Firefighter/EMS radio location help!!

the fuse panel on the drivers side of the dash. start by checking the unused fuse spots. I have my cobra 75wxst wired to an open spot.

 

I mounted my marine VHF radio on the back of the center console. It is reachable from the seat and the mic can stay in the cup holder.

 

FL- How easy is it to change the channels in that position? I like how out of the way the head is, but it seems difficult to reach when you need it. I also like the in the arm rest area, but that seems like you either notch a spot for the cord to come out or have the arm rest up while using it.

Chachie, I'll look at it when I get home. Thanks!

 

Alright, I just picked up my radio and did some mock ups, let me ask your thoughts. First off, solved the ignition sense issue by just jumping the ignition sense pin to constant power. This lets me keep it on even when the car is off and I think will work well.
When testing out areas in the cab and trying to find what I like best, I ran across something interesting. The remote head of a Kenwood 730 fits right inside the remote control for a garage door holder if the door was removed... Now I like the way this looked but two things are keeping me from doing this. 1) I would have to run wire in the ceiling and that would require taking quite a bit out and it feels like that would be more of a pain in my a$$ than it is worth. 2) The mic would have a dangling cord and no great place to put it.

This led me to what I think I'm going to do. I took some 1.5" wide 16 gauge steel and bent it to fit the radio head and be as wide as my center console at the very front of the cupholders, butted up against the shift boot. I'm dip coating it in plastic as we speak to see if this works and will look halfway decent. This will cover up part of the can holder in the center bit but should still leave the two big cup holders available. Also, when I buy a smaller mic, the mic can just sit in the can holder. The body of the radio will be underneath the passenger seat and the ext speaker will be in the back on the center hump between the two seats. I plan to velcro this to the carpet and possibly zip tie it to the child seat anchors on either side.

Does anyone think this is a horrible idea? It will take some time figuring out how to get the trim off of various places but I think it should work out well. I'm hoping to get it running tomorrow night so let me know ASAP if your wiser eyes see a problem and thanks to everyone!

 

Granted not the same unit, but I just picked up a Cobra 75 I'm going to mount similar to how this guy did. It'd work for the hand unit at least on yours...

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/audio-video/97161-cb-install-cobra-75-wx-st.html

 

Thanks Kyouto! The mic on my unit attaches to the remote head plate and I haven't found anything that would be a good extender. If I could, and had the desire to do some serious interior work, I could mount the remote head in the garage door opener spot and extend the mic cable all the way down and pop out like the picture you posted. It would be very slick and convenient....but much work and probably a bit of cash for the extension.

 

Alright, finally installed mine and thought I'd show what I did. First, the radio body was too big to fit under the seat... Probably should have checked that earlier. Anyway, here is what I did.

The first picture is of the remote head unit. I made a sheet metal bracket that was large enough to fit around my center console area right below the shifter and had a secondary bracket that fit around the unit. This was then plasti-coated which made a rubber like surface finish and won't scratch my console.

The second is another angle of the head unit, doesn't it look great? I'm pretty proud.

The final picture is of the main body and speaker, which are mounted together, and then mounted to a piece of plywood that was painted. This whole piece was wedged on the center hump of the back (access cab) and is tight enough it is tough to get in or out (very very difficult). I also added velcro strips to the bottom that grab onto the carpet for added security.

It's out of the way, lets me keep using both cup holders and the junk tray in front of the shifter, and I can still get stuff to be held in the can holder.

What do you think?

 

Head mount location looks decent. Would the body not mount under the console?

 

Body was a touch wider than the console and too tall for under the seat... That was plan A and B thrown out quick.

 

It is wider than the metal bracket under the console?

 

Wider than the plastic of the console. I didn't remove the center console because the width at the bottom was less than the smallest width of the radio.

 

I actually have pretty much the same kenwood and i was able to mount the body under the driver seat. The head i mounted in the center console compartment along with the mic with plenty of room left over to put maps in there. Speaker is under the center console near the gear shifter of my manual trans. Very clean "undercover" look cant see any of it from the outside. Ill post pictures soon.

 

Looking forward to the pics!

 

I mounted my kenwood D-700 in the cubby with a remote speaker behind it



Body is mounted under driver seat. Also have a yeasu body under passenger seat and siren and light controller behind pass rear seat



Antenna locations

 

obviously this is not a fire/ems radio but could give you an idea if what could be done!

 

Sorry took so long but here is my Kenwood set up in my 2011 Tacoma double cab. Head unit is in the center console the Body radio unit is mounted on 1x3 under the drivers seat and the 1x3 are spacer for the hvac discharge under the seat.

 

I placed my scanner In the console n put a small speaker under the dash. I think in going to move the speaker. Can post pics if you want?