Clean VHF/CB radio installs

I use this as a glass mount on my RAV and I don't have any trouble hitting local and distant repeaters in my area on 5 watts. On a trip down to SC on I-95 I hit all the repeaters I programmed into my Yaesu FT8800-R running 10 watts of power without any issues.

https://www.diamondantenna.net/nr770hrks.html

 

I have too many reasons to avoid mounting to the top (future rack for ski/snow boarding, existing shark fin and low garage height). A few posts back nixed my hood mount location (radiation from 50W+ VHF/UHF radios).

Not excited about the back location, but thinking it may be the next best location (unless someone can think of a better clean option). If i go half wave (vs 1/4 or 5/8), that should help out the ground plane issue a bit, right?

 

Thanks auskip07. Are you running a topper? Assuming this is CB (for wattage and frequency comparison) and the 5-7 miles transmission is in the forward direction, correct?

 

no topper but i have the tailgate cb antenna mount like you described. Yes CB, yes forward direction.

 

I’m very curious how well this setup is doing and how far you’re able to talk. Wanting something similar...

 

Every single industrial truck out there be it Forestry, Mining, Highways, Or Govt, have front drivers side fender mounts for their commercial radio.

Risk for tx above 50w - in the 8 years with my radio in the truck and my 15 year fieldwork before that I’ve never had that situation.

You will be fine.

 

I have a couple of questions on your setup. How do you have your antennas mounted? I want to mount mine on the inside of the bed. Really do not want to go about the taillights. Can you post a pic? Also, where did you find those RJ45 plugs? Very nice setup.
Thanks

 

That has not been my observation.

 

I love the ideas especially the potential for the 3D printed stuff but I have had luck using https://www.arkon.com/ mounts for a ton of stuff especially the seat bolt mounts.

 

Thanks!
RJ45 plugs are from aironboard.
I have the antennas mounted to my Total Chaos bed stiffeners.

I’m now using midland low profile cables instead of that 90degree adapter.

 

SWEET!!!! I was thinking of doing this but wasn’t sure. I purchased bedrail antenna mounts but I just ordered the Body Armor bed rack and that is going to be in the way of the antennas. Gives me more justification to order the bed stiffeners. Thanks for the pics. Appreciated it.

 

Every vehicle in the county I work for has roof mounted NMO antenna’s. I haven’t seen a fender mount around here in decades.

 

Same in my AO

 

Same up here

 

Thanks for the reply. I guess if I'm that worried I could buy a 50W radio. The environment (trees / hills) will probably degrade my signal before getting full use out of 100W.

 

I’ve got a Ft-7900 that tops out at 50w but it’s always set at 5w.
I tx maybe once a week on the local club nets- otherwise it’s always scanning.

I wouldn’t take a terrible mounting spot just for that.

 

It was worth going through 73 pages of this thread to get to this post and picture.

I'm picking up a 2019 Tacoma on Wednesday and will be putting my SDS200 in that exact spot. I don't have the QI charger, at least as far as I know.

I have some questions about your install if you don't mind. Actually the questions are for anyone as I have a bunch.

Obviously the scanner fits in the cubby, although that doesn't look like a 3rd Gen Tacoma. How did run the power, speaker, and antenna wires? Did you tap into the dashboard illumination for auto dim?

Have you had problems with the radio rebooting when you start the truck? I did and a friend of mine built a hold back for me. It keeps the voltage from dropping when I start the truck. I just have to find a place to install it.

Did you use a bracket or just sort of a pressure fit to hold the radio in place?

Thanks.

These questions are more specific to my Taco than the radio.

The truck comes with the factory tonneau cover. At first I was going to ditch it, but I'm starting to like it. There are a lot of good antenna mounting ideas here, but I only saw one for a tonneau cover and I think that was hand built. I'm a bit leery of an under the hood mount. I've been installing radios since the early 1970s and back then there was so much RFI generated by auto electrical systems that we avoided the area. That was especially for CB radios.

I'm not partial to drilling through the roof although I've done that for radio installs over the years. BTW, a 3/4" antenna hole saw is much better than the Greenlee chassis punch. It drills the hole, won't drill too deep, and has a ring that scrapes off paint for the ground ring on a NMO.

When I get around to installing a ham radio, I'll probably install my ancient Yaesu FT8800R. I just have to figure out where to put the control head. I'll use a mag mount for that.

I've also been looking for extra USB outlets that will fit in where the blank switches are. So far, I haven't found anything that seems to fit the 3rd Gen trucks. I put a couple in my sons 2nd Gen, and a couple in my wife Highlander, but can't locate anything for the 3rd Gens. Any ideas would be appreciated.

There's lots of good information in this thread, thanks to all for posting. I think I can find those hole plugs on the back wall of the cab thanks to some pictures.

Lastly, a hint for those trying to run wires through the grommet where the main power comes through the fire wall. Cut a metal coat hanger. Then pound one end flat. Once you have a flat end, sharpen it with a bench grinder. If you tape the wire you want to run to the back end of the coat hanger you can punch it through the grommet, grab it from the other side and pull the wire right through. Better than cutting with an Xacto knife.

 

Welcome to the forum from Eastern North Carolina!

The thing that you want to look for with the USB power ports is the key word "small". AFAIK all third generation Tacomas use the small size except in one position. Here is an example of one:

CH4x4 Small USB Power Socket for Toyota

https://www.amazon.com/CH4x4-Toyota-Small-Power-Socket/dp/B00TEICVHY

As for antenna mount location, I've used a 1/4 wave length on a Victory 4x4 VT3CB-BARE antenna mount for over a year, with NO noticeable RFI. I like it because of its stealth, and I didn't have to butcher anything to install it.

 

Thank you for the information Tullie D. The hood mount is starting to look more viable the more I look at it. For my Tundra I made a bracket that mounted in one of the stake pockets in the bed. It worked really well. Unfortunately, I can't do that with the Tacoma because of the tonneau and of course there are no stake pockets.

That USB power socket was hiding in plain sight on Amazon.

I want do as little in the way of cutting or drilling as possible with this truck. At least until the newness wears off.

 

That varies widely in my area. In fact, I rarely see fender mounts at all in MA. A lot of the commercial trucks are on a wide area 900Mhz MotoTrbo network. They all have 900Mhz antennas mounted on the cabs. The state DOT operates on both VHF low and the state police 800Mhz trunk.

All of that aside, so far a hood or fender (under the hood) mount seems like the most viable solution for my soon to be Tacoma. At least the scanner antenna. I dual band ham antenna will go on the roof with a mag mount. Far enough ahead of the shark fin to eliminate any potential interference.