# Home made E caller



## alleyyooper (Oct 23, 2004)

The coyote population is exploding in the east. Many are now trying to hunt them to kleep the population down.
I want to point out I did not start this building but a fellow on Predator Masters did.
His user name is SDHandgunner .All Ihave did is up date the price of the things you need from Radio shack and give you an Idea of the size of the cup.

So here we go. 

Since there seems to be a lot of interest in building an Electronic E-Caller I think this post will save some time in the long run. To start with I am no expert, but have been building E-Callers for the better part of 10 years. OK so maybe I am too cheap to buy one, but to be totally honest I guess I have yet to find one with all the features I want in a pre-made Caller. For the first several years I would build one, use it and then as I was using it I would figure out a way to make it better. For the most part this meant more compact. Sonce of the ones I have built were from ideas shared by guys that also enjoy putting these types of callers together, while other ideas were out of despiration to make the units more compact. I have used Cassettes, CD's, and finally MP3 Players for the sound source (and yes even used one of the Boom Boxes a time or two). 

To start with you'll need an Amp. I have found the little Radio Shack Amp (part #277-1008 = $12.99). I have experimented with this and other amps and dollar for dollar this little amp works, provides all the needed volume for about 90% of the calling you'll ever need, and the 9 Volt transistor Battery seems to last forever (provided it is not left on when not in use for days on end). 

This little Radio Shack Amp actually is in a small plastic housing and there is a little 2" speaker inside the housing. The first thing I do is to remove the amp circuit board from the original housing. Next (through trial and error) I find the sweet spot on the volume control (on off switch volume control) at which the volume does not get any louder by turning the volume past that point, but rather just increases amp hiss/noise. I then remove the volume wheel from the volume control and hot glue the volume control in a fixed position. 

Since we have disabled the On-Off Switch on the amp, we need to wire in a separate On-Off Switch (Radio Shack #275-1565 = $2.59 ea). I also like to wire in a small LED Indicator Light to help in not leaving the Amp turned on when not in use (Radio Shack #276-084 - $1.99 ea). One wire from the LED Indicator Light and the Red Wire from the Amp Circuit Board get soldered to on terminal on the On-Off Switch. 

The positive lead from the new 9Volt Battery Connector (Radio Shack #270-325 = $1.99 per pck of 5) gets wired to the other terminal of the On Off Switch. The negative wires from the new Battery Connector, Amp Circuit Board and LED Indicator Light all get soldered together. 

That is about it for wiring. Depending on how or what you choose to mount your amp in (I use either a Radio Shack Project Enclosure #270-1805 = $3.79 or an insulated Coffee Mug) you may or may not need a couple of 90 degree adaptors (Radio Shack #274-372 = $3.99 each. The 90 Degree Adaptors are needed for clearance to get the speaker and patch cord (that goes between the amp and the sound source) plugged in inside of the coffee mug. 

Next is the patch cord to go between the Amp and the Sound Source (Radio Shack #42-2497 1' patch cord with 1/8" Stereo Plugs on each end = $4.29) and the sound source. You can get a premade 6' patch cord also if you need to have the sound source farther away from the amp. 

 Al


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## alleyyooper (Oct 23, 2004)

this is the price list as of April 2009.

Radio Shack parts price update. 

I went to Radio Shack last Friday to buy part for my home made E caller. 
Here is a price up date. 

Radio Shack items parts list 

Radio Shack #277-1008, Mini Audio Amplifier/Speaker = $12.99ea 
New price Michigan, $14.99 

Radio Shack #275-1565, SPST Soft Feel Push on Push Off Switch = $2.59ea 
New price Michigan, $2.79 

Radio Shack #276-084, LED Indicator Light for Amp (fits 3/16" hole) = $1.99ea 
unchanged 

Radio Shack #42-2387, 6 Foot Patch Cord 1/8" Stereo Plug on each end = $4.99ea 
New price Michigan $7.49 
***Radio Shack #270-325, 9V Snap Type Battery Connectors (Pkg. of 5) = $1.99ea 
I got the new tuffer type part number 270 324 $2.69 

***When I opened up my AMP case there was a 9v battery connecter inside



















 Al


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## alleyyooper (Oct 23, 2004)

Driving down the interstate and Kare says there is one of those big coffee mugs you been looking for. At the next exit I did a U turn and went back to where she saw it.
Wow it is a big one and best of all it is free.










The lid is 4 inches across inside the lip.










Thank you who ever lost it.

Painting the cup.

Ruffed up the surface with sand paper 320 grit. Then sprayed the first coat of Krylon fusion for plastic textured shimer. Let it dry and did a second coat.











I like how it came out, the first time. did some more with a lighter color.

Had to wait on the speaker that got back ordered. I cancled the order as I didn't have any more time to fool with it as it became Bee Keeping time.

I ordered the speaker from these folks $7.99 and $8.00 shipping.
*http://www.altex.com/Speco-5-Weather...P-P141247.aspx*
I'm useing a I pod shuffle as it has not got a LCD to freeze up in the cold as a sound source.
You could use a old walkman tape player, a portable CD player or any number of cheap MP3 players and even some cell phones.
I am going to do my next one with a used Nokia 6085 I have on hand.



 Al


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## alleyyooper (Oct 23, 2004)

Its finished except I may add a led next to the switch to remind me4 to shut the amp down when not in use.





































Paint is krylon stone textured, base was the medium dark gray and the break up coat is light tan stone coat.

Second outting with the call I had a Red Tail hawk circleing over head. Though it might have been a fluke but after I went down a fence row about 500 yards and crossed a creek and 10 yards of under brush and 250 yards across a bean field that hawk was there with in 5 minutes of the squeeling rabbit sound. I discoversd a couple thing I wanted to change. 

With the IPOD shuffle you can not control volume except the R/S amp. It 's a pain to open it up and adjust the volume to a level at 6 feet it doesn't hurt my ears. 

I went to Radio shack and bought a 20 foot extention cord for it. I took the call with me as the worker wanted to see it when I was finished. I told him about the Shuffle not having a volume control with out the ear peices. 
He said he had a fix.
R/S part # 422559 $ 9.00 volume controll head phone extention cord. It is about 6 inches long with the reostat to work the volume.


 Al


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## chrpmaster (May 5, 2004)

That is great "recycling" of a free giant coffee mug. I haven't seen or heard much about coyotes around here so I was kind of surprised to read you are having that big of a problem in your area. 

Andy


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## alleyyooper (Oct 23, 2004)

There a big growing problem all over east of the Missippi.
On predetor Masters there are lots hunters from you state. NY, Oh, Ill, Wi, Mn and Mi being A big one but I thik that is a result of the UPPER.

 Al


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

Al, or anyone else, 

If this does not work out for you, or you just would rather buy one:

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?p=AXK&i=176778

Not bad for $27 and they work and sound good.


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