Clean VHF/CB radio installs

Has anyone tried a FireStik FireRing with the Victory 4X4 mount or the FireRing with other mounts in general ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4eSDt1cYbc

 

Any mention of how thick the mount is with that? You’ll need at least a 3/16 - 1/4” mount for the Victory bracket which is considered a think plate mount.

 

this is about all I found.... comments ?

Fire-Flex®
COAXIAL CABLE ASSEMBLY
w/Low-Profile Fire-Ring and Stud

 

You can swap out the bolt on the bottom one if you need a longer one.

 

Well folks, he did the math. That's worse then I thought it would be. No one has an isotropic radiator on a hood mount. Every VHF/UHF that I've seen is a high gain antenna. Adding the gain from the typical antenna utilized, makes a hood mount questionable even at low power.

 

Cell phone to your ear and 50w VHF into a high gain antenna a few feet away are very different exposures.

RF is non-ionizing radiation. So it's not going to put a tumor in your brain. You're eyes are what's mostly at risk.

 

Eh I got two

 

Most commonly earlier cataract development, but it's pretty hard to find case studies where RF in the VHF/UHF range with normal power has resulted in any significant damage to someone. Thanks for posting the calculator though. I didn't know 50w vehicle mounted radios could put someone over the recommended RF exposure.

 

Did a “clean uninstall” today!

I’ve been experimenting with trying to fix the poor FM radio reception with various external and properly phased antennas and signal amps. I also had a combo CB/Bearcat Scanner, to primarily monitor the FD when responding to calls. The CB was more of a toy as I have a ham anyway.

Well I solved the FM reception problem...I gave up. They warrantied the head, I removed interference, I tried 4 different antennas, including testing gain and various cables. All failed to solve the problems so it has to be a bad radio receiver design issue. Hence “live with it”.

My FD moved to UHF, so I can now skip the scanner as my ham tunes all the locals easily and has basic scanning, and the CB is well, the toy it is, so today I ripped out all the extraneous stuff as my ham covers it all!

Before:


After: I centered the ham antenna at mass center for best dipole plane.

 

Looking good!

 

where did you find the attachment with the ram ball for the radio face plate?

 

Found this page while looking for a CB solution, I should add ham setup here. No photos of the transceiver, it's under the passenger seat. It's an Icom ID-770H.

I bent a long bolt and drilled into the bottom of the radio bezel for the faceplate and had a friend 3D print me a cat5 mount for the mic output. I think it came out well.






Went with the Diamond NR770HRKS adhesive mount which included a NR770 40" antenna, but I keep that behind the seat and run a Comet SBB-1 16" daily to clear the garage where I work.

 

How are you guys hanging your mic? I still have mine laying in one of the cup holders. Really not interested in drilling into the front dash or anywhere obvious

 

Same, Been trying to come up with ideas. Found this, but prefer not to lose use of one of the vents.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/725545...VjvDVW2OfJY4JsR47qaI40XIi0nlcn5saApCeEALw_wcB

 

i like this one better
https://www.ebay.com/i/173957674018...7s_utqUzxDEX4UbpRXM5ALRvkVOO6kmkaAv84EALw_wcB

 

3M tape works fine as these mics are pretty light and the brackets have considerable surface area.

 

Which bracket? I have doubts tape would stick with the heat

 

i have the OEM iCom mic clip. I was skeptical of sticking too. Been two years. One time my passenger “yanked” the mic, it pulled the dash panel out but stayed stuck. I’m a newfound believer in 3M tape. The surface has to be clean and smooth, not textured. Not much to lose if it sticks your good without having to drill.

 

Any thoughts if mounting a trunk lip mount or similar on passenger side hood would work? Or does mounting it
near the radio antenna defeat the purpose?