Hey C5dad nice job there! I thought I might have to brush up my metal working skills as my dd is a 93 Z71 and there's not much room in the dash for built-ins LOL. The funky factory radio is in three pieces!!! Where and with what did you mount the antenna? Have looked at both the rear bumper (with a plastic cover), the bedrails and the roof. None seem to be the best of options but I'm leaning towards the bumper location as that will have the best antenna ht clearance.
Yaesu 857D install
- Thread starter NoToyz
- Start date
C5dad
Observer
Crazy -10 ga wire is what I would use as well. An 857 needs 25 amps on both legs. My FT has 10 amps on each leg, which gives plenty of safety margin.
NoToyz - thanks for the compliment. It is a touch tight back there. Just need to take the batteries off line (chalk that to experience). I mounted the antenna on the back bed rail. Drilled a hole and routed out the cap. Planning on cleaning that up with a hole saw to make it round at 1.5 inches diameter. The cable is routed under the bed rail to the stake hole, down and under the cab.
Having a diesel, I have a lot of interference from electrical. Several articles out there. I will be adding additional grounding for the hood, radial to the antenna under the rail, and post muffler to frame. Ferrite chokes will be added to the injectors (certain frequencies especially in the 152 region bleeds the injector noise really well.)
More pics in a few.
NoToyz - thanks for the compliment. It is a touch tight back there. Just need to take the batteries off line (chalk that to experience). I mounted the antenna on the back bed rail. Drilled a hole and routed out the cap. Planning on cleaning that up with a hole saw to make it round at 1.5 inches diameter. The cable is routed under the bed rail to the stake hole, down and under the cab.
Having a diesel, I have a lot of interference from electrical. Several articles out there. I will be adding additional grounding for the hood, radial to the antenna under the rail, and post muffler to frame. Ferrite chokes will be added to the injectors (certain frequencies especially in the 152 region bleeds the injector noise really well.)
More pics in a few.
C5dad
Observer
More pics
Here is the mounted antenna - a Diamond NR770HB
Underside of the mount, This is a 3D5MB Fujikura cable - Bought at HRO in Phoenix. Those Elmer's know their stuff and are a hoot! That end is a MLJ end which fits well in the antenna. I chose the antenna and the Elmer pointed me at the right cable with the discussion I wanted to be out the door for $100 - ended up at $90+ tax - $98.25.
This shows the bed to body grounding with the antenna coax running right by it. I used battery cable (flat tinned copper weave) which was trimmed to length.
Here is the penetration. On the beast, a wiring harness goes through the body right below the drivers door under the sill. I pulled the sill cap, punched a hole and ran the cable through it. I subsequently hit it with silicon sealant. Every penetration (power, etc) has silicon on it as well. No Mas Aqua!
Hope this helps!
Here is the mounted antenna - a Diamond NR770HB
Underside of the mount, This is a 3D5MB Fujikura cable - Bought at HRO in Phoenix. Those Elmer's know their stuff and are a hoot! That end is a MLJ end which fits well in the antenna. I chose the antenna and the Elmer pointed me at the right cable with the discussion I wanted to be out the door for $100 - ended up at $90+ tax - $98.25.
This shows the bed to body grounding with the antenna coax running right by it. I used battery cable (flat tinned copper weave) which was trimmed to length.
Here is the penetration. On the beast, a wiring harness goes through the body right below the drivers door under the sill. I pulled the sill cap, punched a hole and ran the cable through it. I subsequently hit it with silicon sealant. Every penetration (power, etc) has silicon on it as well. No Mas Aqua!
Hope this helps!
C5dad, This antenna mounting arrangement allow for a quick disconnect (so to speak) so you can use the pickup bed for carrying something wide which may over hang the bed? Thanks for the model numbers, I've got an HRO catalog around here somewhere, I'll take a look at the specs to give me an idea of what you did. I'll see if the cable will work on my MFJ stick antennas. Looking at the cab/bed grounding, did you take the area down to bare metal right at the connections?