Help with Mobile Radio Selection

[Colchester-Taco]

Hello all!

It is time to upgrade the rig (2015 Tacoma) with a Mobile Radio. I am ARRL Technician Certified. My goal is to acquire a radio for the rig but I am out of my element here. I am generally mechanically inclined - but have no radio installation experience nor any idea what components I need. Really I am looking for guidance on what would be a good setup including mobile radio, antenna, and all components. I already have a UV-5R but would like to have a mobile radio in the truck.
Are you guys running Dual Band Radios? Do you prefer just a hand held?
Communication will be from rig to rig on the trail.
Looking forward to what you guys can teach me.

 

[WareWolf MoonWall]

Hello all!

It is time to upgrade the rig (2015 Tacoma) with a Mobile Radio. I am ARRL Technician Certified. My goal is to acquire a radio for the rig but I am out of my element here. I am generally mechanically inclined - but have no radio installation experience nor any idea what components I need. Really I am looking for guidance on what would be a good setup including mobile radio, antenna, and all components. I already have a UV-5R but would like to have a mobile radio in the truck.
Are you guys running Dual Band Radios? Do you prefer just a hand held?
Communication will be from rig to rig on the trail.
Looking forward to what you guys can teach me.

I am personally using my Icom ID-51a and a good roof mount antenna that I ran through a rubber gasket already in the passenger door jam. I run the charger, and have a suction cup mount inside my console. I work it using a hand mic.

I have been able to work everything I have needed, which I am calling success.

I take the radio in with me when not in use, and have routed all the wiring clean.

 

[Anak]

Dual band can be nice for rig to rig communications on the trail. It is S.O.P. for one of the groups I wheel with. Having dual band means there is one channel for banter and a separate channel for the trail leader. That way the leader doesn't have to contend with the banter in order to get important information out in a timely manner.

I am happy with my Kenwood TM-V71A. I have the head remote mounted in the coin tray in my console. No way the whole radio would fit there, but the head does fit, and that puts the important part in clear view and easy reach. I like Kenwood radios as they generally have buttons for the most important features without having to dig deep into menus.

I expect your biggest challenge will be the antenna. It seems most folks are afraid to put a hole in the roof. I will say go ahead and put a hole in the roof. Especially if you are going to install a proper mobile unit.

(Edit to add: For the antenna I recommend the Diamond NR770. It is a good dual band antenna. Not particularly expensive. Can be folded down if need be for overhead clearance. Can be had in black or silver depending on your preference. Can be had with different mounting connections depending on your needs. For a roof mount you would probably want an NMO mount.)

The other path to take is to just use a handi-talkie and a mag mount antenna. If you go that path I would suggest you look at some sort of mount for the handi-talkie. Look into something like Lido mounts if you think you want to go that route. A radio flying around in the cabin is not good for radio, cabin or occupants.

 

[Prerunner1982]

A handheld inside a vehicle doesn't work all that well. To the vehicle in front of you ok but put a little distance between you and it can quickly go down hill. Sure you can run an external antenna on a handheld (HT), and a battery eliminator, and a hand mic and then you get cords going in every direction.
For simple vehicle to vehicle comms you will get by fine with just a 2m mono band mobile radio. You can get them from Kenwood or Yaesu for about $120-$130 right now.
I was going to run a 2m mono band mobile but found out that the largest linked repeater system in my state was on 70cm, so I saved up and went with a dual band. It's also nice to be able to monitor two frequencies at once such as a local repeater and simplex.
Take a look at repeaterbook.com and see what repeaters/systems are in your area or the area you plan to travel.
Having more capability is never a bad thing, if it's in your price range.

 

[hfd376]

I had been running a pair of Diamond Antenna K400S-NMO mounts on the hood of my Tacoma. They're very similar to the trunk lip mounts, but are adjustable to get vertical. I had a low profile uhf antenna on one for DMR, and a Larsen NMO270 on the other, on either side of the hood. They worked well, and installed with no issues. I have seen quite a few of thses mounted on hatchbacks, and some even on the rear doors of suv's. A not of caution, if the trail is overgrown, and you're using an open coil antenna, sometimes the branched will get hung up in the coil and bend your antenna. I prefer using a mobile radio, along with a handheld, so i can spot others on the trail. I'm using a dual band fm/p25 rig as primary, a uhf dmr rig, both of those are remote mounted. I stick a small GMRS rig in the truck when we hit the trail, as many in my group have the frs radios. I had an ARB Summit bumper installed, so I've moved the antennas to it.

It looks like you have a Tacoma, I've got one as well, it's a 2017 Off Road. There are a couple of big grommets you can carefully push a guide wire through to run coax or power wire through. I have drilled the firewall fairly high up. I ran a piece of 10 ga. wire to feed a power pole distribution box to feed unswitched 12 volt to the cab. I got the box from Quick Silver Radio, they are a great source of the Anderson Power Poles. HRO, Ham Radio Outlet has a pretty good selection of mobile mounting options. Many of the newer hm rigs have the option of remote mounting, that is, the face plate separates from the body. You can mount the radio part on the back wall or under the seat and just have a cat 5 type wire coming to the control head, making for an easy install.

 

[madcratebuilder]

I use a handheld BaoFeng BF-F8HP with a Nagoya Antenna. Easy to program with software.

 

[bendts]

What can you afford to get?

I would say get a dual band. You'll want to get one later anyways, so if you can afford it, get it now.

As for the antenna - yes a roof mount is the ideal place for height and radiation pattern - BUT... If you live in the city, you will most likely forget one day and race into the parking garage and rip that $80 antenna right off and kink the roof. Yippy. Ask how i know that. Plus if you want to add any type of rack in the future - now you have a antenna in the way.

I would mount the antenna on the hood - yeah its a bit lower than the roof, but 3 feet will make no difference. Plus its out of the way for parking and tree's. Comet, Maldol, and Larson, etc. all make good solid mounts that will clip to the lip of your hood.

 

[Colchester-Taco]

What can you afford to get?

I would say get a dual band. You'll want to get one later anyways, so if you can afford it, get it now.

As for the antenna - yes a roof mount is the ideal place for height and radiation pattern - BUT... If you live in the city, you will most likely forget one day and race into the parking garage and rip that $80 antenna right off and kink the roof. Yippy. Ask how i know that. Plus if you want to add any type of rack in the future - now you have a antenna in the way.

I would mount the antenna on the hood - yeah its a bit lower than the roof, but 3 feet will make no difference. Plus its out of the way for parking and tree's. Comet, Maldol, and Larson, etc. all make good solid mounts that will clip to the lip of your hood.

Ideally I would prefer to stay under about $1500. And I am a firefighter / EMT so it would be awesome to be able to also add in the emergency frequencies here as well. (It is legal for me) - I think your right with the hood mount - most firefighters are currently running hood mounts and so are most LEOs up here so it can’t be too bad of a system. I really like the ICOM units I saw

 

[J.W.]

You’ll need a second radio for your department. Most public safety frequencies are outside of the Ham bands these days unless your department has some ancient legacy system. Could you find a radio that will narrowband the frequencies you need? Sure. But it’s cheaper to just buy one from your local radio shop already set up for your department.

Best setup I’ve used is the car kit for my work radio. Keeps my portable charged and it takes up less space.

 

[bendts]

$400 to $500 for the radio and $125 for the Antenna & Mount, and you should be set. And Ill install it for you for the left over $900.

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www.hamradio.com

 

[Bilbo]

I use a handheld BaoFeng BF-F8HP with a Nagoya Antenna. Easy to program with software.

How are you liking the BaoFeng BF-F8HP. Any missing features that you wish you had?

 

[madcratebuilder]

How are you liking the BaoFeng BF-F8HP. Any missing features that you wish you had?

I have most of my programing done. I still want to set up a scanner on police/emergency freq's. Only used short range in the field, seems fine.