• To anyone looking to acquire commercial radio programming software:

    Please do not make requests for copies of radio programming software which is sold (or was sold) by the manufacturer for any monetary value. All requests will be deleted and a forum infraction issued. Making a request such as this is attempting to engage in software piracy and this forum cannot be involved or associated with this activity. The same goes for any private transaction via Private Message. Even if you attempt to engage in this activity in PM's we will still enforce the forum rules. Your PM's are not private and the administration has the right to read them if there's a hint to criminal activity.

    If you are having trouble legally obtaining software please state so. We do not want any hurt feelings when your vague post is mistaken for a free request. It is YOUR responsibility to properly word your request.

    To obtain Motorola software see the Sticky in the Motorola forum.

    The various other vendors often permit their dealers to sell the software online (i.e., Kenwood). Please use Google or some other search engine to find a dealer that sells the software. Typically each series or individual radio requires its own software package. Often the Kenwood software is less than $100 so don't be a cheapskate; just purchase it.

    For M/A Com/Harris/GE, etc: there are two software packages that program all current and past radios. One package is for conventional programming and the other for trunked programming. The trunked package is in upwards of $2,500. The conventional package is more reasonable though is still several hundred dollars. The benefit is you do not need multiple versions for each radio (unlike Motorola).

    This is a large and very visible forum. We cannot jeopardize the ability to provide the RadioReference services by allowing this activity to occur. Please respect this.

NMO Install on 2011 Extended Cab (not crew cab) Silverado

sefrischling

Public Information Officer
Joined
Sep 18, 2003
Messages
1,849
Location
New London, CT
Any tips for the most hassle free way to install two NMO mounts in the roof of a 2011 extended cab (the half back door that opens backwards) Chevy Silverado?

Somehow the pick up seems like a bigger pain in the @$$ than my 2010 Suburban.

Thanks folks.
 

mmckenna

I ♥ Ø
Joined
Jul 27, 2005
Messages
23,897
Location
Roaming the Intermountain West
I'm sure I did some of those at some point in my life.

Pull the rubber seal around the inside of the door about mid-cab and see if you can pull the headliner down just a bit and see what is up there.
Or, pull the dome light out if it's in the center of the cab (I cannot remember…) and see if you can see the roof skin above it.

Drill, install, route your cable either up the A pillar and down to your radio, or to the back of the cab to the RF deck. Pay attention to air bag deployment areas.

I don't remember anything particularly tricky about these trucks. Maybe search some old posts here.
 

madrabbitt

Member
Feed Provider
Joined
Apr 1, 2004
Messages
749
Location
NM
on my 08, dome light came off super easy, and the primary NMO went above it without issues.

for an antenna with less of a ground plane requirement, pulling the third brake light and installing one right there was even easier. There were holes for cable entry from the void space to above the headliner. Dont run it thru the same hole as the lights, run it on the opposite side.

the 11 probably has more airbags then my 08 did, but if you need the coax to the front of the truck, on the center of the roof where you pulled the dome light, start at the dome light hole on the inside, push something rigid straight horizontally, remove the weather strip to visualize the gap, and it should come out rearward of the roof mounted door latch.
Drill and install the NMO and orient the bottom of the NMO at a 45 degree angle pointed at the A post that you're going to run the coax down. Once the NMO is installed and tightened, use whatever rigid tool you used to pull the coax between the headliner and roof skin to that same point rearward of the latch, then get it forward of that by working it around the back of that latch, and once its forward of it, work it so that the cable runs at a 45 degree angle directly from the mount to the top of the A post. Detatch the A post trim (left side is easier since there isnt a grab handle, at least there wasnt in mine). Coax down adjacent to whatever harness is in there, you may find a cable tray type assembly, zip tie it to the harness which will keep it away from any airbag, and at the bottom of the A post its a straight shot down the back of the dash by the pedals.

If the radio body is in the rear, then coax back to the C post is super easy and just needs rubber trim to be removed. If the radio is under the front seats, i'd run it rearward down the C post, and under the door trim.

My 08 had a cluster**** of equipment.
Main radio body was under the driver seat (center NMO to driver side C post and down),
cell booster was under the passenger seat (nmo was centerline right side, down the passenger side C post),
Scanner was under the dash (nmo rear center by the third brake light, to passenger side A post down behind the glove box)
Ham radio was under the scanner (nmo rear left side to driver side A post behind the dash... not in the picture)
CB radio was a hump mount (fender mounted NMO in thru the firewall by the pedals)
Cell hotspot was mounted to the roof console (nmo was centerline left with an extremely short cable run direct to it)
XM radio antenna was mounted to the camper shell on the left side.

Dont get me started on the stupid spotlight.

IMG_8390.jpeg
 

sefrischling

Public Information Officer
Joined
Sep 18, 2003
Messages
1,849
Location
New London, CT
Dont get me started on the stupid spotlight.

OK, I'll skip the spotlight ... but I appreciate all the other info. The 11 does have airbags that the 08 has ... because it has airbags the 10 doesn't have ... The center will end up with Kenwood dual band (dual deck, single head) , another dual band, an XTL2500 for 800 conventional and two scanners. This way I can talk and monitor. I figure the UHF an 800 on the roof, maybe the UHF, 800 and dual band on the roof ... then VHF and scanner antenna (two scanners, one single VHF 1/4 wave) up off the hood.
 

madrabbitt

Member
Feed Provider
Joined
Apr 1, 2004
Messages
749
Location
NM
Keep spacing in mind. Those antennas on that truck ended up too close for comfort. The VHF main radio was set in software to low power, and it was more of a system monitor then anything that transmitted constantly. If i was in the field and had to use it, i would turn the scanner off and physically disconnect its antenna from it. VHF and the LTE antennas were far enough apart that i wasnt super concerned about desense, especially with the VHF only putting out 20 watts.

The newer truck has things much further apart to make me feel better about it.

IMG_3250.jpeg
 
Top