http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/lyl...&.dnm=b695.jpg

 

ummmmm ... a little red x :?:

 

I changed it to a link, That should work.

 

OK, now I see the pic but still have no idea what I'm seeing...

 

Well, then we can safely assume you don't have one!

It's a control head for an Icom 901 dual band FM tranceiver. Definitely a geek toy.

I spent the day pulling panels and running wires to install it and the boxes that go with it. Power wires, control wires, antenna wires, Oh My!

I definitely know more about the nether regions of my xB now.

George

 

Dual Band Ham Radio control head . Interesting, I just keep a hand held raido with me.

KC6ZGG

04 xB BOP 16" w/205-50's

 

Isn't it put together rather nicely? I've been up in that dash too much lately, and I'm always pleased with how intelligently it seems to have been built.

 

I used a handheld (Icom W2A) for quite a while with a Larson mag-mount. I finally got around to installing the 901.

This is the third car it's been in. Works just fine for a classic radio. The main unit is mounted on the ledge at the front edge of the passenger's seat.

As you can see from the picture, the control head sits very nicely in the dash and doesn't even need anything to hold it in place. The buttons are a bit inconvenient to get to, but I just program everything I need into memory and turn the ****.

The microphone is wired to the main unit and sits in the center console.

The antenna cable runs under the door thresholds on the right side and up into the cargo area, around the spare tire, and then through the door seal at the bottom of the rear hatch. The rear hatch is a perfect pass-through as it has a nice soft seal with plenty of room for RG8X or RG58A/U. The coax can be routed up either side of the hatch and out through the upper corner of the hatch without getting pinched on anything. I'm using an Austin Antenna tri-band antenna on a mag-mount for now, but will do something more permanent after I find a good roof rack.

73 de N7TN

 

Nice little radio.
Nothing like my IC-2800,but it will do.
What I really want to see is how you mounted your antennae!

Kevin
K4KAS

 

did you glass it or you just left it the way it was in the picture link you posted ?

 

Hey. Very cool. Ever since I was kid I wanted a CB radio and the other week started doing some research on it. Some of the concerns I had was with the power. If I have a bunch of other electronics in the car (DVD, monitors, etc.) will there be problems running a CB or ham from the same power source? Also I read that depending on the location of the antenna / head unit that the signal might interfere with some of the electronic function of the vehicle. Is this true? Are there any resources that you recommend for answering basic questions about choosing the right radio and equipment and installation?

 

....also an idea I had was to somehow attach the antenna through the rear cable hitch screw hole. There is that little square at the left side of the rear bumper that pops out. I was thinking that an antenna mount could be attached to the cable tow hitch (the crew looking thing in the spare tire compartment). This would allow the antenna to be grounded and it would be mounted on the frame of the car. You would need a really long antenna to get a few feet clearance of the roof, but I think that would look cool, especially with a white or red Firestick. Think that might work?

 

I don't quite get what you mean by "glass", but the head is still as pictured. It is such a good friction fit in the slot that it really doesn't need any other mounting!

George

 

Check ARRL.org you should be able to find info there. It is possible to interfere with other electrical components. Especially if you have a ham radio running high power. Stock CB's are legaly regulated to 5w max output but some ham gear can legaly pump up 1500w if necessary. Although not recommended and heavly regulated as well. Antenna placement would have a significant impact on interference too.

 

Power isn't a problem, as most 2-way radio gear only pulls significant current while transmitting. Even then, the 901 pictured only pulls about 70 watts and a full-blown HF radio would only pull 130 or so for a few seconds that each transmission lasts. A separate power lead directly from the battery is a good idea.

Early ECUs could be susceptable to radio transmitters in cars, but Toyota never seemed to have a problem with this. There are absolutely no interferences between the radio and the car, either in the car's function or the radio's function. I kept the power and antenna wires away from the ECU, but didn't go to any extraordinary lengths to shield them.

I don't really recommend CB radios any more unless those you caravan with are already using CBs. They are just a hassle to work with. For caravans, handheld FRS radios are much better and offer the advantage of no installation hassle at all.

If you want to get into the ham stuff, prices vary widely. Google Ham Radio Outlet or Amateur Electronics Supply for more info. Suffice to say, you can spend as much as you want, from $200 for a basic VHF installation to $2000++ for a full-blown HF installation. Nothing like talking to the world from a mobile! Ham licenses are easier to get than most people think, particularly for the VHF bands.

I'm pretty sure that your idea would work. A longer antenna would be a good idea. I'm not sure that the stock tow hook would be a good idea, but you could easily fab an antenna mount from square tubing with the appropriate thread on the front and a jam nut to hold the mount securly upright. I've had good luck with Firestik antennas, and they are easily tuned to resonance if you have or can borrow an SWR analyzer. The only problem would be that the rear hatch couldn't be opened with the antenna in place, so you would have to have a tilt-over or a quick disconnect to allow access.

George

 

Thanks for the info George!

 

The radio will pull about 4 Amps per 50 watts from your vehicle.
Toyotas have know noise problems with HF installations.Fuels pump and cooling fan.
That can be fixed.Although not many people run HF moblie anymore.
You can also get alot of good info as well as easy to use practice tests at
qrz.com

Kevin

 

George, sounds like you have yourself quite the clean install. I have a Uniden scanner I'm thinking of putting in the xB. It will mount just in front of the gear shift under the cigarrette tray. I have a hatch mountable antenna assembly for the rear, but haven't found where it's going to mount, yet.

My Icom 2800 is still in the Subaru, and since that car is a garage queen now, I might put that in the xB too...even though I'm not much of an active HAM anymore (damn antenna restrictive CC&R's!).

:D

 

Return from the dead!!!!

 

k4kas, I think that's the same mount I have. That looks like a prime place to have the antenna! How did you run the coax from the hatch?