Clean VHF/CB radio installs

What are you running for a radio? CB? Ham?

 

why do you have two cup holders there?

 

Currently only CB. I've got the same Yaesu ready to go once I take the test. School and work are doing a good job getting in the way.

 

My guess is a Manual Transmission. I think the M/T's get the longer spot there and get the extra cup holder.

 

OK then yeah you really need a ground strap to the frame. 2M/70CM doesn't need as large a ground plane and most antenna mounts provide enough. The ideal for a good radiation pattern though is smack in the middle of the roof. When you start to get into the HF realm though, Ground plane becomes much more important. I had issues with my RV and a screwdriver antenna (Yaesu ATAS) getting it to tune correctly. Drove me bonkers for a while till I got the ground to a point where it would tune up 70CM through 40M, could get 80M but I had do add some radials and could only do that while parked. I don't do HF mobile right now but may in the future.

 

Here's my clean install; I take it with me when I leave!

 

Souped up 11 meter is the way to go! Just a bunch of dudes trading numbers and letters on ham. Just kidding your license is still worth it even if you only want it for emergency use.

 

Seriously. I can't talk with anyone in my area without the guy asking for my call sign and writing it down... it's kinda creepy sometimes but oh well.

 

Nice HAMMO Can

 

Home made too! I couldn't bring myself to pay $300 bucks for the one available on the internet. I have about $50 in this one.

 

Why don't you?

 

I'm wondering the same thing
lol

 

Simple is beautiful... That's nice.

 

That is pretty cool from the craftsmanship angle. I saw that in the Ohio thread recently too.

What's the real application of that, though? Obviously you can't use it while driving or wheeling which is the idea behind almost all radio installations. I realize with this box o' radio you can have a radio "at camp", or during a emergency, but it has to be set up, and there's nothing really easy to use about it. May as well install a mobile and just roll the window down to hear it while tinkering around camp. Seems to me like a cool way to spend money and time on a project, but one that has no real purpose. Am I missing something?

 

No, you're not missing anything... to each his own I guess. It actually has a purpose. I have a 50 watt radio that I can take anywhere, with power. Base camp or at the house. I set it up next to my computer on the desk and hit all the local repeaters. I have a UV5R that I use in the truck, and with it's 5 watt output and the Diamond mag antenna on the roof, it's quite the performer. I didn't build this to use in the truck, but rather to have a portable transceiver that can go with me.

Sorry, didn't mean to poopoo on this installation thread.

 

I use one of these at home but it can serve the same purpose.
http://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cm...D=0372FA803B7BBADBF3076C94ACA7A8C5&DivisionID

 

It's more of a Ham thing. One of the reasons that armature radio was created is to be ready for emergency communication. I may not have a portable like him, but I do have mine mounted behind the seat where I can connect different antennas more easily. I have a portable tri-pod in the bed of my Taco that I put a couple of different antenna types up another 18 feet. I have an old dual band Ringo for an omni-directional and a Elk Log Periodic that is a freak'n laser beam when I have to really direct my signal... All for ecomm purposes. Some of us kind of get into that stuff.

 

OMG that is so AWESOME! I have bee trying to find a solution for my speaker... currently it's just sitting in the cup holder.

 

I actually sort of stole the idea from another poster, I can't find his thread now though. He had the speaker installed flush against the carpeting on the vertical area under the back seats, and it was boss.

 

do you suppose it would be possible to do the mic extension like this on my Yaesu ft-2900?