I redid my vehicle install recently. I bought an IC7000 and I was unhappy with the access to some of the scanners, looking at the displays required diverting my gaze too much from the road. I ordered a couple PortaClips (Great stuff BTW!) and went to work.
I had had the radios tucked into a large toolbox which for scanners was fine but with the addition of the IC7000 and it’s heat situation that wouldn’t work. I also decided to eliminate the Motorola CDM1250’s as they were basically unused. Only the UHF was ever used for transmitting on channels outside the ham bands and I can do that on a portable anyway.
I did revert back to 4 scanners from the 3 I had been using. 2 are BCD996XT’s and the other two are BCT15X’s. I have an Alinco DR-635 and an Icom IC7000 connected to an AT180 tuner.
For antennas I have a Comet scanner antenna at the front of the vehicle connected to a Stridsberg multicouplers connected to each scanner. The Alinco and the V/U side of the IC7000’s have Comet 2M/440 dual banders. I have a lip mount for the HF/10M/6M side of the IC7000. Sometimes I use a Diamond 8900 multi-band antenna, I also have a couple fiberglass monoband whips (20M, 10M) that I can swap to that mount depending on mood and band status.
The 6 radios and the tuner are mounted to a piece of ¾ inch plywood cut to fit in the storage well in the rear of my van. I cut it to allow the right side seat fold in and stow for the occasional duty of the suburban homeowner. I have a friend that will be making a wood cover for the radio side of the well that will be carpeted with the same style as in the van, making the shelf mounted radios all but invisible. There is a fuse panel for the radios and a barrier strip to allow quick removal if needed. I put the board together in the garage before placing it into the van.
The front of the van has 6 control heads. On the left side of the dashboard is a PortaClip with the BC96 head for a BCT15X. On the right side is another PortaClip for the IC7000.
2 RH96’s, one for a BCD996XT and one for the other BCT15X are mounted on a convenient slide-out tray below the Nav system ad above the built-in drink cooler. The other RH96 (BCD996XT) and the DR-635 heads are mounted by Velcro to the center console lid.
Several remote speakers are located under the front passenger seat although I am thinking of relocating the one for the left side BCT15X to nearer to that radio to allow for easier detection of what radio is talking. It is kind of weird to have the audio for that radio coming from behind and the right when the display is ahead to the left.
From the rear storage area the Icom and Alinco control cables as well as the RH96 cables and 6 speaker cables run towards the front via 1-inch wire looms. The cables break out into smaller looms to the various control heads. The mics hang on either side of the slide-out tray. I used extensions for the RH96’s and speakers, and the IC7000 required a second remote cable (borrowed from my other IC7000) used as an extension to reach. The DR635 cable was plenty long enough.
Photo 1: The well before installation
Photo 2: The board with just the brackets
Photo 3: Loaded board showing the front of the scanners and rear of the IC7000/AT180 and Alinco
Photo 4: Loaded board showing the other side
Photo 5: showing the board installed in the well
Photo 6: Slide out tray and center console
Photo 7: Overview of all control heads.
Photo 8: BCT15X and IC7000 heads
I had had the radios tucked into a large toolbox which for scanners was fine but with the addition of the IC7000 and it’s heat situation that wouldn’t work. I also decided to eliminate the Motorola CDM1250’s as they were basically unused. Only the UHF was ever used for transmitting on channels outside the ham bands and I can do that on a portable anyway.
I did revert back to 4 scanners from the 3 I had been using. 2 are BCD996XT’s and the other two are BCT15X’s. I have an Alinco DR-635 and an Icom IC7000 connected to an AT180 tuner.
For antennas I have a Comet scanner antenna at the front of the vehicle connected to a Stridsberg multicouplers connected to each scanner. The Alinco and the V/U side of the IC7000’s have Comet 2M/440 dual banders. I have a lip mount for the HF/10M/6M side of the IC7000. Sometimes I use a Diamond 8900 multi-band antenna, I also have a couple fiberglass monoband whips (20M, 10M) that I can swap to that mount depending on mood and band status.
The 6 radios and the tuner are mounted to a piece of ¾ inch plywood cut to fit in the storage well in the rear of my van. I cut it to allow the right side seat fold in and stow for the occasional duty of the suburban homeowner. I have a friend that will be making a wood cover for the radio side of the well that will be carpeted with the same style as in the van, making the shelf mounted radios all but invisible. There is a fuse panel for the radios and a barrier strip to allow quick removal if needed. I put the board together in the garage before placing it into the van.
The front of the van has 6 control heads. On the left side of the dashboard is a PortaClip with the BC96 head for a BCT15X. On the right side is another PortaClip for the IC7000.
2 RH96’s, one for a BCD996XT and one for the other BCT15X are mounted on a convenient slide-out tray below the Nav system ad above the built-in drink cooler. The other RH96 (BCD996XT) and the DR-635 heads are mounted by Velcro to the center console lid.
Several remote speakers are located under the front passenger seat although I am thinking of relocating the one for the left side BCT15X to nearer to that radio to allow for easier detection of what radio is talking. It is kind of weird to have the audio for that radio coming from behind and the right when the display is ahead to the left.
From the rear storage area the Icom and Alinco control cables as well as the RH96 cables and 6 speaker cables run towards the front via 1-inch wire looms. The cables break out into smaller looms to the various control heads. The mics hang on either side of the slide-out tray. I used extensions for the RH96’s and speakers, and the IC7000 required a second remote cable (borrowed from my other IC7000) used as an extension to reach. The DR635 cable was plenty long enough.
Photo 1: The well before installation
Photo 2: The board with just the brackets
Photo 3: Loaded board showing the front of the scanners and rear of the IC7000/AT180 and Alinco
Photo 4: Loaded board showing the other side
Photo 5: showing the board installed in the well
Photo 6: Slide out tray and center console
Photo 7: Overview of all control heads.
Photo 8: BCT15X and IC7000 heads