New Honda Pilot install

N9JIG · #1 (**permalink**) 03-17-2009, 08:45 PM

Well, I have had my new Honda Pilot for 2 weeks now and made some decisions on radios. I kept the various control heads in the car and played with them to figure out optimal placement while stuck in traffic over the last couple weeks.

I spoke with my mobile radio installer and he will help do some of the work, I will do the rest.

I have acquired 3 RH96's since I stupidly sold off my BC796D with a remote head last year. I am kicking myself in the butt for that now!

I will have 5 radios in the Pilot, my Kenwood TM-D700A dual bander, a UHF and VHF pair of Moto CDM1250's and 3 scanners. I haven't decided if they will be 2 BC15's and a 996 or 2 996's and a BC15...

The heads for the CDM's are in the covered console cubby under the center arm rest, since I really don't need to access the controls that often. I mounted the heads on a short piece of 2x4 that fits right into the console and lifts them to the perfect height.The 2x4 can not be seen under the heads. This also allows enough room to fit the control cables and get the mics plugged in. The console has slots for wires under the lid, presumably to allow an iPod or other device cable to fit thru since the iPod, auxiliary audio, AC inverter and 12 volt accessory connections are in there. The mics will stay just below the head for the scanners described next.

Just forward of the console cubby I mounted an RH-96 bracket and two RH-96's piggy backed to each other. The third RH-96 will be just forward of the drink holders, mounted with velcro to the plastic divider. This one will be covered when the sliding console door is closed. This arrangements satisfies the wife in that the drink holders are still usable and no (visible) holes will be drilled. (If she doesn't notice the screws holding the bracket for the two RH96's I am golden!) The Kenwood head is mounted on a bracket that goes into the little cubby below the radio/AC controls and above the large Nav system rotary knob in the center dashboard.

Under the front passenger side seat I have a small piece of aluminum stock on which is mounted 5 small communications speakers from a company called Opek. I found them at a hamfest a couple weeks ago, they are small (slightly less than 3 inches square) but provide real loud audio. The assembly is just wide enough to fit between the left and right rails for the seat and set low enough to clear the seat movement and motors. I tried one of them on a BC15 with the windows open and I could still hear the radio well.

In the rear cargo area there is a large well under the cargo floor. On the right side is the holder for the tire jack. Just forward of the tire jack gear is a square portal to the passenger area that is where the remote cables will be fed. A little notch between the jack area and storage bay will be made for the cable package.

In the cargo bay there will be a piece of plywood cut and painted to match and fit set on the floor. On this plywood will be mounted the 3 scanners, 2 Motos and the Kenwood shelf units. Also mounted on it will be my trusty old Garmin GPS and a Stridsberg multi-coupler as well as a fuse box for the various radios. The GPS will be connected to the 3 scanners and the TM-D700A. I had this set up on my last vehicle and it worked great, so I saved the custom cable assembly that I made.

My installer will mount the 5 antennas on the roof (GPS, VHF CDM, UHF CDM, Dual Bander and Scanner) with NMO mounts (Wife approved of the holes here...) and the cables routed into the cargo well and radios. He will also run a hi-cap power cable from the battery for the CDM's and a pair of power cables that are ignition switched for the rest of the radios and CDM turn-ons.

I already have run a multitude of cables for the radios: 5 speakers (3 for the scanners and 2 for the Kenwood), 3 RH96 control heads, 2 CDM control heads, the Kenwood control head, mic extension for the Kenwood, antenna cable (for the 4th port on the multi-coupler to use with a handheld scanner). Several of these (Speakers, scanner heads, Kenwood heads) required extensions, Radio Shack sells nice stereo mini and 2 wire mini extensions that were used. A regular Cat-5 is used for the Kenwood mic extension and a regular phone style 4 wire extension works great for the Kenwood head.

Once the installer adds these cables and antennas the cables can be dressed with loom and the install will be complete.

Pics will be posted as soon as the project is done.

WatnNY · #2 (**permalink**) 03-17-2009, 09:33 PM

I can't wait to see it personally! I'm thinking 5 radios in a car might be a little overkill -- but then again in my area I have the Sheriffs and State Police to listen to -- woo hoo!!! Sheriffs and State Police dispatch all the village PD's in my county.

emd001 · #3 (**permalink**) 03-17-2009, 10:59 PM

Cant wait to see it!

j86u · #4 (**permalink**) 03-23-2009, 03:06 PM

I'm eagerly looking foward to the pics!

N9JIG · #5 (**permalink**) 03-23-2009, 04:20 PM

I'll have some preliminary photos soon. I completed the board with the radios mounted to it for the cargo area and have run most of the control and audio cables.

I hope to get a slot at my installer this week so he can install the antennas and power cables.

tonsoffun · #6 (**permalink**) 03-23-2009, 06:18 PM

Sounds great Rich. I remember you talking about running the scanners with one CAT-5 cable to the remote heads, did you come up with something that would work?

Can't wait to see the project finished. Be sure to take lots of pics.

Ron

burner50 · #7 (**permalink**) 03-23-2009, 08:29 PM

Cant wait to see it...

N9JIG · #8 (**permalink**) 03-23-2009, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tonsoffun

Sounds great Rich. I remember you talking about running the scanners with one CAT-5 cable to the remote heads, did you come up with something that would work?

Can't wait to see the project finished. Be sure to take lots of pics.

Ron

I decided to go with extensions instead. I got 3 of the stereo mini extensions (one each for the RH-96's) and 5 mono extensions (one each for the speakers) I actually already had in my junk boxes 4 monos and a stereo so I only had to buy 2 stereos and a mono. I did use a Cat-5 for the Kenwood mic and a 4 wire phone cord for the Kenwood Control head. There also are the two cables for the CDM heads and a RG-58 for the 4th port on the multicoupler to be connected to a HH scanner.

I mounted an RH-96 in the little pocket above the round Nav Knob without drilling holes (as per the Wife Rules...) I took a peice of 2.4 and cut it with a slight bevel to kind of jam into the slot, and mounted a piece of trim wood on this, with HD velcro on both the RH-96 and trim board the head fits there right nicely! The Kenwood head will be mounted on a ProClip mount to the right of the Nav screen.

tmfok7 · #9 (**permalink**) 03-25-2009, 04:52 AM

Well, it's been 8 days since you made your original post so....I'm guessing you should be about ready to put up some pics of the install? I can't wait to see this!!!!!!...

OTA-K · #10 (**permalink**) 03-25-2009, 05:10 AM

Now what kind of nonsense is that !!!!!!!!!!!

You describe all of that, in great detail, yet you post it in the pics section ????!!!!

Post it only when you are finished

Cruel.....Very cruel, sir !!!!!

swstow · #11 (**permalink**) 03-25-2009, 05:35 AM

hurry up im turning blue from holding my breath

N9JIG · #12 (**permalink**) 03-25-2009, 05:47 AM

I will put up the preliminary shots this afternoon, the installer will put in the antennas and power next Tuesday and I will be ready for the final view.

N9JIG · #13 (**permalink**) 03-25-2009, 10:32 PM

OK, I have preliminary pictures posted at Pilot Radio

More to come when the job is done!

bassjunkie · #14 (**permalink**) 03-26-2009, 12:07 AM

Great install so far! Can't wait to see the finished job... might inspire me for the new car I'm receiving next week

tmfok7 · #15 (**permalink**) 03-27-2009, 03:24 AM

You're get'n there.....Can't wait! Looks damm good so far!

WatnNY · #16 (**permalink**) 03-28-2009, 12:12 PM

I am very impressed sir. And I take back my earlier statement of needing so many radios -- now that I have read why on your web site it all makes perfect sense to me! 8-)

tmfok7 · #17 (**permalink**) 03-31-2009, 12:51 PM

We're still waiting!....

N9JIG · #18 (**permalink**) 03-31-2009, 07:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmfok7

We're still waiting!....

It is going to the installer tomorrow morning!

tmfok7 · #19 (**permalink**) 04-01-2009, 03:19 AM

We'll be looking for the pics by sometime this weekend then!!!!...

N9JIG · #20 (**permalink**) 04-02-2009, 09:13 PM

Well, I finally got my install finished. My installer put in the antennas and the high power leads and I did most of the rest. It works great so far, but I am a little less than enthused with the volume from the speakers, they may have to be moved somehow.

Other than that it seems to be working well.

You can see updated pics at Pilot Radio

Enjoy!