Home Made E-Callers, part duex

S

SD Handgunner

New member
Well I think I am finally finished tinkering with this call. I went to a buddies house today, and with the aid of some editing software, we put all of my calling cassettes onto a CD. We ended up with 12 tracks on the CD (with lots of room to spare). The tracks with the different Coyote Howls on them, run from about a minute, to a little as 3 howls. The tracks with the distress sounds we tried to isolate the sound loop, and not repeat it, and most ended up about 1 minute. Then it is a simple matter of just using the repeat function on the CD Player.

The other thing we did (with the aid of the editing software) was to eliminate the background noise. This was really a cool program, and was very useful. When we were finally done fooling around, we burned 6 CD's (a couple spares for myself, and a couple for friends).

Hooked up a portable CD Player to the Radio Shack Mini Amp & Radio Shack PA Speaker, and had to try it out. Seemed to be clearer than when using the tapes (our editing must have done something), and we were able to get more volume than should ever be needed.

The beauty of the CD's is I now have on one CD everything I had on 12 tapes. Sure made my caller more portable.

Hopefully before the weekend is over I get to test it in the field.

Thanks to all that helped out on this project, your help was much appreciated.

Larry
 
And no more rewinding tapes either !!!

Iw as always leery about the CDs scratching but I havent had any issues at all this year (plus its easy to burn a back up...)
 
SD, what would I have to give ya to get a copy of that CD? I got alot of software programs and stuff (and a CD burner)...anything you need?? Anything your friend needs? Your friends friends? email me mellamobobo@hotmail.com
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SD Handgunner, I have been trying to put together another homebuilt e-caller with the same components that you are using. Now that I have read on I see that i am not using the same components. I am using a small underdash car stereo booster. I am powering mine with a small sealed 12V battery. This is all tucked into a RS project box. The problem that I am having is....when I turn on the power to the amp. It gets quieter rather than louder. Could have the polarity reversed? Any pointers would be much appreciated. I have another sorta"homebuilt" e-caller that I used to call in a nice old bobcat today. I bought a set of mini aplified speakers from Radio Shack and hooked them up to a cheap portable CD player. It's not as loud as it could be but it works. I have less than $40.00 invested in it. Thanks Jeff

[This message has been edited by Hornetfan (edited 12-29-2001).]
 
Jeff, I am no electronic wiz, but I would tend to agree that if it gets quieter when you put power to the amp, something is not right. I would first check the polarity (like you suggested), and then probably make sure your amp is receiving the proper voltage. Other than that, just make sure all of the connections are making good contact.

Larry
 
I think I know what you're problem is. Are you using a 1/8" to RCA adapter coming from your mini-amp? I am and it's scewing me up because it's designed to go from stereo (the dual RCA) to mono (the 1/8" plug). To verify, unplug one of your RCA jacks out halfway, so the center pin touches the connector, but the outside metal does not. You should get more amplitude (volume) but a lot of distortion/static. I'm going to Radio Shack tomorrow and get the correct mono adapter for the output jack on my amp. Try that and let us know.....

Mike Doerner
 
SD Handgunner, what program did you use to burn those CD's from cassette? I would like to do the same thing but wasn't sure how to do it.

Thanks,

John
 
Hornet Fan....

Are you using the RS mini-amp AND a car stereo EQ booster on the same setup ?????

Confused...

(describe your particular system in detail)

[This message has been edited by Robb/Scottsdale/AZ (edited 12-30-2001).]
 
Mike D,

Theres nothing wrong with two RCA's going into a MONO 1/8 plug, going into the mini amp... It wont cause a problem at all. (other than a 2 channel sound signal becoming a mono signal, which is of no consequense to us coyote callers... all sounds are MONO anyway...)

BUT THE 1/8 PLUG HAS TO BE A MONO PLUG !!!!!
Check it against your walkman headphone plug, if it looks the same on the shaft, you have a STEREO 1/8 plug.

If the 1/8 plug is a STEREO plug going into a mini-amp (which has a MONO 1/8 Jack).... THEN you got problems...
 
Johnnyvol, my buddy used a free download of a sample program called Cool Edit. The program is $40.00, and it may or may not do more than the sample did. However the sample did everything we needed it to do. I think my buddy is going to by the program anyway, as his nephew is big into music.

I used my caller last night, and no we did not get all of the noise out, but it is much better than the tapes I recorded them from.

Larry
 
That did the trick for me. Apparently, the RCA to 1/8" plug when going from stereo to mono does not work backwards (mono to left and right channels.) I bought a mono plug, soldiered the two wires, and it worked, then I screwed on the plug case, and it stopped working. Apparently the two wires touched inside the casing. A little electrical tape and, VIOLA! Lots of sound now.

Hopefully, I'll get a CD of preditor sounds here soon, as my walkman CD player has a line-out plug. So I'll let the CD do the playin', and the Amplifier do the volume.

I'm not sure what the other guys problem is, but I would look staring at the Amplifier output wiring, as there may be a faulty ground or short in your wiring there....

Mike Doerner
 
Apparently, the RCA to 1/8" plug when going from stereo to mono does not work backwards (mono to left and right channels.)

Nahhh... nothing fancy in there just simple wires connected, your original setup should still have worked. If the Plug to the RCA's was a MONO 1/8 and not a STEREO 1/8 Plug.

Either way Mike, you got it going !!
 
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