Clean VHF/CB radio installs

Check with your local ham radio club. I know somebody there will have one to let you borrow to help with install.

 

Rather not take the chance on messing something up. Whole point of this is to keep things looking nice. Thanks for the tip.

 

Both of these are solid suggestions. Thanks!

 

Getting ready for the APRS install.

 

GMRS but what ever… after looking through every install on this very long thread I decided to go with the simple under seat install. I found the mic hanger that came with it stuck out far and bumped it with my leg a lot. It also didn’t stick well and fell off. So for a while I’ve just set it in the cubby where the wireless charger is.

I wanted a cleaner place for it so I picked up one of those magnet based phone mounts:

$10 Scosche MAGFMB MagicMount Magnetic Car Phone Holder - Strong Magnet Mount for iPhone/Android - Secure Magnetic Cell Phone Mount for Flat Surfaces - Universal 360° Adjustable Mobile Cellphone Holder

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I608BFW?_encoding=UTF8

They come with a thin sheet of steel with adhesive backing to stick on phones. I drilled a small hole in it and replaced the radios mic clip



Then I stuck the magnet on the center console



now I have a nice place to hang the mic. It’s a lot slimmer than the mic hanger that comes with it, so my leg isn’t anywhere near it now.

 

I'm going to be mounting two antennas to my Prinsu rack, a 2m/70cm and a GMRS. I'll probably be using some type of L-bracket or maybe a Diamond K550 or Comet CP5 for the 2/70. My question is, how to I get the coax down. I don't want to run it into the doors and running it off the back doesn't sound fun either. After reading the 105 pages here, I saw one brief reference to running it down the windshield channels. Does anyone have any experience with this and/or pictures of the results?

 

I was happy with this: https://youtu.be/LjA46Mhwwwg

 

I used some 1/4 aluminum angle for the NMO mounts. Kept it low enough so with a rain cap it's below the rack cross braces for if I want to haul something up there.

Ran one cable under the windshield channel and the other in some KC Lights wire hider.

$30 KC 6300 Universal Wire Hider (3 Feet)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093HJJ36F
Front antenna is a Laird ETRAB4503 for GMRS and rear is for CB which I only mount when I need it.





Sorry pics aren't the greatest....

 

Very nice and clean. Thank you for the response!

 

Where can I buy that bracket? Looking to mount an antenna on the roof and that is perfect.

 

I made the brackets using some 1/4" thick aluminum angle.

 

Getting read to redo my CB system and change it over the GMRS system with a

$160 midland mxt275 micromobile GMRS radio - 15 watts two-way radio with integrated control microphone - overland caravanning tractors - detachable external magnetic mount antenna - 8 repeater channels

midland mxt275 for a upcoming road trip. Going to mount one of those NMO antennas to some ditch light mounts.

 

Just a heads up that ditch lights can throw some serious RFI, depending on what flavor they are and how well they're made.

 

Yeah I had pretty bad interference in my CB system whenever I used my power antenna. Im hoping it will be good if I am not using the lights at the same time as the radio.

 

In the process of making that switch as well! Mounting my antenna up on my roof rack though. Trying to source a switch that has the RJ passthrough or keystone for the mic extension cable.

 

I got one of these ones, works really good.

CITALL CB UHF Blank Socket RJ45 Radio Switch Panel Dash Fit for Toyota Hilux Landcruiser

https://www.amazon.com/CITALL-Socket-Switch-Toyota-Landcruiser/dp/B0957C178H

 

I 3D printed the switch shell, and used a quality passthrough that clips into it.

DEFACE Rj45 Coupler Cat6 Keystone Jack Inline Coupler Female to Female Insert Coupler 12 Pack Black

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0865HQ5XY?ie=UTF8

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4445314

 

This is is the right switch size for the area where like the Qi charger button is yeah? Under the AC buttons.

 

Yeah it should be. Thats where I put mine right next to a on/off switch for the cb radio.

 

Yes, those are the dimensions for that switch location.