2 meter radio install 2017 Silvy

[rrmccabe]

Few pictures of my install of my Icom 2730a in my 2017 High Country using a brake light antenna mount. Still waiting on external speaker.

 

Extended the mic cable to under the drivers seat and mounted a bulkhead connector to plug mic into but forgot to take a picture.  Its likely the external speaker will go under the drivers seat firing forward as well.

 

TIG welded a little bracket to mount the head unit to the business card holder.

 

 

 

Ran the power cables direct to battery

 

 

Through the accessory nipple on the firewall.

 

Wiring down along the sill plate

\

 

Radio mounted under back seat and wiring for mic, head unit and external speaker under carpet. Radio does not come with bracket so made one to attached to the Seat bolt on floor.

 

Mic bracket on side of console.

 

Head unit installed

 

Third brake light mount. Stupid expensive but very nice.

 

 

Mount installed

 

 

Brake light back on.

 

 

Larson 5/8 wave (I don't use 440)

 

Good match.  It really needs about another 1/2 clipped off the antenna.

 

Made a wire to pull the antenna over when I pull it into garage to wash and parking garages.

 

Bottom end has a hook with a couple layers of shrink tubing.

 

 

73,

kd0zv

Rich

 

 

[sethro274]

Few pictures of my install of my Icom 2730a in my 2017 High Country using a brake light antenna mount. Still waiting on external speaker.
 
Extended the mic cable to under the drivers seat and mounted a bulkhead connector to plug mic into but forgot to take a picture.  Its likely the external speaker will go under the drivers seat firing forward as well.
 
TIG welded a little bracket to mount the head unit to the business card holder.
 
 

 

Ran the power cables direct to battery

 
 
Through the accessory nipple on the firewall.

 
Wiring down along the sill plate
\
 
Radio mounted under back seat and wiring for mic, head unit and external speaker under carpet. Radio does not come with bracket so made one to attached to the Seat bolt on floor.

 
Mic bracket on side of console.

 
Head unit installed

 
Third brake light mount. Stupid expensive but very nice.
 

 
Mount installed

 
 
Brake light back on.
 

 
Larson 5/8 wave (I don't use 440)

 
Good match.  It really needs about another 1/2 clipped off the antenna.

 
Made a wire to pull the antenna over when I pull it into garage to wash and parking garages.

 
Bottom end has a hook with a couple layers of shrink tubing.
 

 
73,
kd0zv
Rich
 
 

Looks good! Where did you get the antenna mount?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rrmccabe]

1 minute ago, sethro274 said:

 

Looks good! Where did you get the antenna mount?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

From these guys.

 

https://www.pciraceradios.com/products/brake-light-antenna-mount?variant=2139856076809

 

Super simple install. Less than 30 minutes. Removed screw in top of C pillar and tipped it out. Used a wire to snake coax over and was able to get coax to bottom by just tucking it in the pillar molding.

 

 

[Hobey]

Wow, Great clean afterlook......appreciate all the pics for future reference!!!

[GTPprix]

Hey Rich!!

 

Love that mount I'm going to have to pick one of those up; thanks for sharing I had no idea that was a thing! 

[rrmccabe]

Chris, how the heck are ya!

 

FYI, I  did a review on the antenna and they sent me a code  REVIEW542 which should knock about $30.00 off.

Rich

[rbrjr1]

awesome information.

I was looking into adding a radio. I dont have a floor console in my truck, so mine would attach to the dash.

 

is there a decent 440/2M antenna out there to meet my needs?  (also like the 3rd brake light mount)

[lonestardiver]

If you are looking for around town hitting repeaters then the Larson 1/4 wave 2m antenna with that NMO mount will work well as a dual band antenna. It is only about 18” tall so it helps to clear drive throughs.

I use such most of the time and even though I live in a rural area I can hit all the different machines I need to with no problems.

If traveling I’ll switch to a 1/2 wave dual band.

[rrmccabe]

I agree with above.  I am a simplex guy so rarely catch me on a repeater so I went with a 5/8 ~

 

But Larson, comet and diamond all have a nice selection of 2/440 antennas.

 

I like Larson because its flexible.  Some of the others are super rigid and I wanted more "give" in the antenna.

 

[GTPprix]

Chris, how the heck are ya!
 

FYI, I  did a review on the antenna and they sent me a code  REVIEW542 which should knock about $30.00 off.

Rich

Hey man! Doing great hope you are as well thanks for the code that will definitely help can’t wait to get a rig into this thing couldn’t really find a way I liked before seeing this!

[lonestardiver]

Although I have found that at certain speeds the 5/8’s wave will sing due to vibration.

I am working on mounting a Tar Heel screwdriver on my ‘18 ccsb behind the toolbox. Being I have an hour drive each way to and from work I like to work 17m in the afternoon when it is open.

[rrmccabe]

Speaker came today.  Just a brand off Amazon that is sold under 100 different names. They sell for only $13 to $15.

 

Sound is good and happy with it. Figured I would add a couple pictures.

 

 

Just screwed it to plastic cover. You can also see the bulkhead connector (yellow arrow) I added along with CAT 5 shielded cable to extend the mic.

 

[rrmccabe]

23 hours ago, lonestardiver said:

I am working on mounting a Tar Heel screwdriver on my ‘18 ccsb behind the toolbox. Being I have an hour drive each way to and from work I like to work 17m in the afternoon when it is open.

What are you running for a rig and where are you mounting?

 

I have been a ham for 35 years and have never ran HF mobile. Mostly because I do not want to deal with antenna.

[lonestardiver]

I will either use my IC-706MKiig or my FT-891 for HF.

[lonestardiver]

I will probably mount the radio behind the rear seat and fabricate a mount for the control head so I can spin the dial while resting my arm on the center console.