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Forummaster
Moderator
Username: Forummaster
Post Number: 584
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 15, 2014 - 1:48 pm: | 
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Installing Radios in Vehicles – part 4
So far we have discussed, antenna mounting, coax and power routing, now let's take a look at where and how to mount the radio itself. IN the “old” days, it was relatively easy, but today's modern, computer controlled cars, with plastic pieces and little spare room it's getting just a little harder.
Safety First:
Over the years I have seen many strange and dangerous ways of mounting radios, including the use of luggage straps, velcro and just plain stiff it in a tight space and hope. The one thing these methods, and several other, have in common is they are accidents waiting to happen.
Rule 1: Make sure the radio is SECURELY bolted to a solid surface that is able to support the weight.
In the past, I have secured radios to the sides of the transmission tunnel (passenger side. I was single and rarely had passengers), under the dash, under seats, where cassette player should be, and even in the trunk.
If bolting under the dash, make sure it is located where neither you nor the passenger can bump against it. That can be painful, if hit hard enough, and it is amazing just how much the human body distorts under heavy braking or if the car hits an object. Back when I ran the odd Demolition Derby, I would traces of my helmet colour in places that strapped in the seat, and car stationary there was no way could I reach.
Also watch the weight. A lot of modern plastic dashes can barely support the extra weight of a matchbox, let alone 3 or 4 lbs of radio.
Rule 2: Don't mount the radio where it can cause problems.
I have seen radios bolted in some places that I KNOW has to have caused issues. For example a CBer mounted his radio on the upper-side of the passenger side dash – right where the Air Bag was supposed to deploy. By the way, the upper-side of the dash also places the radio in direct sunlight, which may cause it to overheat in summer.
Others have been mounted, where they obstruct the view, mainly of instrumentation, or controls, but sometimes even the road. Today, the latter one seems to be mainly caused by GPS and phones. In this category, I also count the nasty roof consoles that off-roaders seem to love. Unless you are only 5ft tall, you can bet that at sometime, you and that console are going to meet.
If mounting a radio under a seat, make sure that there is good airflow around the radio (not under the rear seat squab), the cables going to the radio do not foul the seat adjustment (won't hurt the seat, but you'll end up cutting the wires), and most importantly there is no Air Bag built into the seat. Oh, almost forgot – that the radio itself will fit under the seat.
If I have a remote head for my radio, I am inclined to prefer an under seat, or in truck mounting option.
Rule 3: Don't mount the radio so you need to take you eyes off the road, or at least not for a lengthy time.(Learn to operate your radio by touch)
This is another reason I love radio with a remote head. You can mount the bulk of the radio out of the way, and just have the head unit mounted on your dash. Sometimes (like the Icom IC-208) you will need to make an extension cable for the mic, but the parts are cheap and easy to obtain. In fact, mine is a 6ft Cat-5 cable, that I cut one plug off and replaced it with an RJ-45 socket. I could have left the plug on and used a joiner, but felt the wall mount type socket looked better.
As I said in the rule, learning where each control is and where they are normally set, by touch can also help. I put a small dot of glow in the dark paint on each knob. If they have an indentation marker on the knob, I'll put the paint there. If not, I'll paint it so that with the knob in the normal operating position the dot is at the top of the knob.
I know this is not really operating by touch, but those little dots can be seen from the corner of the eye, without taking your eyes off the road, and they help locate the control you want a little easier.
Even better when you mic can control most of the radios functions.
Rule 4: Out of sight, is out of the thief's hands.
Yes, I know. There is this dirty great big antenna sticking up, so why hide the radio?? Theft deterrent. Hiding the radio makes it harder to steal it. The more time it is going to take a thief to get the radio out, is going to help him/her decided to look for something easier. The extra time needed to remove your hidden, securely mounted radio increases their chances of getting caught – something no thief wants.
In 30 years or more of having radios in my cars, the only one I have had stolen, was not bolted in the car, but sitting in a cardboard box waiting to be shipped for repair. It was a quick in and out job. Of course I had the last laugh, for although down a great radio, the thief had one he couldn't sell, mainly because it didn't work, but also because I had the stolen radios Serial Number out in the market place within minutes.
As an aside – you do mark the radios serial number on the Users manual when you first get the radio?? Also I hope you engrave you Drivers License and call-sign (mostly for hams) on the radio itself??
Rule 5: Think outside the box for mounting options.
Take a look at any catalog from any radio shop (hint look at Coppers website), and you'll see a whole heap of ideas for mounting your radio securely.
A couple I'd recommend to avoid are suction mounts and the bags you are supposed to place on your dash and the item them sits in/on the bag. The may work great for stopping the device from sliding as you go round a corner, BUT are not going to be so good and keeping the radio from hitting you in a panic stop situation. Now it may just be me, but I have never yet used a suction type mount that did not fall off after a day or two. This is mostly because windscreens are not flat, but curved, and you will never get really good seal on a curved surface.
In the past I have tried the long flexible stalks and whereas it did work satisfactory I was not happy with the fact that to use any control on the IC-706's head unit made the stalk flex. Not badly, but just enough to be annoying. Now for the smaller IC-208 head, it probably would have been perfect.
Talking of the IC-208, it is currently mounted in a cell-phone holder that is rotated horizontally. The radio head fits nicely and for extra hold, I used a small piece of double-sided tape. The mount itself, is then glued to the dash, just under the rear-view mirror. Not in my direct line of sight, yet a quick movement of just my eyes (which still allows me to see the road) confirms anything I need to know from the display. The cable to the head, runs in a groove between two pieces of the plastic dash.
Finally, if nothing readily available will work for you, don't be afraid to make something. I have be known to make wooden frames that bolted to the transmission tunnel (nothing connecting dash to the tunnel when car was manufactured) and fitted snugly under the dash. I then placed a couple of shelves with just a little upward slope at the front edge in the box and bolted two radios to each shelf – one on top and one underneath.
Ok, I think that is about all for mounting radios in vehicles. Remember that what I have posted is a combination of experience and opinion, and that YOU have the final say in what you do and how you do it. Don't be afraid to ask any of the Techs for suggestions and advise. This is what we are here for.
Simon Tech237
Forummaster
CEF001
CVC001
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Keithinatlanta
Senior Member
Username: Keithinatlanta
Post Number: 1017
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, August 05, 2014 - 10:07 pm: |
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Just a note to say Thank You for all four articles. They are very informative, bring back some memories for me when installing radios in vehicles all the way back to early and mid 70's. A lot easier to put in a vehicle versus today for sure.
Keith in Atlanta
CEF 150 |
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