Ford Explorer Install

[ResqChief201]

APX 6500 7/800 Dual Head
APX 6500 VHF Dual Head
XTL 2500 UHF-2 Dual Head
Uniden BCT996XT

Whelen Cencom

Toughbook for field programming and gps maps.


Install was all done by myself, including building the commanding box.

Was Looking at changing the VHF O5 head to an APX O2 Head but still haven't decided. Any Opinions O5 or O2?

 

[03msc]

Nice setup! Very impressive! Can you include a shot or two of the antenna setup as well? That is usually pretty popular as well.

 

[ResqChief201]

Top is GPS for Toughbook
Then UHF2
Then VHF
Then Scanner 800 lowprofile
And last is 1/4wave 800

 

[ResqChief201]

Dual Control Heads in rear

 

[03msc]

Awesome. Roof looks very sleek and low key. Great job on everything. Looks like a great incident command rig.

 

[SARCommCoord]

The O2 head is nice but takes away from the uniformity of the console. Id stick with the o5 head, unless you plan on upgrading all of them.

 

[firerick100]

Very impressive setup and well done,just a question out of curiosity

Is this your personal vehicle or a dept veh and are you a vol or career member?
If its a personal vehicle then i hope you plan on staying with the dept for a very long time after all that work you did. Lol. Great job

 

[ResqChief201]

Very impressive setup and well done,just a question out of curiosity

Is this your personal vehicle or a dept veh and are you a vol or career member?
If its a personal vehicle then i hope you plan on staying with the dept for a very long time after all that work you did. Lol. Great job

POV. Volunteer Fire and Rescue and Paid EMS. Been in public safety for 8 years and plan on continuing

 

[PACNWDude]

Very nice setup, and the rear command post/dual radio heads works well. I use similar antennas as you, but had some problems with the bandwidth of the Antennex Phantom VHF antenna. It is very narrow bandwidth and must be tuned for the specific frequency in use. Do you only use one VHF frequency?

 

[madrabbitt]

i was curious about that too. I own one of the wide band adjustable ones and rarely use it. I have it tuned perfectly on the state vhf fire channel, and generally only have it up on the roof when i'm doing a brush patrol when anything with height will get knocked around.

Its a 'fair' transmit antenna, but not a really good recieve one.

 

[ResqChief201]

Very nice setup, and the rear command post/dual radio heads works well. I use similar antennas as you, but had some problems with the bandwidth of the Antennex Phantom VHF antenna. It is very narrow bandwidth and must be tuned for the specific frequency in use. Do you only use one VHF frequency?

I have the VHF tuned to our Dispatch Ch and the rest of the VHF freqs have about a 6-8 MHz + or - so I don't really have much trouble transmitting. Receive isn't bad but a 1/4 wave would most certainly out preform the Phantom in all aspects. I personally like the phantom Bc it sits low and I'm not a huge fan of whips. Depending where I am in the county the phantom can work amazing or just terrible. I've been able to drive 30 miles out into backcountry and still transmit but then I could be 5 miles sometimes and not hit the repeaters at all. If you want the best performance than go with a 1/4 wave VHF. Tuning the Low pro VHF is a pain in the a** sometimes. However if you use UHF, the low profile UHF phantoms work great and they don't need to be tuned to my knowledge. So it really comes down to personal preference and your geographical location.

 

[ResqChief201]

Also in regards to your question, I don't usually have trouble transmitting or recieving on other freqs. My antenna is tuned at 156 and sometimes il transmit and receive great on freqs that are 10.0 MHz +/- . If you know you may have receive or Tx problems, keep a VHF 1/4 wave whip in your car. Simple antenna swap could make a whole load of difference.

 

[firetaz834]

Very impressive layout, you did a very good job.