The future of electronic siren design

Wailer

Member
May 24, 2010
2,290
Canada
As of late I've been thinking of how electronic siren technology is evolving.


At the moment, it looks as though computer and cell phone technology has influenced electronic siren design.


The keypad controller (e.g. Federal Smart Siren and Whelen Cencom) vaguely resembles a computer keyboard, a device that allows users to 'punch in' their light and sound options just like hitting keys on a computer keyboard.


The handheld sirens have a controller that allows the user to select options with his/her thumb just like punching in telephone numbers or 'text messaging' on a cell phone.


And to top it off, some of the new sirens are programmable so the user can get the sounds and functions he/she wants.


I think the next step in the evolution of electronic siren technology should be to get the tone generating circuits out of the remote amplifier and into the control head.


By putting the tone generator inside the control head, the user could easily remove it from the vehicle and hook it up to a computer and program it for any type of siren sound he/she wishes. High pitch, low pitch, rate of rise and fall, dual siren tones, the 'rumbler' effect, mechanical tones, and just about any other siren-like tones could be programmed into the control head.


The remote amplifier, on the other hand, would be just that - an amplifier and nothing else. Something like the power amps used in high power car stereo systems. Siren manufacturers could offer 100 watt amps or 200 watt amps, or if there are users out there who want more speakers and power, two or more amps could be connected to the control head.
 

R Marra

Member
May 22, 2010
25
USA/NJ Warren county
Wailer, I agree with what you are saying with the options out there as far as siren apps such as (outta my way ) for the I phone you could probably feed that into a crossover then to various car stereo amps and 2 speakers and a sub set up as a rumbler or howler to fill in the low frequency of the tone being broadcast. If you recall the home brew electronic Q was an ipod car stereo amp and 2 speakers. I don't recall who it was on the board but someone had taken apart the the speaker for a rumbler or howler cant remember which one but it was amazingly simple. If you could program the tones to a SD card you would have infinite tones and combinations available to you. Just my thoughts, Ray
 

Black Hoe

Member
May 21, 2010
427
Long Island, NY
True. Electronic sirens are getting smaller but to generate 100 watts or 200 watts of power, a power transformer / power amplifier is still a necessity. However, I would love to see more user programmable tones which include pitch control and other options such as an Electronic Pulsator which would mimic the sound of the old Federal Mechanical Pulsator sirens. This way, someone like "Wailer" who prefers low pitched tones can program his siren to emit the lower pitches.
 

Wailer

Member
May 24, 2010
2,290
Canada
Black Hoe said:
True. Electronic sirens are getting smaller but to generate 100 watts or 200 watts of power, a power transformer / power amplifier is still a necessity.

I never said get rid of the amplifier. The power amp and transformer would still be housed in a single unit and be mounted in the trunk of the vehicle or other hidden location.


What I suggested was that the circuitry that produces the siren tones should be inside the control head, not the remote amplifier.
 

Sigma Safety

Member
May 21, 2010
766
western Canada
The current Smart Siren Platinum stores all its programming in the control head. The box in the trunk is simply an amp and a place to connect all your wires to. I believe the tone generating stuff is in the amp in the trunk, but really ,what's the difference between having the tone generator in the control head or in the amp?
 

CHIEFOPS

Member
Jan 24, 2011
1,532
NYC
Black Hoe said:
.... However, I would love to see more user programmable tones which include pitch control and other options such as an Electronic Pulsator which would mimic the sound of the old Federal Mechanical Pulsator sirens. This way, someone like "Wailer" who prefers low pitched tones can program his siren to emit the lower pitches.

What he said.


To add, I'd like to see programmable pitch control
and cycle duration for each tone. And the Pulsator or 660, without the flapper (I know, that's heresy from an NYPD-retiree), is exactly the siren I'd like to replicate.
 

gman021

Member
Dec 8, 2010
648
CT
It should look like a cencom or smart siren with a few more keys that is 100% programmable by computer. But I mean any button can be used for anything, like have 10 buttons, 1 for each siren tone. Also, there should be a "siren tone store" kinda like an app store, where you can download every siren tone ever (yes including the ghostbusters one) and use them.
 

Rofocowboy84

Member
May 20, 2010
1,161
Centre County, PA
leftcoastmark said:
The current Smart Siren Platinum stores all its programming in the control head. The box in the trunk is simply an amp and a place to connect all your wires to. I believe the tone generating stuff is in the amp in the trunk, but really ,what's the difference between having the tone generator in the control head or in the amp?

Kinda defeats the whole purpose though...and the difference is exactly what Wailer said...
 

SoloRTP

Member
May 22, 2011
144
NV, USA
Let's not forget the whole purpose of a siren, that being to be IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIED as such.


All of the fancy tones are WORTHLESS if the driver in front of you thinks it's just a car alarm in the parking lot he's driving past.


Except for security and crash response at the airport where I live, my only use for a siren is when I'm in Arizona and there is a Patriot Guard mission (in AZ, military and funeral escorts can get permits for sirens and red/blue lighting). I've noticed a lot of "super sirens" in use there -- and being ignored by drivers, who don't recognize the tones.


When I'm running code, I use Manual or Wail, and clear intersections with Manual or Hetro/Fast Yelp (both when I have a two-siren system, then drop the yelp when I'm back in "cruise"). Nobody ever seems to confuse my sirens for anything other than "Get outta da way!"
 

Black Hoe

Member
May 21, 2010
427
Long Island, NY
CHIEFOPS said:
What he said.
To add, I'd like to see programmable pitch control
and cycle duration for each tone. And the Pulsator or 660, without the flapper (I know, that's heresy from an NYPD-retiree), is exactly the siren I'd like to replicate.

A Federal Pulsator P660 without the flapper would be a Federal 66 siren. A Federal Pulsator P280 without the flapper would be a Federal 28 siren. The Federal 28 was used on almost all FDNY apparatus in the 1950's and 60's and on NYPD unmarked cars during the same time period.
 

Wailer

Member
May 24, 2010
2,290
Canada
cory y said:
HILO is also one of the Best siren tones for penetrating the modern vehicles.

What I like about the HI-LO tone on newer electronic sirens is that it plays at a lower pitch than the wail and yelp tones.
 

Black Hoe

Member
May 21, 2010
427
Long Island, NY
Over the years, I have only seen the Pulser head on a Model 66 and Model 28. I am sure that Federal sold the Pulser head for the other siren models like the Q but they must be a very rare find.
 

Wailer

Member
May 24, 2010
2,290
Canada
Black Hoe said:
Over the years, I have only seen the Pulser head on a Model 66 and Model 28. I am sure that Federal sold the Pulser head for the other siren models like the Q but they must be a very rare find.

I've seen a couple of pics of Canadian ambos from the the 1960s with Pulsator Qs on them. The Q siren was quite common on ambulances in the 1960s.
 

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