2014 Toyota Highlander ham install

[dunee88]

Hey just wanted to share my install on my 2014 TH. Not many pictures or conversation about this type of vehicle so I thought I'd share.

I am running a BTech UV2501, which i have gotten great feedback on. I have the bracket screwed on and its perfect as I lightly nudge it into the open ledge on the newer highlanders lower dash. Doesn't move at all while driving. That's being fed from a swivel hatch mount with a Browning 5/8 dual band antenna. It looks pretty good however i will be switching to a 1/4 wave antenna with a lip mount on the hood. The 5/8 wave stands out way to much and for my use on local repeaters, a 1/4 is just fine. Check out the pics.

 

[PACNWDude]

The radio looks good tucked in there. And the other antenna may also work on the back, the mount blends in well with the color of the vehicle. Was there a reason you did not tuck the antenna cable behind the plastic pieces though?
Just think it would have looked better than white cable tie mounts showing. And would not get knocked around or hit by anything you place in the rear. that way.
I do not like to tear up the interior of vehicles and have just pushed cables behind plastic panels, wherever carpet and plastic meet, and can hide most wires and coax that way for unobtrusive installs.
Looks good otherwise. How is that radio working out? Is it sounding good on the local repeaters? Any idea on range and power?

 

[dunee88]

The radio looks good tucked in there. And the other antenna may also work on the back, the mount blends in well with the color of the vehicle. Was there a reason you did not tuck the antenna cable behind the plastic pieces though?
Just think it would have looked better than white cable tie mounts showing. And would not get knocked around or hit by anything you place in the rear. that way.
I do not like to tear up the interior of vehicles and have just pushed cables behind plastic panels, wherever carpet and plastic meet, and can hide most wires and coax that way for unobtrusive installs.
Looks good otherwise. How is that radio working out? Is it sounding good on the local repeaters? Any idea on range and power?

Thanks, I had to use the first and second ties you see because when the rear door is open the cable is stretched, when it is closed the cable makes a loop so I had to secure those two points to make sure the loop stays in place when the door closes, I guess i just continued through with the ties. White ones do stand out a lot though. The radio is working out great. The from end is a little loose on uhf, but i haven't ruled out anything else yet. The quality is pretty good. I have radio checked on 4 different repeaters and everyone says I'm coming in pretty darn good for what I have. Im running 22 watts on vhf and around 18 on uhf

 

[WatnNY]

Well isn't that a cute lil' fella? JK, on a serious note, as long as it works for you then that's all that matters. I would like to switch BACK to my 5/8 wave dual band, but that bugger makes a lot of racket going in and out of the garage! Even my little Comet SSB-1 or 5 or whatever it is still hits the top of the garage door :-( I'm in a Hyundai Santa Fe.

Mike

 

[dunee88]

Yeh very small and temporary setup. My next buy is a yaesu ft7900r and I'm looking into the Austin 500c antenna. I think at that time I'll have the balls to drill.

 

[madrabbitt]

there are electronics in the tailgate, so there is probably a wire harness in a rubber flexible tube. You can most likely get the antenna coax thru that, which would get it into the vehicle behind a panel.