2018 Mazda CX-3 | Icom IC-V3500 Black edition | PCTEL MWB1320

[Crazyhair]

Hello,

I'm a Canadian amateur located in Alberta. This is my third install. My first install was a 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 with an Yaesu FT 7900 remote head and a Larsen nmo 2/70. Then I had a Jeep Compass with a Kenwood TM-281 and a Larsen 5/8 whip. All of my installs feature a hole mount in the center of the roof with a proper Laird HS34 hole saw I bought years ago from the antenna farm for only a couple of dollars before they tripled in price. I run power to the battery through a Havis Charge Guard or a Powerwerx APS-12. The antenna cable is Larsen nmokhfud and I crimp my own connector to length. I try to pick commercial grade stuff over ham grade when possible.

I used a Rig Expert Stick 500 and got the vswr down to 1.0:1 at 146.2 mhz. The edges of 2 meter band is ~1.16 on both sides. Almost a flat across the board reading. I had to remove my roof rack cross rails because they actually made the reading high into the 1.2's across the band.

Cheers,

Kevin

I'm just in the middle of figuring out how to add photos to this thread as the ones I added to this thread apparently are too large to process so please standby for pictures.

 

[Crazyhair]

Okay here are my photos at 40% resized and the server seems to accept them now.

Thanks.

 

[03msc]

Nice job on the antenna mount - doing it right from the beginning! Quality components = happier operator for sure. In the southern US, that radio mounting location wouldn't last very long with the summer heat cooking it but I imagine that is less of an issue in Canada. Hope it makes you many contacts around there!

 

[Crazyhair]

Hello 03msc, thank you for the kind words on the install.

I was running the Signal Stalk quarter wave nmo before but the VSWR was not as broad across the band, so I thought I would try a heavier PCTEL whip and it has a lower VSWR.

I do normally keep a cloth over the radio in the hot sun as it can get up to 35+ degrees C here in the summer and the heat sink is too hot to hold your hand to once the sun gets at it.

I did lightly research this matter and noted on the website the Icom was 810G mil spec rated so I looked it up and copied it below. I quickly googled 501.5 and it talks about maintaining a storage of 160f. I do not know what that really means and if you can operate it while smoking hot or not. Other than that I am not sure. Maybe other people know if circuits can sit all day at 160f in the sun or not. I would love to know if I need to move it, but I had it before down on the cup holder side console and I could not see the display due to the contrast and the angle. I was used to radios that were dash mounted at work and those never had issues so I thought I would risk it, but those were Motorola control heads not the full radio body so I am not sure how that compares if at all from commercial to ham grade.

I used to run an airspy as well for general scanning and airband, but I ended up taking that out. So for now I have two leftover unused mounts. New photo attached. Also those Tram nmo caps misthread going on the nmo mount and I'm waiting to replace it with a Larsen Rain cap. I gambled on a 1$ Tram cap and lost.

Cheers,

Kevin

Standard	MIL-810 G
Method	Procedure
Low Pressure	500.5	I, II
High Temperature	501.5	I, II
Low Temperature	502.5	I, II
Temperature Shock	503.5	I-C
Solar Radiation	505.5	I
Vibration	514.6	I
Shock	516.6	I, IV

Also meets equivalent MIL-STD-810-C, -D -E and -F.

 

[03msc]

Yeah, I think your best bet is just to keep trying it and see if you have any issues. I don't have any experience personally with testing that radio or anything. I get what you mean about not being able to see it if it is down low so that makes sense. Hopefully it works well for you. The antenna should certainly not give you any problems there as it is in a great spot, as you know.

 

[MTS2000des]

Hi temps will shorten the life, but the biggest thing is the solar radiation will take it's toll on plastics. We see this on Moto APX4500s mounted to the dash of fire trucks, the orange button turns yellow, the rubber surrounds on the knob dry rot. Those don't see near the number of hours a passenger car driving on freeways and parked outside for hours/days even. I would not recommend putting anything electronic (especially consumer grade ham gear) on a dash if you want it to last years. A hot dashboard on a summer day can cook cookie dough on a metal tray in about 30 minutes to fully baked cookies.