Mobile Ham Setup Planning (2M/70cm)

[rbeau30]

So, not really going to get into any other bands right now in my vehicles. Just recently got my tech license, and I want to start planning a mobile setup for my truck.

Got a '98 Dodge Ram extended cab.

Just got TM-D710A instead of a Kenwood TM-V71A (Thanks ChadAmberg!).
Diamond NR73BNMO (Thanks ChadAmberg!).
Diamond K412SNMO antenna mount that I am going to utilize as a secondary mount for testing or whatever (Thanks ChadAmberg!).
GreenLightLabs GPS-710 (Thanks ChadAmberg!)
A bunch of extra cable extensions (Thanks ChadAmberg!)
Awesome Kenwood SP-50B Speaker


Goals:

- Once I run the wiring and install mounts, I don't want to change it, so I will need the best coax, mount setup, power wire, etc.
- I want the antennas to be mounted on the roof, with the Motorola NMO mounts. (Planning on 3 mounts for further expansion)
- Not sure what Antennas I am going to settle on.
- I want the power routed to under the folding rear seat where I am planning on putting the radio unit(s).
- Going to run the head unit to just under the dash where the fold-down cup holder folds down.
- Remote cable, and power need to be ran in a way where it is invisible, probably going to find a way to run some conduit under carpet perhaps.
- Power will run to the back seat where I will have a distribution point that is expandable, fusible, grounded well and power can be shut off.

I am assuming some of the solutions I can get at Car Audio places.

What have you all used and liked? What would you stay away from?

I'll post pictures as I finish. And post the shopping list in the OP as I piece it all together.

Pics as it looks now:
ha ha

[streetglideok]

Good dual band radio choice. Its on my list to get soon, if not the 710. You really want power straight from the battery, anywhere else you risk picking up noise. Batteries work a lot like a capacitor, and function much like a noise filter. My rig is hard wired straight to the battery. Since you wish to run power back to a distribution point, look into power poles. You can outfit your rigs with the connectors, and plug right into a fuse protected strip. You can find them on hamradio.com and hamcity.com, take a look. Larson is considered amongst the best stuff, so I would get a Larson NMO kit. Drill your 3/4" hole, fish it thru, and you're on your way. Larson is considered the best for the vhf/uhf antennas, but a little less money, there is also Comet and Diamond. As for multiple antennas, how many rigs do you plan to run? Dual banders only need one antenna. If you migrate to HF mobile, you'll be running a different mounting system due to the stress on the mounting system. You also don't really want to run them too close together either. Make sure your roof is metal, which it likely is, but double check.

[rbeau30]

Thanks streetglideok, I think that is exactly the info I am fishing for.

I may add a CB, however I may run the antenna off the hood or a more sturdy mounting point (102" whip), so you are right, maybe I need less holes. If I ever decide to get into the HF stuff you are right the mounting options are going to be different. Now that you added this info, perhaps one or maybe just two holes will suffice? Perhaps I would like a second hole to hook up an extra antenna to utilize or test a hand held one day? Not sure... but I would like to solve as many possibilities as possible so I can tear apart interior a little as possible.

I am wanting to run one heavy is gauge wire to the distro point straight from the battery. This whole wiring job I want to make look the nicest possible.

As far as how many rigs I want to run, just the dual bander right now, but if I get into more or want to try out something more, I would like the expand-ability there.

[streetglideok]

You may look up this ham's website... k0bg. He has a lot of good info on there, though some is not gospel. I have a magmount antenna that I use in my apartment for an Icom 2100 for ARES nets, etc. that I'm going to throw on top of my jeep next sunday. Reason: we're going to be using a mix of vhf, and uhf bands for the race, and my jeep currently has a 2m ft2900 in it. My handheld is dual band, and just in case I have a hard time with repeaters I will use the mag antenna with it. So you can either run a second antenna mount and cap it to protect it till you need it while you're there, or use a mag mount for rare times you need a second antenna. Flexibility is a good thing to have, especially if your needs include emergency situations, or helping during events. Singlestack may chime in on what he has seen and learned so far as well.

[hobowh]

If you are going to use a 102" whip you can use a steel bar mounted to the frame in the rear of the truck, this will allow you to mount it without drilling into the thin body metal, and still use the tail gate. It will be a little directional, but still work well. best direction will be diagonally across the body of your truck, takes a little tweaking to get the SWRs right but is durable, and allows for the whip to be clipped forward if you have to go into parking structures.

[ChadAmberg]

Definitely recommend the www.k0bg.com site also. There's much more info than you'll need to get started though, so don't worry too much about the deeper details, you simply want a good antenna mount in as close to the middle of sheet metal as you can get, good grounds everywhere, and a few other key rules will get you 95% of the way to great signals everywhere.

Now, down here in the Springs, I know there's a commercial radio installation company that does good work. What's nice is that the NMO antenna mounts are standard for commercial gear now, and you show up with your vehicle, they'll probably have done dozens of the same vehicle and can knock out the antenna and power line install in no time at all.

[streetglideok]

This was taken this am on the peak. You can see my NMO mount in front, and the magmount towards the back.

[gnihcraes]

Personally:

I won't mount on the roof anymore. One good whack from a low tree limb or a parking garage warning strip, you'll have a major hole in the roof or it gets soft and the antenna won't stay straight anymore. I've done it.
Trunk Mount center, side or side of the hood mount.

Power poles are you're solution, along with a rig runner if possible, straight to battery. Don't try connecting stuff through the existing car fuse blocks unless you have too.

Consider a remote speaker, the speaker in the radio is too far away to hear and in a noisey truck or car it can make things difficult.

Ham Radio Outlet has great antenna cable setups from Diamond or some other brands, very tough wires and in varying lengths for each setup.

As for the Dodge Truck, I'd see about mirror mounts or go to the hood, on the side. Be prepared to make a custom radio mount too, the stock ones don't always fit where you want them.

A couple examples of my setups:

[gnihcraes]

Also, put clear bra under any magnet mounts or lip mounts like I show in the photos. When you take off the mount in a few years, you still have good paint underneath.

Remote Head mount radios are great too, stuff the control box under a seat, behind the dash and then mount the head wherever the cables will reach.

Just a few of the things I've learned over the years!

[gnihcraes]

Use one of these on the Plus side of the battery. (some say to fuse the negative side also, but I never have yet)

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...ks+%26+holders

Put on a large eyelet for connecting to a battery clamp on the battery.
Put on a powerpole on the other end.
Same with Negative side, eyelet, wire, power pole. Heat shrink them together. You now have a disconnect if you have to remove the battery or make changes.

I always solder all connections too, not just the silly crimp spade connectors. If I do use these, it's only eyelets for battery connection, and they are soldered and heat shrinked.

If you need a good place for "Grounds", drill a hole on an inner fender, put a long bolt through the hole to the inside of engine or firewall, with star type lock washers, makes a good ground, then you can put eyelets on the bolt and another nut to keep multiple ground wires at one point. (convenience)

Here is the place to get good wire, power poles and all the cool stuff:
http://www.powerwerx.com/

I'll post a photo tomorrow of my current setups with wiring examples.