VSU_4runnin

wow corey looks like a perfect place that holder. its a cool mounting system, speaking of which ive seen it in cars just passing by, but a Laptop holder im not sure where it mounts, but it pivots so the driver can use it and see the screen and it leaves the passenger seat open, like a cop car i guess.
Mac that is a brilliant idea, i would have never thought of that! Itll work with 3rd gens too, but depending on the clip, i have one that looks like that for my cell, and it fits perfectly on either the visor or in 3rd gen 4runners the little not sure what it is, i guess its a business card holder or something, ill take a pic and show yall......

VSU_4runnin

Got my call sign today!
KJ4HVQ

khoopes

NICE way to go Kilo Juliet Four Hotel Victor Quebec!

If you ever contest you will need to be able to say that in your sleep.

VSU_4runnin

yah, I know the phoenetic alphabet from the fire dept.. Kilo Delta Five Echo Juliet Oscar, haha

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Good weather is coming tomorrow, I hope to get a lot done on my install.
I think the hardest part will be mounting the radio body to the floor.
It looks pretty tight under the seat, and I have to make sure nothing rubs when moving the seat back and forth.

VSU, congrats on getting your call sign.
Maybe I will be ready by the third Saturday of next month to take my test.

VSU_4runnin

well corey i dont know about these guys but i look foreward to hearing/seeing about your install (wireing would be helpful haha)

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Thanks.
Did not get squat done Sunday.
I bought a Blu-Ray player for the home theater instead.

I did just order the Yaesu ATAS-120a antenna though.
I found out it does not require a 12v source to raise/lower the antenna inside the casing.
The coax carries enough juice to take care of that chore.

VSU_4runnin

I talked to a local ham shop, and looked at eham.net.. and alot of people say the ATAS 120a is garbage, but the store said its just reeeaaal "touchy" so I hope you have the best of luck with it!

Corey

iTrader: (1)

I read mixed reviews on it too, but it truly is the only one antenna solution out there.
I do not want to hang more than one antenna for this radio on the rig.
Already have a CB and stereo antenna, three is enough.
Anymore and I start looking like a news crew mobile.

toyospearo

Oh, why not...

Corey

iTrader: (1)

I have seen guy's like that driving around before

VSU_4runnin

hahaha thats awesome... I see what you mean Corey... They guy at the shop said to just make sure to ground it veery well

Corey

iTrader: (1)

I heard that too on the ground, that is what the shop told me.

My mount for the present antenna is grounded through the ARB bumper, so it will be a no brainer with the ATAS.

VSU_4runnin

hooray for simplicity

Corey

iTrader: (1)

I hope it is that easy, I guess I will find out.
I am hoping I get some time this long four day weekend too to wrap up this installation.

khoopes

You might consider Running at least a #12 from the antenna mount to the frame. Bumpers have a habit of of building up corrosion between contact surfaces. I would actually run a braid if there was any question about the antennas performance. Getting a one antenna does it all is truly difficult. There are always trade offs: bandwidth, resonance, efficiency, etc etc..

I am still buy essentials like tires and tuneups on my two yotas but the rig will come along sometime. I actually wish they made just a tri band allmode, 50 watts all bands, for 6, 2, and 440, in a real small package for Cass's 4 Runner. I will probably load up with some high power stuff in my truck.

If you can open up the transmitter on your HF bands you can use your amateur transceiver as a CB. the CB band is between 26 and 27 mhz I recall. It is perfectly legal as long as you only run 5 watts AM or 12W PEP SSB.

Merlin

if you don't want to open up your rig, you may want to consider getting an export 10m radio (they usually have more bands/frequencies built in, one of which is the cb band).

cb'ers have been running these for years to take advantage of the extra channels and extra power that these radios have (the dual final ones can peak stock at 35w or more). they also make good drivers for small boxes (so you don't have to run a separate kicker amp) and can be tuned for maximum swing.

needless to say, operating (transmitting) on the ham bands w/o license w/ one of these is illegal. you can use them to listen, if i understand the rules correctly, you just cannot transmit.

use on the cb bands is illegal, as they put out more power than legal/allowable by the FCC stock.

use of a linear amplifier on the cb bands, w/ or w/o an export radio, is still flat-out illegal.

VSU_4runnin

wow i did not know that about using a ham as a cb... oh well i think ill just stick with using my cb for cb channels so i dont have to worry about all the dumb legal stuff. haha
Hey Corey did you ever find time this weekend? or were you in too much of a turkey coma haha

wyorunner

iTrader: (1)

hey all, im glad i found this post to follow. i work with radios in the military. so alot of this is familiar, but the whole illegal/legal thing, very new. i am however a noob when it comes to HAM, but it is something that intrests me. i want to buy a radio to add to my pile of parts needing install when i get back. im looking for something that has hf/vhf/uhf but dont want to spend an extreme amount, because im putting so much into everything else. any input would be great.

Corey

iTrader: (1)

Zero time, and this coming weekend I have a family function to go to.
I am hanging up the installation until sometime next year
Or maybe on my 16 day Christmas break I may find the time.

My new antenna though shipped Monday, should have it by Friday.
Will get pics of that.

khoopes, thanks for the tip on the ground.
I will have to look into the braid or the 12 gauge wire.
I did the same with the mount on my ARB bumper on my '91 4Runner I had.