2001 Dodge Grand Caravn

[phillydjdan]

Got rid of my Lumina and picked up a Grand Caravan. I've been looking for a minivan for awhile now, and finally took the plunge. I installed the following radios:

Kenwood NX-700 VHF mounted to side of passenger seat.
Kenwood NX-800 UHF mounted to side of passenger seat.
Motorola MCS-2000 Model I 800 MHz mounted in the coin pocket under the climate controls.
Uniden BCD-396XT scanner mounted to dash via a strong microphone clip.
Uniden Pro-520XL CB (clipped) with D-104 mic (not shown) mounted under the overhead console above the rear-view mirror.

I chose to mount the VHF & UHF radios on the side of the seat so that I could still use the space between the seats. The MCS is a near-perfect fit in the coin pocket once I cut the rear portion of the pocket out. The CB does not obstruct my mirror with the exception of the mic cord on one side.

Not shown is the antenna array. All 4 antennas are NMO mounted, holes being positioned down the center of the roof. Antennas are as follows:

Motorola hgh-gain 800 MHz.
Motorola high-gain UHF.
Tram NMO mount CB antenna.
Motorola unity-gain VHF whip.

I will add antenna photos once the 40 days/nights of rain subsides...

 

[pjtnascar]

Looks good. My only concern would be theft.

 

[Rt169Radio]

Cool looking setup!

 

[madrabbitt]

two of the three radios used as RX only?

Or did you just not have the other mics plugged in during the pics?

 

[phillydjdan]

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The MCS is receive only. The Kenwoods are not, but I barely transmit on either, so I just swap the mic when needed.

 

[russellmaher]

Nice looking installation! Are you going to get an external antenna for the XT? I've never used the stubby but my 396T receives much better with the Spectra on the vehicle than with the supplied antenna. How's your reception with it?

Russell

 

[phillydjdan]

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I actually just got that stubby antenna. I wanted to see if it would help with Philly, which uses a trunked system with Linear Simulcast Modulation. Believe it or not, the stubby attenuates the signal just enough that the towers dont cut each other out. I tried the stock antenna, the Cell Phone Shack 800 antenna, and a high-gain 800 antenna on the vehicle, but reception was horrible.

 

[TrevDog]

Just as a precaution, it might be smart to move the CB's mic out of the way of the rearview mirror. Cops love to pull people over for stuff like that.

 

[phillydjdan]

Ok, got a pic of the antenna array. Front to back are:

800 MHz high-gain
UHF high gain
CB antenna
VHF unity-gain

 

[Jimru]

Just as a precaution, it might be smart to move the CB's mic out of the way of the rearview mirror. Cops love to pull people over for stuff like that.

I was thinking the same thing.


Nice work on the antennas!

 

[Rt169Radio]

The antennas look good, are they the Laird antennas?

 

[phillydjdan]

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I think they are Antenna Specialists, except the CB antenna, which is a Tram.

 

[k3cfc]

Ok, got a pic of the antenna array. Front to back are:

800 MHz high-gain
UHF high gain
CB antenna
VHF unity-gain

I must ask. what kind of a bear was it to get the head liner down? i have an 03 t&c same color and was thinking of doing just what you did.

 

[phillydjdan]

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It wasnt that hard. Take a bunch of screws out of the back light/grab handle assemblies and sun visors, pop the trim panels off, pull the center clip things and it drops right down. I didnt pull the whole thing completely out, just back to the back windows, and it gave me enough room to get it done.

 

[Skypilot007]

Nice job on the install. It looks nice. I'm not a big mini-van fan but I'd drive that one!

 

[phillydjdan]

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Lol thanks

 

[KK4LBX]

Nice job! What type of hole saw did you use?

 

[Drachen_Fire]

That user is temporarily banned, for some reason?

For the hole saw, you will want something like this ideally, although there is nothing wrong with this.

 

[RodStrong]

Nice job dood.

 

[KD2DXF]

Nice, and clean install. Nice begining to an antenna farm too. The only thing that would bug me is the placement of the CB when looking in my rearview.