Wiring new Ham Radio- Battery or underhood Fuse Block?

[cc93cruiser]

Couldn't find a defintive answer after searching.... I have a new yaesu radio i will be installing this weekend and was wondering where to run the power wire to.. I have a blue Marine fuse block under the hood right next to battery that I want to run the pos and neg wires from radio.. Everyone says to wire the radio directly to battery terminals... Was wondering if there woukd be any issuses in wiring to my fuse block since it's literally a foot away from battery?

 

[1911]

Wiring straight to the battery is the certain way to avoid interference problems, but I've had good luck wiring mobile 2M and dual-band radios to a clean auxiliary fuse block (that I installed myself) in two different trucks.

 

[WB8LBZ]

I have used Anderson Powerpole, DC Power, Wire & Cable, Two-Way Radios | Powerwerx for my DC power needs. There are a bunch of choices, the fuse block you mentioned sounds like a good start.

Larry
in El Paso

 

[cc93cruiser]

Thanks guys, I think I will wire it to my block. I will post pics when done this weekend.. This is my 1st mobile radio so I am excited... Just sucks that I can't use it yet since i am not a licensed ham.. Been studying on and off, but there is no testing in my area at the moment because of all that's going on now... FWIW, I went with a 2m radio yaesu ft 2980...

 

[1911]

Thanks guys, I think I will wire it to my block. I will post pics when done this weekend.. This is my 1st mobile radio so I am excited... Just sucks that I can't use it yet since i am not a licensed ham.. Been studying on and off, but there is no testing in my area at the moment because of all that's going on now... FWIW, I went with a 2m radio yaesu ft 2980...

Great radio and a good choice. Predecessor model (FT2800) was my first radio, and I still have and use one. Stone reliable, always works, every time.

Good luck with your test, hope you can find one soon. Keep taking the online practice tests.

 

[cc93cruiser]

Great radio and a good choice. Predecessor model (FT2800) was my first radio, and I still have and use one. Stone reliable, always works, every time.

Good luck with your test, hope you can find one soon. Keep taking the online practice tests.

Thanks, it is only a single band radio. For the price, positive reviews and the power it packs, it was an easy decision. Just finished most of the install on Radio in the interior of my 80 and ran antenna wire all the way to the rear hatch. Then ran the power up wires through a oem firewall grommet.. Just need to connect to fuse block...I will have some pics tomorrow. Radio fit perfectly between the drivers side seat and middle console once I removed a square cup holder from console (sucks, that I lost a cup holder!). There is no interferance with the hand brake either.. Happy with the way it came out and it is out of plain sight and still easy to operate...

 

[Otter]

Sounds like you already got your answer. Just FYI, I ran a 4ga cable to a remote fuse block in the back of my 100 series. I wired my Kenwood 2m to that fuse block. Haven't had any issues with interference.

 

[wapitimud]

You should be getting your license first before installing the radio. I would hope the microphone isn't in the vehicle at least.

There IS a definitive answer to this.

Always wire the radio to the battery. Period. No exceptions to that.

If it's a decent mobile radio, it'll have an ignition sense line. The radio is always wired to the battery directly with a 20A fuse or larger for a VHF radio. The ignition sense line from the back of radio gets a 2A fuse, and is wired to the nearby fuse panel. When the vehicle goes ignition on, the radio senses this and turn on off constant power.

This is how ambulances, police cars, fire trucks are wired.

 

[cc93cruiser]

You should be getting your license first before installing the radio. I would hope the microphone isn't in the vehicle at least.

LOL, why? It is not illegal to listen to the radio bands without a license, just to transmit. I would have my license already if it was not for this whole pandemic going on at the moment ( I was scheduled for a ham cram course, but was cancelled and there are no exam testing or cram sessions scheduled for the foreseeable future either in my area). I am taking advantage of the extra time to do my own cram sessions, plus taking practice testing at least 5 times a day, I have passed my last 10 practice exams, so I think I should be good to go when I do get to take my exam...

 

[1MOA]

LOL, why? It is not illegal to listen to the radio bands without a license, just to transmit. I would have my license already if it was not for this whole epidemic going on at the moment ( I was scheduled for a ham cram course, but was cancelled and there are no exam testing or cram sessions scheduled for the foreseeable future either).

check with AARL and the local ham club. They conducted the first online technician class exam last month and the FCC is opening it up after the FCC chairman responded in minutes to the suggestion and allowed the testing to begin 9 days later

USA conducts first all-online ham radio exam | Southgate Amateur Radio News

The first remote all-online amateur radio Technician license exam was carried out in the United States on March 26, 2020

www.southgatearc.org

 

[cc93cruiser]

check with AARL and the local ham club. They conducted the first online technician class exam last month and the FCC is opening it up after the FCC chairman responded in minutes to the suggestion and allowed the testing to begin 9 days later

USA conducts first all-online ham radio exam | Southgate Amateur Radio News

The first remote all-online amateur radio Technician license exam was carried out in the United States on March 26, 2020

www.southgatearc.org

You know, I have been seeing a lot of youtube videos where they were discussing this very same topic, looks like it could happen sooner rather than later.. I keep my eyes open or try and get a hold of someone in my area as you mentioned.. thanks...

 

[WB8LBZ]

@cc93cruiser hopefully there is a local club or two that will welcome you along. Listening to local repeaters is a good way to get used to the way they are used. The clubs I belong to have a web sites with club info. This quarantine will be lifted soon and testing in your area should start again. Good Luck

73, Larry WB8LBZ
El Paso, TX

 

[LongDuck]

There's no FCC rule about listening to HAM radio witout a license, or all scanners would be illegal. In fact, I had an old Kenwood TM-281 that I bought as a backup to later find out it wouldnt transmit at all: bad finals. Kenwood wanted $85 just to look at it, plus shipping both ways made that the cost of just buying another one. I plugged in a 1/4w whip, soldered some alligator clips to the power leads and gave it to my 16y/o nephew who uses it to this day to scan HAM repeaters for fun. It won't transmit, so I kept the handset as a spare for my mobile in the LandCruiser. He loves it.

Speaking of power hookups, most mobile radios do just fine wired through the main fuseblock, but it adds a layer of complexity when you have to troubleshoot signal noise on the radio. This is why all the radio manufacturers tell you to direct wire to the battery terminals, because they want you to get the best possible performance without having to call and bother them to learn you wired it into your alternator lead and have an audio tachometer!

More important is leading the power AND antenna cabling as far away from other sources of current as possible. Shielding only goes so far, but if you find an untraced noise in your mobile, a power filter (*just a set of matched capacitors to soak up the signal spikes) can be had cheaply and are very effective.