Whelen X-Ecutor, wanna b Q siren

[Robert Gift]

The real Q suques.

I placed my coato stop the airflow into it and the sound dropped drastically.

Drivers probably heard the Q wind up.
Otherwise, dolts like me may think it is a truck brake and not recognize it as a siren.

I like real airaid sirens and electronic vehicle sirens.

Can't justify the costs and limitations of a real Q compared to an electronic.
Q = much more money, heavy, bulky, must have heavy frame to which to attach, 100 amp inrush, volume diminishes as RPM drops.

Electronic = much le$$ money, many more places to mount speakers, much lighter weight, need not find heavy frame for mounting.
Low amperage/dB. volume is max at low frequency which travels farther
and penetrates vehicles better, instant silence (which also allows hearing other sirens) can communicate verbally with and thank other drivers.
Speaker can aim sound farther ahead where it is needed, less into homes and businesses.

[q2bman]

Less money, less amperage, less weight = less sound level, not omnidirectional hence less intersection warning, less, less!!!

[Robert Gift]

Less money, less amperage, less weight = less sound level, not omnidirectional hence less intersection warning, less, less!!!

Q,uit contridicting my statements with facts!

Yes, you are correct. Q is louder than anything else.
Is better at intersections because louder and more side spread.

If wever can install right and left facing speakers, I think electronic will be as good as the Q. Or just a left-facing speaker, since that is usually the firstraffic encountered.

It is my favorite vehicle siren. No.nelse comes close.
Why does a Q2b have 2b so expensive?

Electronic is better/cost and versatility. Plus, you do not need to install a 2nd battery.

[q2bman]

I saw a patrol car on COPS in my home town of Fort Worth that had two bp 100 speakers mounted the the left and right side of the pushbar on the outside corners faceing at 45 deg. Would be beter with cp100's but that guy had the right idea!

[Robert Gift]

Interesting.

I've never noticed. I'll have to look.

CP100s are the most efficient speaker, but I rarely see them, unless they are inside a fire apparatus bumper.

But, facing the speakers 45 degrees right and left (= 90 degrees
to each other) does little in dispersing sound to the sides.

Sound waves tend to "gather" and effectively projectowards a direction halfway between the two.

So, it is besto aim both speakerstraight forward.
For best side dispersion, place one speaker on top of the other, not side by side.
Unfortunately, side by side is easier to accomplish.

My left-right speakers would only sound by pressing a button to momentarily switch the power from the forward speakers to the side speakers.
Of course, this causes yet another distraction while driving.
Th.is almost as bad as the needless distraction of switching from Wail to Yelp and back.

On WGN I just saw a Chicago Firengine with GREEN lights -right 360 and right forward-facing lamp!

Why? To indicate whether coming or going - as in aircraft markers?

[q2bman]

Well, Robert, you should design a siren that has two projectors in one enclosure. You could use a modified ts-200 setup. You know, it has the "wye" driver setup. The speaker would be set up so that one projects sound forward and one to the side. Instead of two drivers, have two re-entry type speaker cones and one driver. When you hit a switch and power a solenoid it could close the path from the driver to one projector while at the same time opening a path to the other. That way the same projector sends the same amplified siren from directly ahead to the side. Two speaker mounted on the front bumper could be wired up to this system. The operator would have a rotory switch that had a momentary "left" "right" and normal forward setting. This would be lessexpensive and could just sell to emergency vehicle outfitters. The speaker on a switch could be quite pricey due to haveing to have four operateing siren speakers and a high current relay system for the amplified signal switching. Just a thought.

What do you think! Fry your brain yet?

[Robert Gift]

Would be better to have two separate speakers, one aimed left and the other right.
A solenoidiverter valve draws power and is complicated.
It may get stuck from ice or moisture and dirt.

Also, any tiny obstructions in the sound channel would cause little reflections and disturbances which cause cancellations.
Best to keep the sound path as smooth as possible.

I did think of using a "Y" which I have.
But it is not enough angle and it connects two drivers into one cone/projector and would not work backwards.

Having three speakers, with only left forward speaker switched to Left 90 degree speaker would work.
Traffic approaching from the right is not at as acute an angle as left.

A simple momentary contact SPDT pushbutton switch is fine.

Now you are getting me interested in actually doing this!
But where to hide the left-facing speaker? >[]

Wow! A new Karma record! -IL

[q2bman]

This sounds expensive to have three or four speakers. And would the switch handle the power output?

[Robert Gift]

You're right about the cost of extra speakers, Q.
Plus weight and where do you mount them without looking
cluttered.
But still far less than a Q2b.

The amperage is low, so a 10 amp DPDT momentary contact switch would work just fine.

[q2bman]

cool, nedd to install a large telescopic arm that swings out in front of the EV. Mount a ts 100 on the end and poke it out into intersections. Also mount a banner that says STOP on the pole. Thats should work.