Cab access for Hamradio and Public safety antennas and power ?

[ES44AC]

Hello I am a NEW user.  

 

 

Does anyone here have any suggestions on a access holes to the cab for a 2018 Silverado LTZ  to run power and Antennas ?

 

I'm a Hamradio operator and  public safety ,so I have 2-3 radios to mount. This was much easier in my 2006 Silverado Z71 LT3. 

 

 

James A.

[lonestardiver]

Where are you going to mount your radios and antennas?
What sort antenna mounts are you going to use?

You can run power cables from the battery to behind the seats via the cab vents between the cab and truck bed. That is also a good location to run antenna cable out unless you are going with an NMO mount in the roof.

Under the rear seat or behind the rear seat is a good spot to put radios as in inside the console if you don’t have the Bose sub.

73,
KD5SFA

LJFD LT 51

[ES44AC]

I'll look at the cab vent ,I did not think about that.  I don't think I have the Bose sub. I'm going to mount the W3 Astro Spectra VHF P25 under the rear seat and the XPR4550 UHF DMR(remote head) under the rear seat.  I my use an XTVA for my 800,not sure yet on that.

 

I want to use a NMO roof mount ,but its a hard decision to drill the holes right now with this new truck   

 

Thanks ,

KJ4SZO 

[lonestardiver]

If you have a tool box you can mount antenna’s on that.

What band is your P25 radio ?

[ES44AC]

2 hours ago, lonestardiver said:

If you have a tool box you can mount antenna’s on that.

What band is your P25 radio ?

I have a tonneau cover.  I may explore making a bracket to go under the edge of the cover.  I will have a short run of coax that way. 

 

 

The P25 W3 Astro spectra is VHF ,its the higher split VHF. I can still go out of band to ham band ok. It's a 599 Flash,if you know anything about Spectra's . This is the best Flashcode. 

[slj2008]

Check out www.breedlovemounts.com  ,  I have one of his stake pocket  mounts  ( EZN model ) , front of bed , ran wire down an came in hole plug under back seat , ran power wires from battery under truck to same hole . my ham radio FT-8800 mounted under seat , with remote head on dash driver side ( A- plier )800 radio mounted under ashtray , with ant. mounted on corner of hood ( trunk mount ) 

[Ravenkeeper]

I also had a tonneau cover, on my '15, I ran my CB antenna thru a drain plug in the floorboard, under/behind front seats (near inboard rails), up thru stake holes, with a stake hole extension bracket.  Fishing the antenna cable thru the stake hole, down to the drain at the bottom, was the fun part, could barely get my finger in to pull the end of the cable to/thru that tiny little hole.  I had to cut the connector off, run the cable where I wanted it, ziptied it, and soldered a new connector to it, in the cab.  I had to switch from a heavy duty spring to the super duty barrel spring, cause it ended up with a slight bend in it.  I eventually used a Steelie Phone Mount to hang my mic, see first pic and then third pic. 

 

 

 

[ES44AC]

Thanks for the pictures Ravenkeeper !

[Madcow2020]

Loosen the headliner pull it down a little drill the hole as center of the cab as possible. Make sure to use dielectric grease on the nmo mount and the proper MOTOROLA $5,000,000 spaner wrench and get the best grounding plain you can. Just bite the bullet. Or stop by your departments radio shop and the installers there will be more than happy to drill the hole for you to help ease the sting.


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