VOIP setup for paging system to a warehouse horn

[JustinmWright]

Hello,

I am new and just looking for some general advice/information. Hopefully this is ok to post here.

I am being tasked with setting up a paging system. There is already a horn in the warehouse, and it is a Valcom 1030C.
We have a GoTo VOIP system and I have added a line called paging and assigned to a Cisco ATA 191 adaptor.
The idea is, pick up the phone, press the paging line and say what you need to the warehouse. ATA adaptor will convert to audio and send to speaker.
We have a Bogen C100 amp. So, the ATA adaptor plugs into the network, and it has an RJ11 that would go to the Bogen C100. Then the Bogen goes to the horn/speaker in the warehouse. Those are the parts involved.

My question is, does this make sense or am I missing something? Also, the RJ11 has 4 wires but the Bogen C100 only has 2 screw downs and a ground. So not sure how that would connect.

 

[JustinmWright]

Just checking back to see if anyone has input...

 

[davenn]

Just checking back to see if anyone has input...

Hi Justin
welcome
Sorry I cant help you with that one

cheers
Dave

 

[crutschow]

does this make sense or am I missing something?

If I understand correctly yes, you are missing something.

The Cisco ATA 191 has a POTS current output of around 20mA into a 600-1200Ω load, so you must add an interface to convert that to the AC signal voltage for the Bogen.

Also it puts out a 40-90V ring signal @ 20Hz into a open circuit, which is answered by connecting the 600-1200Ω load, so you need a circuit to detect the ring signal and connect the load, and then hang-up when the call (announcement) is completed (when no further audio is detected).

An answering device such as this as an interface between the Cisco output and the Bogen input should do what you want.

the RJ11 has 4 wires but the Bogen C100 only has 2 screw downs

A standard pots signal uses only two wires.
The connector has four wires in case a second phone line was added.

 

[JustinmWright]

If I understand correctly yes, you are missing something.

The Cisco ATA 191 has a POTS current output of around 20mA into a 600-1200Ω load, so you must add an interface to convert that to the AC signal voltage for the Bogen.

Also it puts out a 40-90V ring signal @ 20Hz into a open circuit, which is answered by connecting the 600-1200Ω load, so you need a circuit to detect the ring signal and connect the load, and then hang-up when the call (announcement) is completed (when no further audio is detected).

An answering device such as this as an interface between the Cisco output and the Bogen input should do what you want.

A standard pots signal uses only two wires.
The connector has four wires in case a second phone line was added.

Thank you. I was able to get this working with the Viking RAD-1A device. From a VOIP phone, I press the paging speed dial we called pager. It then hits the ATA 191 and is answered by the Viking RAD-1A. The audio is sent to the Bogen amp and then over to the Valcom horn. Everything seems to work. However, the last issue is with the volume/echo I am getting.

I have been testing with the volume on the horn as well as the TEL volume control on the back of the Bogen. It seems like I can only go so loud before there is a massive echo and things are way too loud. Not sure if it's because this horn has a built-in amp, and I am also using the Bogen pre-amp... I have started looking into the ATA 191 settings but not seeing much. Google doesn't seem to have much info on the 191 and paging horn echo issues.

Any thoughts on volume/echo control? It seems like I have to keep everything very low. The volume dial on the horn is all the way down to 1. If I turn it to 3 it will echo. Same if I keep it at 1 and then turn up the TEL volume control on the Bogen. I think I might be done with the project if I can just figure out this echo. I have tried a few different things to make sure I have the right wires connected properly, even tried things various ways. It doesnt matter, still loud and has the echo... Attaching images in another post here.

 

[JustinmWright]

Attached a few images of the setup:
ATA 191 has ethernet to network and phone line to Viking RAD 1A. Not much that could be wrong here.
RAD 1A gets phone line from ATA 191 and then has 2 cables from a phone cable going to Bogen amp. Should I use speaker cables for the connection between RAD and Bogen?
Bogen has 2 speaker cables going to horn and the 2 phone line input cables from the RAD. They are connected to the phone input on Bogen.
Last couple images are of horn. Volume all the way down to 1 on the dial. Cables connected - 2 for power and 2 for audio.

 

[JustinmWright]

A couple updates and possible cause of issue. I connected the speaker directly to the RAD1 with speaker cable and it seems to work fine. May not need the Bogen pre-amp depending on how lound it is in warehouse. Still had same echo issue.
Then I realized I am in the same room as the speaker, and it may the phone is too close when I make the test call and is picking up the speaker and creating echo. Doh. Guess I am to use to the modern conference tech that does noise cancellation and all that. I will test it with someone tomorrow and move the speaker to another area with long cable and test...

 

[JustinmWright]

Turns out I was too close to the speaker. Oh boy......
Things seem to be working well. I am going ATA 191 to RAD 1a to the Valcom horn. Will only add the Bogen pre-amp if I need more juice.

 

[crutschow]

Turns out I was too close to the speaker. Oh boy......

You've just experienced acoustic feedback.
It's a common problem with mics used with public sound systems, such as at musical concerts.
There are sound amps with circuitry designed to automatically cancel such feedback.

 

[etiennelau]

Hello,

I am new and just looking for some general advice/information. Hopefully this is ok to post here.

I am being tasked with setting up a paging system. There is already a horn in the warehouse, and it is a Valcom 1030C.
We have a GoTo VOIP system and I have added a line called paging and assigned to a Cisco ATA 191 adaptor.
The idea is, pick up the phone, press the paging line and say what you need to the warehouse. ATA adaptor will convert to audio and send to speaker.
We have a Bogen C100 amp. So, the ATA adaptor plugs into the network, and it has an RJ11 that would go to the Bogen C100. Then the Bogen goes to the horn/speaker in the warehouse. Those are the parts involved.

My question is, does this make sense or am I missing something? Also, the RJ11 has 4 wires but the Bogen C100 only has 2 screw downs and a ground. So not sure how that would connect.

You still need help with this? Expert here.

 

[crutschow]

You still need help with this? Expert here.

Well the TS said he had the system working over a year ago and we haven't heard from him since, so I think he's ok.