Well, it is spring here, 80's every day and sunny! Sorry Chicagoland, I don't miss winter at all!
Last year after I bought my new Pilot I installed some of the radios (http://forums.radioreference.com/pictures-your-shack-mobile-setup/312816-n9jig-mobile.html) but now I have completed the install and cleaned up the wiring.
I have 2 BCD996XT's connected to RH-96 remote heads, an Alinco DR-638 V-U dual bander and have since added my Icom IC7000 HF-2M-70CM all-bander.
The XT's are both connected to a Uniden GPS via a homemade cable allowing the one GPS unit to connect to 2 serial ports. On each I also installed a jack for the remote heads as the front panel one is too flimsy for me. (http://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-thread-archives/270715-rh-96-rewiring.html)
All 4 radios have remote speakers since they are buried in the back cargo area. If you look closely at the Alinco you may notice that the head is actually mounted to the speaker itself. A little background will help explain this:
When I buy a new car I leave the heads for the various radios in it for a couple weeks to figure out where I want to put them before I actually install them. I happened to also leave a speaker there one day and found that it fit nice and snug into a cubby on the dash intended for one to put his pocket change or cell phone. I accidentally pushed it in too hard and it was so tight I had to really yank on it to get it out. I realized that it was just the right size to hold the Alinco head so I used a couple short sheet-metal screws to mount the backing plate for the Alinco to it. Worked like a charm!
The IC7000 is mounted to a PortaClip. I bought one of each of the 3 PortaClips for my vehicle and experimented in where to mount this and the scanners and decided to use just the right Clip for the IC7000. I kept the other two (Left and far left) for possible future use.
The scanners are mounted to the forward wall of the center hutch with a standard RH-96 bracket, the two heads are then connected to each other with a mending strip.
In the rear cargo area I mounted the radios. I was worried about heat but over the summer (average temps about 110...) I checked and the radios were all nice and cool so somehow the vehicle AC gets in there.I think the black cover protects from radiant heat and the complete tinted windows help.
For antennas I had a radio shop install 4 Larson NMO mounts to the roof and route the cables (I did all the rest of the work myself). When I added the IC7000 I used a K400 mount on the rear hatch. I discovered BTW that the secondary metal lip is a removable piece, taking that off allowed me to access the Allen screws holding the mount. I then snaked in the cable to the rear cargo area.
The radios are set to go on and off with the ignition thru a relay so I don't accidentally leave them on. I use a standard AT180 for the HF side of the IC7000. I rarely work HF other than occasional 10M stuff but I do a lot of SWL'ing in the car.
As you can see by the pics I got a CloseCall hit on 306.325 while I was taking pictures. This sounded like F16's and F35's making Approach Runs at a former Luke AFB Auxiliary Field about 5 miles from my house. They put in the equipment there so they can practice approaches and not be tying up the airspace around the base itself (15 miles SE of me).
Now for some pictures!
Here are the antennas: I have 2 of the Comet rubber dual band and 2 Comet sire dual banders. Each radio has its own. I will likely get 2 more of the Comet rubber antennas next time I am at HRO, they are awesome and work great on the scanners as well as the dualbanders. I do keep a couple MON-51's in the car for when I am in California or when skip is up. The white antenna is a Hustler fiberglass Hamstick on the K400 UHF mount with a UHF-3/8 adapter. I also have a couple other antennas I can use there including an Outbacker knockoff that actually works pretty well.
Here are the radio heads. Note that the Alinco is mounted on it's remote speaker. The speakers for the Icom and the scanners are under the scanner heads.
Here is how it looks from the driver's perspective:
The rear cargo area holds the radios themselves. It looks a little messy but I didn't tie up the wires since the whole thing is covered and as soon as I do I will have to replace one and take it all apart...
When the cover is closed you don't see a thing except the GPS lead. The GPS puck is in a drink tray next to the third row seats, works great!
Last year after I bought my new Pilot I installed some of the radios (http://forums.radioreference.com/pictures-your-shack-mobile-setup/312816-n9jig-mobile.html) but now I have completed the install and cleaned up the wiring.
I have 2 BCD996XT's connected to RH-96 remote heads, an Alinco DR-638 V-U dual bander and have since added my Icom IC7000 HF-2M-70CM all-bander.
The XT's are both connected to a Uniden GPS via a homemade cable allowing the one GPS unit to connect to 2 serial ports. On each I also installed a jack for the remote heads as the front panel one is too flimsy for me. (http://forums.radioreference.com/uniden-thread-archives/270715-rh-96-rewiring.html)
All 4 radios have remote speakers since they are buried in the back cargo area. If you look closely at the Alinco you may notice that the head is actually mounted to the speaker itself. A little background will help explain this:
When I buy a new car I leave the heads for the various radios in it for a couple weeks to figure out where I want to put them before I actually install them. I happened to also leave a speaker there one day and found that it fit nice and snug into a cubby on the dash intended for one to put his pocket change or cell phone. I accidentally pushed it in too hard and it was so tight I had to really yank on it to get it out. I realized that it was just the right size to hold the Alinco head so I used a couple short sheet-metal screws to mount the backing plate for the Alinco to it. Worked like a charm!
The IC7000 is mounted to a PortaClip. I bought one of each of the 3 PortaClips for my vehicle and experimented in where to mount this and the scanners and decided to use just the right Clip for the IC7000. I kept the other two (Left and far left) for possible future use.
The scanners are mounted to the forward wall of the center hutch with a standard RH-96 bracket, the two heads are then connected to each other with a mending strip.
In the rear cargo area I mounted the radios. I was worried about heat but over the summer (average temps about 110...) I checked and the radios were all nice and cool so somehow the vehicle AC gets in there.I think the black cover protects from radiant heat and the complete tinted windows help.
For antennas I had a radio shop install 4 Larson NMO mounts to the roof and route the cables (I did all the rest of the work myself). When I added the IC7000 I used a K400 mount on the rear hatch. I discovered BTW that the secondary metal lip is a removable piece, taking that off allowed me to access the Allen screws holding the mount. I then snaked in the cable to the rear cargo area.
The radios are set to go on and off with the ignition thru a relay so I don't accidentally leave them on. I use a standard AT180 for the HF side of the IC7000. I rarely work HF other than occasional 10M stuff but I do a lot of SWL'ing in the car.
As you can see by the pics I got a CloseCall hit on 306.325 while I was taking pictures. This sounded like F16's and F35's making Approach Runs at a former Luke AFB Auxiliary Field about 5 miles from my house. They put in the equipment there so they can practice approaches and not be tying up the airspace around the base itself (15 miles SE of me).
Now for some pictures!
Here are the antennas: I have 2 of the Comet rubber dual band and 2 Comet sire dual banders. Each radio has its own. I will likely get 2 more of the Comet rubber antennas next time I am at HRO, they are awesome and work great on the scanners as well as the dualbanders. I do keep a couple MON-51's in the car for when I am in California or when skip is up. The white antenna is a Hustler fiberglass Hamstick on the K400 UHF mount with a UHF-3/8 adapter. I also have a couple other antennas I can use there including an Outbacker knockoff that actually works pretty well.
Here are the radio heads. Note that the Alinco is mounted on it's remote speaker. The speakers for the Icom and the scanners are under the scanner heads.
Here is how it looks from the driver's perspective:
The rear cargo area holds the radios themselves. It looks a little messy but I didn't tie up the wires since the whole thing is covered and as soon as I do I will have to replace one and take it all apart...
When the cover is closed you don't see a thing except the GPS lead. The GPS puck is in a drink tray next to the third row seats, works great!
