Show us your ham radio installations

Yea I wasn’t referencing you specifically for the ‘overpriced speaker’ part just in general.

and tbh the speaker sounds like crap hooked up to the stereo so I’m not real hopefully it’s gonna be any better connected to the radio

 

It seems like a real crap shoot to me in general as I have heard many pricey speakers that sound like crap and am always a little shocked when I find one that sounds good at all.

We listen in a pretty narrow frequency range usually so a speaker designed for that can often make a big difference.......except for the MFJ speakers that I have tried that all sound like shit to me.

Truck stops often have decent cheap CB speakers that sound OK too and it would be pretty simple to rig one in that center spot too I think.

 

Hey y'all, really enjoying this thread, got my first HAM radio recently – looking forward to learning how it all works.

Thank you for all the great info – subscribed!

 

Yeah those old Motorola mobile speakers are great for ham radio. The center dash speakers in mine are tweeters and would be lousy for your ham radio, I haven't installed my radio in my 2020 yet by I'll put a comm speaker under the front seat firing forward, that's the way I had it in my 2015 and it worked just fine.

It was held in place with velcro, just the course plastic hook strip which stuck to the carpet. One thing if you put a 3.5 on it, observe the polarity of the speaker.

 

My first ham radio was an Alinco TM-F1T I got it in '93 and I've abused it. At one time I used it as a mobile with an amp connected in a company truck, it probably never got turned off in a year. Still got it today and it sits next to my recliner. The thing is built like a Motorola and the Yaesu FT-60R I have reminded me of it.

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Same here really,this Kenwood TH-79 was my first radio and I also used it in the car with and without an amp a lot as well as in cross-band mode for events and Fox Hunts and in the STL area where it looks like you are too!

Those FT60s are what made me a Yaesu Guy really too as I prefer the Metal Ingot HT for sure and I have 2 VX7s and 2 VX5s which I can dunk in a stream when they get too hot as needed!

Try that with one of those Feng'!

73

 

I work in Woodson Terrace and live out near Hawk Point, I sure miss my ham for the drive in/out and after it warms up I'll get it installed and be back on the air.

 

I havent put one back on my new truck either but it can also be OK to have quiet given some of the local chatter if you know what I mean?!

My Shop is in the Westport area right next to Woodson Terrace and I have been doing a job out at Innsbruck recently,small world!

We must know each other from the '94 in the mornings at least from before they started trying to lock it down?

KC0UKR
The Ugly Kenwood Radio

 

New to the form. Very pleased with all the knowledge and info rolling around here. Thanks to all. Will be starting some major low profile mods to my 2nd gen soon. Fortunately I hadn't gotten to it in my 1st gen, since I rolled it. Will be removing center front seat and replacing it with a homemade "Havis" console for Ham, CB, Cell boost, laptop, and power supply. Can't wait to share what I learn and learn from you all. Thanks!

 

Welcome from NY.

 

Kenwood TM-710G running APRS
I've got a 7106MKIIG that i'll probably end up mounting in there.

 

FWIW, I used one of the smaller Uniden non-powered external speakers as well as a generic smallish external speaker off of Amazon for my scanner and dual band radio, respectively; and had both under the front edge of the passenger seat in my 4Runner; they worked, but just couldn't get the volume I wanted out of them.

On the Tundra I bought an open box set of Kicker KSC2704 replacement speakers for the dash corners as well as a pair of 1/8" mono to speaker wire adapters and used some left over speaker wire to run from the scanner and Icom 2730A to the dash. In my truck all 3 dash speakers were unplugged after the stereo install, and the dash corners were just empty wasted space (the center channel speaker grille holds a dual USB charger and the GPS antenna for the scanner). This was definitely the ticket for improving sound quality and especially volume. Both sources are crystal clear and PLENTY loud; total investment was about $50. I'm sure I could have just cut the connectors off the OEM harness and used the stock speakers, but this just seemed easier, and I had already tossed all of the OEM speakers in the trash when I did the stereo.

 

That's the sauce right there!!!!

 

Hah, the Alinco DJ-F1T was my first HT as well. I still have it though I need a new battery (debating about a new battery or a new HT).
I just got around to mounting my Yeasu FT-8100R in my '07 Tundra. Its not the prettiest (I have to figure out how to mount the head better) but I put a center mount NMO antenna (comet B-10NMO) on it yesterday (and of course today Ida rolls through). The unit itself is mounted under the center console. I have an external speaker mounted right infront of the cig lighter (so I can still get to the power outlet for my phone charger).

Its run directly to the battery at the moment, but I need to figure out how to wire it in so it comes on when I turn the car on and I don't have to worry about powering it on and off.

I'll update with some photos on thursday once the weather clears a bit.

CQ,
KD4QWI

 

Is that a midland gmrs handset there also? That is one option I’m looking at since everything is on the handset and won’t need a faceplate for it.

 

Just noticed my typo on the radio! I've got the refillable battery case EDH-5 for mine, not sure if you can find any but...

If you do get a new HT look at the FT-60R, you'll like it and the prices are cheap.

I'm hoping to finish the install of my Kenwood TM-D700 tomorrow, got the kids and grandkids coming today. I'll post pix as well.

 

It is the Midland GMRS. Works really well.

 

Bought a Rago dash plate and a remote mount for a kenwood ham I have. Plan to mount the radio in the console to keep it hidden and not punch holes everywhere.

 

Well got it installed about 2 weeks ago. Not real happy with the antenna on the FL fender but with the sunroof I suppose but if anybody has punched a hole in the roof and put in a NMO mount and not had problems with the sunroof please let me know. I did consider drilling thru the fiberglass topper but decided against it.

I put the control head in front of the shifter.

The mic is on the center console.

I put the RT unit under the drivers seat.

It's nice to not have a lullaby antenna so that's where the ham antenna went.

Here's a closer look at the antenna mount.

I ran the RF cable across the firewall protected by some 1/4" split loom.

I ran the RF and DC cable into the cab via the rubber boot behind the ABS brake system

The radio is an old Kenwood TM-D700 and has 200 memory channels, I'd still be using my TM-708 but the 700 is computer programmable. The battery voltage is delayed 10 seconds to allow the truck and battery voltage to stabilize after starting by a relay. The RF cable is RG174, pretty thin so getting it thru the boot was pretty easy. All the wires were inserted into split loom for protection. Next is the dash cam.

 

Question. Does anyone know how much cable I would need to run from under driver seat to the tailgate? I’m going to use the @ragofabrication tailgate mounts. My Icom 2730A is under drivers seat and will run to left rear. Regular CB will run to right side.

 

Does it really matter?
You will probably gave to Ham Up anyway and put connectors on at least the cab end to just get the coax there right?
So just get a too long chunk and make it yourself.

 

For those of you who have done an overhead mount like this, what’s involved in getting access to run the wiring up there? Do you have to drop the entire headliner, or is there a way to remove the overhead console pieces to gain enough access to the void? Really wanting to go this route, but leery about dropping the headliner.

Eyeballing the Yaesu FTM-400XDR and the Kenwood TM-D710G, and open for any suggestions.

 

I would say a minimum of 16 feet.

 

Thank you sir.

 

If you’re running from driver side front seat to rear passenger side tail gate for the rago you’re gonna need more than 16 feet. I think I ended up using about 26-28ft off a 35 foot cable to get to the rago.

It’s all the turns etc not a straight shot. It adds up

 

Ham will go from under drivers seat to left rear corner of truck. CB will go from passenger front seat to rear right corner.

 

Maybe you can tell us what its called?
I can not comprehend what it is for even?

 

Looks like a push to talk app. Lots of these out there they use internet for communication. I wouldn’t rely on it in the boonies

 

Maybe this....

https://youtu.be/ZRfRMHrrEQ4