MT's Shack & Ride (Final Install [ I promise])

[SCPD]

I revamped my T4R so My passengers would stop whining about lack of leg room and I modernized my shack with NEW shelves and a better desk.

The Shack Consists of: Motorola M-214 UHF Mobile, Pro-433, Pro-2152b, BC898T, bearcat 250 (V/UHF 50 Channel scanner) R/S 200 channel V/UHF Conventional scanner, Kenwood TK-3170k 128 CH, UHF Portable, Tekk XT-40 16 CH, UHF Portable, R/S DX-396 & 398 Shortwave radios. various Portables by Motorola, Tekk & Maxon.

Antenna's consist of: Mounted to a 3' tri pod roof mount with 35 foot elevation from the ground; Maxrad 70db 3-element VHF Yagi (Looking at Cedar Hill, TX 80 miles south) 6M omni-directional antenna, R/S Omni Discone antenna.

The vehicle Consists of: Pro-97 mounted to Flat metal bolted to the Seat/floor bolt, Icom IC-F320 VHF 32 Channel Mobile radio. SIRIUS Satelite receiver. the Drilled roof antenna's are: NMO Larson 136-512 mHz, NMO Cushcraft 800 mHz, NMO Maxrad 800 mHz, R/S all band scanner antenna (Mag mount minus the mag mount - drilled) fiberglass firestick also on a drilled mount. Both Speakers are amplified and mounted above the rear doors or directly behind the front seat headrests.

 

[SCPD]

Additional Shack Pics

I wanted to add a few more pics: Fannin Co. TX Fire Districts map, various Shack pics of the gear and a close up of the radio mount.

 

[stevolene]

thats a NICE set up! one question though, I dont see a ground coming from the tripod mount, do you not have a ground run? just wondering, Im fixing to get an antenna up this week

 

[SCPD]

Grounding is Internal, thru bolted on one of the tri-pod legs thru the roof to a Vent pipe. it was actually the BEST ground option available considering the vent pipe goes into the sewer line. I could not have run a better ground with re-bar and a ground clamp.

 

[eddie412]

That is so nice! Awesome shack man

 

[hoser147]

looks Good nice shack ...................Hoser

 

[RESCUE4NFD]

Nice looking Shack and Ride Max,I like the antenna setup..Did you receive the Air Evac Freq. list?

 

[SCPD]

I sure did Mike, Thank you. I thought I sent you a reply, but then again I have been having email issues locally. I'll shoot you a PM with the questions and comments I have for it.

Thank you everyone, this has been a work in progress and thanks to this speciffic forum thread I have had many great ideas to look at and take a little from to create my unique install. hopefully what I'v posted will add to someone creativity to create their unique set-up.

 

[rescue1017]

Looks good Max I like the set up

 

[Caesar]

I wanted to add a few more pics: Fannin Co. TX Fire Districts map, various Shack pics of the gear and a close up of the radio mount.

don't know if you get much interferance, but get the side back on the pc and that would atleast cut out some interference the HTs might be having.

shack looks good though, i love the bc898t (or bc895) hanging install.

 

[OceanaRadio]

Grounding is Internal, thru bolted on one of the tri-pod legs thru the roof to a Vent pipe. it was actually the BEST ground option available considering the vent pipe goes into the sewer line. I could not have run a better ground with re-bar and a ground clamp.

MaxTracker,

The old adage to "avoid using indoor plumbing during a thunderstorm" REALLY applies in your case!

On the technical side, unless you can personally verify that there is no use of PVC between the roof-vent to at least 10' of underground metal pipe from the home's sewer connection, that would not be a safe ground at all. While permitted IAW NEC in some cases, its worth noting that many public utilities take a dim view of using their utility piping as a grounding system due to galvanic-corrosion that ocurs when constant static-drain and/or neutral-ground voltages are applied to metal piping in contact with earth.

For those interested, IAW NFPA-780 a rooftop antenna mast should be bonded across the roof in at least two (opposite directions) to a ground rod at each end of the structure. Additional ground rods at each end of the home (in a "Y" pattern) would provide added safety. That grounding system must also bond to the ground rod(s) used at the home's AC service-entrance.

As close to the roof-eave as your tripod is, it should be easy to make a wide-radius bend of heavy (#4 for instance) copper wire, follow down one edge of the roof-eave to the lowest point of the roof, make another wide-radius bend down to ground rod(s) as per above.

Rgds,
Jack

 

[fireSAR]

If my passengers whine, I tell them they know where the door is and this is no taxi or limo.

 

[andy404ns]

Where do you get one of those tri-pod mounts? I like the idea. Are the legs just bolted into the roof through the crossbars under the top layer?

 

[R1VINCE]

i love your tripod setup, man!!!!

 

[pathalogical]

I like the use of under shelf mounting, it litteraly doubles the amount of space available. Nice roof top antenna setup. Your desk has some nice wear marks on it ! ...or are they called 'character' marks...lol

 

[N1BHH]

I like pictures. Thats so much radio gear. Nice setup in the mobile and home. The more pictures, the better the post. Gotta get it from every angle.

 

[SCPD]

Thanks for the compliments all.

So I listened to the grounding expert here and re-grounded yesterday. I COULD NOT verify the vent pipes were solid metal going 10' + down. so I dropped copper wire the dia., of a dime from the tripod down to the earth with a 5' piece of rebar hammered into the earth.
Thanks for the recomendation.

I know R/S sells the tripod mount, it mught be an RSU deal however. I purchased mine from a Dish Installer for 50 bucks. Lag bolts thru the roof hold it in place, drilled hald the lag into the roof, back'd it out, hammered it with silicone and the drove it all the way in. the three legs are set for 3 lags each.

Not having much interference issues with the PC case open. But I need a new heat sing and fan before I can close it up. Trust me, I don't like having this thing exposed like it is.

Again, Thanks!

MT

 

[tower512ladder]

Very nice setup A+