Sonic Cushion Speaker Wiring?
 

Hello All:

Who remembers the Sonic Cushion, a 47 light bulb wired in series with a
speaker, and a low ohm pot. Mounted in a small square plastic box.

This circuit used the 47 light bulbs variable element resistance vs
variable current, as a sound cushion for SSB. Works prett good.

I have one wired in and think I have it right!?!?!?!?

Any web sites on this?

Jay in the Mojave

Sonic Cushion Speaker Wiring?
 

On Sat, 16 Sep 2006 20:14:53 -0700, Jay in the Mojave
wrote in :

Hello All:

Who remembers the Sonic Cushion, a 47 light bulb wired in series with a
speaker, and a low ohm pot. Mounted in a small square plastic box.

This circuit used the 47 light bulbs variable element resistance vs
variable current, as a sound cushion for SSB. Works prett good.

I have one wired in and think I have it right!?!?!?!?

Any web sites on this?

Jay in the Mojave


Light bulbs have been used for years for compression in line amps and
preamps, and have even been used as regulators in some older tube-type
signal generators. But I've never seen one on a speaker except as a
dummy load. Your circuit probably combines both functions. Try looking
at compression circuits on epanorama.net.

Sonic Cushion Speaker Wiring?
 

Jay in the Mojave wrote:
This circuit used the 47 light bulbs variable element resistance vs
variable current, as a sound cushion for SSB. Works prett good.

Jay, not sure what you mean by cushion... please explain.

www.telstar-electronics.com

Sonic Cushion Speaker Wiring?
 

Hello TE:

During the 70's when a lot more SSB activity was on the CB Band, like 16
LSB, (27.155 Mc) and the big rig guys could slide down to 27.150 or even
27.145 with there ham rigs, or modified cb radios. And a bunch of CB
Radio Clubs sprang up. It was great!.

The poor design of the CB radios had a problem when the Squelch was set
to remove the background noise, then a strong SSB station would come
blasting in actually hurt your ears, you couldn't hear the far away SSB
stations, as you needed to turn up the Volume to hear them, hoping a
near by strong SSB station didn't come in blasting you out of your
chair. The AGC in the receiver was at fault.

The Sonic Cushion would allow the far away stations, and not so loud
stations, and Loud Stations to have closer audio levels going to the
speaker. So that you are not constantly adjusting the Volume Control up
and down. It was a real problem.

There where trick audio buffer amplifiers out there and they worked quit
well. But you had to be with a group or the in crowd to have access to
one of these constant Volume Buffer Amplifiers.

So many of these Sonic Cushions where sold at CB Breaks, and even CB
Stores. It is pretty clever. It uses the variable resistance of a GE 47
light bulb element as the audio cushion.

The audio from the radio is feed across the end terminals a 25 ohm, 2 or
3 watt Pot. The ground and wiper is then feed to the GE 47 Light Bulb
and speaker. The GE 47 Light Bulb is in series with the speaker coil.

The Radio Volume is turned up to say half way or even more. The Sonic
Cushion is then adjusted to allow a nice comfortable listening level.
The light bulb lights to the radios audio output, and of course brighter
for loud SSB stations, which the light bulb has more resistance when
more current is flowing thru it, and less resistance when a lower
current is flowing thru it, then leveling the audio voltage feed to the
speaker.

I have a Heil DSP External Speaker, connected to a Icom Pro 746 Radio,
and it could use a slight degree of audio leveling, or cushioning. For
SSB and CW. Its a big help when the beam gets turned around and
different stations come crashing in.

Jay in the Mojave


Telstar Electronics wrote:
Jay in the Mojave wrote:

This circuit used the 47 light bulbs variable element resistance vs
variable current, as a sound cushion for SSB. Works prett good.


Jay, not sure what you mean by cushion... please explain.

www.telstar-electronics.com

Sonic Cushion Speaker Wiring?
 

Jay... good explanation. Do you feel the audio AGC in todays radio has
been improved to the point where you don't need such a device?

www.telstar-electronics.com

Sonic Cushion Speaker Wiring?
 

Hello TE:

Yep I sure do.

Not only do they need a good tracking AGC, but a variable audio level
control that would adjust the audio levels from all stations the same or
at least with in a few dB of each other. A Automatic Level Amplifier
can't be to hard to run down off the net.

The Sonic Cushion does a very good job with all this. Worth the parts
and time to experiment with. With the rigs DSP (Digital Signal
Processing) Noise Reduction, digital filters, attenuator, and nose
blanker, the addition of a sonic cushion will also help, I think.

By being able to rotate the beam away from atmospheric noise and
unwanted stations is also a big help. The use of the beams rejection and
rigs attenuator and filters, its amazing what unwanted stations signals
can be put in the noise. Even loud and strong local signals!

The Moonraker 4 has a 45 dB null 110 degree's off the front of the beam,
by turning the beam null to the unwanted signals direction will drop em
like fly's.

Jay in the Mojave


Telstar Electronics wrote:

Jay... good explanation. Do you feel the audio AGC in todays radio has
been improved to the point where you don't need such a device?

www.telstar-electronics.com

Sonic Cushion Speaker Wiring?
 

"Jay in the Mojave" wrote in message
...
Hello All:

Who remembers the Sonic Cushion, a 47 light bulb wired in series with a
speaker, and a low ohm pot. Mounted in a small square plastic box.

This circuit used the 47 light bulbs variable element resistance vs
variable current, as a sound cushion for SSB. Works prett good.

I have one wired in and think I have it right!?!?!?!?

Any web sites on this?

Jay in the Mojave

Hi Jay , yeah I remeber those as an automatic volume control. Boy that was
back in the 60's. I know I can date it back to between probably 67 and 69
when I first heard of it because I used one on my old Hallicrafter. The
Halicrafter had AVC but this worked better for keeping you from getting
blastedd by a strong signal that suddenly appeared when you had everything
cranked up to hear a weak signal. Bulb would have to be in series and
resistor in paralell because the bulbs resistance goes up whenever more
current flows through it. If it works it must be right.. That is to say I
dont remember either but I do remember it using two bulbs and the model I
built was to be used with headphones. You had to crank the volume on the
radio way up and then use a control on the box to adjust it to listenng
level.

Ok I found something that is just opposite what you wanted, I dont do ascii
drawings so I will have to discribe it to you.
Imagine a bridge circuit made of two #47 bulbs and two 5 ohms resistors.
They are wired so the resistors dont connet to each other and the bulbs dont
connect to each other but the bulbs do connect to the resistors. Input is
through a pair of opposite corners of the bridge and output is through the
other pair of opposite corners. At first I thought that you could reverse
the position of the resistors and diodes to get what you wanted but after
describing it I realized you would still have exactly the same circuit.
Cicuit is in CBers Handybook

Sonic Cushion Speaker Wiring?
 

Hello Jimmie D:

Ok good deal, yeah thats what I was talking about.

My Sonic Cushion only used one light bulb, but that was for a old
Johnson 350, 2 channel SSB only transistorized radio I used back in the
60's and 70's.

Yes you needed to turn up the volume, then turn up the pot, and it
worked quit well.

I will have to try the two GE 47 bulbs and 5 ohm resistors and see what
happens.

Another thing we use to do was install two diodes cross polarized across
the speaker terminals to soften the blast from a old high voltage tube
rig that, sent a blast of voltage when the radio was unkeyed. Like a
General Radiotelephone Super MC-11A.

Thanks for the reply, Ah the memeories.

Jay in the Mojave

Charlie Alpha 5

Jimmie D wrote:

Hi Jay , yeah I remeber those as an automatic volume control. Boy that was
back in the 60's. I know I can date it back to between probably 67 and 69
when I first heard of it because I used one on my old Hallicrafter. The
Halicrafter had AVC but this worked better for keeping you from getting
blastedd by a strong signal that suddenly appeared when you had everything
cranked up to hear a weak signal. Bulb would have to be in series and
resistor in paralell because the bulbs resistance goes up whenever more
current flows through it. If it works it must be right.. That is to say I
dont remember either but I do remember it using two bulbs and the model I
built was to be used with headphones. You had to crank the volume on the
radio way up and then use a control on the box to adjust it to listenng
level.

Ok I found something that is just opposite what you wanted, I dont do ascii
drawings so I will have to discribe it to you.
Imagine a bridge circuit made of two #47 bulbs and two 5 ohms resistors.
They are wired so the resistors dont connet to each other and the bulbs dont
connect to each other but the bulbs do connect to the resistors. Input is
through a pair of opposite corners of the bridge and output is through the
other pair of opposite corners. At first I thought that you could reverse
the position of the resistors and diodes to get what you wanted but after
describing it I realized you would still have exactly the same circuit.
Cicuit is in CBers Handybook

Sonic Cushion Speaker Wiring?
 

"Jay in the Mojave" wrote in message
...
Hello Jimmie D:

Ok good deal, yeah thats what I was talking about.

My Sonic Cushion only used one light bulb, but that was for a old Johnson
350, 2 channel SSB only transistorized radio I used back in the 60's and
70's.

Yes you needed to turn up the volume, then turn up the pot, and it worked
quit well.

I will have to try the two GE 47 bulbs and 5 ohm resistors and see what
happens.

Another thing we use to do was install two diodes cross polarized across
the speaker terminals to soften the blast from a old high voltage tube rig
that, sent a blast of voltage when the radio was unkeyed. Like a General
Radiotelephone Super MC-11A.

Thanks for the reply, Ah the memeories.

Jay in the Mojave

Charlie Alpha 5

Jimmie D wrote:

Hi Jay , yeah I remeber those as an automatic volume control. Boy that
was back in the 60's. I know I can date it back to between probably 67
and 69 when I first heard of it because I used one on my old
Hallicrafter. The Halicrafter had AVC but this worked better for keeping
you from getting blastedd by a strong signal that suddenly appeared when
you had everything cranked up to hear a weak signal. Bulb would have to
be in series and resistor in paralell because the bulbs resistance goes
up whenever more current flows through it. If it works it must be right..
That is to say I dont remember either but I do remember it using two
bulbs and the model I built was to be used with headphones. You had to
crank the volume on the radio way up and then use a control on the box to
adjust it to listenng level.

Ok I found something that is just opposite what you wanted, I dont do
ascii drawings so I will have to discribe it to you.
Imagine a bridge circuit made of two #47 bulbs and two 5 ohms resistors.
They are wired so the resistors dont connet to each other and the bulbs
dont connect to each other but the bulbs do connect to the resistors.
Input is through a pair of opposite corners of the bridge and output is
through the other pair of opposite corners. At first I thought that you
could reverse the position of the resistors and diodes to get what you
wanted but after describing it I realized you would still have exactly
the same circuit. Cicuit is in CBers Handybook

Have you thought about putting a photo resistor in paralell with or
replacing your resistor, light from the bulb wuold casue the resistance to
decrease this should make the circuit more responsive. Its been a long time
since I played with photoressitors so I dont remember what kind of
resistance range they have. If they get low enough this could work pretty
decent.

I never thought that trying to do this on an 8 ohm circuit was such a great
idea. Doing it at sayy 100 ohms might be better using a lower wattage bulb
than the #47. Even at 8 ohms I thought a 3 volt flashlight bulb may do
better.

I never tried these ideas though because I took another route building my
own select-o-ject and incorporating an AVC circuit into it.

Sonic Cushion Speaker Wiring?
 

Hello Jimmie D:

No I didn't think of that! Maybe worth a try.

I have a good friend on 40 that is going to send me a custom circuit
that is supposed to do all this, and has a smart squelch to. We will see.

Jay in the Mojave

Jimmie D wrote:

Have you thought about putting a photo resistor in paralell with or
replacing your resistor, light from the bulb wuold casue the resistance to
decrease this should make the circuit more responsive. Its been a long time
since I played with photoressitors so I dont remember what kind of
resistance range they have. If they get low enough this could work pretty
decent.

I never thought that trying to do this on an 8 ohm circuit was such a great
idea. Doing it at sayy 100 ohms might be better using a lower wattage bulb
than the #47. Even at 8 ohms I thought a 3 volt flashlight bulb may do
better.

I never tried these ideas though because I took another route building my
own select-o-ject and incorporating an AVC circuit into it.

Sonic Cushion Speaker Wiring?
 

Jay in the Mojave wrote:
I have a good friend on 40 that is going to send me a custom circuit
that is supposed to do all this, and has a smart squelch to. We will see.

Smart squelch? Please explain...

www.telstar-electronics.com

Sonic Cushion Speaker Wiring?
 

Hello Brian:

The Smart Squelch is supposed to be smart, just as its said! That is the
squelch will open or turn on the receiver audio when a signal is
received in the receivers IF. A separate pick off of the IF RF is
sampled and then its supposed to only open the Squelch when there is a
real signal, and is not supposed to work on noise, bleed over, static
and such. The Smart Squelch is supposed to be able to discern between
noises and a real RF signal. And its advertised as having a very high
percentage of success, being able to only open the receiver with a rf
signal and not noise.

I built a Analog Smart Squelch back in the 80's for my Motorola System
500 Mobile SSB/AM CB Radio. (which all ready had a active Motorola noise
canceling circuit in the IF Section) It worked real well. It was great
driving down the freeway and not hearing motor noise, like setting at
home. The Smart Squelch came from a article in a magazine, and I bought
the kit and put it together.

But this new circuit is supposed to be digital. I haven't seen it yet.

But I know a lot of guys are using the Heil, Alpha Delta, and others
External Speakers with DSP for extra noise cancelling. I have a Heil DSP
External Speaker, and it works great, just need a smart squelch to go
with it.

Jay in the Mojave

Telstar Electronics wrote:
Jay in the Mojave wrote:

I have a good friend on 40 that is going to send me a custom circuit
that is supposed to do all this, and has a smart squelch to. We will see.


Smart squelch? Please explain...

www.telstar-electronics.com

Sonic Cushion Speaker Wiring?
 

You may have to show off those kredentials again, Jay. I know I always
enjoy seeing them.

Jay in the Mojave wrote:
But this new circuit is supposed to be digital. I haven't seen it yet.

Sonic Cushion Speaker Wiring?
 

"Jay in the Mojave" wrote in message
...
Hello Brian:

The Smart Squelch is supposed to be smart, just as its said! That is the
squelch will open or turn on the receiver audio when a signal is
received in the receivers IF. A separate pick off of the IF RF is
sampled and then its supposed to only open the Squelch when there is a
real signal, and is not supposed to work on noise, bleed over, static
and such. The Smart Squelch is supposed to be able to discern between
noises and a real RF signal. And its advertised as having a very high
percentage of success, being able to only open the receiver with a rf
signal and not noise.

I built a Analog Smart Squelch back in the 80's for my Motorola System
500 Mobile SSB/AM CB Radio. (which all ready had a active Motorola noise
canceling circuit in the IF Section) It worked real well. It was great
driving down the freeway and not hearing motor noise, like setting at
home. The Smart Squelch came from a article in a magazine, and I bought
the kit and put it together.

But this new circuit is supposed to be digital. I haven't seen it yet.

But I know a lot of guys are using the Heil, Alpha Delta, and others
External Speakers with DSP for extra noise cancelling. I have a Heil DSP
External Speaker, and it works great, just need a smart squelch to go
with it.

Jay in the Mojave

Telstar Electronics wrote:
Jay in the Mojave wrote:

I have a good friend on 40 that is going to send me a custom circuit
that is supposed to do all this, and has a smart squelch to. We will see.


Smart squelch? Please explain...

www.telstar-electronics.com


I remember something that use a "bucket brigrade" audio delay line in a
sqeich circuit in late 70s or early 80s. The audio was delayed a few
milliseconds so the hardware would have time to analyse the signal to see if
it should be squelched or not. Is this what yu are talking about. Probably a
piece of cake for DSP.

My first experience with DSP was in the Air Force. I was sent to school on
this new modem and endured a month of theory on how modems worked all built
around analog devices. In reality this thing was just a RISC computer
attached to D/A and A/D converters. The only thing analog about it was a
couple of op amps used on the input and output.. The modem itself was tiny
but the cabinet it was in was huge. I guess it had to be this way for all
the human interface that was needed.

Sonic Cushion Speaker Wiring?
 

Jimmie D wrote:
"Jay in the Mojave" wrote in message
...

Hello Brian:

The Smart Squelch is supposed to be smart, just as its said! That
is the squelch will open or turn on the receiver audio when a
signal is received in the receivers IF. A separate pick off of the
IF RF is sampled and then its supposed to only open the Squelch
when there is a real signal, and is not supposed to work on noise,
bleed over, static and such. The Smart Squelch is supposed to be
able to discern between noises and a real RF signal. And its
advertised as having a very high percentage of success, being able
to only open the receiver with a rf signal and not noise.

I built a Analog Smart Squelch back in the 80's for my Motorola
System 500 Mobile SSB/AM CB Radio. (which all ready had a active
Motorola noise canceling circuit in the IF Section) It worked real
well. It was great driving down the freeway and not hearing motor
noise, like setting at home. The Smart Squelch came from a article
in a magazine, and I bought the kit and put it together.

But this new circuit is supposed to be digital. I haven't seen it
yet.

But I know a lot of guys are using the Heil, Alpha Delta, and
others External Speakers with DSP for extra noise cancelling. I
have a Heil DSP External Speaker, and it works great, just need a
smart squelch to go with it.

Jay in the Mojave

Telstar Electronics wrote:

Jay in the Mojave wrote:


I have a good friend on 40 that is going to send me a custom
circuit that is supposed to do all this, and has a smart
squelch to. We will see.


Smart squelch? Please explain...

www.telstar-electronics.com


I remember something that use a "bucket brigrade" audio delay line in
a sqeich circuit in late 70s or early 80s. The audio was delayed a
few milliseconds so the hardware would have time to analyse the
signal to see if it should be squelched or not. Is this what yu are
talking about. Probably a piece of cake for DSP.

My first experience with DSP was in the Air Force. I was sent to
school on this new modem and endured a month of theory on how modems
worked all built around analog devices. In reality this thing was
just a RISC computer attached to D/A and A/D converters. The only
thing analog about it was a couple of op amps used on the input and
output.. The modem itself was tiny but the cabinet it was in was
huge. I guess it had to be this way for all the human interface that
was needed.



Hello Jimmie D:

Oh really, now thats interesting, the "bucket brigade" type delayed
signal for processing. Yeah I would think so, DSP that is now working at
the IF Frequencies should be able to handle all that.

Yeah I am sure the Modem must be able to account for data from noise or
other unwanted voltages seen. I am no Modem expert but your description
sounds like typical of over done military hardware. Maybe the engineers
wanting it to look like something big as it really didn't need to be.
Trying to sell the hardware, as compared to having to deploy with a
bunch of stuff that takes up too much space on a military transport
aircraft. Thats where the military needs to hire a separate maintenance
consultant group, not looking for a star placed next to their name.

I think we have only seen the tip of the Ice Burg here with DSP (Digital
Signal Processing). My old used Icom 746 Pro HF radio, is a first
generation DSP radio. I am able to adjust the Radio's IF (Intermedent
Frequency) Filters at a snap of a switch. Its noise reduction is
fantastic. Stations on USB can almost be rejected when monitoring LSB.

I would think more new wiz bang stuff is coming for DSP.

Jay in the Mojave


Kreediantials:

Rock & Roll fan, got both kinds of music

Owner 1967 Ford F250 4x4 Truck, no smog ****, has Hipo 460 CI Engine,
has worlds loudest PA System, great for oldie but goodie night at the
drive ins, or just wanting some normal person to get out of the way.

5 Kollege credits, 3 for passing, 2 for leavin early!

Got new gas operated Dryer, now got unsed 220 Volt plug for big Linear,
don't have to pull out Ma's oven to get 220 Volts no more, she don't
mind the big cord going thru the Kitchen into the washer and dryer room
from the living room

Happy to be alive and in good health, some folks don't have that blessing.

Sonic Cushion Speaker Wiring?
 

Jay in the Mojave wrote:
The Smart Squelch is supposed to be able to discern between
noises and a real RF signal.

This is the key. I would certainly like to know how this is
accomplished. Seems to me this would be a complicated problem.

www.telstar-electronics.com

Sonic Cushion Speaker Wiring?
 

Hello TE:

Yes agreed. I don't have a clue. But somehow its supposed to be able to
see the difference. And it can't be perfect, as everyone voice is
different, and there has to be a Gazillion types of noises out there!

My computer power supply had to engineered to generate noises and trash
in the RF Spectrum. I shielded it, added in filters, grounded the
computer like a radio, all helped but was not the cure. A year ago the
computer power supply died. The Computer Tech Dude said it was the wrong
kind, too small. OH Good!. Now with a modern larger power supply, only
the hand held will pick up noises when near the computer, not out in the
street. I could always tell when the kid was on the computer from the
radio picking up noise from the driveway.

Jay in the Mojave

Telstar Electronics wrote:

Jay in the Mojave wrote:

The Smart Squelch is supposed to be able to discern between
noises and a real RF signal.


This is the key. I would certainly like to know how this is
accomplished. Seems to me this would be a complicated problem.

www.telstar-electronics.com

Sonic Cushion Speaker Wiring?
 

"Jay in the Mojave" wrote in message
...
Hello TE:

Yes agreed. I don't have a clue. But somehow its supposed to be able to
see the difference. And it can't be perfect, as everyone voice is
different, and there has to be a Gazillion types of noises out there!

My computer power supply had to engineered to generate noises and trash in
the RF Spectrum. I shielded it, added in filters, grounded the computer
like a radio, all helped but was not the cure. A year ago the computer
power supply died. The Computer Tech Dude said it was the wrong kind, too
small. OH Good!. Now with a modern larger power supply, only the hand held
will pick up noises when near the computer, not out in the street. I could
always tell when the kid was on the computer from the radio picking up
noise from the driveway.

Jay in the Mojave

Telstar Electronics wrote:

Jay in the Mojave wrote:

The Smart Squelch is supposed to be able to discern between
noises and a real RF signal.


This is the key. I would certainly like to know how this is
accomplished. Seems to me this would be a complicated problem.

www.telstar-electronics.com


I had the same problem using a computer power supply. I t really quietened
off after putting some small caps across the rectifiers.
You have to remember there are 2 sets of rectifiers. One changes the 120 or
240 vac to 300volts dc or so, this is sent to a switcher where it is turned
into AC again then rectified again. I think the caps were .001 for the 60hz
part and and .0001 for the switched part. These values are a guess as it has
been a while since I did this. I dont think the newer ones have this
problem.

I also saw where it is possible to rewire computer power supplies so you can
get something on the order of 50 volts at 10 amps. The one I saw took
rewiring the transformer with a new secondary and maintaing the 5 volt
winding for regulation. I want to get back to this, sounds like it would
make a good power supply for a FET amp.