2015 Ford Transit Connect

[tweiss3]

This is the family car, mostly driven by my wife. I have installed a a Kenwood TK-8150, which came with the remote kit. I wanted her to have access to the GMRS, and for trips. Antenna is drilled NMO with a 6" Tram whip. Wife said it had to be a clean install, so the main unit is hidden behind the rear access panel on the drives side, and the head is attached to overhead compartment. Whole thing is hidden from view of outside, to keep down on theft. Power is fused and properly sized per the upfitters manual. Antenna is 12" from edge of back of roof sheet metal, centered, and more than 12" from the roof rack cross bar. Antenna cable is run down drives "D" pillar, and head cable is run up the "D" pillar down the center of the ceiling and pops out in the overhead area, completely hidden.

Radio Hiding Spot by tweiss3, on Flickr
Mounted Radio Hiding Spot by tweiss3, on Flickr
Antenna Location by tweiss3, on Flickr
Drivers View by tweiss3, on Flickr
Final Head Location by tweiss3, on Flickr

 

[03msc]

Nice and clean. I guess I didn’t realize there were passenger versions of the Transit Connect; I’d only seen the cargo/utility version. Cool.

 

[tweiss3]

Nice and clean. I guess I didn’t realize there were passenger versions of the Transit Connect; I’d only seen the cargo/utility version. Cool.

Yep, seats 7 with the third row up. The other reason the antenna is so far back is we use the roof rack often, for lumber/drywall and a cargo snail when we go on vacation.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Nicely done.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

That appears to be another Part 95 certified Kenwood radio. Good find.
Kenwood TK-8150
ALH32283110

 

[mmckenna]

That appears to be another Part 95 certified Kenwood radio. Good find.
Kenwood TK-8150
ALH32283110

Yep, and a bit cheaper than the TK-8180 if you don't need all the channels.

And our PD has a Transit Connect for various uses.

 

[tunnelmot]

Very nice. Very clean.

 

[tweiss3]

For the purpose of keeping anything in one place, and help anyone else that may have a transit, directly from the body builders manual, that was especially difficult to track down. Below is what Ford says about antenna locations and power.
Annotation 2020-06-03 160214 by tweiss3, on Flickr
Annotation 2020-06-03 160214(2) by tweiss3, on Flickr

I pulled out the NanoVNA after the kids went to bed to check actual performance of this antenna installed. Tram 1250 NMO mount with Tram 1126B 1/4 wave whip.
UHF Transit by tweiss3, on Flickr
GMRS Transit by tweiss3, on Flickr
And just for kicks, I knew VHF would be bad, but here it is: GMRS Transit by tweiss3, on Flickr

UHF/GMRS compared closely, but a bit worse performance than in my work truck. I think I will make a separate thread for that "temporary" install.

 

[mrweather]

Wonder why they specified the rear position only for antennas below 30 MHz?

 

[tweiss3]

Wonder why they specified the rear position only for antennas below 30 MHz?

Probably has to do with the navigation antenna is above the driver and the FM/AM radio antenna is front/center on the roof.

 

[mmckenna]

Wonder why they specified the rear position only for antennas below 30 MHz?

As far as reasonably possible from engine management computers, etc.

Most of the upfitter guides I've seen for vehicles suggest this location for HF radios. Some sedans/pickups will recommend mounting off the rear bumper.