2010 Chevy Impala

So this project is finally coming to a stopping point after about a year and half. I purchased this vehicle by happenstance as a way to get rid of debt and my payment and this was on craigslist in my price range. Came with a Havis Console mounting Plate and complete prisoner cage. Fortunately my RAM mounting box, some of the mounting holes aligned with the plate!

I purchased the RAM box first intending to remove a center arm rest in my previous vehicle, a 14 Jeep Compass but the box simply wouldn't fit and there was only one bolt option available. I slowly started collecting equipment and accessories needed to make it a functioning stack, (Radios, face plates, antennas etc) because we know this hobby is oh so "cheap!"



Top to Bottom
Kenwood TM-V71A (VHF/UHF)
/\/\ XPR550 (DMR)
Uniden BCD996P2
Uniden BCD536HP



The Power run was interesting. This being an old Police cruiser, they cut a hole in the firewall and glued it shut on the back side of the engine before it was installed so that was not an option. I opted to go to under the hood mount by removing the paneling bolts and hood mount bolts, lift and tug on the sheet metal a bit, and run along side the engine compartment. Boy that was a fun task.





I am using a MFJ-1117 Power Pole Strip In the cabin which avoided running 4 sets of power cables to the battery as I don't agree with splicing into current lines with ample power. On the Prisoner cage behind the console is a Uniden BC7 5W Speaker shared between the two scanners.






Antennas (L to R)
PCTEL Maxrad for the 536
Browning BR-180S for DMR
This one I got from a friend, Unkown what is, Solid Quality RX tho for 996P2
Larsen Special for the Kenwood

**Kind** feedback and opinions welcomed.

Thanks

I like that mix of radios - the v71 is a nice 2m/440 radio, great pair of scanners, and of course the Moto XPR is nice. I'm kind of concerned about the closeness of those 4 antennas...I've heard people talk of damaging the 'front end' (receiver) of their scanner when transmitting with an antenna that's too close to another antenna that is connected to it. Not necessarily a jab at your install, as it could be that the NMOs were already there and it's understandable to use them, but just an observation. Is that something you've already taken into consideration?

Antennas WAY TOO close, you may burn out the receiver frontend in the radio connected to these antennas.

You could have run all those radios off the factory police harness there is more than enough power the 2g battery cable will get pinched by the hood

03msc said:

I like that mix of radios - the v71 is a nice 2m/440 radio, great pair of scanners, and of course the Moto XPR is nice. I'm kind of concerned about the closeness of those 4 antennas...I've heard people talk of damaging the 'front end' (receiver) of their scanner when transmitting with an antenna that's too close to another antenna that is connected to it. Not necessarily a jab at your install, as it could be that the NMOs were already there and it's understandable to use them, but just an observation. Is that something you've already taken into consideration?

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03MSC, Unfortunately when the decomissioned the car they cut most of the prerun antenna lines so that was Not a viable source. You and CmdrWill bring a up a great point with the antennas.. Thankfully I havent transmitted on this set up yet. What Im thinking of doing is putting the transmitting antennas on the ends as far as possible away from eachother and the two receivers in the middle. Unfortunately on the trunk lid the way its enforced underneath the NMO wont go through that reinforcement as I see it. These NMOs are all installed by me, and all the others were on top, which opens up a whole new can of worms; removing headliner or snaking the nmo up passed airbags etc

FFPM571, when the car was removed from service they really did a great hack job at removing all power sources at the battery connection and inside. All ive go to work with is a harness of cut wire that basically goes no where sadly.

Thank you guys for your perspective

This ground wire looks damaged:



I would replace ASAP - this could potentially lead to radio damage if the circuit ground is poor. Not sure how that may have occurred, but it looks like there is a hard kink in the wiring and some places where sharp body panel edges are contacting the wire housing. I would suggest re-thinking how you've run the power into the cabin, starting by removing any runs of wire that have those hard bends, and route them in a way to minimize rubbing against the body panels and other sharp edges. Use rubber grommets, split loom housing, zip ties, etc where appropriate.

caphab1 said:

What Im thinking of doing is putting the transmitting antennas on the ends as far as possible away from eachother and the two receivers in the middle.

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They are still going to be too close

Transmitting antennas - one on the left side of the trunk and the other on the right...then the scanner antennas on the roof would be better, for example. Receive antennas can be next to each other, no problem - it's the transmit antennas that need to keep their distance from other antennas.

I'd shorter the ground cable to a seat bolt or frame of car,you want ground as short as possible unless you want audible tachometer.Space the antennas out as much as possible.How bout some on the roof?

The scanners you can use F-Connector to BNC connectors and a cable TV splitter to both scanners to minimize antennas......Make sure it says 5-1000MHZ or more.

Nice setup on the radios, and I have to concur that the antennas are way too close. I did note it looks line one of your antennas is a mag mount, that is good, I would say get rid of it and because it is a mag-mount when it is removed you won't have a hole to worry about.

I would then have a antenna mounted on the roof and have both scanners feed off of that antenna. I would then remove the
DMR antenna and replace it with a dummy uhf antenna so that you don't have a unsightly unusued mount.

I would then use the location where you had your first scanner antenna and use that for your DMR radio. Also, if the kenwood and the DMR are in the same band I would get matching antennas for the DMR on the left side and the Kenwood on the right. That way it doesn't look like a hodge podge of an antenna farm. Alwasy strive to improve upon your current install. It takes time and a little money, but sometimes it can be found on the cheap. Ebay is always good for good equipment at a good price.

Just to tell you about my install. I have a 2013 taurus and I have uhf mounted on the roof. On the trunk, I have 3 antennas mounted (looks to be a triangle configuration. Left antenna is a low profile for a 800mhz scanner. Center antenna is for a CB radio, and the right antenna is for 2m/440 rig. Hope that helps some

I really liked the radio set up, nice choices! As everyone else is saying you should reroute the power cable immediately - there has to be a better way through the firewall to get into the front compartment. All you have to do is search for it. And when I saw the antenna set up I cringed. Get them all as far away from each other as you can. There's nothing like keying up your ham radio and hearing all of the static going through and out of your scanners!

Mike

The magnet mount looks like a Larsen NMO150/450/800.

cbehr91 said:

The magnet mount looks like a Larsen NMO150/450/800.

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Mast does, base doesn't. Comtelco? Something similar.