Installing An Amateur Radio In My F-150
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- Опубліковано 15 жов 2024
- Installing An Amateur Radio In My F-150. After buying a nineteen year old Pickup, I decided to install an Amateur Radio in it. This video is a quick review of what I did and why I did it the way I did...
A bit of a different view is that you really don't want a constant powered connection even though you think that you might want that. Instead, consider two different types of power sources, ignition based, which isn't needed as often as you think, and more importantly a manually controlled power connection that you can turn on and off as you so choose. You might want to charge your phone when you turn the ignition off, as long as you don't do it for a long time the battery should be able to handle it. You might not want constant power to a radio for many reasons.
I have a dashcam and a GPS (older vehicles) and I want those powered when I am out. A dashcam is useful when you are parked, not just when you are driving. I turn on the power when I leave and turn it off when I get home.
The first setup I did has a switch which I can select between constant power or switched by the ignition, but it is extremely rare that I do anything other than manually control it. That gives all the options which you can control.
Another option, which is good when you use your vehicle for all day events, but are parked, is to have a ignition powered 12v to 12v charger connected to an additional battery and then have that battery used to power things. That ensures that when times comes to go home your vehicle will start. This can also be done in a cheap way by having a relay to switch power from the battery to the vehicle when the ignition is on. It means that you would have to manually charge the battery, but it is far cheaper than buying a 12v to 12v charger.
Also, there is a person who has a business called Mobile Creations, who I have used for stereo issues, but I also had him connect switched power as he knows where to connect from the inside for power, either constant or ignition based. He is reasonably priced and is much cheaper than B/M businesses.
Hi Ken,
I agree... There are several new battery only connections as well as several ignition connections in the install. I also have a switched power outlet to allow for a phone or other accessory to be charged at high rate (USB-c) when the vehicle is parked. This has a indicator to remind me it's on if I forget to turn it off.
Although normal drivers don't really fret too much about places to plug stuff in, we in the hobby seem to always need on more connection.... :)
Stu
AG6AG
@@AG6AG not sure if you got what I was saying, but what I was saying is that ALL of the power should be able to be turned off, either by switch or by ignition, none should have constant power.
Even a new vehicle its a PITA to figure out where to mount stuff LOL. I find it much easier to install radios in old vehicles, a lot less crap in the way. Nice thing with some of today's radios is you can remote mount the faceplate so you can kind of tuck the radio out of the way.
I had one of the TYT-9800 radios, sold it on Ebay because I got tired of it sitting around, and I don't really do anything with my Amateur Radio license anyhow, I have a radio in my car but I only have it on as more or less a scanner....not much in the way of anything else going on as far as HAM use so I don't even have any of the local channels programmed into it, nobody uses them anymore unless there's an event going on in town, then the ham operators use 1 or 2 frequencies but otherwise its silent, kind of like the CB...everyone has a cell phone so radios are pretty pointless anymore for the most part.
Hi Wild Bill,
We're lucky out here in Ventura County CA. We have a very active Amateur Radio community and there always seems to be some activity on the local repeaters. When driving long distances, I've found that thing are much quieter...
Newer cars are much worse then the older ones to get anything installed or wired up. They're interiors are not designed to be taken apart and put back together without snapping a clip or tearing a piece of cheap plastic along the way. I have some background in the industry so I can usually get things done without replacing things, but it's a challenge...
Thanks for commenting!
Stu
AG6AG
I have a fusion Radio in my 2006 f150.
Hi Chuck,
Each vehicle has it's own issues and challenges when it comes to accessories. Older vehicles at least have some real estate available for accessories.
What was the biggest obstacle for your install?
Stu
AG6AG