Need help installing GMRS radio

I’ve got a 2008 regular cab manual sr5 and I want to install a GMRS radio. I want to the radio to the battery but have it turn off when I shut the truck off, could someone tell me where to run the wires to the engine bay and where to attach the wires to so that the radio shuts off when the car shuts off

 

Simple: use an add a circuit off of your fuse block on a switched circuit.

Even better: do the above to trigger a relay powered from the battery to power the radio.

How many watts is your radio? I just purchased the

$160 Midland MXT275 MicroMobile GMRS 2-Way Radio

Midland MXT275 for me and my dad. The higher the wattage the less ideal the simple solution is.

 

It’s a

$161 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

MXT115

 

What is an add a circuit

 

So the add-a-circuit thing is fine but I wouldn’t run that as my power source. What you can do is set it up as a relayed 12v line from the battery, using an ignition only circuit as your trigger for said relay.

but ideally you should run power straight to battery and ground to either battery or nearest body ground and leave it at that and make sure to just turn it off when truck is off. It also makes it so you can turn the radio on and use it real quick if the truck is off, rather than have to turn the engine on.

 

I run my MXT 400 right to the battery. It's 40 watts. Just remember to turn it off.

 

I use a cigarette lighter switch for mine. That way I can pull everything out when not needed to avoid theft.
My radio sits in the cubby in front of the gear shift.

https://www.ultrabrightlightz.com/r...MI6sL759KM6gIVA9vACh35DQROEAQYBSABEgK7KPD_BwE

I just noticed this is a dual one. Mine is just a simple single power male connector with 8’ of wire that I shortened to as needed.

 

I have run 2-way radios in my trucks for years on the farm and the only way it'll kill the battery is if you leave it on for a week straight (and there's lots of traffic on the radio at the same time). If you use your truck daily, or every other day, you'll be fine. Or just turn the radio off when leaving. I tend to agree that it needs to be run straight to the battery with an inline fuse

 

Careful. Those more power gmrs radios can pull 25amps +. Those cigarette outlets have a 10 or 15 amp source

 

His model is a 15 watt one.

 

I set it up today, I rain it straight off the battery. The radio it self is under the drivers seat

 

I’ll have pictures tomorrow

 

You should actually run an inline fuse on both the positive and the negative line. That is the way a lot of mobile devices in hamreadio are wired.

 

Indeed. I was referring to yours. Was just putting it out there. Didn't know if you had the 50w version. Seems you know the deal though.

 

The amount if current that your radio draws is extremely small. A relay is definitely not required. An add a circuit is fine.

The amplifier section of your radio uses 1.25 amps at 12 volts, the rest of its power consumption is lights for its display.

 

If you are not comfortable constructing your own relay:

https://powerwerx.com/automotive-dc-timer-lvd-battery-guard

Not the cheapest, but easy and cheap are usually mutually exclusive.

I'm not up on GMRS rigs, but lots of ham rigs have auto power off settings. Remember, if you make a key-on relay and you want to use your radio while stationary, your truck will be chiming the whole time your door is open. That's sub optimal.

 

@ReeceRiley

I mean I probably wouldn't do any of that. If you want to use your radio when the truck is off, you'd have no option.

Which you will use the radio when the truck is off. Just how it is.