Enthusiast I
I’ve been reading threads and watching videos about installing my new Yaesu FTM-400XDR in my Jeep. I finally finished up today, here’s what I’ve done so far:
I wanted to mount the antenna on the rear, don’t want it to get ripped off by branches if it were mounted with a lip mount on the hood. I picked up a Diamond K400S. It’s mounted on the top of my Smittybilt aftermarket tire carrier. It’s paired with a Diamond NR770HB dual band antenna. It sticks about the roof a foot or so but it‘s pretty flexible and hinged so I can drop it down if height is a problem View attachment 217865
The main radio is mounted under the passenger seat. I put a piece of plywood under the carpet and screwed the mounting bracket through the carpet . The coax the came with the antenna mount was just long enough to reach the radio with not an inch to spare.
View attachment 217866
Power was run up to the firewall and through the hole that is behind the removable panel on the side of the dash. For some reason Yaesu put fuses in both the hot and the ground wire. I took the fuse holders apart to make it easier to fish the wires through the hole.
I wanted to mount the head unit on top of the dash in the accessory tray. I ran the cable up the side of the dash. There is a space between the windshield and the dash that the cable can lay in. You can see how I ran it and the power cables through the access panel.
View attachment 217867
I don’t have a permanent mount for the head unit yet, I need a riser for it to sit high enough in the tray.
My only complaint is that the microphone cable isn’t very long. It’s a stretch (pun intended) to get it to reach from under the seat to the mounting clip I have on the passenger grab bar. Probably have to buy an extension cable.
Overall it was an easier install than I anticipated.
I wanted to mount the antenna on the rear, don’t want it to get ripped off by branches if it were mounted with a lip mount on the hood. I picked up a Diamond K400S. It’s mounted on the top of my Smittybilt aftermarket tire carrier. It’s paired with a Diamond NR770HB dual band antenna. It sticks about the roof a foot or so but it‘s pretty flexible and hinged so I can drop it down if height is a problem View attachment 217865
The main radio is mounted under the passenger seat. I put a piece of plywood under the carpet and screwed the mounting bracket through the carpet . The coax the came with the antenna mount was just long enough to reach the radio with not an inch to spare.
View attachment 217866
Power was run up to the firewall and through the hole that is behind the removable panel on the side of the dash. For some reason Yaesu put fuses in both the hot and the ground wire. I took the fuse holders apart to make it easier to fish the wires through the hole.
I wanted to mount the head unit on top of the dash in the accessory tray. I ran the cable up the side of the dash. There is a space between the windshield and the dash that the cable can lay in. You can see how I ran it and the power cables through the access panel.
View attachment 217867
I don’t have a permanent mount for the head unit yet, I need a riser for it to sit high enough in the tray.
My only complaint is that the microphone cable isn’t very long. It’s a stretch (pun intended) to get it to reach from under the seat to the mounting clip I have on the passenger grab bar. Probably have to buy an extension cable.
Overall it was an easier install than I anticipated.
