Ham radio install

[Recalcitrant270]

I know this is a bit of an older thread but just wanted to let folks know that I was able to get magnetic antenna to stick on the top of the bed right behind the rear window. Not the most ideal spot, but everything in HAM radio seems to be a compromise of some sort.

Just got my Gladiator JT a week ago and learning about all of its abilities. Traded my JL Sahara and it's night & day difference. Excited and starting the mods to make it "mine" soon.

Leon
KG7PMS

Just a couple more pics as an update. My radio is an ICOM 7000 which I absolutely love. Best detached display on any radio I've ever seen. I'm really going to be sad when that one quits working.

Inside front lid where I've mounted NMO (closest) and the HF at the farthest. That's a choke on the control wire for the screwdriver antenna to eliminate RF feedback down to the controller.

When I mounted the Diamondback tonneau cover, where the clamps are for the center piece I removed a patch of the linex to make a bare metal contact. This makes the center part of the tonneau well grounded to the bed. I added a couple ground straps from the front cover to the center piece to ensure solid RF grounding.

All the connectors to the antennas are coupled at the edge so if I need to remove the cover, I can just quickly disconnect everything. I ran an extra 12 AWG red/black zip wire to this location in case I might want to connect something to DC here. It wires back to a fuse box under the rear seat where all the radio chassis are located.

The head unit for the radio and the radar detector remote for my Valentine One are located on a bar bracket in the center console.

On a molle panel overhead, I have the mic/controller for the Motorla GMRS radio so all I need is the Mic here. The screwdriver antenna controller and two speakers, one for each of the radio. I plan on re-doing this and just use one speaker and a couple diodes to connect them both without feeding back one radio to another.

And finally, to reduce any clutter for having crap up in my windshield other than the Dashcam, I've mounted my V1 radar body on the center bar between the seats where it's not very visible or obvious. Seems to work without any issues here and seems to be every bit as sensitive as when it's in the windshield.

When the Diamondback lids are open, the antennas just flip back so it's not in any way impeding my use of the lids.

How did you run the wiring from the bed into the cab?

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[KHam]

How did you run the wiring from the bed into the cab?

I just ran through the plastic plug that's in the bed, straight down then into the cab under the passenger side rear seat through a drain plug in the floor. Could not have been more convenient since the radios are both located there under the passenger side rear seat as well. I had ran the power cable from the battery across the top of the frame and came up through that same drain plug as well. Easiest install I've ever done on any vehicle.

 

[smlobx]

I just bought a Kenwood radio with remote head. I’m hoping to mount the remote faceplate above the rear view mirror and the main unit under the passenger seat. The antenna will be mounted to the drivers side of the hood...hopefully. I’ll take pictures when it’s done.

 

[eaglerugby04]

I just ran through the plastic plug that's in the bed, straight down then into the cab under the passenger side rear seat through a drain plug in the floor. Could not have been more convenient since the radios are both located there under the passenger side rear seat as well. I had ran the power cable from the battery across the top of the frame and came up through that same drain plug as well. Easiest install I've ever done on any vehicle.

That seems to be the defacto mounting place for people that are not me works well. I tend to hate my doors and came back to my JT once with ankle deep water in the passenger's side foot well. My daughter thought it was the funnest thing ever. Good news is the drain plugs work very well for their intended purpose as well, lol

 

[KHam]

That seems to be the defacto mounting place for people that are not me works well. I tend to hate my doors and came back to my JT once with ankle deep water in the passenger's side foot well. My daughter thought it was the funnest thing ever. Good news is the drain plugs work very well for their intended purpose as well, lol

Ha... I absolutely thought about this! I am rolling the dice a bit with the radio mounted low. My alternate location is behind the rear seats on the cab back wall. There appears to be enough room there but I would need to remove the seats to get at it properly. I did leave myself enough length of coax to still choose this location if I want and all the power cables terminate to a wiring block under the seat which would be fine if it went under water. Both radios should easily fit there and since they're all remote, there is no need to gain access to them for anything.
More or less, I've chosen the easiest and quickest solution for the moment to get me online. I always have the flexibility to move the radio chassis around without affecting any of the rest of my setup.

 

[eaglerugby04]

Ha... I absolutely thought about this! I am rolling the dice a bit with the radio mounted low. My alternate location is behind the rear seats on the cab back wall. There appears to be enough room there but I would need to remove the seats to get at it properly. I did leave myself enough length of coax to still choose this location if I want and all the power cables terminate to a wiring block under the seat which would be fine if it went under water. Both radios should easily fit there and since they're all remote, there is no need to gain access to them for anything.
More or less, I've chosen the easiest and quickest solution for the moment to get me online. I always have the flexibility to move the radio chassis around without affecting any of the rest of my setup.

Behind that seat is the spot I have been looking at a lot. Though it is not "completely" safe. I had the soft top in "safari mode" and got water behind the seat in a heavy down pour. That could be fixed though by just covering the top just a little bit honestly.

 

[KHam]

Behind that seat is the spot I have been looking at a lot. Though it is not "completely" safe. I had the soft top in "safari mode" and got water behind the seat in a heavy down pour. That could be fixed though by just covering the top just a little bit honestly.

I also thought about mounting the radios to the underside of the rear seat. That would get them about 6 inches off the floor of the vehicle if it took on a mild amount of water. With 3 inches of lift and 37's I would hope I don't end up in deep enough water to flood the cab to that amount but I do know sometimes things happen. In such a situation, I could reach back and flip the rear seat up if no one was there. That'd give me another foot maybe.

 

[eaglerugby04]

I also thought about mounting the radios to the underside of the rear seat. That would get them about 6 inches off the floor of the vehicle if it took on a mild amount of water. With 3 inches of lift and 37's I would hope I don't end up in deep enough water to flood the cab to that amount but I do know sometimes things happen. In such a situation, I could reach back and flip the rear seat up if no one was there. That'd give me another foot maybe.

That would be pretty cool and work well provided you don't have the lockable storage box on yours.
I don't think I will ever go deep enough in water to go into the cabin seen enough videos of trashed vehicles that scare me. Though rain water is a monthly occurrence, lol.

 

[DougM55]

I mounted mine just under the steering wheel (FTM-100). Fits like a glove. It’s mounted vertically with the SD slot facing down for easy access.

 

[tjk]

Thanks for this thread, it’s given me some inspiration. I’ve an ICOM 4100 I’m thinking of mounting behind the rear seat, and the molle panel between the roof panels seems like a great place to hang the mic. Now off to find a fender antenna mount.

W1TJK.

 

[MrZappo]

Thanks for this thread, it’s given me some inspiration. I’ve an ICOM 4100 I’m thinking of mounting behind the rear seat, and the molle panel between the roof panels seems like a great place to hang the mic. Now off to find a fender antenna mount.

W1TJK.

Consider ON the back seat ... It gives you a perfect place to set a laptop if you ever need to when programming by just putting the seat down.

Worked well for me ...

 

[tjk]

That’s a darn good idea. What did you use to secure the bracket to the seat back?

 

[MrZappo]

The rear seat back is a thin plastic or composite material of some kind. I can't tell as it is covered in a carpet material.

If you just take some short fat sheet metal type screws (pointy and only 1/2 inch long or so) (do not need to be self tapping), place the mount plate where you want and exert minimal pressure as you twist the screwdriver, it will self tap.

The material is thick enough to hold very securely but not so thick or hard that you can turn the screw like it's metal or something.

Just turn till snug and a slight bit more. It's obvious when you do it and you won't strip it unless you are paying no attention.

There is nothing but 6 inches of air behind the seat back.

Works perfect.

The only additional concern is a speaker as you won't hear it from back there.

I mounted a yaesu speaker under the driver's seat facing forward. Works fine.

As long as I'm going, here are a few more things.

If you can get the antenna and power wires into the cab (pm me if you want details), you can run them all the way to the back on either side of the jeep by stuffing them under the plastic between the carpet and the door jambs. Works fine and it is invisible.

 

[tjk]

The rear seat back is a thin plastic or composite material of some kind. I can't tell as it is covered in a carpet material.

If you just take some short fat sheet metal type screws (pointy and only 1/2 inch long or so) (do not need to be self tapping), place the mount plate where you want and exert minimal pressure as you twist the screwdriver, it will self tap.

The material is thick enough to hold very securely but not so thick or hard that you can turn the screw like it's metal or something.

Just turn till snug and a slight bit more. It's obvious when you do it and you won't strip it unless you are paying no attention.

There is nothing but 6 inches of air behind the seat back.

Works perfect.

The only additional concern is a speaker as you won't hear it from back there.

I mounted a yaesu speaker under the driver's seat facing forward. Works fine.

As long as I'm going, here are a few more things.

If you can get the antenna and power wires into the cab (pm me if you want details), you can run them all the way to the back on either side of the jeep by stuffing them under the plastic between the carpet and the door jambs. Works fine and it is invisible.

Thanks for those tips. I still need to settle on a hood antenna mount and decide if I want to just have a power on relay like I did in my Cherokee or tie it into my Aux buttons.

 

[MrZappo]

Thanks for those tips. I still need to settle on a hood antenna mount and decide if I want to just have a power on relay like I did in my Cherokee or tie it into my Aux buttons.

Topsy products makes this mount which fits gladiator perfect. I plasti Dipped mine for protection and looks.

Also best to power direct from battery although I've heard of some using the Aux buttons with success.

Best of luck.

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