Installing ham radio-which side of car to run wiring?

[dllfo]

In the olden days, we would check to see which kick panel had the "black box" or the "computer" behind it, then route the coax, or the detached head wiring on the other side.

I wonder if any hams have mounted radios in their Prius yet?

This will be a VHF/UHF FM radio with the dual band antenna mounted in the rear. WHERE in the rear area has not been decided. I would draw my power directly from the battery, unless someone knows of a reason I should not do so. (I mean the car battery, for starting the engine.)

There are lots of cubicles to put the radio in, but it would be nice to stay away from sensitive systems.

Has anyone tried it yet? Thanks.........

[David Beale]

Well I don't have my Prius yet, but I plan to put the radio in the area of the battery, run the antenna (through glass Larson dual band) at the top centre of the rear hatch glass, and run the control cable up the pass. side. I will also have to put a relay back there with the relay control wire running up to an aux. power outlet in the console (so it switches with accy). I have an ICOM IC2710 for the Prius, and I have an ICOM IC2720 in the anti-Prius (see below). It uses a Larson dual band NMO antenna mounted in the centre of the roof. Both radios use the control head detach accy. This makes it much easier to avoid interference re car computer.

VA6DAB

[viking31]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(8thyota @ Mar 20 2007, 05:09 PM) [snapback]409163[/snapback]</div>

In the olden days, we would check to see which kick panel had the "black box" or the "computer" behind it, then route the coax, or the detached head wiring on the other side.

I wonder if any hams have mounted radios in their Prius yet?

This will be a VHF/UHF FM radio with the dual band antenna mounted in the rear. WHERE in the rear area has not been decided. I would draw my power directly from the battery, unless someone knows of a reason I should not do so. (I mean the car battery, for starting the engine.)

There are lots of cubicles to put the radio in, but it would be nice to stay away from sensitive systems.

Has anyone tried it yet? Thanks.........
[/b]

Just finally got around the other day to do my VHF/UHF (144/440) install. The radio has a detachable face with the face mounted below AM/FM radio and the radio itself below the passenger seat. The power is directly from the 12 volt battery, fused on both terminals at the battery for redundancy. The antenna now is a 62" dual bander (but is just too big for the car; the geek meter gets too high with this antenna!, so I am purchasing a 29" Maldol dual bander) lip mounted on the right front portion of the hatchback. Antenna gain figures, from many subjective opinions, are not that critical with regards to VHF and UHF as opposed to HF. Your performance of any VHF or UHF installation depends much more on the antenna cabling (which is of minimal loss in vehicle installs because of the short runs) and receiver performance.

Antenna lead is 18" of RG-174 for minimal weather seal deformation and then to 10' of RG-58 (which BTW is just the right length!). Advertised loss of the cable assembly is a mere .40 dB.

You will have to do some creative fishing and pulling of the power and antenna wires through the kick boards (you will have to pull some these panels) and carpet but it is not too difficult. Just to be clear, I ran all the wiring on the passenger side of the vehicle.

No interference issues I have noted since with VHF and UHF. I understand HF is very difficult to work from the Prius because of the noise from the various hybrid components. I have yet to read the Prius itself is affected by any form of amateur RF (but I don't know if anyone has successfully mounted an Alpha 9500 in a Prius yet!).

With regards to the glass mount antennas, I have heard nothing but bad reviews. Never seen an actual objective test of glass mounts vs. NMO or PL-259 terminations, but the hams I have spoken to who have used the glass mounts feel they attenuate way too much RF to be very useful.

Rick
#4 2006

[David Beale]

It's true a glass mount doesn't work as well as a proper connection, but my through glass worked fine on the RX-7 for years. Some cars you just don't want a lip mount and definately don't want to put a hole in. Because you are almost always using a repeater with VHF or UHF, a through glass works just fine. Even on simplex it worked fine in the RX-7.[attachmentid=7068]

[abq sfr]

Going to be installing a Diamond NR770HB on my 10-day old Prius as soon as UPS delivers my missorted mount, taking 10 days to get to Abq from HRO San Diego! Initially I'll use my IC-2100 sitting on the hump in front of center console, will get a IC-208 when I save the money, should be able to find a place for a small remote head like that radio has. Recently bought a Yaesu FT-857D and ATAS-120, but after reading about Prius QRM, forget even thinking about that. Would be a waste of time. I think we need a dedicated area on this site for ham radio related postings! '73, KD5RHR

[hill]

Isn't the Prius a 'Geek-mobile' enough already? ... that you need to turn it into an 'Antenna farm' :P
I've decided to hold off with a transciever install, because I'm leary what 50 watts will do to the electronics / ECU's etc. If one were to only run 5 watts though, I'd use the existing FM antenna ... not perfectly matched, but it'll certainly avoid the butt-ugly factor of multiple antennas.

[ekpolk]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hill @ Apr 4 2007, 10:31 AM) [snapback]417592[/snapback]</div>

Isn't the Prius a 'Geek-mobile' enough already? ... that you need to turn it into an 'Antenna farm' :P
I've decided to hold off with a transciever install, because I'm leary what 50 watts will do to the electronics / ECU's etc. If one were to only run 5 watts though, I'd use the existing FM antenna ... not perfectly matched, but it'll certainly avoid the butt-ugly factor of multiple antennas.
[/b]

Well, I just added a CAN View V3 and upgraded to a Valentine-1 detector -- but I see I still have work to do if I don't want to be out-geeked!

[viking31]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hill @ Apr 4 2007, 11:31 AM) [snapback]417592[/snapback]</div>

Isn't the Prius a 'Geek-mobile' enough already? ... that you need to turn it into an 'Antenna farm' :P
I've decided to hold off with a transciever install, because I'm leary what 50 watts will do to the electronics / ECU's etc. If one were to only run 5 watts though, I'd use the existing FM antenna ... not perfectly matched, but it'll certainly avoid the butt-ugly factor of multiple antennas.
[/b]

Yes, I admit, the geek factor gets fairly high with the addition of more antennas. But I still get invited to the neighborhood poker game every weekend ;-). I use a 29" dual bander (black color, cell phone style mid location coil) mounted on the right front corner of the hatchback so it's not too obvious.

With regards to the wattage, I run full power nearly all the time. My Kenwood TMV-7A puts out about 40 watts on 2M and 30 or so on 70cm. Absolutely no issues with the Prius.

When automobiles are designed they obviously go through thousands of tests for most everything a consumer would "throw" at the vehicle. It would be my guess the car would at least be designed to handle 100 watts or so of radiated RF in the VHF and upper bands. I have yet to read someone having an issue with RF problems with the Prius in the VHF and higher spectrum.

Rick
#4 2006

[abq sfr]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hill @ Apr 4 2007, 09:31 AM) [snapback]417592[/snapback]</div>

Isn't the Prius a 'Geek-mobile' enough already? ... that you need to turn it into an 'Antenna farm' :P
I've decided to hold off with a transciever install, because I'm leary what 50 watts will do to the electronics / ECU's etc. If one were to only run 5 watts though, I'd use the existing FM antenna ... not perfectly matched, but it'll certainly avoid the butt-ugly factor of multiple antennas.
[/b]

I'm proud to be a geek! I think you are in denial. There any shrinks in Kalispell?

[hill]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(abq sfr @ Apr 4 2007, 05:56 PM) [snapback]417830[/snapback]</div>

I'm proud to be a geek! I think you are in denial. There any shrinks in Kalispell?
[/b]

Yep! . . . And She who must be obeyed, would send me there PRONTO, if she came out and saw the Kenwood 2000 mounted in the trunk ... the Remote head mounted up on the overhead compartment . . . the the Hi-Q Screwdriver Antenna (with cap-hat) on the rear bumper . . . auto tuner ... 500 watt amp ... oh yea, Dr. Sigmund ... here I come!

Yes, the 35 watt radios might not kill the electronics, but the 2000 even does 100 watts 'barefoot' on 2 meter ... so that's why I'm still a little leary.