Radio dummy, need info on truck intercom.... over...

A friend of mine that you all know as DaveP and me are planning on and needing a intercom in our trucks. I have a set of headphones with the built in mike but what else do I need and where do you get it? In our case we would like to talk to our wifes as they are sitting next to us in either a 5 ton tractor or deuce going down the road. It would also be nice to talk from truck to truck if possible for trail ride, convoy use?
So many unit #'s, cable #'s and this that and the other thing??? Can one of you point me in the right direction for the best, most reliable, dummy operated military units for this purpose?

The VIC-1 intercom is what you would need as an intercom system in the truck. Full duplex so you can talk and listen at the same time. These are designed for armor and don't really block out that much wind noise. If you're going to talk between trucks you will need to add a radio to each truck. RT524, RT246, PRC25 or PRC77 would do the job. You would need the AM-2060 for the latter 2 radios as they are backpack radios. I've had the VIC-1 and radios and although they are cool and have lots of knobs, switches and levers, I've accomplished all you want to do with something completely different. Peltor makes a headset called the powercom. Baiscally its a headset with a built in FRS radio. Range is near a mile on high power and has a low power setting too. It can communicate with all other FRS radios and makes a wonderful intercom. They aren't full duplex so you either have to set the VOX or use the PTT button on the back of the right ear. Neat thing about them is you take them with you, can work in any truck and even your ground guide backing can talk to you. Also great for inter truck communications. My son and I use them for hearing protection at the drag races as well. I might add that you can buy different cables and hook them up to another 2 way radio, walkman or IPOD and even your cell phone. Nice to travel down the road and call home without ever taking off the hearing protection. Are the military? No but they aren't part of the truck either. I can step out of the truck and still talk to my son in the truck. I love mine! They aren't cheap but by the time you build the VIC-1 and add a radio, you're getting up there in cost. FYI just the VIC-1 requires the AM-1780 amp, 2 C-2298 control boxes, 2 H-161 headsets, 2 CX-4723 cables and a CX-4720 power cable. Thats for a 2 station intercom. Add a radio and you need to add the radio mount, a radio and a few more cables. Don't forget the HAM license to legally operate the radio.

Lane, I'm trying to get the vic-1 installed too, (hence the need for the 10' cx-4723 cable). I've got a couple Astrocom M-138/G headsets and harness. They have a boom mic and a toggle for transmitting. Will these work ok on the vic-1 intercom? It will also be tied into my radio, so will I be able to transmit on the radio with the toggle too, or do I use the the seperate handset?
I think you guys should get the rt-524 radios also! They're the kind we like! ..... Plus I need someone to talk too with mine... hehehe
Also, did you get the email I sent to you after the Clare show? I never heard back.

Neat thing about the RT -524 and RT-246 is that on high power they have quite a bit of range.

Kenny, what is quite a bit of range? 1-10 miles. 1-50? 1-100? 1-500? 1-1000+?

up to 50 is the max over good flat terrain with a good vehicle whip.

never recieved the email??

Hey Paul I never recieved a email from you after the clare show. That other compressor did not sell so if you are coming to the trail ride I can bring it to you.
Do you have a soarce for the radio set up you are talking about. I must admit some of this is like Japanese to me.. I think I need a trusting fellow to say here is what I am talking about, this is how you hook it up and her is the one button!
Oh and here is the price of a lifetime for you....
Did you have fun at the Clare show? The weather sucked but it was about a 6 from 1 to 10 on venders, parts, and others. We did have some different type of vehicles show up wich was good. I am glad you made it and sorry we could not talk much it was a busy three days for me.
Lane

RE: never recieved the email??

Don't sweat it. Here is a list of exactly what you need, and how it hooks up.

Steve Haney tc0654@mesh.net has systems and items for sale and will know what you need if you tell him what you want to do. I can tell you what I know from the manuals and from fiddling with these a couple times.

To use VIC-1 as a basic 2-station intercom without regard to radios, you need:

1.) AMPLIFIER, AUDIO FREQUENCY AM-1780/VRC
2.) FOR EACH PERSON:
2A.) CONTROL INTERCOMMUNICATION SET C-2298/VRC
2B.) HEADSET H-161/GR
2C.) CABLE CX-4723/VRC
3.) CABLE CX-4723/VRC (also used for for the power cable. Iif you are not getting power from a VRC-12 radio mount you might have to rig this, but it's not a big deal.)

NOTE: THE CONTROL INTERCOMMUNICATION SET C-2298/VRC can be daisy-chained out from the AMPLIFIER, AUDIO FREQUENCY AM-1780/VRC, or, each one can be connected to the AMPLIFIER, AUDIO FREQUENCY AM-1780/VRC with its own cable. The cables are exactly alike either way, and they come in different lengths, maybe from 4 to 20 feet. Longer ones are certainly rarer and more costly, but if you mount the units wisely, you can use shorter cables well. The CABLE CX-4723/VRC also supplies power to the AMPLIFIER, AUDIO FREQUENCY AM-1780/VRC, and it gets this power normally from the radio mount of the VRC-12 system, that is, the MT-1029 mount that the radio sits in. The CABLE CX-4723/VRC can either be modified to bring the power leads out to 24VDC, or there is another cable the CX-7060 (as used in tanks) available for modification and use as a direct power unput. Steve Haney may have a better idea what cable is best for intercom-only use.

The actual power input to the AMPLIFIER, AUDIO FREQUENCY AM-1780/VRC is through its own pin B of J501. Mr. Haney may have more information on that as well. (I get all my stuff from him so therefore the shameless plugs but at least he knows what he is talking about and won't rip you off)

NOTE: if you wish to 'conveniently' use radios other than the VRC-12 type sets (RT246 or RT524), then The AM-7046/VRC is a modified AM-1780/VRC. It functions the same as the AM-1780/VRC, except it has an additional internal relay used when radios other than AN/VRC-12 series are additionally installed equipment in a vehicle. If you use the AM-7046/VRC then you can use only the CONTROL INTERCOMMUNICATION SET C-10680/VRC's as control boxes. The The AM-7046/VRC and C-10680/VRC are not as plentiful, try to stick with what's common! You can wire all kinds of crazy radios to the AM-1780/VRC if you know what you are doing.

Always have power removed from the intercom when cranking the engine or otherwise disturbing the power. Voltage spikes cn damage the unit. There is a TRANSIENT SUPPRESSOR MX-7778/GRC to help with this, it is used in tanks where power surges are common, but it is yet another box to wire. As long as the intercom is un-powered when cranking, all will be well. Note the intercom gets its ground through its metal enclosure.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/
\/\/\/\/\/\/\

I need some help with my intercom too. It's not a VIC-1 or VIC-3. It's a VIC-4 and I can't find any data. The unit, besides the cables and headsets, has these unusual items:

control, intercommunication unit
model m981
p/n 12310226
nsn 5895-01-144-5995

amplifier audio frequency
p/n 12310227
nsn 5895-01-144-5790

This system operates up to four tranceivers (unlike the VIC-1 which operates 2 XCVRs and one receiver) It does not specifically say VIC-4 on it, buit it has components from 1990.

I'm installing it this weekend. anyone got a set of manuals for this? No info won't stop me, and it's as easy as the VIC-1, but I do want to buy or get a manual for it.

RE: never recieved the email??

I found this recently. lots of good tables showing what works with what.
http://www.public.asu.edu/~nate123/CUCV/Military Radio Setup.htm

What is the range on a PRC-77 mounted in a deuce w/a whip?