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7180 Install and Antenna help

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WillB

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Looking to install a 7180 in my 2013 GMC truck. Looking for help/pointers/proper way to install the radio. Hoping to put a remote head unit in as space is limited where I want to mount the radio. Where is a good spot to mount the radio itself, not the head display.

Also looking for suggestions on a fender mount antenna. I don't want to put any holes in the roof of my truck.
 

mmckenna

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Remote head kit for this radio is KRK-10.

I'm running an NX-900 in my Ford pickup. The NX-900 uses the same chassis and remote kit as the TK-7180.

My radio is mounted behind the rear seat in a crew cab pickup. The control head is located under the dash. The control cable is run along side some other cabling underneath the door sills. Power is pulled direct from the battery and follows the same route to the rear of the cab.

Putting the radio behind the rear seat keeps it well out of the way, and it's a fairly short cable run to the antenna mounted above the rear center mount stop light. I've got a 2007 Chevy Colorado at work with an NX-900 and an NX-700 mounted under the drivers seat. My wife's Ford Escape has a Motorola radio, the radio is mounted down in the bottom of the center console with the control head on top of the center console. Any one of those locations will work fine, it basically comes down to where it will fit and how easy it is to get the wiring to/from. Keeping the coaxial cable as short as possible will reduce feed line losses. Not a huge deal, but the shorter, the better. Since you are preferring a fender mount, under the front seat might be your best choice, but it certainly isn't the only one.

Control heads should go where they are easy to see, easy to reach, and most importantly, out of the way of airbag deployment areas. A deploying airbag can cause some major injuries if it picks up any radio parts on it's way.

There are a number of ways to mount the antenna on the fender. There are NMO angle brackets that will screw into the inside of the fender between the fender edge and the hood. There are companies that make mounts that utilize existing hardware.
 

mmckenna

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…and:
Do not take shortcuts with the power wiring. Getting clean power to the radio can prevent a number of interference issues. It is a very good idea to run the power directly from the battery.
Positive lead should come off the positive battery post with a fuse located within a few inches of this point.
Negative lead should be connected to the chassis ground.

Protect all wiring with split loom. Route wiring away form heat sources and anywhere it can get pinched, abraded or otherwise damaged.

Use a grommet when passing wiring through any sheet metal.
 

mmckenna

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NMO mount 1/4 wave. It'll be about 18 inches tall. You can get them in chrome or black.
NMO mount 5/8ths wave. It'll be about 48 inches tall. Available in chrome or black.

The 5/8th's wave will have more gain than the 1/4 wave, and thus might perform a bit better in some instances. 1/4 wave will be lower profile.

I use 1/4 wave on all my mobile installs and for the installs at work. If you are looking to use your radio on a specific radio system, see what others are using and make your decision from there. Either one will likely work just fine.

Personally a big fan of Larsen brand antennas. I've been using them for about 20 years now and haven't had any issues. Other brands are: Antenex, Laird, Maxrad, etc.
Browning and Tram are some new companies that have hit the market. I haven't used them on any of my installs. Supposedly made in China. I personally don't feel like taking that gamble, but sounds like others are happy with them. For the slight price difference, I'd recommend one of the more established brands.
 

mmckenna

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Avery93

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Half wave antennas are also an option. They will work without a ground plane, which can be handy in some installs, but not necessarily needed in your case:
http://www.theantennafarm.com/catal...-vhf-antennas-457/no-ground-vhf-antennas-209/

In addition, many 1/2 wave antennas have a very wide bandwidth, which can be useful if you need to transmit on both the ham and public safety bands, or public safety systems with widely spaced frequencies. The Larsen NMOWB150 I have on my truck will cover 18 MHz with less than 1.5:1 VSWR, whereas most 5/8 wave antennas will only do 4-6 MHz at 1.5:1.

Their no ground-plane design may also be beneficial in the OP's planned fender-mount install.
 
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