Motorola External Speaker

Revised 1-1-2014

For amateur radio use, a quality external speaker can be a huge improvement over the small ones typically found inside compact receivers.

A speaker intended for commercial two-way radio applications is also a good choice for amateur radio applications. The wide frequency response of a high-fidelity speaker is not necessary and in fact may even be undesirable. However, efficiency and low distortion characteristics are important.

Used high-quality two-way radio speakers removed from service are plentiful and inexpensive. They can be found at many electronic flea markets and on eBay. One vendor at a recent local hamfest had a large box of Motorola speakers that he was selling for $5 each. I purchased one on a whim.

The purchased speaker was a Motorola model HSN6001B. Upon closer inspection, it was found to have a 3.2 ohm impedance, a 30 watt rating, and a large powerful magnet. It was tested with several receivers and found to work quite well.

The speaker did not come with a stand or a mounting bracket, so a stand was fabricated using some wood scraps and a couple of angle brackets. Two 10-32 x 1/4 inch brass screws were used to secure the speaker to the stand.

Here is a front view of the speaker installed on the stand.

Here is a side view.

Here is a top view.

A 3.5 mm jack was installed for ease of connection.

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