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Questions on new install for Honda Accord

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photojournal4

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Hello,

I’m looking for some advice and guidance on a new install. I recently purchased a new car, a 2008 Honda Accord, and want I want to have a more permanent install than my last vehicle.

Here is what I want to install:

- NMO permanent antenna mount on the trunk with a Larsen Tri-Band antenna.
- Uniden BCD996XT
- Uniden RH-96 Remote Head

I have never hardwired anything before let alone drill a hole in my car. I could use advice on where to purchase the power cables for the hardwire. I know my Accord has two fuse boxes inside the car; one fuse on the driver’s side and one on the passenger side. I was going to use a separate add-a-fuse for both the scanner and remote head. The scanner will be mounted in the trunk.

Where do you guys recommend buying the power cables for the scanner and remote head and what type of cables should I buy (sizes)? Do you recommend using an inline fuse for both the power and ground? Uniden makes a hardwire cable with a fuse but it is way to short to run to the trunk, are there other manufacturers that make longer power cables that connect to the back of the scanner and remote head?

For the antenna mount, I was hoping to purchase one that came attached with a BNC connector. I found them on antennafarm.com but all the mounts come with 17 feet of cable. Are there other retailers that sell a mount with a shorter cable with a pre-installed BNC connector?

Lastly, I have never drilled into a car before but want a long lasting and permanent mount. What do you guys recommend for a hole saw? Also, I am in the Los Angeles area, do you guys have any recommendations for installers in the area to drill a clean hole? Instead of buying a bit, I would be happy to pay for a quick hole that I can then install the mount. I really don’t want to ruin the car a week after getting it.

I don’t post much but I really appreciate having RR as a resource to turn to. There is so much info that I have searched through in the past week and has given me so much info.
 

sfd119

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I have never hardwired anything before let alone drill a hole in my car. I could use advice on where to purchase the power cables for the hardwire. I know my Accord has two fuse boxes inside the car; one fuse on the driver’s side and one on the passenger side. I was going to use a separate add-a-fuse for both the scanner and remote head. The scanner will be mounted in the trunk.

Where do you guys recommend buying the power cables for the scanner and remote head and what type of cables should I buy (sizes)?

Do you recommend using an inline fuse for both the power and ground? Uniden makes a hardwire cable with a fuse but it is way to short to run to the trunk, are there other manufacturers that make longer power cables that connect to the back of the scanner and remote head?

Hello.

I would recommend hard wiring power from the battery through the car's firewall...and into a Power Distribution box of some sort. Fuses in line from the battery to your power distribution. I usually order my power cabling / distribution stuff from here: Wouxun Radios, Crimp Tools, Power Supplies & Power Poles for Sale | Powerwerx.


For the antenna mount, I was hoping to purchase one that came attached with a BNC connector. I found them on antennafarm.com but all the mounts come with 17 feet of cable. Are there other retailers that sell a mount with a shorter cable with a pre-installed BNC connector?

17 Feet may seem like a lot, but once you start snaking it through your car and under seats and all around, you'll be happy to have that much. Coil the extra up in the trunk.

I believe I ordered my last stuff from WPSantennas.com, they offered customization...or at least I thought they did. I have had them in my truck for close to three years without problems.

Lastly, I have never drilled into a car before but want a long lasting and permanent mount. What do you guys recommend for a hole saw? Also, I am in the Los Angeles area, do you guys have any recommendations for installers in the area to drill a clean hole? Instead of buying a bit, I would be happy to pay for a quick hole that I can then install the mount. I really don’t want to ruin the car a week after getting it.

DO NOT TAKE IT TO A CAR INSTALLER. That's my key advice. Got any HAM friends? Find a HAM Radio guy(s), they know what they are doing (most of the time). I used a body shop guy.

Hope this helps.
 

nosoup4u

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I Have a 2009 Accord. What I did was cut a 2x4 long enough so it didn't slide back and forth and placed it inside that top cubby hole with the door. I then attached the RH96 bracket to it.
 

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photojournal4

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Thanks guys for the help. I finally had time to work on the install last night.

@nosoup4u: I copied what you did and with the 2x4 and it worked perfectly. I was able to run the wires through the back of the cubby without removing the whole thing.
 

nosoup4u

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I am planning to put my 536 in my accord. Today I did a proof of concept with my bct15 to see if I could make it work. The cubby hole will separate into 2 peices once you get it out.
ha8ugybu.jpg


Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
 

rescue161

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If you're using a remote mount, then why not put the remote head in the eye-glass holder?

I put my remote Yaesu FT-7900 in the eye-glass holder and it folds up out of the way when I don't need it.





 

photojournal4

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@rescue161 The remote head for Uniden is too big for the sunglass holder. I did see your post and liked the idea but this was the only place it would fit without major work.
 

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KB6KGX

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DO NOT TAKE IT TO A CAR INSTALLER. That's my key advice. Got any HAM friends? Find a HAM Radio guy(s), they know what they are doing (most of the time). I used a body shop guy.

Next week I’m getting my BCD536HP installed into my 2010 Honda Accord. The person helping with the install is from my local radio club. She’s worked as a police/fire dispatcher and has done several installs and assures me mine will be no problem. She has the tools to drill perfect holes in the trunk. I’d been using the Comet 730 trunk mounts for years, and Larsen trunk mounts before that (but switch to the Comet because the Larsen ones made my trunk leak when it rained). I wanted a more permanent and “professional” look for the antennas and I really don’t care about drilling the holes. I’ve got almost 115,000 miles on it, so why should I care?
 

KB6KGX

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Here is what I want to install:

- NMO permanent antenna mount on the trunk with a Larsen Tri-Band antenna.
- Uniden BCD996XT
- Uniden RH-96 Remote Head

I am in the Los Angeles area


I live in Simi Valley and work in West Hills. I’m getting my BCD536HP formally installed this coming Monday and having my two antennas “relocated’ to permanent trunk mounts. I’m tired of the “temporary” look from the Comet 730 mounts and want something “cleaner” and more “professional”-looking. Sorry for the repetition of what I posted just a few minutes before, but I wanted to add that, once the install is completed, if you’d like to see how it was done, we could arrange that.

I, too, have the Larsen tri-band antenna. I was hesitant to use it for CHP as it’s not really designed for 42 Mhz, but it turns out to work just great on that band. I was going to buy the Austin Spectra, but the manager at HRO-Burbank told me that the Larsen was his recommendation, and assured me that would work great for CHP. Why spend four times as much for the Austin?

I was originally going to look for the same “996” combination as you have, but wasn’t finding any more RH-96 remote heads around anymore. When the BCD536HP was announced, I was a little hesitant about a radio with a “Home Patrol” interface, but was intrigued by the “Siren” app and using my iPhone as a sort of remote head. So I went for it and bought the 536. Can’t wait to get it installed.

What are you using as a speaker? Had been using the Vertex (Yaesu) MLS-100 speaker on the FT-7900 and just bought another one for the scanner. In my opinion, it’s the best non-amplified communications speaker you’re going to find. Reminds me of those cube-shaped Motorola speakers from the 70s. They sound that good. My test was if I could hear the scanner, on the freeway, with the windows rolled down, and at 65+ mph. Short answer: Yes. Not a problem.
 

KB6KGX

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If you're using a remote mount, then why not put the remote head in the eye-glass holder?

I put my remote Yaesu FT-7900 in the eye-glass holder and it folds up out of the way when I don't need it.






How did you do this? How did you run the cable? This install intrigues me. I might want to have this done if it’s not too difficult.
 

rescue161

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I dropped the eyeglass holder and ran two cables from the remote head. One for the mic and the other for the main radio unit. Both cables ran down the A pillar and and then I ran the main radio cable towards the rear of the vehicle. I ran the mic cable to the center console and put an RJ45 socket in the cubby hole. That way, I could take the mic out if we had to take it in for service.

I grounded the radio to the closest factory ground in the trunk and ran the 12V wire from the battery to a relay that I added so that when the car turns on, power is applied to the radio. When the vehicle is turned off, the power is removed.

I drilled a hole in the trunk lid and used a small dual-band antenna.
 
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