I'm this close > < to buying an Element (still debating on model and whatnot). However, I'm a ham radio operator, and I'd like to mount my mobile radio in the vehicle.

Details: I'm looking to mount a Kenwood TM-D700A. It's got a transmitter body that all the wires hook to, about 5.5 x 7.5 x 1.5 inches, and a control head that mounts remotely on a bracket. Power would ideally come direct from the battery, though an unused tap from the fuse panel would be acceptable.

Also, are there any service bulletins on putting transmitters in the Element?

All help appreciated. This isn't exactly a showstopper, but it sure would be nice to be able to do this.

my only advice to you is wake up my man, it's 2003! Ham Radio MAN!!!! :D

Aside from what Dex said, I am KF6PHV and here is the way I did it....

First, found a bracket that will hold the antennea and used a bolt on the left side engine compartment near the flat spot of the hood to bolt to. Mount then extends between the hood and fender, and coax snakes along the inside of the fender and can be pulled into the cab very easily using a coat hanger to reach thru the door opening. Pull coax thru and under the rubber seal for the door down by the floor. Route to wherever.

Second, use monster speaker cable from Radio shack, solder ends on it to connect to battery, run thru same route as coax. When in the cab, attach trailer plugs to end of cable and to end of radio, fuse as needed.

Finally, I mounted my Yeasu 7100 dual band with the seperate remote head this way: Body of radio hidden wherever you choose because wire is usually long enough for anywhere around the cabin. Secondly, remote head of radio has velcro glued to the bottom of the mount and velcro glued to top of dash, in the middle hump, right on top! This allows for the head to be removed when you are in a bad area and leave the car alone, but allows for full view when needed. A second velcro strap is glued to top of remote head and farther back behind the radio and is then fastened to the top of remote head to keep from moving when you need to program, or adjust buttons.

Add a radio shack speaker to the head rest between the seat and bottom of rest (fits perfectly, looks kewl!)

Hope this helps a fellow Ham!

And Dex.............BLAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!

Ger

i'm just kidding GER. You gotta admit there are not going to be too manly Element owners interested in Ham Radios. :)

[quote:8efccba4b9="dexter19"]i'm just kidding GER. You gotta admit there are not going to be too manly Element owners interested in Ham Radios. :)[/quote:8efccba4b9]

So what's unmanly about ham radio?

- Steve
Element owner
KG4VQM

[quote:77ad360fb6="SteveSmith"][quote:77ad360fb6="dexter19"]i'm just kidding GER. You gotta admit there are not going to be too manly Element owners interested in Ham Radios. :)[/quote:77ad360fb6]

So what's unmanly about ham radio?

- Steve
Element owner
KG4VQM[/quote:77ad360fb6]

OH, you meant "many." Never mind.

(But why not? I don't even own a cell phone -- hate telephones -- but radios are fun. Thinking about putting a ham radio AND a CB in my E. Already carry a couple of CB walkie talkies in my trunk organizer, and take a pair of FRS radios on family trips.)

[quote:d55a3a1e17="Ger Brassfield"]Aside from what Dex said, I am KF6PHV and here is the way I did it....[/quote:d55a3a1e17]

Ger, thanks! This is exactly what I needed to know. :D

Hey, are the windows metalicized? I could potentially use a glass-mount antenna if they're not. (I've got one lying around.)

If, after I get the Element, I have any questions, you'll probably be hearing from me.

73 de W8SCA.

Don't use speaker cable for running power- it's not abrasion rsistant enough. It'll wear through and you'll get a major arc and possibly fire. And never solder high-current leads. Use crimp on connectors only. Soldered connections have higher resitance and can be a failure point.

Take a look at this document a friend of mine wrote for Daimler-Chrysler:

http://www.cot.net/~n6mrx/ares/mobile.htm

He does a seminar on this topic at Dayton every year.

73 de KE8YY

Phil, I certainly hope I DO hear from you after your installation, or if you are in the middle and need advice, because us HAMS stick together! Do not know if the windows are metalized (or whatever) but I always shied away from window mounted antenneas. I would have mounted my antennea to the roof, but I felt it was too tall on an already tall vehicle and I did not want to have probs when I went thru a drive-thru or a multi-level parking structure and smacked something. Although as HAMS, we have the experimental capability to "homebrew" a device that would lower it or lay it down for such an occasion, should it arise.

73 de KF6PHV

Ger

There is a post on the other element website about location and antennas on the E.
In this post he had pics of the tri band mobile mounted in the overhead storage and his ant was roof mounted. Just do a search and you will see the slick install.

And as for the "Its 2003" comment Dex, Well, you probably don't know this, but Ham radio is still the only reliable worldwide communications in the event of a catastropy. Past Earthquakes, Hurracanes, Ham radio was the only way the people could get communications in and out of these places.

Relax everyone. I was just joking. There is nothing wrong with Ham Radios :!:

Now Ham and Cheese that's just delicious. :D

Now Dex Says --
Relax everyone. I was just joking. There is nothing wrong with Ham Radios

Yeah...Well....those of us in the AV squad can be touchy about such things!

Peter
N0LLL[/quote]

HI Guys

I Mounted my Ft100D On aluminium plate that I screwed intothe Frame oo my "E" between the seats in front of the cup holders. I mounted a Diamond K600M for the 2m 440 Antenna on the front hood on the drivers side. i also put a K400 3/8C on the rear hatch for a 20m ham stick ( or otherbands ) I am also going to be putting my Kenwood TM742 tri band 2m,440,1.2 gig in also to be mounted on the other side of the aluminium plate , and that Antenna will be mounted on the passanger side of the front hood. As for Power I drilled a 3/4" hole in the firewall on the drivers side ( with a grommet to protect the wires ) to run the Power and Antenna cables through. I ran # 10 wire that I fused at 30 amps on both the Black that I went to the first Ground point off the Battery and The Black that went to One of the two screws on the fuse block.

Karl N2RLD

P.S. I will post pisc soon

If anyone wants to see pics of my FT100D install E-mail me and i will send you a zip file with them

Karl N2RLD

Here is a link to my Yahoo Briefcase with the pics of my install up till now, i still have to install my 2m 440 1.2 gig radio


http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/n2rld/lst?.dir=/My+Folder&.view=l

Karl N2RLD

Karl ..... Great looking car ya got there! Also great looking, clean installation, especially the antenneas. What kind of mount is that on the rear lid? That was my second choice of location, to mount something in the back in the exact same place, only NOT in the lid. On the body itself, same location. Was going to homebrew my own mount from several pieces of angle aluminum, but decided on the front instead, where your other antenna is. I have a Yeasu 7100. the body is hidden, but the remote head is right on top of the dash in the middle, as I did not want to look down at the wrong time (ANY time is the wrong time when you do that) and the dork inthe car in front decides he needs to apply the brake at that particular second. Do you hide the radio in any way?

Makes me want to take pictures of mine and post.......which I shall do soon.

Shaka!

Ger

The Mount on the Hood Is aDiamond K600m and the one On the tail gate is a Diamond K400-3/8C ( For Ham Sticks ) with the c110 extension cable to the front where the radio is

Karl N2RLD

Domestic batteries and a 400 amp alternator will power the 8877 tetrode and your Element WILL glow in daylight too.

I achieved DXCC in 230 mins. in the rear area with a Quarter Keg and enjoyed every drop...BTW, this was on phone. my keyer went south..

de w1aoy

So if you mount a 2-meter and HF antenna is the car a "Two Element-Element?" :P

My husband is K8SPY.

Amatuer Radio Operators in my area are the trained "Skywatch" tornado spotters and who the NWS and NOOA rely on to provide reliable and accurate information on where the tornados are and where they are going.

Ok I am joining this thread a little late but heres my 2 cents worth. I run a Yasue 2500, Scanner and a wx alert CB all mounted just below the shifter, powered by a seperate fuse block run from the battery. The wires are all run thru the drivers side fender. The fuse block is hidden in the center console "hole" where the subwoofer is ment to be.
The ease of wiring was one of the reason I bought my "Element of Danger". I chase storms alot, and have to replace chase vehicles evry 3 years and the last new van took a month to get the wiring sorted out! The antenna wiring are run to the side of the roof and hidden under the plastic panels that run along the roof edges to the window tops, it then goes to the rear, into the rear hatch and up the center aisle using one of thos wire protector thingys used in offices when wires have to be run across doorways or aisles.

Oh ya, almost forgot,
Im N3TPF