2012 Ford Fusion 3-Radio Setup

[radio3353]

I agree it's great to use commercial radios when you can. However, the scanners from Uniden and Whistler (which actually get pretty dang good reviews despite your claim of them being crap) definitely have their place as most people cannot monitor the systems they want to monitor with a commercial radio since they aren't authorized to do so. :wink:

Yes, they work for many people. I consider them crap for their audio performance - small inexpensive speakers with low watt amplifiers. Listening to a commercial radio vs. a consumer scanner is like night and day. My little Unication G4 beats any scanner's built-in speaker I have. And forget any current consumer scanner for simulcast in 99% of the cases. We can only hope the SDS100 will break through that barrier for the consumer world.

No 'authorization' is required to use a commercial radio. If it includes a transmitter, it just needs to be non-affiliating (and the user needs common sense. I know, that is rare today :lol

 

[03msc]

Yes, the audio is somewhat lacking in most of the scanners (though I did read just yesterday someone raving about how loud and clear their 536 is...go figure) and pales in comparison to a true radio. Absolutely agree.

I may be just clueless about this (wouldn't be the first time I was clueless about something) as it's been a little while since I did any research about it but to my knowledge one can't buy an APX radio and just program up their area P25 trunked system to listen only...I know some of the older radios have ways to program for what most refer to as "non-affiliate scan" but even that's not really using it as a true user on the system would. My statement was more referring to buying like an APX to listen to the statewide P25 system...there are probably ways (I guess?) but if it's like on the older radios it involves trick programming and I've read it doesn't really track it well (like a true radio on the system would).

I've heard people say (ok, read some posts...not literally heard) that some of the other brand of P25 radios can be easily programmed to not affiliate so maybe that's a better option...and where my cluelessness comes in.

Of course, there's more to listen to than P25 trunked systems but that seems to be what many get their scanners to listen to. Analog FM is always better on a true commercial radio and much easier to program up. ha

Anyway, got off topic from this post here about his install - which looks stellar and makes me somewhat jealous!

 

[SCPD]

Very nice. One question, does the control heads interfere with your passengers seat space? I was considering a mount like that but I frequently have passengers in and out of my car.

If you notice the fabricated mount flexes, almost as if he took the idea from one of them old strong cb/low band sturdy antennas and changed the use lol it looks like it could bend if someones leg was pressing against it and return to its position. Very good idea.

 

[03msc]

If you notice the fabricated mount flexes, almost as if he took the idea from one of them old strong cb/low band sturdy antennas and changed the use lol it looks like it could bend if someones leg was pressing against it and return to its position. Very good idea.

As he stated in post 1, that part of the mount is just a PanaVise arm. And yes, they flex pretty easily so he could easy move them toward the center or even turn them clockwise (more perpendicular to the dash) to allow more room, I would imagine. But they probably aren't in the way as much as they appear they might be from the photo angle.

 

[SimpleSkye]

Very nice. One question, does the control heads interfere with your passengers seat space? I was considering a mount like that but I frequently have passengers in and out of my car.

As he stated in post 1, that part of the mount is just a PanaVise arm. And yes, they flex pretty easily so he could easy move them toward the center or even turn them clockwise (more perpendicular to the dash) to allow more room, I would imagine. But they probably aren't in the way as much as they appear they might be from the photo angle.

They don't get in the way too much of the passenger - unless they want to change the temp of the AC on their side. You can also slide the seat most of the way forward too without having to move the heads or the arm getting in the way. I will take some pictures tomorrow when it is light out so you can see what I mean.

Thank you everyone for the kind words!

 

[XTS3000]

Where does the passenger sit?

 

[03msc]

Where does the passenger sit?

Guess you didn't read the thread, including the post directly above yours...

 

[SimpleSkye]

Here is the view from the passenger side. Also a shot of the flex arm (I still need tidy up the wires ^_^).

<img src="https://jakeguild.com/assets/fusion08-min.jpg" alt="Ford Fusion Ham Radio">
<img src="https://jakeguild.com/assets/fusion09-min.jpg" alt="Ford Fusion Ham Radio"><br />

 

[SCPD]

Nice install

Nice install,be glad you have one of the nicest cars Ford will ever make!
Look out for that lawn guy though he has his eye on your antenna.

 

[kd4bas]

Looks good. Just wondering, with the transmitters by your audio speakers do you get any RF thru them when you transmit? Just curious, I had an issue like that with a 25 watt Mirage 2-meter amp.

 

[RF-Burns]

I may be just clueless about this (wouldn't be the first time I was clueless about something) as it's been a little while since I did any research about it but to my knowledge one can't buy an APX radio and just program up their area P25 trunked system to listen only...I know some of the older radios have ways to program for what most refer to as "non-affiliate scan" but even that's not really using it as a true user on the system would. My statement was more referring to buying like an APX to listen to the statewide P25 system...there are probably ways (I guess?) but if it's like on the older radios it involves trick programming and I've read it doesn't really track it well (like a true radio on the system would).

Yes you can buy an APX and program it to Non Affiliated Scan and monitor your statewide system. It is not for the beginner to do because you run the chance of affiliating if you do it wrong. But to answer you question yes it can be done and thousands of us have done it for many years. My first none affiliated radio was a Motorola MTS2000 then moved to a XTS3000, then a XTS2500, then a XTS5000, then a APX7000, and APX4000.

 

[SimpleSkye]

Looks good. Just wondering, with the transmitters by your audio speakers do you get any RF thru them when you transmit? Just curious, I had an issue like that with a 25 watt Mirage 2-meter amp.

I have had no issues with the radios getting into the stereo - even on high power. Nice and clean.