Dual band ham rig mounting advice needed

Mine is a 2018 4-door off-road. I have a 2m/440 dual bander with a removable control head I'd like to mount in the cab. I'm thinking either mount it with a gooseneck on the passenger side near the stick shift, or up on the dash near the center line.

Has anyone done this? I don't want to go drilling into terra incognita and blow out electronics. Goose neck on the side of the hump is preferable, but the plastic shroud on the passenger side seems pretty thin and flexible. Dash probably has the radio/screen unit below.

Local professional installers charge dearly, but I'll pay rather than have one of those "Oh. You did it yourself?" kind of jobs.

 

I've got a Kenwood dual band in my 2016 4 door. The remote head is mounted just above the radio on the dash with a magnetic cell phone style mount and the radio unit is under the driver's seat. The wiring is routed on the driver's side of the console, behind the dash, and out the top behind the bezel that surrounds the radio/houses the AC vents. Power wire is ran down the sill plate and out through a grommet in the firewall. The antenna line follow the remote head cables, but exits the firewall on the passenger side through a grommet. My antenna is mounted on a ditch light bracket on the passenger side. Hopefully that helps.

 

Pages and pages of examples here: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/clean-vhf-cb-radio-installs.415584/

For a gooseneck try one of these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/360-Adjust...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

 

Which radio is it? Would help with mounting ideas

 

Kenwood D710A, with the add on GPS puck for APRS.

 

It's a Yaesu FT-8800. I like the no drill ideas w/magnet and cupholder mount.
The head weighs next to nothing.

These are a tad more complex installs than my old 86 Mazda B-2000.

 

Lido mounts makes a goose neck one that mounts to the passenger seat bolt. I've had it in mine since Oct of last year and no complaints. I'm running a Kenwood D710 on it.

https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/ldo-lm-300

 

Custom ram mount on the driver A pillar. Easy to see and reach but doesn’t impede vis out the windshield.

 

I have a the Yaesu FTM 400 XDR and have it wired very similar to Mud 390's rig. Below is a pic of how I have the head unit mounted. I have the DMM kit and use a Ram mount to secure the head unit. Works well, no complaints.

 

I have an Icom 7000 and like to use it in more than one vehicle. Also use it maritime mobile. I keep the whole setup in a small pelican case and just wired each thing for it. In the Taco I put the case in the storage under back seat, connect head, and use the cup holder gooseneck. That particular one fits in the cup holder and twists to expand the fit real snug so it is firm and no wobble. Makes it quick and clean since all the wiring is already run for each. Do the same thing in my Jeep TJ. In the sailboat the head fits in a slot in the nav station.

 

I'd just drill some holes for a Ram mount on top of the trim where the head unit is, put a small backing plate under it for strength, and bolt her up.


Or... TPAM haha

 

Check out a Hondo Garage mount for the head, attached with their nifty milled aluminum un-Holey dash mount that attaches to one of the vent rings and a perfect squeeze for the head with a Ram ball for articulation.

 

These Ram mounts look great, and I don't have to worry about drilling thru electronics! I'll get one and also the stiff floor mount goose-neck that Medic recommended. I'll look at Hondo Garage also. Great Info all around! I'll post updates once everything arrives and I suss out how to do this.

73 DE JIM K6FWT

 

Lido Gooseneck arrived today from DX Engineering. Takes work to unbend, which is a good sign. I'll mount it and the head. Take the Taco out to the OHV area near here. See how steady it is...

More later.

73 DE JIM K6FWT

 

I’m getting a mirror riser with ram mount and putting mine up there. Running wire will be easy too.

 

HT with a small linear in back, but upgrading soon.

 

I don't actually know, but you may wish to consider whether it's in the path of the A pillar airbag. You would have a very bad day. There may be slow motion videos on the IIHS site so you can see if it's a problem.

 

I watched those videos before I did this and it doesn’t seem to be in the path of the airbag at all. The side airbag just kinda squeezes out the side by the window and leaves the a pillar molding in place.

 

I used a 18" RamMount Pod gooseneck;





I shortened the rod to fit exactly where I wanted it level with the seat. It is very solid, does not move.

 

Also, I made a mount for my phone using T channel.