Ham Radio and CB Radio Mobile Installation Highlights

Рет қаралды 14,666

3 жыл бұрын

Here are some highlights from installing a Ham Radio and CB radio in my 2007 Chevy Suburban.
links:
www.walcottradio.com/
Antenna Mounts:
CB:
www.walcottradio.com/gm3l-fen...
2 Meter:
www.walcottradio.com/nmo-ante...
President McKinley CB Radio:
amzn.to/3v5dZYR
My Amazon Store:
www.amazon.com/shop/sevenfort...
My Wife's Art:
laurelwoodstudio.com/
/ @mindyzielfelderart
My Merch:
www.grapevineamateurradio.com...
The KZfaqrs Ham Radio Bunch:
youtubershamfest.com/
#mnhr #hamRadio #cbradio

Пікірлер: 65

@RobertHurlbutCS 3 жыл бұрын

Great setup! I did something similar last summer for my Jeep in mounting antennas for CB and 2m/70cm. It was great for a long trip.

@amudlifecrisis 3 жыл бұрын

Well done! I have a Silverado so this gave me some great ideas for installing a new antenna on mine. Thanks

@news_internationale2035 2 жыл бұрын

When I wire in radios, I usually take positive directly off the battery, fuse used of course. The negative side goes to the body closest to the battery as possible. I also usually get rid of any stupid fuse on the negative side of the power cord the manufacturer might provide. If the negative fuse pops but the positive doesn't, you can have so many resistance problems that might be damaging where the current is trying to ground out elsewhere from the radio. I also put static/lightning arrestors on the antenna jack before the coax goes into the radio. They are to catch any shock that might hit the center conductor, and takes it to the outer shield of the arrestor should also have a bolt for a ground wire which should be attached to the shortest route to the body.

@TheNoCodeTech 3 жыл бұрын

Great video man. XYL won't let me drill a hole in the vehicle. I feel ya. #MNHR #TeamReplay for the win!

@just_in_time5518 3 жыл бұрын

Looking forward to it!

@ReedAB8AS 3 жыл бұрын

Good Planning. Nice Install. Clean & Neat.

@paulcarcamo6992 Ай бұрын

Excellent video thank you for sharing 😊

@just_in_time5518 3 жыл бұрын

Very clean job! Looks good Rob! :)

@SevenFortyOne 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@txkent 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! I have a 2013 Silverado LTZ with the same console and couldn't find anyplace to mount my Yaesu FTM-400. It's been very frustrating. You helped me solve the problem with minimal drilling.

@SevenFortyOne 2 жыл бұрын

Nice radio!

@K5YVY 3 жыл бұрын

Nice Rob! We just got a ‘11 model Tahoe. Wife claims it , so won’t let me do any antennas lol

@Davidjb37721 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the help

@k2cjbradio 3 жыл бұрын

Great install!

@SevenFortyOne 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

@JettaJ1 2 жыл бұрын

Nice install

@Dallas-Rife-UDX-347-Tennessee 3 жыл бұрын

By the way you already know this I’m sure ,, on that Firestick you can get a longer nail at the hardware store and put in the top of that antenna and tune it down to near perfect impedance ,, I’ve don’t it more than once 👍.. and you got lucky on the 2 meter ,, great job man I really enjoyed the video , I watched it twice lol . I just did a similar install on my Jeep , roof mount , everything tucked under the headliner , a Wilson 5K ,, it was a pain in the A$$ ,, I had to end up ordering the 66 inch stinger ,, the 62 inch that came with it was electrically too short , and it took 2 weeks to come in , but after trimming about 1.5 inches or so off ,, I got a 1.2 and better across the 27 MHz band ., 73’s to you , keep up the good work

@hatchetjackphillips 2 жыл бұрын

Good video! I now know how I’m gonna run the wires to the battery for my GMRS radio in my 2006 Silverado. I’ll probably just keep my cb powered through my cigarette lighter.

@Dallas-Rife-UDX-347-Tennessee 3 жыл бұрын

Very nice setup Rob , and very nice radios . Good to see another amateur not be ashamed to install a decent CB radio 👍. Very nice to have on road trips when you need to know why the interstate is a parking lot , and sometimes entertainment when your tired and need a good laugh at grownups acting like idiots 🤦🏼‍♂️,, sometimes I might be guilty of getting them amped up on channel 19 when I’m bored on a road trip 🤫 😂😂.

@SevenFortyOne 3 жыл бұрын

I agree 💯

@tailfire09 Жыл бұрын

I have a similar setup in my farmtruck. I jave a steel flatbed. Both mount are the aluminum angled mounts. I've found the swr on the cb doubles when I mount the dual band ham antenna. I'm guessing in need an isolator on the ham antenna?

@samuelpatchett684 Жыл бұрын

Why didn’t you use the 12V outlet in the center console for power?

@Dallas-Rife-UDX-347-Tennessee 3 жыл бұрын

Let’s make it happen 👍

@1crazynordlander 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing. We have to take a trip to Georgia this summer and I would like to have a radio in the car with me. In your humble opinion do you get useful chatter from CB radio when traveling the interstate systems? I am worried about (peaceful) demonstrations as I travel through large cities.

@SevenFortyOne 3 жыл бұрын

I haven't used mine much while travelling in many years but will be soon. I use mine to mostly keep tabs on a couple of local groups of people. I do listen to the truckers on the interstate from time to time and don't hear much - just quick notes on traffic issues and once in a while conversations between two truckers heading the same way.

@mattriley6866 3 жыл бұрын

So with the McKinley do you plan on using the side bands or is that what the 2 meter is for?

@SevenFortyOne 3 жыл бұрын

I will use the sideband to talk to some local hams that restore classic cb radios. The 2 meter radio is FM and I use that to talk to my local ham friends.

@John-622 Жыл бұрын

How did you keep your signal more omni directional? Wouldn’t mounting the antenna there make it more directional? Ty

@SevenFortyOne Жыл бұрын

On paper there is a pattern but in the "real world" it really isn't noticeable most of the time. In other words, I didn't really worry too much about it.

@kevinkc3onohelijeepworld953 3 жыл бұрын

Rob not sure if that newer SUVs have rear air ducting that could go through the Cntr console. Or sum have ducts that drop out under the front seats. Maybe you could use sum small tubing to cool the 2m rig n 11m and route from the suvs cooling. Just remember in winter when you have heat coming from those vents 😉😉

@SevenFortyOne 3 жыл бұрын

Good idea!

@richgolfs 2 жыл бұрын

Where is the best location on a vehicle to mount a ham radio antenna? I have watched KZfaq videos of overland bounders that have ham radio set ups, and they are mounting their antennas on either their front bumper or a ball guard in front? Does that make sense? Is that the best place or is it just there for sale?

@SevenFortyOne 2 жыл бұрын

The best place electrically is top dead center of the vehicle's roof. But if you want to get into a normal sized garage that's a problem for bigger antennas and bigger vehicles. Over landers put their antennas on their bumpers to keep the antenna from hitting branches and other low hanging objects or because they have cargo or a roof tent on top of or in the rear of the vehicle. Also, many overlanders travel in groups and don't get separated by more than a few miles from their friends so even though range might suffer a little with a bumper mount the radio still works well enough to stay in contact with their group.

@streetpunk99 2 жыл бұрын

Does that antenna bracket replace the plastic trip that you pulled off to access the mounting bolt or does it snap back in place once the mount is bolted in?

@SevenFortyOne 2 жыл бұрын

The cover snaps back in place over the bracket

@streetpunk99 2 жыл бұрын

I have a 21 trailboss and I'm really struggling with a solution for mounting an antenna as I really can't stomach drilling holes in a 65 thousand dollar trucks roof. This option doesn't look to terrible which is one thing I'm kind of trying to avoid.

@brentjohnson6654 2 жыл бұрын

Another great video! I have watched with interest as I have a new GMC Sierra 1500 with a console much like yours. I like the mounting of the 2m antenna on the fender like you did, but I am wondering about RF exposure. I calculated it for me and I needed 5 feet for 50W FM at the 2m/70cm bands. Honestly it would depend on how much it is used with a passenger since it is far enough away from the driver. What are your thoughts on this? This was why I had been looking at installing a NMO mount on the roof of my crew cab using the metal for extra protection. I am not sure if I am making sense, and don’t take this as criticism but an honest question. Thanks for all your video content, I always learn something. 73 de KI5HXM

@SevenFortyOne 2 жыл бұрын

Good question and that you are paying attention to rf safety. I never transmit with a passenger sitting next to me so it isn't an issue for me. If it were, I would move the antenna to the roof using an nmo mount or mag mount base

@brentjohnson6654 2 жыл бұрын

@@SevenFortyOne oh makes sense. To be honest I don’t know how much I would use 2m/70cm. In the 70’s I did chat slot on 11m or cb. Maybe HF rag chew on the road will suit me. Speaking of 2m, I thought at first I would get like a FTM-400 but when I imagine using 2m, it seems it would be used at the qth and not mobile. I am not saying I wouldn’t use it but I should be wise where I spend my money.

@SevenFortyOne 2 жыл бұрын

The ftm400 is an expensive radio.

@Fox250R 2 жыл бұрын

Why did you mount it so close to your cab?

@SevenFortyOne 2 жыл бұрын

The next fender bolts were at a steeper angle and this bracket doesn't articulate so it wouldn't have worked right

@Fox250R 2 жыл бұрын

@@SevenFortyOne How is your swr?

@fansalarmslightingetc 3 жыл бұрын

1st

@n5yiz 3 жыл бұрын

The washer is not used for the 3/8" hole.

@SevenFortyOne 3 жыл бұрын

No, I'm just using them as a shim under one side of the bracket to keep it level

@n5yiz 3 жыл бұрын

@@SevenFortyOne The plastic washer with the NMO. It's only used with a 3/4" hole.

@SevenFortyOne 3 жыл бұрын

I respectfully disagree. This a 3/8 only mount. I don't think the washer would have been included if it wasn't needed or at least useful in some way.

@n5yiz 3 жыл бұрын

@@SevenFortyOne The mount can be used with a 3/8" or 3/4" hole. That's why the bushing was included.

@SevenFortyOne 3 жыл бұрын

Ok, I see that now. I didn't know these could be used with a larger hole.

@crabjockey 5 ай бұрын

something about using a 13mm socket on a GM truck is against the grain. But I'm Canadian and the Metric system is better so I like it.

@SevenFortyOne 5 ай бұрын

GM vehicles have been mostly metric since the 80s

@crabjockey 5 ай бұрын

@@SevenFortyOne could explain my allure to chevy trucks

@martykm6pra114 3 жыл бұрын

Real Ham operators drill holes! Lol

@SevenFortyOne 3 жыл бұрын

I usually do but I plan to put a rack on top so the fender mount was the way to go here

@AndrewMurphy8383 3 жыл бұрын

THEY ARE CALL FMF CONNECTORS

@daveN2MXX 2 жыл бұрын

You would be much better off bending the coax and not using those cheap 90-degree Amazon pl159/so239 adapters- they are garbage and will likely eventually fail in a mobile situation due to vibration. Also, when you place a fuse on the negative wire to the battery, all current will be forced through your coax and antenna mount if that fuse opened due to a short....that is why Motorola never suggests a fuse on the negative battery connection in their installation manuals for professional radios.

@SevenFortyOne 2 жыл бұрын

The adapter I used was an NOS Amphenol connector .. much better than the Amazon ones.

@daveN2MXX 2 жыл бұрын

@@SevenFortyOne Ahhhh...ok....very smart. I didn't catch that in the video.

@buzzsah 3 жыл бұрын

So, you're a real ratchet jaw lol. The new vehicle looks good.

@SevenFortyOne 3 жыл бұрын

Yessir!

@ronobanion574 2 жыл бұрын

There’s a few ham operators violating FCC laws by transmitting on CB band channels. Stupid MFs tie up the radio waves for hours on end flapping their gums

@tailfire09 Жыл бұрын

Citizens Band is open to all so I'm assuming u are just referencing the plausibility they are using more than 4 watts..?