Clean VHF/CB radio installs

Is the charger also the isolater or do you have a separate battery isolater somewhere else?

 

The charger is the isolator. In this configuration the auxiliary battery always powers the radio and power to the charger only occurs when the ignition is on.

 

Do you by chance have a link to the charger?

 

https://www.renogy.com/renogy-12v-dc-to-dc-on-board-battery-charger/

 

The head unit is in the beverage "splash zone", but otherwise this looks great.

 

This is so awesome. I'm wondering if I need it or perhaps your Icom radio draws tons more power during scanning than my Maxon TM-8402? I run power directly from the battery and have accidentally left it on scan for 3-day weekends and many times overnight. The truck starts up just fine. What am I missing here?

 

I’m just a complete nutcase! If for example, your radio draws 2A (receiving) and you have a 500Am you get at least 50 hours on full battery before the voltage is 20% down.

I plan to tap the auxiliary battery for other reasons including charging phones and etc. when the truck is off.

 

Ok yeah that's nice to have; I'd go with your method rather than risking it!

 

I know this is a really old thread but It's taken me this long to get my radio installed and I wanted to share it.
This is a Yaesu 857D and antenna duplexer for the ATAS 120 antenna installed behind the rear seat.

As you can see I still need to clean up some of the wires.

The faceplate is in the little cubby on the left:

If you're wondering how I mounted it, I used a 2X4. Sawn to size and painted black:

The speaker is in the Qi charging area, held in with velcro:

And finally, I have the MH-59 controller mic coming out of the center console.
I Keep it in the compartment when not in use and on my lap or the cupholder when in use. Its hard to see the faceplate partially hidden by the steering wheel but with the controller mic I only need to glance at the screen, everything else can be done from the mic.

I still need to install the antennas, that's for next weekend. I'm putting a dual band UHF on a mount from victory 4X4 on the passenger side. I'll put a CB antenna on a victory 4X4 mount on the drivers side for a CB antenna. The CB antenna is too tall for my garage door so I'll probably only have it on when traveling. I have an NMO adapter for the ATAS 120 all band screwdriver antenna so that can fit on either mount. I don't expect to be driving around with it on though.

The faceplate, mic and radio/duplexer are all easily unplugged and removed and the Victory 4X4 mount is pretty well hidden with the antenna removed.

 

Very nice install. Post some pictures of your HF antenna when you get it installed. I've got an Icom 706 I'm thinking about installing in my Taco but I can't come up with a good solution for the HF antenna. The Taco just doesn't have much real estate for HF antennas.

 

How is this being held in?

 

@BaysicRyan

 

The headliner is metal right there. A bolt holds it.

 

Control Head:
The Control Head is installed in the headliner in front of the head console and all the control wire fishes nicely all the way back to the transceiver. I left a few stress release loops. The bottom half of the headliner has a sheet metal backer which I installed two black sheet metal screws into, the top half I used machine screws with large vender washers...these all hold on the mag-mount plate for the control head to quick disconnect from:

Top View



Turn phone sideways, click on my Electronics Link in my build thread for the rest of my install.

 

Nice work Mahn. That there is a thing of beauty right there Sir.... even if I wouldn't be able to see it !
I'll have another look at this location, but I'm still thinking of somewhere above the center cubby.

 

This is very illegal sir. Please don't use this radio for transmit.

 

Why?

 

It is illegal to use a marine band radio if you're not on the water. You can't even use it on the boat, when the boats on the trailer.

 

How does that rule apply when you call a Marina, Harbormaster, Bridge, the Coastguard, etc? Do they have to go out in a boat to reply?

 

You can use one on land IF you have license for it, otherwise your not allowed to.