Off-Road Ranger I
- 2,809
- First Name
- Dave
- Last Name
- Kaplan
- Member #
1028
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- KG7IGY / WRTJ268
How do you have your radio mounted? Tell us about your installation.
I purchased an ICOM IC-V8000 2M radio used because it was what I could afford and most the repeaters here are on the 2M bands. Also, it has a front-facing speaker and cooling fan, which was something I wanted since it will go up to 75W and will be used in the desert. I also found this model ICOM is a mil-spec level of construction, so it should hold up well to shocks and vibration. The seller also threw in a rather nice whip antenna that mounted up easily to the hood. All in all, I think it was a pretty good score for $120.
I first ran power right from the battery through the firewall and into the center stack. I purchased a second coin tray from a guy online and cut it up/drilled holes in it to mount the radio (the original tray is unaltered and in the garage). I did have to cut some slots in the dash plastic under the tray to run the antenna and power cables, but those cuts would be completely hidden by the unmodded tray if it is ever reinstalled.
This worked great until summer, when the sun started to cause the radio to heat up faster than I would have liked. I made a paper template for a sun shade and then made a prototype out of Kydex. That lasted for a while until the Kydex melted in the heat, but it was a good proof-of-concept. Next, I got some aluminum scrap and had it cut and bent to shape. I painted it in textured Rustoleum that was almost the exact color of the dash and mounted it over the radio.
The mic has a patch of heavy duty velcro on the back and it hangs on a large velcro patch on the dashboard. I don't have to fumble around with getting it back in a hanger, I just slap it up there any which way so I can get back to watching the road.
I also have a Cobra CB, a 75 WB ST Remote Mount that hangs down by my right knee, since lots of people don't have their ham ticket in my usual group.
I purchased an ICOM IC-V8000 2M radio used because it was what I could afford and most the repeaters here are on the 2M bands. Also, it has a front-facing speaker and cooling fan, which was something I wanted since it will go up to 75W and will be used in the desert. I also found this model ICOM is a mil-spec level of construction, so it should hold up well to shocks and vibration. The seller also threw in a rather nice whip antenna that mounted up easily to the hood. All in all, I think it was a pretty good score for $120.
I first ran power right from the battery through the firewall and into the center stack. I purchased a second coin tray from a guy online and cut it up/drilled holes in it to mount the radio (the original tray is unaltered and in the garage). I did have to cut some slots in the dash plastic under the tray to run the antenna and power cables, but those cuts would be completely hidden by the unmodded tray if it is ever reinstalled.
This worked great until summer, when the sun started to cause the radio to heat up faster than I would have liked. I made a paper template for a sun shade and then made a prototype out of Kydex. That lasted for a while until the Kydex melted in the heat, but it was a good proof-of-concept. Next, I got some aluminum scrap and had it cut and bent to shape. I painted it in textured Rustoleum that was almost the exact color of the dash and mounted it over the radio.
The mic has a patch of heavy duty velcro on the back and it hangs on a large velcro patch on the dashboard. I don't have to fumble around with getting it back in a hanger, I just slap it up there any which way so I can get back to watching the road.
I also have a Cobra CB, a 75 WB ST Remote Mount that hangs down by my right knee, since lots of people don't have their ham ticket in my usual group.
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