HAM or CB radio mounting location (1 Viewer)

[FullyLitLED]

So my new financial adviser(fellow member who will not be named) lol has told me that a good upgrade to have is the 2m radio. I need to find a good place to mount either the ham or cb radio. I am taking the ham test this friday after work. Post pics of your setup. This may help future 100 series owners as well!

Keep the mall cruiser flaming to a minimum pls I am seriously trying to get this truck ready for the beginning of august

 

[nakman]

I run a Yaesu FT-8800. Remote faceplate is under the 12v outlets on the tranny hump, wire comes up through t-case shifter. Remote speaker is under the DS armrest. Main radio is under the passenger seat, powered from aux. fuse block from 2nd battery. Antenna is mounted to side of front fender. I don't have a CB.

Here are a couple pictures of the antenna mounting and power:

If you have a 2nd battery, my best suggestion is wire the Ham to it, rather than your primary. that way when you leave it on you can still start & stop the truck, and it doesn't power spike the radio. Plus it's cool to check voltage each time you turn on the radio.

 

[neoworm]

I'm running a Kenwood Tm-V71A. It's a dual band with a detachable faceplate and the display can be switched from amber to green to match the interior.

I mounted the body of the radio inside the center armrest next to the CD stacker and ran all my wiring under the shifter console. I find that space just accumalates a lot of useless crap anyway. I also mounted a remote speaker under the shifter console in the dead space next to the tcase lever.

The faceplate got mounted where the overhead sunglass pocket used to be. I'm not sure what sunglasses Toyota engineers designed that pocket for but I've never seen a pair that'll fit in there. I ran the wiring through the headliner, down the A-pillar and under the shifter console to the radio.

The Ant. is mounted to the boss provided on my ARB combo bar.

It was a lot of work and I had to make a bunch of new CatV cables to connect everything but in the end the install is so clean it was worth it. The best part is there was almost no cutting or drilling required for this aside from the four rivets for the radio bracket and a small hole in the bottom of the center console box to pass wires through. For the faceplate I made a bracket that mounted to the factory bolt that holds the overhead console in place. If I ever sell the truck and want to keep the radio I can just pop the sunglass pocket back in and replace the center console box and it's back to stock.

Here are a few pics.







Radio bracket riveted to the center console box. Mounting under the PS seat wouldn't work for me because of the NAV. Mounting here also gave me easy access to the PC cable port on the back of the radio. I can just open the console and plug my PC right into the radio.













Ant.



I don't have a pic but the Mic cable just slips in under the shifter console next to the passenger seat.

 

[nakman]

Neo, slick setup! I like the radio in the console, mine is a big cavern of junk so putting it there would have been logical.. how hot does it get in there when you're transmitting though?

LJ I should have pointed out since you have a 98 you need one of these Slee mic holders Slee - Interior Products

 

[SHAGGY101]

I have only have a CB right now. It is a Cobra 75WX ST. It is very small and compact and super easy to install. I got my kit from CB Radios & CB Antennas - Cobra, Uniden, Wilson, K40 & Firestik. It includes everything you need plus some.

To install, I hooked my power up to a fuse block I installed in the cab. I placed the small box that the mic unit hooks up to in the console and then ran the mic hookup to the left of the 12V outlet. The mic was mounted to the extra panel in the console, opposite of the CDL (my MP3 player is hooked to it in one of the pictures). The antenna was run to the back and mounted to the hatch. The aux speaker was routed to where you could place a garage door opener or the sunglasses holder on other models and covered with wire mesh.

When I get my HAM I will be mounting it under the PS seat and the head unit somewhere on the console with the aux speaker next to my CB's and the 2m antenna on the opposite side as the CB's

 

[FullyLitLED]

Thanks Neo and Nakman for the setup pics! I will definitely keep these in mind when I do my Ham setup!

Nakman, are you going to make a hatch mounted antenna mount anytime soon for the 100 series? Very clean craftsmanship on your end as I have seen on your site!

Shaggy101, wow thats craftmanship! I dont know if I can handle that haha

Here is one of the radios I was gonna get

http://www.k8kdk.com/downloads/manuals/KDK-2030dcs.pdf

the other one is an Icom IC-2200h but its a bit pricey

 

[nakman]

thanks.. I probably won't make a hatch mount, there are a lot of like a Diamond K-401 or Comet CP-5 or RS720 that already get the job done.. and after I broke my second antenna on the rear hatch, I decided I like the fender location more anyway.

You should consider one of the remote face radios. I'm not sure where you'd stick one of those you have above, it's tough to find that much space. The Yause FT-7800/7900 are pretty rock solid, the Kenwood above is pretty sweet too it's more about your preference.

 

[FullyLitLED]

thanks.. I probably won't make a hatch mount, there are a lot of like a Diamond K-401 or Comet CP-5 or RS720 that already get the job done.. and after I broke my second antenna on the rear hatch, I decided I like the fender location more anyway.

You should consider one of the remote face radios. I'm not sure where you'd stick one of those you have above, it's tough to find that much space. The Yause FT-7800/7900 are pretty rock solid, the Kenwood above is pretty sweet too it's more about your preference.

I will be looking for that! I found one but its currently $170...yaesu 7900

 

[neoworm]

The radio does get warm but there is plenty of space around the radio. If I'm transmitting for a long period I can easily just open the console lid but I haven't had to yet. I ran a 271 mounted in the DIN slot in the dash of my 95 pickup for 6 years and nver had an issue. That was a lot more confined so this should be fine.

 

[5Cruiser]

Another ham about to be installed in a 100 series...

More pictures please...let me learn from those that have come before me.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

What model radio, that will help with ideas . . .

 

[1loudLX]

Another ham about to be installed in a 100 series...

More pictures please...let me learn from those that have come before me.

5Runner--->5Cruiser?

Which radio did ya get?

 

[5Cruiser]

5Runner--->5Cruiser?

Which radio did ya get?

Yup...you got it. 5Runner was my nickname when I had my runner. Even after I got my cruiser, it stuck with my wheeling buddies, but I had already registered here under the 5Cruiser. I would change it if I could. I finally loaded my avatar here on Mud with my custom rear emblem...yes...kinda dorky, but really funny when people ask me "what's a 5runner? I didn't know Toyota had that model?" Ha, ha!

I have my eye on a Yaesu FT-7900R. I like the removable face. I don't think I really need dual band for my purposes, but can't hurt. I know the next model up lets me work on two bands at the same time, but it also adds about $150 to my already skimpy budget.

My thought was to mount the face in the garage door opener spot, the body under the seat, and then extend the mic and a remote speaker to the dash.

Not sure the best antenna location on a 100 series...
-don't want to snag branches on the tight Colorado trails
-don't want to ruin my range with poor placement
-don't want to "trial and error" it on the location either

I passed my technician test last night!

 

[1loudLX]

There's not much space under the seats for a radio with the speaker amp on the pass side It might fit though. You also dont have any room underneath the driver seat.

You could do what I believe Neoworm did, mount it in the center console, then do the remote faceplate like you planned. I'd mount the speaker like Spressomon did in his headliner, check for that install. Uber clean. My speaker is mounted on the kick panel under the steering wheel, works pretty well.

I havent messed any antennas up (aside from the one I messed up because I didnt swap to the rubber one) on the CO trails having it mounted on the back in the door jamb of the hatch. Having a tight trail antenna and an antenna for more open spaces (like moab) would be a definite recommendation. If you dont plan on putting stuff on the roof(safari rack/RTT), an NMO mount smack dab in the middle is the best option, obviously.

You could also make a mount for the radio head to sit above the t-case shifter. See my install thread for details. I've since moved the main radio body to the front side of my drawer system, for easier access.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/electronic-toys/274334-yaesu-8800r-install.html
I'd love to help you install it all when the time comes, if you need help.

I'll start correcting my friend when she calls you 5Runner, you're now 5Cruiser dambit!

 

[5Cruiser]

I'd love to help you install it all when the time comes, if you need help.

I'll start correcting my friend when she calls you 5Runner, you're now 5Cruiser dambit!

Yeah, I think your right about under the seats. I also forgot that mine had a pretty big kenwood amp under the passenger seat when I got it. Hmmm?? Do you think mounting it in the dash is an air circulation issue for the cooling fan?

Sure, I'd love some help, and to meet some fellow local 100's. I didn't know you were in Colorado.

"...when she calls you 5Runner..." Hmmm...I think that could only be a few women that know me by that. I'm going to take a guess, Carlyn?

 

[no-pistons]

Here's my CB setup:

 

[no-pistons]

Few more:

 

[FullyLitLED]

Clean setup you got there

 

[RobRed]

Some of these installs are pretty ugly.

Brain in factory jack compartment



Head mounted to ash tray in perfect operational postion and quickly removable

 

[Wilsil]

I am looking at the options for installation of the UHF.
It would be perfect if I could use the garage opener holder, but it is a tad too small.
How do you get the lid out of it?
I had a look yesterday but couldn't see it quickly. The radio I bought is the UH7760NB, with all controls on the mic and the radio itself is size 100x95x24, pretty small.