under counter radio

[k0wtz]

I am looking and thinking about a 12v undercounter radio. All i can seem to locate is a car radio i don't want that i need also a speaker in the radio and built in ant.

anyone have ideas

thanks

bob

[David B.]

Bob, what we did was to use an after market XM docking station (runs off 12 volts), insert the faceplate from the car/truck, and use a JBL portable speaker (can be used with a small plug-in wire to connect to the XM base or with a Blue tooth connection). The small antenna sometimes has to be run out the window and set on top of the Lil Snoozy, otherwise I just set it on top of the window frame inside the trailer. I really like keeping our favorite stations throughout our travels both in the truck and the trailer.
Dave & Paula

[steve dunham]

After looking for quite a while for a 12 VDC under counter radio without success, I gave in and bought a car stereo radio .
I built a oak cabinet for the radio , mounted it on the underside of the rear cabinet, mounted the antenna in the upper cabinet and installed 2 speakers. Sometimes you just have to compromise.

[gordon2]

I put this one under a rear cabinet in my Scamp. It normally runs off a 120 VAC wall wart that converts to 5 VDC, so I used a small and cheap buck converter so I could run it off 12 volts. However it uses the wire from the 120 VAC wall wart for an antenna and without it, the reception was about non-existent and I could not find a substitute antenna that worked well. Even as small as it is, I hit my head on it under the cabinet.. not much clearance there. Plus the sound was not very good. I ended up taking it out. I now use a desktop digital FM radio that I keep in the house and only put in the Scamp when on a trip. It also suffers from poor reception without an antenna outside the Scamp. I am still experimenting.

A car radio sounds like a good idea except that you have to also install speakers.

PS, I also added a Satellite Radio cradle and pipe it to the aux input on the radio.

[floyd]

if you look for "under cabinet" instead of "under counter" there are lots of choices.
Walmart has a bunch many are bluetooth... scroll down when you reach the link below to see a variety.




https://www.walmart.com/ip/iLive-IKB...q0jACMuQ_zQzGc

[stevebaz]

Under cabinet radio in a 13 scamp I personally wont do. too much in your face.

If I decide to add a permanent radio in my trailer it will be mounted over to the top of the closet with speaker on each side of the closet. Above the clothes rod.

I would only do this if it had CD capability. But I doubt I want to cut the trailer that much. Plus a portable radio can go out on the picnic table and I already own them.

I sleep in the trailer I don't live in there. My portable dvd player and movie collection is much more important to me.

Why would you want to go camping just to hear bad news?

[Glenn Baglo]

Do they still make CDs?
My music is all on my iPhone and iPod, streamed to a compact Bluetooth speaker that I can put anywhere.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by stevebaz

Under cabinet radio in a 13 scamp I personally wont do. too much in your face.

If I decide to add a permanent radio in my trailer it will be mounted over to the top of the closet with speaker on each side of the closet. Above the clothes rod.

I would only do this if it had CD capability. But I doubt I want to cut the trailer that much. Plus a portable radio can go out on the picnic table and I already own them.

I sleep in the trailer I don't live in there. My portable dvd player and movie collection is much more important to me.

Why would you want to go camping just to hear bad news?

Ours has stereo speakers built in, with an alarm clock, CD,two level light and digital tuner. Its a little long in the tooth to have bluetooth though...
May need an update if I get one first!

[EricAllyn]

Bose makes a bluetooth speaker that pairs with several devices. It is able to go on it's battery, which recharges with 120. I pair it to my laptop which has all my music on it, and I can put a playlist on the phone, or USB to tablet. What is remarkable is how much interconnection with the devices we use every day. I originally planned to wire in speakers in the rebuild, but opted for the bluetooth.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by EricAllyn

Bose makes a bluetooth speaker that pairs with several devices. It is able to go on it's battery, which recharges with 120. I pair it to my laptop which has all my music on it, and I can put a playlist on the phone, or USB to tablet. What is remarkable is how much interconnection with the devices we use every day. I originally planned to wire in speakers in the rebuild, but opted for the bluetooth.

Bluetooth is great.. a Bluetooth speaker that runs on batteries or the 12 volts in a camper is great... with it you can stream from the Internet or your own personal audio library... but the topic of this thread is a .. RADIO. One must identify the programming that you want before you know what hardware will work best. I assume that the OP wants, first and foremost, live and local broadcasts (and without the need or maybe the possibility to stream from the net). If I am correct then a one important thing to consider is the antenna. Between the RFI from all sorts of things in my camper, and the shielding effect of the foil-backed insulation, I have found that reception inside the camper is very poor unless you use an external antenna.

[k0wtz]

No 110 in my rig or at least never use it I knew no doubt it would be 12v radio I can go under my cabinent snag 12v and go right outside and put a car radio ant. outside.

I listen to radio all the time nice to have to catch the wx when getting ready to bail out!

Naturally with a big amp I can flood the walmart with my favs!

bob

[Terry in Fowler]

you could use a standard 120 v under the cabinet unit with a low wattage portable inverter. The inverters are cheap, use only the power needed, take little space and can be easily disconnected when not needed. It is best to unplug when not in use since they are a constant low drain on the battery. 90 watts would probably be enough. Mine powers my laptop.and and when I need to know what the weather for cast is a radio. Make sure the radio has a battery to back up you settings and it won't matter if it is unplugged.

[k0wtz]

I think looking at my kitchen cabinets I can whack a hole in between the doors and install a radio sideways and put an antenna outside the camper.

I already have the 12v there just need to install a couple of speakers and a big amp so everyone can listen in! I think I will be out about 30bux suits me I am a cheapskate!!

bob

[k0wtz]

ellen I don't know what Bluetooth is?


bob

[David B.]

Originally Posted by k0wtz

ellen I don't know what Bluetooth is?


bob

Bluetooth connections are a wireless way of pairing devices such as phones, radios, TVs, etc. to a speaker. This allows one to take the speaker anywhere within a radius of the unit (usually 50 ft.). You could even wirelessly pair headphones to the radio so you would not bother your wife in your trailer or others in Wal-Mart.
Dave & Paula

[k0wtz]

dave thanks for the info I am sure my children know all that stuff but I have to see them first you know millenials!

I am going to try to educate myself at 75 to the new way of doing things.

thankful to you but still clueless!


bob

[jokra]

I use a Nordmende Transita Automatic which uses 7.5 V batteries, has a built-in speaker with reasonable sound quality and a built in antenna, has 4 bands unfortunately it needs a voltage converter when using with 110 volts, even came with a car bracket and is probably 50 years old.

[Tom 72]

Sylvania makes an under cabinet radio with CD and bluetooth that you can find on Amazon. I expect speakers are built in. I also expect it is 110 volt ac.

Based on previous discussions here, many I believe would steer you to Sangeans line of portable radios, yes portable, that also plug in. Exceptional quality.

I think of Sylvania as average quality, Sangean is exceptional.

Here is a thread:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...dio-81225.html

[Phoneman]

I used a car radio/cd in one of my trailers, the sound was good, but the current
draw was more than I had anticipated. Even when turned off, this model still consumed a little power. I have seen some home units that are powered by a small transformer, not sure what the output voltage was of the transformer, 12v dc would be nice. Anyway if you spend a lot of time camping off the grid, this might be something to keep in mind.

[k0wtz]

phoneman you know your stuff not only that you have done it I cant believe those car radios can do this? I believe you!

The Sangaun is out too expensive so I guess back to thinking again. What is really happening too is poor reception in the Scamper. I don't understand that either it firberglass with little wiring in it!

Oh well I just used it for mostly wx anyway I can listen in the am while traveling cant help the wx much anyway.

thanks

bob