Clean VHF/CB radio installs

I love my d710 man. Use to use it alot for SOTA type stuff in the PNW when I would wheel as high as I could. Fun stuff. Wish the hamsats were better these days though. after Ao51 died I was sad.

 

post it notes bro

 

With lower hobby interest, higher private interest in using HAM bands, and now a 35$ cost of license for the techs, enjoy it while you can.

I won't dive into it, it's too early for a rant. They should have kept tech free, general and extra as 35$.

 

It's like 5$ to get a patch embroidered with it and slap it on my roof, I was planning to do that and then completely abandoned ship.

I programmed my radio so when it turns on it shows my HAM and GMRS call signs, so there's that at least.

 

I agree, prob is well at least for me everywhere you go, the gov is got its hand open for everything lol. fuckers.

 

just noticed that you know bow ding ow, I knew sum ting wong. small world.

 

I'm trying out a CaliRaised bed/tailgate mount for my Comet SSB5 antenna. Got the mount installed, and used a Laird NMO mount with the cable pre-soldered to it. I soldered a PL-259 to cable so I could test it with a Nano VNA, and a HT to see how it worked before running the cable inside the cab. It seems to be working well...swr was low at 1.08 @ 146.500. And I could hit a few local repeaters with no issues. Going to run the antenna for awhile and see how I like it mounted in that spot. It's about the same height as it was on the Crosstrek, and I had no issues with hitting any trees, etc. If I don't like it there, I'll try a hood/ditch light mount.

I still need to run power into the cab, and get a radio mounted. I had a Yaesu FTM 400XD mounted in the crosstrek, but I also have a deposit on the new Yaesu FTM-500...so I'm kinda holding off on installing the radio until I see what the price on the 500 is going to be.

 

Does anyone know of a HAM radio detachable face that can fit in the sunglass holder with little modification? I know the Icom 2730a has been fitted in there. 2nd gen Tacoma

Any others that fit in there?

 

kenwood v71a, d710. many others.

 

Finally installed this little radioddity 27 pro.

I made pilot holes with a little ice pick .

Next is to install the antenna with a relentless fab ditch light mount.

 

Same location I put mine. I think it’s the perfect little spot for a radio. The smaller size of the radio still allows for the cubby to be used.

 

Hot damn @Steevoreeno @TacoGeeloor

How do you think a second radio of the same size would fit? I have a plan to put a VHF/UHF in the same spot, but am also toying with the idea of putting my

$155 CMX760 Bearcat Off Road Series Compact Mobile CB Radio, 40-Channel Operation, Ultra-Compact for Easy Mounting, Large 7-Color Backlit LCD Display on Mic with Built-in Speaker Mic, Black

CMX760 under/above it in the same spot.

 

If it’s a similar sized radio I think it would work for what you’re looking for. I have my mic attached to my DMM up top. You may have to get creative with a mounting bracket…all depends on the radios. I have a

$165 midland mxt115 - 15 watt GMRS micromobile two way trails radio - off roading outdoor RZR farm - 8 repeater channels extended range - external magnetic mount antenna - NOAA weather alerts

midland mxt115 and I think I could get 2 in there!

 

I don’t think you’d get them to fit side by side, but I think it’d be easy to make a bracket so you could stack them

 

Yeah my plan is stacking, I hardly use that cubby for anything. I think if I have one, I wouldn't use the open space for anything so might as well stuff a second one in there. Not planning to fit side by side. Priority would be the VHF UHF, the CB doesn't get much use - I drove cross country with it and had next to no use for it.

 

steevereeno on post #2390.......what is plugged into the USB port and found in the far right side? Not seen that before. I have a 2014 Sport that I am trying to figure out where I might put a Ham radio. Is that a ham or cb radio? Thanks! Doug

 

Helps to tag or quote them
@Steevoreeno

looks like a cb to me

 

The USB port is just a long iPhone charging cable. I tuck it into a hole in the empty switch spot to the right of it. Then I can just pull out as much as I need when I’m charging the phone



The CB is plugged into the 12v socket

Steve

 

I used a 9’ firestick firering cable.. the one with the screw on

$43 PL259 USA Made PL-259 Improved Double Shielded RG-58u for FireStik Antenna K-8A 18-Foot Single CB/Ham Coax Cable

PL259 connector so I could get it through a smaller hole in the firewall.

The antenna mount is on the drivers side.
The hole through the firewall is on the passenger side (the 9’ cable is exactly long enough for this, and it just reaches the spot in the cubby. No coiling cables)




Real quick tune was 1.4 SWR

 

I've seen people run 9' from their bumper but not from the hood