replace CAR STEREO with amateur radio

[trx680]

I have an older car with an old school sony am/fm cd stereo. Not the newer touch screen Bluetooth satellite radio.
The radio crapped out and I'm considering replacing it with a ham radio.
It would have to fit in the space where the existing radio is. Anyone know if there are any radios the exact same size as a Sony car stereo?

 

[mmckenna]

What size is a "Sony car stereo"?

I think if it's a DIN size, that's pretty easy to do with many radios. If it's something different than DIN, you'll need to get out a measuring device and start comparing radio sizes.

 

[trx680]

DIN size??
It's the standard size car stereo. Same as a JCV, Pioneer, etc

 

[mrweather]

DIN is a size standard used by automakers for decades and refers to the dimensions of the opening in the dash holding the factory AM/FM radio. Single DIN, double DIN (twice as tall an opening as the single DIN) are the main two.

 

[AK9R]

There's even an international standard for DIN size car stereos: ISO 7736 - Wikipedia

To the OP, if you can find an amateur radio transceiver that will fit in the opening where you car stereo was and you can figure out how to mount it, there's nothing stopping you from putting the transceiver there. But, to the best of my knowledge, there are no amateur radio transceivers specifically made to replace a car stereo.

Keep in mind that your amateur radio transceiver will generate heat and that heat will need to be dissipated. Crammed inside a car dashboard will make managing the heat a little more difficult. Also, your amateur radio transceiver will be generating RF near car electronics that may not be happy having an RF generator in such close proximity.

 

[GlobalNorth]

If you need a filler plate or might need to fit radio into a dash/console, you might try this supplier to FD/EMS/LE vehicle outfitters.

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