Chevy HHR - Yaesu FT-7900 Install

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tekshogun

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I'll get better pictures later with my digital camera, these are from my camera phone. I hope all is decent.

2006 Chevrolet HRR - Brand spanking new Yaesu FT-7900R with remote mount kit.
Antenna is a 38" dual-band Comet SSB-5 on a Comet RS-730 NMO Trunk/Hatch Mount.
For audio, I am using the car's auxiliary audio input but will soon add a nice Motorola speaker when a fellow ham finds it for me. Other than that all seems to work well.

A wide shot of the forward control head. The control cable is routed through a wire hanger that uses two-sided tape, looks decent and functions well. The air from the vents pass right over the c-head so no heatinng/cooling issues there.
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A close up of the control head.
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Microphone and mic-clip are mounted on right side of dash console in the passenger's area.
2242736120060586173S425x425Q85.jpg

There is a nice compartment under the storage area and above the spare tire and battery to store items and mount things such as the unit. You may be able to see (bottom right) a wire hanger holding the antenna coax in place for it's route into the "secret" compartment.
2644066570060586173S425x425Q85.jpg

And here is the unit. The power wire and antenna coax actually do not run that close to each other right now. The coax just routes through the hatch door-jam (it is a thinner piece for the first 18 inches for this reason and is tucked away so it is not noticeable.
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Another angle on the unit with the coax nice around on these nice hooks Chevy gracious supplied at the factory :)
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The antenna and mount at full view. This antenna is no joke. It works really well and it is TALL. I have trouble in a couple of the pitifully designed parking decks in town so I have to remove the antenna if I am expecting to enter one. The antenna supposedly has a fold over feature but I have yet to explore that. At some point I will get a smaller antenna and keep the SBB-5 in the car when I want more reach.
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A close up of the mount and antenna base.
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Another angle, note the antenna is not fully shown (again it's a TALL one).
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And that is it. I hope it meets your approval. I take constructive criticism!
 
K

kb0nly

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Looks good. I would clean up the wiring and eliminate all the extra coax instead of winding it up, but otherwise i can't suggest anything!
 

canav844

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Great setup!

I've a 7800 user myself. I just haven't gotten over the drill holes into my dash phase yet.

If you can't eliminate the extra coax (or just want to leave yourself the option of having extra on that line down the road), I've been told to lay it out in straight lines as close to the 1/4 or 1/2 mark so as not to hurt SWRs when Tx-ing, in the event the shielding isn't trapping all the RF signal. Just something I've heard and by practice do with my CB install.

Something else I thought I'd mention, I'm not sure how your cargo area is used or if you've got kids, but might want to check to make sure a rainy day or trip to the beach won't cause any water dripping down to the radio. (and that the cax isn't getting pinched in the entrance to the secret compartment.

Can't wait to see the pictures when you're regular camera is handy
 

cgriggs

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Setup looks great! I have the 7800 and love it, I would agree with eliminating the extra coax as I just did the same thing myself.

One mod I wanted to point out is on the Volume and Squelch knobs, they can be a little hard to see when your going down the road and you need to know their position. I taped off around the trench that shows the position of the knobs and added some whiteout so that their setting can easily be seen. Check out the pic attached.
 

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mrweather

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Looks good. Slightly o/t but what's the difference (if any) between the FT-7800 and 7900?
 

cgriggs

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Looks good. Slightly o/t but what's the difference (if any) between the FT-7800 and 7900?

Not much, it is the updated 7800.

Per Universal Radio

"The FT-7900R is similar to the FT-7800R, but adds a Memory Only mode and provides 5 watts more on 440"
 

tekshogun

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Thanks all for the compliments and helpful hints/critiques. I just got back in to town and have yet to take new pics (today? tomorrow!). I'll wait until I implement the suggestions you all have made.
Not too shabby. I would have the microphone in a much more convenient location, I don't like reaching for the microphone. My preference is right close to the steering wheel.

The HHR is not a terribly big vehicle and I am a big guy. I did test place it in several spots close to the steering wheel and they all seem awkward as I reach out for the mic. Where it is, I don't even have to extend my arm all they way. I can feel for the mic when retrieving it and placing it back in the holder easily. Also, I have a Motorola spectra that uses a handheld control head. That I will end up putting close to the steering wheel.

I've a 7800 user myself. I just haven't gotten over the drill holes into my dash phase yet.

You don't have to drill any holes. The remote head mount bracket uses the two-sided tape that comes with the YSK-7800 kit. That tape has held up very well and was intended for a permanent mount if that is what you wanted without having to drill holes. The mic-holder/clip you may have to drill holes but they are small and you can do it "out of the way" similar to what I have done.

If you can't eliminate the extra coax (or just want to leave yourself the option of having extra on that line down the road), I've been told to lay it out in straight lines as close to the 1/4 or 1/2 mark so as not to hurt SWRs when Tx-ing, in the event the shielding isn't trapping all the RF signal. Just something I've heard and by practice do with my CB install.

Looks like I will be shortening the coax. I have a couple of other mobile projects I need to do and when I get with my radio buddies for help, they can help me shorten that line. I know how to do it but I don't have a crimper.

Something else I thought I'd mention, I'm not sure how your cargo area is used or if you've got kids, but might want to check to make sure a rainy day or trip to the beach won't cause any water dripping down to the radio. (and that the cax isn't getting pinched in the entrance to the secret compartment.

That compartment is well inside of the hatch storage area. I have had this car now for almost 3 years and that compartment has held up well. It is not leak proof at all but the hatch is like anything else, no water has gotten in while it was closed. The antenna cable, for the first 18 inches, was especially made for this application. Directly under the the compartment is the spare-tire and the car's battery, so I hope to not have any leaks.

Setup looks great! I have the 7800 and love it, I would agree with eliminating the extra coax as I just did the same thing myself.

One mod I wanted to point out is on the Volume and Squelch knobs, they can be a little hard to see when your going down the road and you need to know their position. I taped off around the trench that shows the position of the knobs and added some whiteout so that their setting can easily be seen. Check out the pic attached.

That is a really nice little mod for a radio I thought needed none.... The HHR has a small overhead light that is constantly on when car is in night mode and it illuminates that center front dash area very well. So I can see the controls and how they are set, but I think a little white out would make visibility better.

Looks good. Slightly o/t but what's the difference (if any) between the FT-7800 and 7900?

Good question. Yaesu is continuing what they normally do and "refreshing" their market items. The power has been boosted on UHF and the radio has a slight design change on the front end of the control head. Supposedly, the engineers are using some of the same/similar components present in the Vertex line of commercial radios.

Not much, it is the updated 7800.

Per Universal Radio

"The FT-7900R is similar to the FT-7800R, but adds a Memory Only mode and provides 5 watts more on 440"

And what he said.
 

N1GJB

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Effective use of your relatively small cabin area, I think.

I had a Yaesu FT-90R dualbander in my car once years ago... never made use of the remote kit though, had enough room to mount the radio complete.

A mount like that would not work in my area... New England weather would require the heat being blasted through the vents far more often and could potentially overheat the radio. I'd rather not take chances on it. I'm sure its far less of an issue where you are.
 
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microphone mount

I have a very handy and "non-invasive" way to mount my microphone. If you remember the little belt clips for cell phones a few years ago...they had a round piece that was mounted with adhesive on the phone, and the round thingy slid into the belt clip. Kits usually came with the female end as a square with adhesive on it. I put one on my dash of my truck. It looks like a plastic version of a mic clip. Same color as my dash, no holes, and looks good.
 

n8emr

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Trim the coax and power cords down to the length you need. Hooks or no hooks you want the correct length.
 

K8TEK

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Why are the pictures so hazy?
 

KE4ZNR

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Lookin' good Terrell!
I couldn't help but noticing your radio is tuned to WUNC 91.5 during "All Things Considered". :)

Good to see I am not the only listener during that time period!

Happy Monitoring
Marshall KE4ZNR
 

Metrofire31

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Yaesu FT-7900

I also have an FT-7900 in my vehicle. Another neat thing about the 7900 is that it allows separate PL/DCS codes for input and output, something the 7800 did not do
 

tekshogun

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Re-install and Updated pictures

edited, I learned it may be appropriate to create a new thread with the updated work
 
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CCHLLM

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I can't wait for the update thread.

Thanks for lunch at the diner.
 
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tekshogun

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1) The young jazz vocalist is Renee Olstead, 2) the passers-by were obviously jazz fans, 3) we shoulda done something about that other wire, whatever it is, on the side of the console below the mic, 4) you coulda left out that junkyard pic (the back of my truck), and 5) yes, I need a haircut. We'll get that wire later.

Thanks for lunch at the diner.

Thank you sir, I also took out the pic of the back of the truck for security purposes actually :) , and for anyone getting here late, there was so much new material, I just created a new updated thread: http://forums.radioreference.com/pi...7095-update-chevy-hhr-ft-7900-re-install.html
 
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