelas has a package with speakers. Since my speakers are 12 years old I'm figuring the "give-me" speakers can only help.



http://www.cabelas.com/product/Boating/Boating-Electronics/Stereos%7C/pc/104794380/c/104707080/sc/104603580/Jensen-CPM620-CD-Stereo-Package/1324954.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fboating-boating-electronics-stereos%2F_%2FN-1100525%2FNe-1000003750%3FWTz_l%3DSBC%253BMMcat104794380%253Bcat104707080&WTz_l=SBC%3BMMcat104794380%3Bcat104707080%3Bcat104603580



The current broken radio in my boat has a removable face plate. I'm assuming the opening will be the same size as for the permanent faced radios like the new one ... right?



Thanks



Paul

 

[Paul P]

I bought the above package from Cabelas. Swapping the new radio in was simple and I incldued and RFI filter on the hot lead. Good news is the radio static seems to be gone when I hit the trolling motor.



The package came with 6.5 inch speakers but unfortunately my 188 Sport came stock with 6 inch speakers and where they are mounted will not accomodate anything bigger. I'm not sure if this is a big pain or not since most of the speakers I am seeing are 6.5 inch. Does anybody have a recommendation on a decent pair of 6 inch speakers or what store might be good to search?



Thanks!



Paul

 

[Ed Haugh]

Do you have room to enlarge the speaker openings? That is easily done. I used a dremmel with a sanding wheel. Masking tape the heck around the speaker hole, and then sand away, round and round and round. The fiberglass is butter to a sanding wheel. Keep a shop vac near by to suck the fiberglass dust away while you are enlarging the hole. Easy as pie. That fiberglass dust can make a nasty mess, quick.



For what it's worth, I went with a Kenwood marine receiver. Very nice. The only drawback is the display is difficult to view in direct sunlight.



http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Kenwood+-+50W+x+4+MOSFET+Apple%26%23174%3B+iPod%26%23174%3B-+Marine+In-Dash+Deck/4569271.p?id=1218492314013&skuId=4569271

 

[Paul P]

Hi Ed



There is no extra room where they are mounted unfortunately. I will need to stick with 6 inch speakeres.



Paul

 

[Paul P]

Anybody have a recommendation for a decent pair of 6 inch speakers or a store which may have a decemt selection?



Thanks



Paul

 

[Ed Haugh]

A couple links below.





http://www.hifisoundconnection.com/Shop/Control/fp/tcat/40323/SFV/30046



http://www.boatersworld.com/product/MP63527696.htm



http://www.crutchfield.com/p_2061KM6200/Kicker-11KM6200.html

 

[Paul P]

Thanks Ed. I'll pick and order a pair up this evening.



Paul