Model Boat Mayhem
Technical, Techniques, Hints, and Tips => The "Black Arts!" ( Electrics & Electronics ) => Topic started by: Microyacht on May 16, 2010, 11:49:49 pm
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Does anyone know of an electronic module that will produce sound like twin Air Horns. Built or kit of parts?
Many thanks
Steve/G4MJW
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Golf four Mike Juliet Whiskey,
To answer your question with a question, do you want a straightforward twin air horn sounder unit, or would you be interested in a unit which stores and plays just about any sound that you so desire?
You'll like this one because you can download and playback an abundance of pre-recorded sounds from the Web... even your own recorded sounds......
http://www.action-electronics.co.uk/engines.php
Right at the top of the page -- P100 ("noisy thing")
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Or there's this one
http://www.action-electronics.co.uk/pdfs/P57.pdf (http://www.action-electronics.co.uk/pdfs/P57.pdf)
Kit or built - take your pick. The clue is in the name 8)
FLJ
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. . . . Many thanks both for the info with links. It's only Twin Air Horns I want, I think. I'm trying to think if there is anything else that would be interesting to include.
I'm building something a bit odd. I normally make sailing boats especially catamarans BUT this is a modern houseboat. It can be moved around by it's own power and the will be a mast, the top of which is similar to a typical power boat type with the cross-arm (bit like an aircraft tail)!
I'll probably go for the kit that uses a pair of NE555 timers and a small Amp chip (TDA7052).
I'll post some pictures of the boat shortly!
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Good choice.
By the by, a slight bit of confusion with your signature G4MJW / M4GJW thingy.
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PMK . . .
Weird, senior moment Mmmmmmaybe! lexdyslik ? Anyway fixed the signature. You'd think I'd know my own callsign by now!
I was talking to my brother (G8HSI) this morning on S13 and we thought of using a pair of 555's or a dual-555 and a TBA810 audio amp. Or a couple of 741's + an amp . . . . obviously stuck on a bit of Vero board or even a rat's-nest! I wonder if Action-Electronics have a .waw or MP3 file of the sound the unit makes. I've had Air-Horns on cars and boats, they have a unique sort of reverb/resonance that I hope that unit with it's 2 oscillators might produce. Well, 2 frequency pots, and no doubt can change the purity of the tones by changing/adding C's or R's! The boat will have taken about 6 weeks to build but I'll play for ever getting the twin horns tone right!
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Steve
Check out the kit parts and layout on the link I placed. It does indeed use two 555 timers and a TDA7052 1.2W amp. You can vary each of the tones and make it sound as raucous as you like, including that resonance/strobe effect when the two frequencies are only a little bit apart. As the sound is so variable there's no definitive sample available.
FLJ
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Sure, a 556 would do it. And you could use most any audio amp you want.
I can't help you any regarding ACTion's sound file for the air horn, only I'd guess that each 555 is pumping out a squarewave, and although producing a very good simulation, may otherwise sound a tad 'raspy'. In other words, try not to expect too much from the poor old 555s.
Build one first, see how you get on. You'll probably have a blast messing with different C/R values.
<edit>
Oops!... FLJ beat me to it.
Scrap what I'd said and just treat yourself to the P57 already?
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Hi and thanks again both! LOL
I've already downloaded the the .pdf construction manual. If i'd been given a £ for every NE555 timer or 741 op-amp I've used over the years, I'd be living in the Caribbean on a 60ft Cat! I think it's exactly what I am looking for. I will probably get the kit of bits. I still have a component cupboard but get all the parts together is another thing. May have the 555's but not sure if I have any small audio power IC's.
. . . Oh, this is one other thing, I need to find a nice pair of shiny air-horns to go on the boat