Mobile Ham Setup

[Love Machine]

Last summer I had set up a ham and CB in my van using velcro, on the recommendation of my father in law. That was a bad idea. Velcro strips all fell off in the heat and I'm boned with mounting all that.

Now, at the same time, my wife got a new Honda CRV for her birthday and there will not be any radio equipment going into it. So I inherited the Midland 75-822 off this setup and I'm thinking of putting it up on the driver side A-pillar of the van, plus mounting the mobile ham setup on top of the dash. What's the best way of mounting the ham bracket to the dash plastic without relying only on flimsy screws? Nuts, bolts and a big washer on the underside? I'm already not looking forward to wiring all of this, at least the antennae are all set up.

 

[robjax]

these attach to your passenger side seat frame. If you can match the year make and model of your car they might have one for you. I looked for my car and they don't make one for mine...but check for yours. I called back in April and they said these will hold a 148 GTL. Just not for my car...Good Luck...

Car and Truck Laptop Wizard - Full Kits | RAM Mounts

 

[dans]

Car and Truck Laptop Wizard - Full Kits | RAM Mounts

I have one of these that I removed from my F150. It is missing the base (well, it's not missing, it stayed with the truck). If you are interested, let me know.

 

[Len-2A Training]

I had the exact same problem and at HRO it was suggested to pick up 3M Scotch Fastener (roll) at Home Depot (UPC 051141379005). It works well for the past year+. Ask your Wife to take a look at my setup tomorrow or if you are bored and want to stop by or sit in, be my guest. Since posting pictures of the product is a PITA here, I'll Email them to you instead. It is the same stuff (only bigger to handle more weight) as EZ-Pass uses for their transponders.

 

[Len-2A Training]

I had the exact same problem and at HRO it was suggested to pick up 3M Scotch Fastener (roll) at Home Depot (UPC 051141379005). It works well for the past year+. Ask your Wife to take a look at my setup tomorrow (I'll have the Civic tomorrow) or if you are bored and want to stop by or sit in, be my guest. Since posting pictures of the product is a PITA here, I'll Email them to you instead. It is the same stuff (only bigger to handle more weight) as EZ-Pass uses for their transponders.

If you need ideas on where to place this stuff on the CR-V (I have a 2017 CR-V) ask in Email and I'll take some pictures and Email them to you. It was a challenge finding locations for the stuff (Icom ID-5100A) in that car.

 

[robjax]

I have one of these that I removed from my F150. It is missing the base (well, it's not missing, it stayed with the truck). If you are interested, let me know.

I was looking for a 2012 Honda Accord. The have a universal mount they said would work but I would have to drill through the floor. I'm not crazy about that idea. I e-mailed them an duple top someone on the phone...no results for my car. Thank you though.

How did you like it? Did it work well?

 

[Len-2A Training]

I was looking for a 2012 Honda Accord. The have a universal mount they said would work but I would have to drill through the floor. I'm not crazy about that idea. I e-mailed them an duple top someone on the phone...no results for my car. Thank you though.

How did you like it? Did it work well?

See my solution above. If you use isopropyl alcohol to clean the plastic surface first it holds well, even over the pebbly finish that Honda uses on their newer cars.

 

[robjax]

See my solution above. If you use isopropyl alcohol to clean the plastic surface first it holds well, even over the pebbly finish that Honda uses on their newer cars.

Thanks Len, that seems like it will be a great option for me.

 

[dans]

I was looking for a 2012 Honda Accord. The have a universal mount they said would work but I would have to drill through the floor. I'm not crazy about that idea. I e-mailed them an duple top someone on the phone...no results for my car. Thank you though.

How did you like it? Did it work well?

I liked it a lot. The base I had fit under the passenger seat bolt. It did prevent the seat from going all the way forward, but that's not a big deal.

For my BMW X4, I got this. But it only has to support the control head. The radio I mounted in the storage area in the back. It doesn't sound like you have that luxury separate control head, remote radio). This probably won't work for you.

 

[robjax]

I liked it a lot. The base I had fit under the passenger seat bolt. It did prevent the seat from going all the way forward, but that's not a big deal.

For my BMW X4, I got this. But it only has to support the control head. The radio I mounted in the storage area in the back. It doesn't sound like you have that luxury separate control head, remote radio). This probably won't work for you.

yeah, that's a nice set up. The 148 is too heavy and bulky for that mount. I haven't bought a ham radio for the car yet but when I do I will be getting one with the remote ability. Gives you a lot more options to make a nice clean install.

I might have to give up on the CB. The thing barely fits in the car...lol. Len had a good idea on a way to mount it so I will look at that option. I would live to have both in the car for when I go to the cape and NH....still thinking about it.

 

[Love Machine]

If you need ideas on where to place this stuff on the CR-V (I have a 2017 CR-V) ask in Email and I'll take some pictures and Email them to you. It was a challenge finding locations for the stuff (Icom ID-5100A) in that car.

The CRV will stay pristine, my wife doesn't want to put any radios on it - the Midland came from the Corolla that the CRV replaced. It's my ride, a Grand Caravan, that I need to change the set up on. I'm gonna order that 3M tape you recommended.

 

[drgrant]

Mounts that don't involve fasteners and holes being drilled don't work. Maybe for a microphone hanger or something like
that.

Putting radios on dashboards of newer airbag era cars (eg, anything higher than the glovebox) is a bad idea. A horrendously bad idea. It can become a missile in an accident, interfere with airbag deployment (or the airbag will turn it into a missile) and the heat from the sunlight is usually bad for the radio itself. In the old days we used to laugh like hell when some guy would come into a CB shop with his radio all f***ed up because he put it in the sunlight on his dash, and the heat from the sun made the radio so hot that it melted all the wax potting material in the PLL section of the radio.... I wouldn't want a radio mounted anywhere it could be too hot to touch. You want that stuff
low in the car. Heat = enemy.

-Mike

 

[Love Machine]

In recent weather the entire car can be hot to touch, the van becomes a sweatbox. But noted that I should keep the transceiver out of the direct sunlight.

 

[Len-2A Training]

In recent weather the entire car can be hot to touch, the van becomes a sweatbox. But noted that I should keep the transceiver out of the direct sunlight.

I agree about a radio, especially the Ham radios but the tape works well for head units. the Midland referenced is an HT, so there are options where tape would be generally OK. Always try to avoid accidents as everything becomes a missile.

 

[NHCraigT]

Use 3M plastic type dual lock tape (not a velcro tape = MUCH better)

(Once you start using this tape, you will throw away your velcro)

3M Dual Lock Reclosable Fastener

This is the kind of tape that the MA toll transponders have on them, for mounting.

Example: https://www.amazon.com/3M-Reclosabl...-6&keywords=3m+dual+lock+tape#customerReviews

I have a Kenwood TM-V71-A with the detachable face mounted on the top of my dash = Rock Solid.
(The main body of the unit is mounted on the passenger side floor, upright against the center console with a bracket that is screwed on. I prob. could have got by with the tape, but I was not concerned about screw holes on an interior surface that was near the floor).

TIP: Clean contact surfaces first = with an alcohol swab.

 

[Garys]

I've been installing all types of radios, including professional, ham, scanners, and even CBs way back when, for over 40 years. The dash boards on modern cars are much more of a challenge because a lot of sections don't have any metal reinforcement. Add to that air bags and the fact that most cars and even trucks have center consoles and it can be tough to find a place to hang radios.

OTOH, the radios themselves are more compact and lighter than they used to be. A modern two way radio is nothing in weight or size compared to a Mocom 70 or Micor.

I mostly use floor mounts with goosenecks for the control head or entire radio. I've never had good luck with tape of any sort. What works well on glass might not work as well on plastic that has a pebble surface.

Then there are the antenna installs. A whole different pain in the a**.

 

[Love Machine]

I'm actually starting to lean towards getting a factory super console: 2011 - 2017 Dodge Caravan Center Super Console With Bracket Shale | eBay

It cleanly mounts in place of the existing bottom fascia, doesn't interfere with airbags and I can mount whatever the hell I want inside of it.