Ray260 with active and passive speakers

[Hippokampos]

I am interested in installing a Ray260 on my sailboat. I am considering putting the passive speaker it comes with at the chart table, and installing an active speaker/2nd microphone at the helm. If I have such an arrangement, will it be possible to use the active mike at the helm with the passive speaker in the cabin turned off, so as not to disturb off watch (sleeping) crew?

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Welcome to the Raymarine Forum Hippokampos,

While it is certainly possible to do as you have suggested, it would then be necessary to control the volume of the cabin speaker via the handset which would located within the cockpit. In doing so, you may find that it may be cumbersome to remotely set the cabin speaker's volume to an appropriate listening level. While it may cost a bit more, it would be recommended an active speaker be installed within the cabin should a handset not also be installed in the cabin.

[Hippokampos]

It is my intent to install a handset below as well, sorry I neglected to mention that. I would like to be able to listen and speak from below during radio nets and other non-moving communications, and be able to basically turn it off below and only use the radio from the cockpit while on long passages.

My current Icom with RAM in the cockpit requires the vhf to be turned to full volume at the chart table to be able to hear the vhf on the remote mike in the cockpit, and that it proving to be very disruptive to the of the off-watch crew.

I'm guessing the two handsets would essentially work independently, regardless of whether they have an active or passive speaker attached, but an active speaker can be turned up louder. Is this correct, or is one of the handsets a "master" that must be turned on first or at all times?

Thanks!

Andy

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Hippokampos,

When used with passive speakers, the volume level at each station is designed independently controlled and to be slaved to the volume level set via the handset installed at each location.

[Hippokampos]

So an active speaker is designed to be used alone, without a hand set, thus the separate volume control? I think I understand the terminology and system design now.

Thanks for your help!

[Chuck - Raymarine - Moderator]

Hippokampos,

Q: So an active speaker is designed to be used alone, without a hand set, thus the separate volume control?
A: While it is conceivable that an active speaker may be used alone as has been suggested, a handset will be commonly be installed near each speaker. The separate volume control of an active speaker is commonly chosen for its convenience.