Amateur radio installation
White&Nerdy
Senior Wagonist
Here's where I prove that I earned my username by showing what a nerd I am. 
I'm a ham radio operator (callsign KA1ULT), and I've put a mobile radio in my wagon. Here's how I did it.
This is the Kenwood TM-271A 2 meter mobile radio I just bought. This is why I'm glad my wagon does NOT have the super swank one piece center console thingy - the gap between the dash and center hump is the PERFECT place to mount this thing.
It came with its own bracket, so I screwed that onto the plastic trim piece, then attached the radio to it. Looks like it's made for it.
There are two other major steps - power, and antenna. The plug you see in my lighter is NOT powering the radio - it's hardwired directly to the battery. This particular radio puts out 65 watts on its highest setting, which would draw more current than the lighter can handle, or at least is safe. (For the curious, that plug goes to a 3-way outlet powering my XM radio, GPS, and phone charger.) I ran a single wire from the positive battery terminal into the car. A second wire just goes to ground, a bolt in the passenger footwell. I also added plugs so that I can remove the radio without cutting any wires. I have the same type of plug connected to a 12v power supply in the house.
As for the antenna, I chose a simple 1/4 wave. It's only 19" tall, so even on the roof of the wagon it doesn't twang against trees, garages, and so on. The higher radiation angle than a longer 5/8 wave actually works better to hit the mountaintop repeaters in my area, I think. At first, I used a magnetic mount antenna just stuck to the roof. I wanted a more permanent solution, though, so I bit the bullet and drilled a hole through the roof for a permanent NMO antenna mount. I removed the dome light and drilled straight up from there for the easiest access to the roof panel. The Larsen kit I used has worked perfectly - not a drop has leaked through. Then I just ran the coax above the headliner, down the A-pillar inside the trim panel, and under the dashboard to the radio.
And that's it! You could wire up a CB or scanner or something in a similar way.
I'm a ham radio operator (callsign KA1ULT), and I've put a mobile radio in my wagon. Here's how I did it.This is the Kenwood TM-271A 2 meter mobile radio I just bought. This is why I'm glad my wagon does NOT have the super swank one piece center console thingy - the gap between the dash and center hump is the PERFECT place to mount this thing.
It came with its own bracket, so I screwed that onto the plastic trim piece, then attached the radio to it. Looks like it's made for it.There are two other major steps - power, and antenna. The plug you see in my lighter is NOT powering the radio - it's hardwired directly to the battery. This particular radio puts out 65 watts on its highest setting, which would draw more current than the lighter can handle, or at least is safe. (For the curious, that plug goes to a 3-way outlet powering my XM radio, GPS, and phone charger.) I ran a single wire from the positive battery terminal into the car. A second wire just goes to ground, a bolt in the passenger footwell. I also added plugs so that I can remove the radio without cutting any wires. I have the same type of plug connected to a 12v power supply in the house.
As for the antenna, I chose a simple 1/4 wave. It's only 19" tall, so even on the roof of the wagon it doesn't twang against trees, garages, and so on. The higher radiation angle than a longer 5/8 wave actually works better to hit the mountaintop repeaters in my area, I think. At first, I used a magnetic mount antenna just stuck to the roof. I wanted a more permanent solution, though, so I bit the bullet and drilled a hole through the roof for a permanent NMO antenna mount. I removed the dome light and drilled straight up from there for the easiest access to the roof panel. The Larsen kit I used has worked perfectly - not a drop has leaked through. Then I just ran the coax above the headliner, down the A-pillar inside the trim panel, and under the dashboard to the radio.
And that's it! You could wire up a CB or scanner or something in a similar way.
Comments
Under the EQ
Love the ham setup. We need to find some way to hide those wires, though.