BCT15/GPS temp install

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R1VINCE

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Recently, i had to take a "short notice" family business trip to Montana. After alot of thought as to whether or not we should take the bus, train, fly or drive, we decided on driving. Then came the decision as to whether to take my Avalanche, which was already equipped with antennas and radios, or to take her altima-which ofcourse had no radios.
You would think-----
DUH---NO BRAINER.

Well, reluctantly, we chose the Altima because of the gas prices. So i had to make up something quick to get my hobby into this car. And no- i didnt/couldnt settle for a hand-held with suction cup antenna.

It had to be temporary because I nor she wanted any holes punched into this vehicle.
so....this is what i came up with on an EXTREME budget and short notice(3days).

I used a short piece of UNISTRUT and some UNISTRUT braces, bolts, nuts, and a can of HD Rustoleum flat black paint.

Also the Antenna is a hybrid--
I took an old Wilson1000 antenna magmount and took out the whip...drilled out the opening with a 1/4 inch bit
Next i took an old RS Mobile Scanner antenna i had lying around(which is still available in the stores) and took the whip out and installed it into the 1/4inch hole i drilled out of the Wilson mount.

I did this because it was so temporary i had to use a magnet mount. Well on the Altima, the trunk and hood are both made of ALUMINUM----no good for a mag mount.
I had to put the magnet on top of the car where the steel was---but i didnt think the RS magmount would hold up to the 75MPH speed limits we would encounter along the way while on top of the car. So i made this up...
hope you like.....
 
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N8DRC

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Looks very cool, nice install....Now if I can convince my wife to let me do something like that in her Magnum for Dayton this year..
 

ScanDaBands

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very cool for a temp - bracketology 101
cool.gif


How'd that "hybrid" antenna work out for RX ??
 

Astro25

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That looks like a Wilson CB antenna mag-mount base. Whatever works! :D

[edit]: Wait, you already said that. Whoops!
 

af5rn

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N. Tex / S. Fla
ROFL@that antenna :lol: Before I even read all of your post, I was figuring out exactly what it was. That RS antenna whip is thick as hell. I'm surprised you got it to fit. How is it working on the various bands? Can you hear any difference over the stock configuration you took it from?

Sweet install! Where do you get that unibrace stuff?
 

N8IAA

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Did the Wilson base give good reception on lo band stuff? Just wondering, I have one of those and could convert it the same way with a RS antenna. Love the bracket!
Larry
 

scannerdweeb

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Vermilion, OH
Nice install, however keep in mind the path of the deploying airbags in the case of an MVA.
Don't want to be wearing your install brackets or scanner on the way to the hospital. Don't mean to be critisizing, but sometime convenience keeps us from remembering those safety restraints. I have had to change my share as well after the fact. be safe and keep up the great work. scannerdweeb.
 

appalachianscanner

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Re:

Get you one of the lido mounts for later, and u can always unscrew the baseplate and leave the bottom bracket attached to the track, be sure to hammer the U shaped tounge to a O tho, there flexible, slimline, and prolly less lethal than ur temporary abrams tank mount...job well done....STURDY!!!
 

R1VINCE

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Fairfield, Ca.
ScanDaBands said:
How'd that "hybrid" antenna work out for RX ??
works so well, im gonna put it on my truck!
bee said:
Where did you get the "mount"!
its an ols wilson1000 magmount from my CB days that i dont/didnt use anymore-glad i didnt throw it away!
af5rn said:
ROFL@that antenna :lol: Before I even read all of your post, I was figuring out exactly what it was. That RS antenna whip is thick as hell. I'm surprised you got it to fit. How is it working on the various bands? Can you hear any difference over the stock configuration you took it from?

Sweet install! Where do you get that unibrace stuff?
i used a 1/4 inch drill bit and some WD40-
-the UNISTRUT can be found at home depot. Im an electrician and we use this stuff for bracing/hanging our conduit. It was extra stuff from the job site, but we get it at home depot.
Bill_White said:
Good job on such a short notice, temporary install...
I was expecting something with a bit of Duct tape. :D
the duct tape did cross my mind for a second.....A SPLIT second!
N8IAA said:
Did the Wilson base give good reception on lo band stuff? Just wondering, I have one of those and could convert it the same way with a RS antenna. Love the bracket!
Larry
works wonderful for the C.H.P.(42MHz). as a matter of fact, it works better than anything ive tried to put on my roof! AND works very well on N.H.P. State Troopers EDACS(800MHz)

scannerdweeb- very good point! you really cant see in the pix, but i did put some thought in to the side to side clearance of the airbag but very little(none) into the top to bottom clearance. I was more interested in keeping clearance for the drivers steering and shifting. None-the-less, very good point!

im glad(giddy with excitement) that you all like/somewhat approve of my TEMP install!!! ..hehe..
 

kc8qch

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Cincinnati, Ohio
How Comfortable was your wife sitting next to that? I like the mount enough that I amthining of doing something similar in my truck Now LOL! That's awesome....
 

R1VINCE

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kc8qch said:
How Comfortable was your wife sitting next to that? I like the mount enough that I amthining of doing something similar in my truck Now LOL! That's awesome....

We were BOTH comfortable, as if it werent there. She drove half the time since it was a 1500 mile journey. And for those that were wondering, the seat slid freely, all the way front and back so there was no clearance issues at all.
 
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