Any ham radio 4R owners out there?

Any ham radio operators out there? I got my '03 V8 limited 4x2 back in february of 2003. I lucked out and bought it used with all of 3000 miles/3months from the previous owner--apparently, it was the wife of a doctor's vehicle and they decided they wanted the sequoia, so they traded it in. Their loss, my gain.

Anyways, I didn't get it for off-roading, but towing (being the sound engineer for a band) and also ham work with our local RACES group. Took me all of 2 weeks before I had a radio in the truck and another couple before it was trackable via APRS with a second radio. http://map.findu.com/n5tlt-14

Needless to say, I'm in search of how other people have mounted their consoles/radios. I currently have a kenwood tm-d700a for voice (not using the APRS or TNC features of it, tho). Then a custom APRS setup running on linux on a notebook attached to a yaesu FT1500M (nice radio, low current requirements!). Of course, the matrix orbital graphical display is currently on the fritz, so I've gone back to using a hardware based tracker, the OpenTracker 1 . The ft1500 is (currently on the floorboards of the rear seating area), the D700 is under the passenger front seat with the head remote-mounted on it's mount and stuck in one of the front cup holders--yes I know, I miss that cup holder, too!). and the garmin etrex legend gps is mounted on a RAM gps mount with a custom bracket I made that attaches behind where the two left-hand side glove box screws are--no extra holes or screws were used to mount that one).

BUT, this is all about to change as I ran across this board via Troy at oemvalue.com...needless to say I've ordered a solara nav unit and will be redoing a few things. I'll post before/after pics when I can if wanted, but was curious how others have mounted their radios and the pros and cons they've found.

my cons are obvious. there's a radio underfoot for back seat passengers and I lose my cup holders in the front...

Kevin

BTW- I sure wish I'd found this group about a year ago...

Some pics...here's the front console area. I'm thinking once my nav system is installed, I can use my mount for the gps for the radio (which is down low and hard to reach right now). I'd have to find another location for the existing gps, unless anyone has found if the solara/camry nav systems will output NMEA gps data via a serial port...I doubt it, but...

and here's the opentracker and ft1500 on the back floor boards. I really need to move this. I'm thinking of mounting this radio in the center console as it doesn't generate a lot of heat in normal use.

*bump*

what about it? any just plain radio operators out there? cb'rs? surely some of you off-road guys have radios mounted in your 4th gen?

Kevin

Well, I'm a ham but haven't mounted any radios in my current vehicles.

Mines not a 4th, but I have the Icom V8000 mounted in my 3rd gen. KD7RJN
Here is photo.

hehe...cool. I knew there had to be some out there...
nice mount of the v8000! looks quite pro.

Any ideas on how I should mount my Kenwood TM-733 in '05 Sport? I don't want to drill if I don't have to.

808Sport said:

Any ideas on how I should mount my Kenwood TM-733 in '05 Sport? I don't want to drill if I don't have to.

Click to expand...

Here's a pic of how my rig is mounted. The radio is mounted on the fender well hump in the back and the face plate extension cable runs under the carpet and comes out under the driver's seat and up the side of the center console.

The face plate sits on a piece of high density foam which is stuck with double-sided tape. Another piece of double-sided tape holds a flat piece of plastic on which is velcro. The other half of the velcro is on the back of the face plate.

The mic holder is on the side of the console in the passenger's leg area - the top of it's just visible.

The only hole was for the antenna in the roof. I mounted a dual-band Diamond antenna that looks like the older cell phone antennas. And it fits in the garage with nothing hitting.

Thanks for the idea. I will try it out. When I do I will upload my picture. 73s and Aloha!

kglueck said:

*bump*

what about it? any just plain radio operators out there? cb'rs? surely some of you off-road guys have radios mounted in your 4th gen?

Kevin

Click to expand...

Just traded in the 3G for 4G. The PC122 that fit perfectly in the DIN slot in the 3G doesn't really fit anywhere in the 4G easily. We are looking at installing it in the fold-out compartment below the HVAC controls. If that doesn't really work out, most others with a full-size chassis just mount it to the side of the console hump on the passenger side.

It cuts down on passenger legroom somewhat, but without some serious dashboard surgery, we couldn't think of many other locations that are easy to reach and don't compromise driver safety.

Aloha,

Merlin

Thanks for the suggestions

I know this thread has been dormant for some time, but thanks for the info! I just bought a Yaesu FT-8800 for the truck; still searching for a creative mounting location.

On the 4th Gen (and earlier models, too), there is a cargo box on the passenger side of the rear compartment. I'm thinking of mounting the radios and maybe an inverter in there. Out of sight and out of the way.

Not completely sure where I'm going to put the faceplate.

Maybe there are some more hams in the crowd with some ideas!

Ben N4CV

Old Thread Revival...

Hello: dual band on the second

I currently have a FT-8100R installed with the detached face plate kit. The face plate is attached in front of the cup holders. The rest of the rig is in the "hatch area".

The antennas are "hole roof mounts"... NMO. I have a GPS RX antenna on the first and a 2m/70cm on the second.

I was told by toyota not mount any TX/RX antennas forward of of the dome light. There are some components not shielded for RF.

Consequently, the "inglass" FM antenna acts as an entrance point for RFI into the vehicle when using High power (50Watts on TX). Doing so induces a current the changes the CD in the 6 CD changer. Ferrite beeds close to the antenna should knock this down (mix 31).

73 N3QT

:ak472:

FT-8800R remote mount in front of shifter with NMO mounted roof antenna.

K4WHE

WestTx said:

Here's a pic of how my rig is mounted. The radio is mounted on the fender well hump in the back and the face plate extension cable runs under the carpet and comes out under the driver's seat and up the side of the center console.

The face plate sits on a piece of high density foam which is stuck with double-sided tape. Another piece of double-sided tape holds a flat piece of plastic on which is velcro. The other half of the velcro is on the back of the face plate.

The mic holder is on the side of the console in the passenger's leg area - the top of it's just visible.

The only hole was for the antenna in the roof. I mounted a dual-band Diamond antenna that looks like the older cell phone antennas. And it fits in the garage with nothing hitting.

Click to expand...

@WestTx, do you still have the picture of how you have your rig mounted? I cannot see it on the post anymore. Thanks in advance.

yea was thinkging the same things... would be nice to see new pics and revie this thread

4runner_2006 said:

yea was thinkging the same things... would be nice to see new pics and revie this thread

Click to expand...

Here's mine....

First setup


Current setup
(cant find pix!) will shoot some new ones.
I currently have it mounted between the roof and the rear view mirror on a suction cup. Great location!

I have my yaesu mounted on my headliner

Updated!