Need a HAM radio antenna for my car...

Reptile

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I want it professionally installed by a car radio place.

The reason why is that I'm not good at tucking in wires.

If the antenna is too weak for my HT at 5 watts - I'll have to buy a mobile unit to install in the car, too.

I only like Yaesu.

This will be for the Mt. Tom repeater.

Please suggest a antenna and possibly a Yaesu mobile for auto installation.

Edit:

This radio might be good:

Yaesu is pleased to introduce the new FTM-200DR – 50W VHF/UHF Dual Band C4FM/ FM Mobile Transceiver.

 
Last edited:
I happen to like Larsen NMO mounts, but anything from Diamond, Comet, Hustler will work fine. I'd avoid MFJ. They sell a lot of garbage, and their customer service isn't great.

Any mobile from Yaesu, Kenwood, Icom, or Anytone will work fine. It's mostly personal preference. If you want to do digital, that will have a bearing, as each manufacturer has their own digital standard - Yaesu Fusion, Icom Dstar, Kenwood Dstar, Anytone DMR.
 
I want it professionally installed by a car radio place.

The reason why is that I'm not good at tucking in wires.

If the antenna is too weak for my HT at 5 watts - I'll have to buy a mobile unit to install in the car, too.

I only like Yaesu.

This will be for the Mt. Tom repeater.

Please suggest a antenna and possibly a Yaesu mobile for auto installation.

Edit:

This radio might be good:

Yaesu is pleased to introduce the new FTM-200DR – 50W VHF/UHF Dual Band C4FM/ FM Mobile Transceiver.

Don't think anout the antenna as much as a mount. Nmo? Po? Etc. PO is probably the most versatile. Honestly if you're paying somebody to do work like that you might as well do more than one at a time and put a CB or HF mount in the mix somewhere or at least run a wire (like times lmr-240uf or whatever they call it now) to where you're going to punch the hole for the mount.
 
This guy did everything for me in My Honda Accord for like $75.00. It was way before the pandemic so I’m sure prices have gone up.

I provided parts.



1673788745565.jpeg

Bottom of trunk lid.

1673788767006.jpeg

Looks like it came with the car.

1673788786355.jpeg


You don’t see the coax again h until it comes out from behind the dash.

1673788832240.jpeg
 
This guy did everything for me in My Honda Accord for like $75.00. It was way before the pandemic so I’m sure prices have gone up.

I provided parts.



View attachment 709507

Bottom of trunk lid.

View attachment 709508

Looks like it came with the car.

View attachment 709509


You don’t see the coax again h until it comes out from behind the dash.

View attachment 709510

These guys are good, I had them run some power lines in my ES330 and they also installed a fuse holder for me basically I just do everything else but have them run the wires.
 
These guys are good, I had them run some power lines in my ES330 and they also installed a fuse holder for me basically I just do everything else but have them run the wires.
I also had them replace the radio and install a remote starter functionality a dash cam and a backup camera in that car.

I agree…they do great work.
 
This guy did everything for me in My Honda Accord for like $75.00. It was way before the pandemic so I’m sure prices have gone up.

I provided parts.



View attachment 709507

Bottom of trunk lid.

View attachment 709508

Looks like it came with the car.

View attachment 709509


You don’t see the coax again h until it comes out from behind the dash.

View attachment 709510
That's a Ham antenna? More info please.
 
Wow, they do great work now? I guess they had the apprentice or some other idiot install the CD changer in the trunk of my wife's 1994 Merc Marquis, 'cause they drilled a mounting hole right into the gas tank. It took a couple days of smelling gas before I looked in the trunk, said hmmm I wonder if they drilled into the gas tank. When I removed the screw, put a long thin screwdriver down the hole, pulled it back out and sniffed, sure enough, gas.

I called them and went back to the shop as soon as I could. They didn’t want to believe me, but when they pulled the screw and checked for themselves they had to admit to it. To their credit, they had me take the car to my local dealership to get fixed and paid for it, but it still cost me some time and aggravation. I could never believe that they were able to stay in business, but I guess they found some help that knew what they were doing.
 
I’m just visiting an installer in Nashua this week to quote an installation Boomer Nashua-Automotive Installation Experts: Remote Starters and More

I have an NMO hole saw but my 2022 Hyundai Tucson has too many air bags and wires for me to risk a DIY job like I did on my 2009 Subaru. Comet makes fold-over antennas 40-62 inches long. I have a 50’ version that works great and I can put it down for garages or take it off for the car wash. I’ll probably put two NMO mounts on the roof - one for 2m/70cm VHF/UHF and one for a Larsen 150/450/785 Triband for my scanner. I’ll probably have to fold down the Comet to use the Larsen and pull the Larsen off to use the Comet but we shall see.

While you might be thinking only Yaesu and that Mt Tom repeater, it’s worth considering future needs. I just drove 600mi with a 5W RFinder B1+ and tried to hit local repeaters all along the way. Those few I could key up had nobody on to respond and when I heard activity they couldn’t hear me. I plan to install a UHF/VHF amplifier to bump power up to 50W but my amp will not do DMR…a limitation.

I’ll also install one of my my Kenwood TM- D710G dual band transceivers - 50W and a full TNC for APRS and digital modes using a tablet. Both running off a 2nd battery charged by my alternator. The D710G is an older model - less flashy but a workhorse with plenty of knowledge to be had on the interwebs. Those are out of production, unfortunately… Might be they have a new model coming out.

That FTM-6000R looks like a nice unit at a good price. Spend the $35 for the MARS mod and you can break bad and TX off-band 😜
 
Using HTs mobile with full size antennas is rough anyways, the receivers tend to get whacked by pager intermod. Then you just turn the radio off. 🤣 2m monoband mobiles like the 65w jobs icom makes are cheap enough. The Kenwood V71A dual is a winner also.
 
That FTM-6000R looks like a nice unit at a good price. Spend the $35 for the MARS mod and you can break bad and TX off-band 😜
Nothing enters full service in my house without getting unlocked. You just need some tweezers, a decent soldering iron with a fine tip.... Learn to solder and you can do it yourself. I've done tons of others radios too. The only radio I've owned that I never unlocked was a tm255a and that's because it was strictly a 144-148 radio.
 
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