Radioddity Ham Radio Install. Looking for flexible mounting option, like the accessory bars

[eaglerugby04]

So after more than a year and a half of searching I finally found a mobile radio that has a water resistance rating to it, and as a plus the size is very small. After playing around with it inside of the JT I came to the conclusion that it really would work well with a more modular type of setup. I was thinking I could mount it on one of those phone mount style things. It just seems like it would give me a potential better field of view and have the added benefit of being about to unplug it and bring it inside for updates (Its a DMR radio). Additionally I would be able to remove it more easily in the event of getting trapped out in the rain.

Any thoughts on what accessory rail to put in? Some of them I know are stupid expensive. I really don't see myself using the rail for anything but the radio since I am full android auto for any phone use in the JT.

Also its a 20 watt radio. I have the aux switch package as well, in terms of powering it should I go to one of the internal wires like the one for battery or ignition? Or still go straight to the battery? It actually came with a 12volt adapter but said in the manual not to use it, lol.

I was thinking of running it drivers side to a hood lip mount since that seems to be the most common. I already have a SignalStalk I plan on using for the antenna.

Any other pointers? Anything I need to worry about grounding?

Below are some photos of it and the rough location I would like to mount it.

Radio model
https://www.radioddity.com/products/radioddity-db25d

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[Rockabillyroy]

there are a lots of ram ball dash mounts. Would be pretty to attach a ram ball to the radio's bracket.

 

[eaglerugby04]

there are a lots of ram ball dash mounts. Would be pretty to attach a ram ball to the radio's bracket.

Thats kind of what I was thinking. Any brands you recommend? Some of them are crazy expensive for what they are.

 

[Rockabillyroy]

Thats kind of what I was thinking. Any brands you recommend? Some of them are crazy expensive for what they are.

I had the voswitch mount from amazon and then swapped it out for the ram track

https://www.ebay.com/itm/174653201343

 

[eaglerugby04]

I had the voswitch mount from amazon and then swapped it out for the ram track

https://www.ebay.com/itm/174653201343

Damn out of stock. that looks perfect though.

 

[eaglerugby04]

I had the voswitch mount from amazon and then swapped it out for the ram track

https://www.ebay.com/itm/174653201343

Found it on B&H. Thanks for the info!

 

[Radio Guy]

I didn't want to drill into my dash and the best place for my radio control heads was on a RAM ball mount attached to the front of the center console. I have a short and long arm I can use and the picture below is the longer one which can swivel to place the control heads up near the top of the console or lower down as pictured. I have the spring loaded arm situated so it loosens on the console side first and it only takes about 10 seconds to pop the control heads and arm off the ball mount and stash them in the center console out of sight. I also picked up a black handkerchief which when draped over the control heads makes them disappear through my tinted windows looking from the outside.

The control head wiring comes neatly off the heads covered in spiral wrap and disappear under the carpet to under the rear seat where the radio guts live. The light blue wire going behind the control heads in the picture is a USB and not part of the radio wiring.

 

[eaglerugby04]

I didn't want to drill into my dash and the best place for my radio control heads was on a RAM ball mount attached to the front of the center console. I have a short and long arm I can use and the picture below is the longer one which can swivel to place the control heads up near the top of the console or lower down as pictured. I have the spring loaded arm situated so it loosens on the console side first and it only takes about 10 seconds to pop the control heads and arm off the ball mount and stash them in the center console out of sight. I also picked up a black handkerchief which when draped over the control heads makes them disappear through my tinted windows looking from the outside.

The control head wiring comes neatly off the heads covered in spiral wrap and disappear under the carpet to under the rear seat where the radio guts live. The light blue wire going behind the control heads in the picture is a USB and not part of the radio wiring.

I followed your build out, it is pretty sweet and honestly what I would look to do if my jeep had doors, lol. Glad to hear the RAM ball setup is working so well for you. You sold me on the ease of detachment there. Probably ordering the stuff for that tonight.

For the antenna mount what do you recommend? Any brands look better than the others?

 

[Radio Guy]

I followed your build out, it is pretty sweet and honestly what I would look to do if my jeep had doors, lol. Glad to hear the RAM ball setup is working so well for you. You sold me on the ease of detachment there. Probably ordering the stuff for that tonight.

For the antenna mount what do you recommend? Any brands look better than the others?

I went with a Laird brand NMO trunk lip mount on the hood. That provides a better location and ground plane than the brackets that attach under the hood and stick out the side of the cowl area. Those end up much lower than the hood and will loose some antenna performance. I also lined the curved plastic cowl piece behind the mount with wide aluminum tape to increase the ground plane area. I put NMO mounts on both sides of the hood since I'm a big radio pig.

The hood in this area is not perfectly flat and if your antenna is long you might have to put a little bend in the whip to make it absolutely vertical but no big deal doing that. I sometimes use a short 6" long UHF whip and that looks fine without tweaking its angle. This location also works fine when opening the hood using a long antenna.

Here is a link to the make and model mount I bought and they come in chrome and black. Laird is a higher end brand and you can save a few $$ going with a similar mount by Tram/Browning. Larsen is also a good brand but I'm not up on their trunk lip versions.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2231282570...24&brand=Laird&_trksid=p2334524.c100667.m2042

 

[eaglerugby04]

@Radio Guy Thank you so much I had been searching and couldn't find your post. I had remembered you really working on a solid ground plane. For $30 that mount is well worth it. I have learned with this hobby its better to buy quality first. I have a collection of Baufengs and accessories for them I wish I had put towards a way better radio.

So excited this is all coming together. Now to move on to building a code plug using some of the worst programing software I have ever seen. lol

 

[Radio Guy]

@Radio Guy Thank you so much I had been searching and couldn't find your post. I had remembered you really working on a solid ground plane. For $30 that mount is well worth it. I have learned with this hobby its better to buy quality first. I have a collection of Baufengs and accessories for them I wish I had put towards a way better radio.

So excited this is all coming together. Now to move on to building a code plug using some of the worst programing software I have ever seen. lol

That mount is closer to $50 retail and $30 is a good price. I lucked out and got mine for $19.95 each and I found the old ad and it looks like that vendor still has some for $19.95. Here is the new link and I just bought a spare at that price a few minutes ago. https://www.ebay.com/itm/153412489927?hash=item23b818d2c7:g:X7QAAOSw~Fpchym1

Don't forget the screw on cap to protect the mount when the antenna is off.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/373455879635?hash=item56f3b47dd3:g:HoEAAOSwjWJgJE31

 

[sarguy1941]

I use https://www.bulletpointmountingsolutions.com/ stuff. They have a nice mount for the top of the dash that requires removing 2 screws. You can use single side, double or full rail. I went with the small ones.

https://www.bulletpointmountingsolutions.com/collections/jeep-wrangler-jl-and-jlu-2018

They have both in left and right -

https://www.bulletpointmountingsolu...jlu-gladiator-jt-jeep-mounting-base-2018-2020

There stuff is good. I have my phone, Overlander GPS and Inreach all on there mounts.

 

[Josh00333]

Radio,

For us goobers with cowl lights there, what's the next best option in your opinion?

Second, I saw the Laird low profile Phantom antennas, they decent for GMRS?

I went with a Laird brand NMO trunk lip mount on the hood.

 

[Radio Guy]

Radio,

For us goobers with cowl lights there, what's the next best option in your opinion?

Second, I saw the Laird low profile Phantom antennas, they decent for GMRS?

For GMRS only why not stick the trunk lip mount in the middle of the hood along the cowl and use a black 6" UHF NMO whip? That should be nearly invisible looking out the windshield and you would have lots of ground plane.

I have not use a UHF phantom but have used VHF phantoms and they suck big time. They are really narrow band and you will loose at least several dB compared to a simple 6" whip. Comparing them to a larger gain type antenna is a night and day difference.

 

[sarguy1941]

The phantom is good for public safety and not much for GMRS, unless you only want to talk to the guys on the trail in front of you. Basically its a rubber duck jammed in a pepper shaker !

I did run one for years on my JK and used on my repeater but it was at 3000' up. Simplex is garbage and got about 1/2 mile.

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