2006 Hyundai Tucson Scanner install

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bobruzzo

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A few years ago I mounted in-dash a BC355c scanner. Right below the CD/radio was a space just big enough to slide the scanner in, but I had to remove its case. I snaked antenna/power cables under dash. When I got my extra BCD996P2 I wanted to be able to take that mobile but the only place I could fit it was in the cup holder console. That was a great spot but put too much pressure on the antenna connector. I only wanted to make a temporary mounting position cause I don't leave the radio in car. So since the car is old, I decided to screw in the center of dash in that little indented section, an extra radio mount I had. Then I ran the power directly from battery to the radio. Nice and solid. But I don't leave radio in car and I only take it mobile when I will be on the road a long time. I finally got a new antenna from Larsen, its the tri-band 150-450-800 model. Its real short but I took it for a test drive with the 996P2. I drove to various places, up on hills, down in lower spots and near airport where its very flat terrain. Radio worked very well. I was surprised this little antenna received so well. Conventional as well as P25 simulcast was very good. I had been previously using a dedicated 800 mhz antenna for the 996P2. Attached is picture of both radios and the roof top with the 2 antennas. The short antenna is the 150-450-800 I use for the 996P2. The longer antenna is a very old Larsen ham dual bander that I have had for about 26 years. I use magnet mounts only because I hate dealing with roof liners. It's an old car so I dont care if I drill holes in roof, but I don't feel like struggling with roof liner. If I can find somebody local to do it for me then I will!
 

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Skypilot007

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I'm never a fan of mounting radios to the top of the dash but in this instance with the indented area it looks pretty good. Just make certain it's securely mounted in case you're in a wreck. The only down side is no where to hide the wires. The Larsen tri-bander is a winner, been using one for years. Drill the roof and all will be good (couldn't resist). Have fun !
 

bobruzzo

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I'm never a fan of mounting radios to the top of the dash but in this instance with the indented area it looks pretty good. Just make certain it's securely mounted in case you're in a wreck. The only down side is no where to hide the wires. The Larsen tri-bander is a winner, been using one for years. Drill the roof and all will be good (couldn't resist). Have fun !
I hear ya. I am not a fan of mounting on dash either. But I am hoping sometime next year to get a truck. This old car has seen better days so I will run it till it wont run anymore. And what I did with wires is sort of run them out of the way. Radio is mounted in an extra bracket I had which is bolted into the top of dash. It's pretty secure. Hahaha I'd go out there right now and drill the roof. I have the drill bit for NMO permanent mount. If somebody helps me with roof liner I will do it! I made a reflective panel that fits right on top of radio to keep the sun off top of radio. But I only take radio out when I know I will be out on a day trip or just parking near beach to listen to scanner.
 

03msc

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It sounds like you have a plan for the future and are good with drilling and mounting the antennas so I won't rehash that since it's been said. Many people don't realize it but drilling and properly mounting the antennas really does improve performance so good on you for knowing that and being willing. I understand, dropping the headliner is a pain in many vehicles these days. I had mine professionally done at a radio shop but I was there and saw what all they had to remove to let it down just a little bit.

Maybe when you get your truck you can find a radio shop (or ask your local hams) who will do the antenna install for you, then they can fight with the headliner. :D
 

bobruzzo

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It sounds like you have a plan for the future and are good with drilling and mounting the antennas so I won't rehash that since it's been said. Many people don't realize it but drilling and properly mounting the antennas really does improve performance so good on you for knowing that and being willing. I understand, dropping the headliner is a pain in many vehicles these days. I had mine professionally done at a radio shop but I was there and saw what all they had to remove to let it down just a little bit.

Maybe when you get your truck you can find a radio shop (or ask your local hams) who will do the antenna install for you, then they can fight with the headliner. :D
I'd rather pay someone else to do it. I do remember years ago when I did do my own permanent installations the hole in the roof mounts gave excellent performance. Plus truck headliners are smaller and easier to work with. I had a 2003 Ford Ranger and I took out the dome light assembly and drilled roof thru there, then put dome fixture back, ran coax to corner of cab, under seat and to radio. It was pretty easy.
 

03msc

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Yes, that's the easiest if you can do that. I have a full size crew cab truck so my headliner is as big as or even bigger than many sedans.

I bet if you ask around there will be a radio shop somewhere that will do it for you. I took mine to a shop a little over an hour away because at the time the local radio shop guy was closed due to health reasons.
 

bobruzzo

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Yes, that's the easiest if you can do that. I have a full size crew cab truck so my headliner is as big as or even bigger than many sedans.

I bet if you ask around there will be a radio shop somewhere that will do it for you. I took mine to a shop a little over an hour away because at the time the local radio shop guy was closed due to health reasons.
I hate having to have someone else do something I can do but those stupid roof liners sometimes wont re attach once you remove them. I could ask my mechanic, come to think of it. They could advise me on removing part of liner and how to re attach.
 

mmckenna

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I hate having to have someone else do something I can do but those stupid roof liners sometimes wont re attach once you remove them. I could ask my mechanic, come to think of it. They could advise me on removing part of liner and how to re attach.


It's been a very, very long time since I've had to drop a headliner on a vehicle. Usually there is a bit of space above them.
You can try removing some of the trim around the rear passenger door and see if you can pull down on the headliner just a bit. With cross ribs spaced front to rear, there's usually an inch or two of void space up there. Finding a spot without a cross brace, you can -carefully- drill the hole. If there is a dome light, try removing that and see if that location will work. Often just in front or behind the dome light will work.
Once you get that done, you can easily route the coax over to the side and down one of the pillars behind the trim. Using a straightened out coat hanger as a fish tape to get the coax across is usually an easy way to do it.

Pretty rare to need to completely drop the headliner anymore. Maybe if you were installing a lot of NMO mounts, it would make routing easier, but for one or two antennas, no real need to do that.
 

03msc

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It's been a very, very long time since I've had to drop a headliner on a vehicle. Usually there is a bit of space above them.
You can try removing some of the trim around the rear passenger door and see if you can pull down on the headliner just a bit. With cross ribs spaced front to rear, there's usually an inch or two of void space up there. Finding a spot without a cross brace, you can -carefully- drill the hole. If there is a dome light, try removing that and see if that location will work. Often just in front or behind the dome light will work.
Once you get that done, you can easily route the coax over to the side and down one of the pillars behind the trim. Using a straightened out coat hanger as a fish tape to get the coax across is usually an easy way to do it.

Pretty rare to need to completely drop the headliner anymore. Maybe if you were installing a lot of NMO mounts, it would make routing easier, but for one or two antennas, no real need to do that.

That's still a pain, Matt. At least in my observation. When the radio shop installed the three NMOs on the roof of my '15 Silverado crew cab, I bet it took more time to remove all of the trim and handles, the sun visor, etc., on just the driver side just to let it drop enough to stick their stick in there to grab and/or direct the coax cables to the proper places than it did to actually drill and mount the NMOs. It wasn't a complete drop but there was a lot that had to be removed to get it to move enough to see what they needed to see.

I know you've installed a lot but being there and watching them - I'm not sure they could have done it without dropping it the little bit they did, which was very involved. So, I understand his apprehension. In fact, I have one of my coax 'rattling', especially when it's cold weather, on my headliner and I've wanted to do something to make it stop, whatever that would be, but don't want to spend all that time removing all of those pieces and parts again...
 

mmckenna

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It can be a lot of work on some vehicles. Certainly some are easier to install in than others. I've done a lot of installs on Ford and GM vehicles, and they've been pretty easy. Can't say I've ever done any Hyundai's.

Still, it's worth a shot. I did a 2020 Chevy Silverado a few weeks ago, and the antenna install part took about 30 minutes. Running the DC power feed was a different story, though.
 

03msc

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It can be a lot of work on some vehicles. Certainly some are easier to install in than others. I've done a lot of installs on Ford and GM vehicles, and they've been pretty easy. Can't say I've ever done any Hyundai's.

Still, it's worth a shot. I did a 2020 Chevy Silverado a few weeks ago, and the antenna install part took about 30 minutes. Running the DC power feed was a different story, though.

I suppose it could also be that I was having 3 installed and not just 1. If it was just 1, placement isn't as critical as long as it's center and not at a cross brace. With 3 they had to try to space them appropriate and avoid the cross braces, etc.
 
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