TurboManiacal

Installed my new Yaesu FT-8900R into my truck this week. I still need to grab a little vent mount for the Mic ($7.50) so it doesn't sit in the cupholder...but so far the neatest purchase I've bought for a vehicle in years.






Install is pretty clean I think (remember, I'm the guy that took all my badges off because I thought they were clutter). Next up rear diff locker and BFG All-Terran T/As. (after I finish my bathroom, lol)

toylocost

try photobucket.com

TurboManiacal

Uploader.ws is slow sometimes and is fail for many, but it's the only anonymous one that I completely trust at the moment. Using photobucket leaves an IP trail back to me. Certain photos I don't like other people knowing about.

TurboManiacal

Moved photos to phailbucket until uploader.ws quits being full of fail and aids.

Mtn Mike

iTrader: (1)

Hey Turbo, nice install. Could you give an update on what you think of your hood lip mount? I've been searching for a good mounting solution for a 2M/70 NMO antenna. I'm definitely considering the hood lip clip on style mount.

mobilephoneonly

That's brilliant. and glad to be a part of this great community. By the way, it costs me minutes to load this page, are there any rules on the image size or soemthing?

Fink

Those pics are actually well within spec.
Usually anything less than 800x600 is okay - preferably 640x480 though.

Fink

aviator

Looks good turbo. I love the way all your display colours match, looks factory.

I wish they made a CB with a separate faceplate/control set up it would make installs in our trucks a lot cleaner and easier.
what kind of range do you get with that short ant.? IK down in Aust. they tend to favour much taller ones mounted to the front bumper.

mobilephoneonly

thank you,4x4Fink

TurboManiacal

I'm very picky on certain things - and the rules for this install mandated a very clean install. Note the window mount - I stole that from my GPS receiver - new Pioneer GPS radio / dvd player to be installed soon.

The one thing we couldn't work around was the antenna. I get decent range out of that particular setup and the mount is pretty close to perfect - still some flex, but stable at speed and only the set screws on the underside dig into the paint, so no worries I guess on that part. I will probably end up getting a swappable half length antenna for greater range when I'm out in the Upper Penninsula of Michigan.

TurboManiacal

Pics are from the iPhone so file size shouldn't be an issue. There are board settings (if not, the admin should institute them) to enable browsing with pictures turned off.

TurboManiacal

I posted this in another thread, but if I ever think I need a CB - this is what I will use:



The brain can be hid anywhere like under the seat and the mic can come up right under the seat and mount on the side of the transmission tunnel for a very stealthy install. If you need a speaker, that can be hid as well.

For the antenna on the CB - they make glass mount ones that are only slightly larger than the old school Cell Phone antennas. I'd use that and it wouldn't be much different looking than my current setup.

To your last question - like I mentioned before, I'll probably end up with a half length HAM antenna that I'll be able to swap out in moments on my current mounting base.

aviator

Actually Turbo with that CB the "brain" is in your hand lol... everything is in the handset that little box just houses the plugs for the ant. and handset and the power connections... usually it is hidden up behind the dash someplace.
I've seen those units and (to me anyway) they feel fat and clunky in the hand and they are'nt light either.

I may try to find a broken Uniden510XL/520XL or a Cobra19DXIV and see if it is possible to fab up a separate faceplate mod.
I don't see any reason why you could'nt, if yaesu (and others) can do it for the BACON radio crowd...

TurboManiacal

Yeah - good points - figured the box was the brain...well then - that can go anywhere.

I'll see about the clunky feel - streamlined use might make up for clunky feel in the end for me.

There is also the newly available blutooth integration in the newer CB radios - not sure how that works yet but the uniden models definately have it.

My first course of action is to try and hack the Yaesu to talk on the CB freqs first. Though how many truckers want to hear me talking at 50w of power. :o

Junkers88

Maybe I don't know enough about radios and such but why would you mount a HAM unit in a vehicle? Aren't HAM units supposed to be base stations for short range and/or repeaters for long range? I do understand the need for a CB in an offroad rig but can't see the use of a HAM in a mobile situation.


A caveat here is that I know nothing about HAM units other than the PACER Bounce that we have in our mobile comm center with the military. I've talked to guys in Alaska (no kidding) from our unit here in New Mexico but that was a nice overcast night and the antenna was attached to a cable that was dropped into a river close to the incident site.

Perhaps some help for a radio rookie?

aviator

HAM units are actually generally for longer range communication because they are not "line of sight" like CBs generally are [amped CBs or units with SSB capability do have greater range]. They also have the ability to transmit on monitored distress freqs. in some areas that permit faster more accurate responses then you get with CB Ch.9. The comms are more private too with less chance of interference then you might find on CB.

As for 50WCBs some truckers are using amps to push more then that... one of our members has one.