Mobile Shack - 2000 VW Beetle

[K9DAK]

A few pics of my mobile setup.

FT-8000 bracket is screwed to a 2-1/2" PVC pipe cap, which is a perfect friction fit into the front cup-holder on the console. Bracket for scanner is simply a piece of wire coat hanger bent to fit between and clip into the two center vents. iPhone holder is a Pro-Clip. Reception is fine with the 800 MHz RS antenna.

[RodStrong]

Interesting. Especially considering there isn't room for much of anything in a car like that. .

I'm not sure I could handle the scanner blocking the good times radio like that, but again, not too many options I'm sure. At least you are thinking outside the box. It would be nice if the scanner would fit in the pro clip holder.

I would also try to tie down the mic cord somehow so it wouldn't interfere with cups in the cup holder, assuming you can get cups in them..

Nice job.

[bonez01]

That's a slick setup you've got their. I like how your antenna mount is adjustable. I bet at night it looks pretty sweet

[b7spectra]

Most people put flowers in their bugs. You put radios! Awesome!

[GKolo]

I like it !

[stingray327]

Originally Posted by keyseda

A few pics of my mobile setup.

FT-8000 bracket is screwed to a 2-1/2" PVC pipe cap, which is a perfect friction fit into the front cup-holder on the console. Bracket for scanner is simply a piece of wire coat hanger bent to fit between and clip into the two center vents. iPhone holder is a Pro-Clip. Reception is fine with the 800 MHz RS antenna.

All you need now is a 440 ci engine

[canav844]

Nice job with the challenge. I drive a mini cooper so I can appreciate the limited options for radio installs. Paint the coat hanger black and I think you'll have looking even slicker.

[K9DAK]

Thanks for the comments guys!

I feed the scanner audio through the car stereo's aux input; when not scanning I plug the iPhone in and listen to Pandora. That's one thing VW missed the boat on in this model - cup holders - they were all useless to begin with.

Yeah, it does look pretty sweet at night; I'll try and add a pic soon. One of my projects this summer is to repaint the mount and ham antenna; they were originally black.

It's a 1.8 turbo making 180 hp, so it's plenty fast enough - 0-60 in 6.5, still getting 25 mpg.

Ha! Good call on painting the coat hanger - I should have used a black one to begin with!

More pics coming soon - night shot, external ham radio speaker, 24 GHz receiver...

[VE7CFF]

Originally Posted by keyseda

Thanks for the comments guys!

I feed the scanner audio through the car stereo's aux input; when not scanning I plug the iPhone in and listen to Pandora. That's one thing VW missed the boat on in this model - cup holders - they were all useless to begin with.

Yeah, it does look pretty sweet at night; I'll try and add a pic soon. One of my projects this summer is to repaint the mount and ham antenna; they were originally black.

It's a 1.8 turbo making 180 hp, so it's plenty fast enough - 0-60 in 6.5, still getting 25 mpg.

Ha! Good call on painting the coat hanger - I should have used a black one to begin with!

More pics coming soon - night shot, external ham radio speaker, 24 GHz receiver...

I used coat hanger as a mic hanger in my Jeep Grand Cherokee. Used black shrink tubing instead of paint.

[K9DAK]

This past labor day weekend changed the PRO-106 to a PRO-197; stuck (and I mean STUCK) to the dash with heavy duty Velcro. Duplicated the Diamond mount on the other side of the trunk lid and added a Larsen 150/450/800 antenna. Also added pics of the 24 GHz receiver and external speaker for the Yaesu FT-8000 as promised earlier.

Happy New Year all!

[Porkins]

I love that speaker. How well does it sound? Also where did you get/more info to buy one?

[K9DAK]

That speaker was part of a no-name, hands-free cell-phone kit I picked up at a gun show at the Lake County Fairgrounds, back in what (set the Way Back Machine) 1990-ish? Had the kit kicking around for 10 years before doing anything with it. It also came with a sweet gooseneck mic, which I've subsequently lost track of. It sounds great; nice, full range audio with more than adequate volume.

[KC0CSE]

Originally Posted by K9DAK

This past labor day weekend changed the PRO-106 to a PRO-197; stuck (and I mean STUCK) to the dash with heavy duty Velcro. Duplicated the Diamond mount on the other side of the trunk lid and added a Larsen 150/450/800 antenna. Also added pics of the 24 GHz receiver and external speaker for the Yaesu FT-8000 as promised earlier.

Happy New Year all!

I like it!!!!!! never seen radios in a.....VW before....nice job!!!!

[ki4wbn]

Now it REALLY looks like a bug =)

[Skypilot007]

Originally Posted by stingray327

All you need now is a 440 ci engine

The would be a 302 ci engine !

[Dann]

Very Nice.

[03msc]

Originally Posted by K9DAK

This past labor day weekend changed the PRO-106 to a PRO-197; stuck (and I mean STUCK) to the dash with heavy duty Velcro. Duplicated the Diamond mount on the other side of the trunk lid and added a Larsen 150/450/800 antenna. Also added pics of the 24 GHz receiver and external speaker for the Yaesu FT-8000 as promised earlier.

Happy New Year all!

What antenna mount is that? I think it might work well on my Pathfinder's rear lift gate...

[K9DAK]

Thanks all for the kind words!

The mount is the Diamond K400CNMO:

Diamond® Antenna ~ K400C Trunk/Hatchback Mount

Got the mini-UHF/RG-8X extension cable for the ham rig, and the BNC/RG-174 extension for the scanner.

[03msc]

Originally Posted by K9DAK

Thanks all for the kind words!

The mount is the Diamond K400CNMO:

Diamond® Antenna ~ K400C Trunk/Hatchback Mount

Got the mini-UHF/RG-8X extension cable for the ham rig, and the BNC/RG-174 extension for the scanner.

Thanks!

[stingray327]

Originally Posted by Skypilot007

The would be a 302 ci engine !

that too