Mobile Ham Radio Install 99 Mercury Villager

[Ryan Realey]

This is what I have going in my van.

Yaesu FT-8900r with
CF-530 Duplexer
Comet CA-2X4SR with roof NMO mount
Diamond M685SNMO with roof NMO mount
Cobra S300 external speaker

Most of this equipment gets here Tuesday and the rest Wednesday. I already got the external speaker and just finished the install on it, just need the rest to get here.

I will post picks of the install.

Here is how I installed the external speaker.

More pics coming soon....

 

[Matt Tottle]

Not trying to put you down, but IMO the external speakers look better and work better when they are on the B pillar next to your head. That way you don't need to have the rig volume as loud to be able to hear it clearly. You'll also be able to hear it more clearly over music. Thats just my opinion tho..

 

[Ryan Realey]

The only problem with that is if your passenger is operating the radio. I dont want it blasting my ear just so they can hear it,lol. I use this van for SAR operations as well as spotting and chasing.

 

[Matt Tottle]

Gotcha.. Didn't think about that, of all the people that I ever have in my truck, I'm the only ham so I'm the only one that uses the radio..

 

[J Tyler]

I just hid my external speaker under the drivers seat. I'm nearly deaf from 29 years as a radio disc jockey wearing loud headphones, and both my wife and I can hear the radio no problem on the highway at speed.

I've really tried to hide ALL the internal mods I've done to our Xterra. To install the ham radio, I bought the factory sunglass holder from the SE Xterra and cut a hole in the headliner and installed it. I then installed the Kenwood remote head unit inside the sunglass holder, so when you flip it down, you see the ham radio. When you flip it up, you don't see anything.

 

[Ryan Realey]

I just hid my external speaker under the drivers seat. I'm nearly deaf from 29 years as a radio disc jockey wearing loud headphones, and both my wife and I can hear the radio no problem on the highway at speed.

I've really tried to hide ALL the internal mods I've done to our Xterra. To install the ham radio, I bought the factory sunglass holder from the SE Xterra and cut a hole in the headliner and installed it. I then installed the Kenwood remote head unit inside the sunglass holder, so when you flip it down, you see the ham radio. When you flip it up, you don't see anything.

You read my mind. This is how I plan to mount the remote head in my van. Nice.....only difference is mine came with the sunglass holder.

 

[J Tyler]

Lucky guy! For some reason, it feels a little -odd- when you start cutting a BIG hole in your headliner! You measure it 50 times!

 

[Ryan Realey]

Got everything installed!!! I will take pics when I can, non stop rain right now..... came out great!!!!!

 

[Ryan Realey]

OK, I was finally able to take some pics.

 

[TJ Whitt]

Very nice install Ryan.