theksmith
Explorer
I bought a mobile HAM rig over a year ago with plans to get my license right away, anyway i finally got it installed and with renewed interest am taking the tech test in a few weeks... here's the install:
went with the Kenwood TM-V71A full dual band, because it has the option to later upgrade the control panel to the RC-D710 when i'm ready to spend a little more money and start doing APRS.
i had already installed an antenna mount and ran a feed line when i did my CB install a long time ago (planning waaaay ahead ) i used the Diamond Antenna C213SMA coaxial cable assembly and here's the Diamond Antenna NR770HB dualband VHF/UHF mobile antenna:
decided to install the main radio body hidden behind the knee-panel on the drivers side, here is the panel removed:
mounting bracket and radio installed:
then for a speaker, i took apart a kenwood SP-50B:
... and drilled a 1" hole in a plastic area near the steering wheel, and glued the speaker and grill behind the plastic:
see the round circle below the gauges and behind the blinker stalk:
i mounted the faceplate up high, out of the way - i believe when i upgrade to the 710 faceplate, it will snap into the same mount as this one, so i left space for that taller model.
so here's the current "comm center":
theres the Kenwood TM-V71A HAM, Garmin 60CSx GPS, touchscreen monitor and keyboard hooked to laptop dock in the back, SPOT Gen II, Midland 75-822 all-in-the-hand CB Radio, the Kenwood HAM Mic/Keypad, several switches in place of the factory cubby-hole (where the ashtray was in some models), and finally in the tray in front of the shifters is the ipod.
went with the Kenwood TM-V71A full dual band, because it has the option to later upgrade the control panel to the RC-D710 when i'm ready to spend a little more money and start doing APRS.
i had already installed an antenna mount and ran a feed line when i did my CB install a long time ago (planning waaaay ahead ) i used the Diamond Antenna C213SMA coaxial cable assembly and here's the Diamond Antenna NR770HB dualband VHF/UHF mobile antenna:
decided to install the main radio body hidden behind the knee-panel on the drivers side, here is the panel removed:
mounting bracket and radio installed:
then for a speaker, i took apart a kenwood SP-50B:
... and drilled a 1" hole in a plastic area near the steering wheel, and glued the speaker and grill behind the plastic:
see the round circle below the gauges and behind the blinker stalk:
i mounted the faceplate up high, out of the way - i believe when i upgrade to the 710 faceplate, it will snap into the same mount as this one, so i left space for that taller model.
so here's the current "comm center":
theres the Kenwood TM-V71A HAM, Garmin 60CSx GPS, touchscreen monitor and keyboard hooked to laptop dock in the back, SPOT Gen II, Midland 75-822 all-in-the-hand CB Radio, the Kenwood HAM Mic/Keypad, several switches in place of the factory cubby-hole (where the ashtray was in some models), and finally in the tray in front of the shifters is the ipod.