Radio for my Kubota

[jrepp]

I use a Sony portable radio connected to a set of noise canceling head phones from Radio Shack ($50.00). They reduce low frequency engine noise about 30-40%.

 

[chucko]

Are you guys really comfortable with not being able to hear what is going on around you while on you tractor? I know I am not.

 

[Richard]

My experience has been that even with my hearing protection ON, I hear muffled sounds. Then those muffled sounds become 'normal', and when something happens, the sound changes. All sounds seem to be attenuated more or less evenly (from a use point of view, not technical) so I just hear a softer "racket" if something goes wrong.

I'm also willing to trade off the 90% odds that nothing will happen with the comfort I get from using them...and that if something DOES happen, the 90% odds that I'll catch it.

For that situation that falls through all those odds... well... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif I'm up the creek /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[uhmgawa]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Are you guys really comfortable with not being able to hear what is going on around you while on you tractor? I know I am not. )</font>

Personally I'd have to agree to keep attention focused on the task
at hand from a safety perspective. I suppose some mundane tasks
may be a different situation.

Concerning dirt/weather/etc.. causing problems, just avoid units with
moving parts. For broadcast that means electronic tuners which is
the norm these days. For prerecorded content forget cassette/CD
mechanisms which airborne contaminants will eat alive. Compact
Flash (or other solid state media) MP3 players would be my first choice.

 

[Poppa]

I think Richard's right. Whether or not you have hearing protection on or not, your only listening for the abnormalities. If you have no protection then your brain is going to act as it's own little filter turning the normal sound into white noise you won't even be aware of until it changes. I have sat behind drill rigs that were running so loud that even with hearing protection on the noise was almost deafening. As long as the RPMs of the engine were constant the noise would almost put me to sleep but as soon as the operator changed the RPMs I would snap out of my daze. The Hearing protection will still allow you to pick up the abnormal sounds but in the end will go along way to making it so that you keep your hearing.

Of course, You will notice that I avoided saying anything about a radio. my thoughts are mixed on that. I drive down the road at seventy five miles an hour, eating and drinking and listening to the radio. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Is that really any more dangerous than driving a tractor? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif But does that make it any more right? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I don't know. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I figure when I get my tractor I'll just wear hearing protection and ponder the merits of gear trannies versus Hydros. and whether or not to drill my ROPS /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Mike

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( One is noise, tillers and MMM's are pretty noisy especially on top of the tractor at close to full throttle. The other is dust and dirt )</font>

The fender mount radios from tsc are weatherproof, and fold up/down to stay out of the elements more.. they also have headphone jacks...

Soundguy

 

[DVerbarg]

A couple years ago Mark Chalkley started a thread about his pursuit of hearing protection while retaining the safety factor of being able to hear noises/people around you.

The discussion covered a few different products: Pro-Ears Dimension 2, Peltor (no specific model) and Remington. This particular discussion became quite animated at times discussing the technical side of audio processing and control. Most product discussion was focused around the Pro-Ears product, though Peltor and Remington make somewhat similiar products.

Did not do a search but think that in addition to MChalkley being a headset owner I believe that at least MikePA and dmccarty also bought Pro-Ears product due to a discount that Mark arranged for TBNers. Still have not bought mine due to budgetary constraints (real or imagined) but will bite the bullet this week.

 

[Poppa]

Dave,

Thanks, I happened on to the discussion by Mark Chalkey just after I posted this. In fact I think hearing protection is second only to Hydro vs Gear trannies as far as discussion generation /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif. I too was impressed with the Pro-Ears product. Unfortunately, like you I noticed that the Sellers were just as impressed with them and priced them accordingly. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I am in need of a new pair though so I will have to do something. AND... I will probably get something with Radio just in case I decide it is ok /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Mike

 

[liledoun]

I couldn't find a good reception radio that was priced right and was small enough to use on my JD 4300. I wanted AM/FM only and needed really good AM reception with digital tuning. Attached is my solution.

I got a Panasonic AM/FM car radio and a flexible antenna on Ebay, mounted them in an old metal box I had and put in speakers that I had. An earphone jack was added to the front.

I got one of the 12v wireless headphones that were on Ebay for $.99. Hooked this to my box and secured it to the ROPS over my T'n'T joystick. It is all powered from an auxiliary outlet that I wired from the battery.

It works great and the headphones don't block out the tractor noise that I want to hear. I can listen to the radio on and off the tractor. Volume control is on the headhphones. Total out of pocket cost ~$30.00 including the shipping.

JRF

 

[rockyridgefarm]

I ended up with the Peltor Alerts which were a fraction of the Pro Ears price. They are AM'FM and Adaptive Noise canceling. They work great and run forever on a set of batteries... You can set the tunes a very comfortable level, still hear the engine and mower, and even the birds chirping..