Motorola Spectra Questions

[_Jerry_]

I'm looking to get the following motorola vhf spectra

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=150244968781&Category=46539&_trksid=p3907.m29

but before I get it, I want to know how much of a headache it will be to install.

I know it has the main power and antenna connection in the rear and the control head connection in the front. Are those the only cables I have to worry about? I'm just looking for a basic install, no horn or light relay, just speaker and control head. And as a temporary install (until I get someone to get through the firewall of my vehicle) will hooking the main power up to the 12v power connector work?

Thanks in advance,

Jerry

 

[fineshot1]

Jerry - How much of a headache it will be to install partially depends on what vehicle you are installing it in. Also - I did not see a bracket for the spectra radio chasis in the picture. Are you sure that is included? Your question about hooking it up to main 12v power is confusing so if you could please clarify what you are asking about.

 

[CCHLLM]

Here's the bottom line: The radio was never designed to be temporarily installed, so it's not likely to perform to specs unless it's properly installed. Because there are only 4 wires and an antenna to connect, the reality is that the only things difficult about the installation are finding/creating that place to go through the firewall and routing the antenna cable. The difficulty rating of mounting the antenna is dependent upon where you're gonna put it and the type of mounting you'll use.

There will be a polarized Power Connector on the rear of the radio unit, and the mating connector with Red and Black wires will be the power lead. The power lead should have a fuse holder near the source end that's fused with a 15 amp fuse and should be connected directly to the battery, or to the output terminal of a master control relay if you're going that route. The 15 pin accessory connector on the rear of the radio is not used in your case and can be left as is, since the remote Control Cable provides the speaker connection and control voltage inputs.

On the control head end of the Control Cable there will be the speaker connector and two wires with fused leads with 3 amp fuses. The Green wire MUST be connected to the SAME place as the larger RED power wire, and the Black lead must be connected to a solid ground point. The Orange wire is to tell the radio what to do when switched options are enabled, and can be connected to a switched source for those options, or to the same place as the Green wire for unswitched or master switch operation. Motorola's installation instructions are very specific about these connections, and if you don't connect the Green wire to the same source as the Red wire, any significant voltage difference between the two points will cause the radio to operate improperly.

 

[_Jerry_]

Thanks for the reply!

http://www.radioreference.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98774&highlight=sebring

Above is the car I will be mounting in.

I'm sure the radio comes with the main control bracket.

My plan is to mount the control unit in the lining of the trunk. I already drilled a hole in the center of the trunk and have a vhf antenna mounted. I have it ran the same way I had the lip mount ran. If there's enough room, I plan to mount the control head under where the pro-2055 was, or in the iso slot and the speaker in the area the cd changer came out of in front of the cupholders.

Has anyone ever gone through the firewall on a 01-06 stratus/sebring? If so, I would like to know where/how you ran wires through it.

Thanks for the replies already gotten, it cleared up a lot of questions in my mind.

 

[fineshot1]

Sorry Jerry - I am not familiar with drilling in that model car. I usually do Ford CVPI's or Dodge Durango SUV's or Ford Explorer or Expedition SUV's. I really do like the install you did on that 2055 - that was slick work & looks real nice. If you drill a hole through the firewall just remember to use a rubber gromet for the positive wire and seal it up after your done. Some firewalls I have been able to avoid drilling by using a razor blade and cutting a slit into an existing rubber gromet or boot and poking the wires through with a fish rod and the wires tapped up to it real good, but you gotta be carefull when using a razor blade near other wiring. Good luck & keep us posted....

 

[b7spectra]

Jerry - great radio to have. I had 3 of them in my '02 Sport Trac (VHF/UHF & 800), all remote heads. I had CComm911 (in Smyrna, GA) install them so I didn't have to worry about it. If you have a place that can do it, take it to them and let them do all the work! CComm911 here installs all the equipment into police cars, so I wasn't at all worried about their work!

 

[cowboywildbill]

Hi, I got one of those radios from the same vendor. I won't do it again. Check out the other vendor's on the ebay site. Air Comms , this isn't a plug for this seller, they are just above board and are a "CERTIFIED MOTOROLA REPAIR DEALER". They list list sixteen free channels of programming. He will program the rest of the channels for about 50 cents per. You will still be ahead of the game. And you can call them and they are a Real Business and you talk to them any time. No voicemail, you get a live technician. Not so with the other E-8 guy.
Just wanted to save you some grief. And it is cheaper. I saw it listed for $149.00 Ask for Jerry I bought some other equipment from Air Comm and couldn't be happier.
Air Comm will do it right . And it will work when you get it.
I am still waiting for a Y cable from the E 8 guy, It has been over a month since I bought from him and lets just say I learned a lesson. I hope you don't mind my chiming in. I wish I would have read all of the feedback before buying the other "Free 35 channels".
I wish I had posted my intentions to buy and got a some feedback first. The Spectra is a great radio by the way.
Good luck.

 

[_Jerry_]

Thanks for the insight!!!

I was just wondering about e8 with some of the feedback I saw. You just cleared up a lot of things on my mind.

Thanks again

 

[cowboywildbill]

Your very welcome. I am glad to save you from some of the grief I had. And to make it worse I gave him Pos feedback before I recieved it. Then we went into a dispute mode after I recieved it and it didn't work. I never had to do that with anyone else on ebay. That's why I like this forum, I learn a lot and don't have to learn it the hard way by trial and error. Other people on here have already had the trial and error part and save us a lot of steps and money$$$ .
Let me know how you make out. If you decide to talk to the Air Comms people they have an 800 # and they will ship overnight or two day or whatever you ask and pay for.
And you don't have to go thru ebay unless you want to.
I used my credit card over the phone to them for two UHF Sabers. Let me know how you make out. You will love the Spectra. My next one will be an Astro that will do digital and Anolog. I'm not sure what model it is. But I'm saving for it. Take care

 

[N1BHH]

You can actually do better, if you know someone that does installs, they would be the one to see. Befriend a local radio shop guy and do it as a project together. He can show you how and where to install it and you can do it together. I would mount it right under the scanner or somewhere close by. It's always best to have all radio controls in the same vicinity, so when you change frequency or turn up the volume, it's right where you reach for it.

 

[lbpd719]

one question though, why do you want to go through the firewall? for power? I would think you would be better served tapping into the harness (you could probably hit up a dealership for a suitable live line already exsisting. Even though it's a good power rig, it can't be that high of a draw..

 

[zz0468]

one question though, why do you want to go through the firewall? for power? I would think you would be better served tapping into the harness (you could probably hit up a dealership for a suitable live line already exsisting. Even though it's a good power rig, it can't be that high of a draw..

That's the 45 watt radio, and can pull well over ten amps on transmit. Probably too high to tap into the vehicle harness.

 

[mjthomas59]

That Air Comm looks like a pretty good business. Only question though is how do you go about getting all the "accessories". Power cables, mounting bracket, etc

Thanks

 

[CCHLLM]

You go through the firewall because the radio was designed to be connected directly to the battery or connected to an aftermarket master relay designed for the purpose and which is connected directly to the battery, not half-assed attached to the vehicle's noisy wiring harness, and because that's the what the manufacturer's installation procedures require. Half-assed installations always result in half-assed or worse performance, unless of course, you purchase a half-assed radio.