CDM Install Complete

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Tue Mar 18, 2003 8:07 pm

All done. I mounted the remote head to the top of the Whelen control head and made some angle iron to hold it all up. It is between the center console and under-dash console. The tranciever is behind one of the rear jump seats (Not pictured). The antenna is a Comtelco A1131B NMO mount. There was a hole in the interior layer of sheet metal right above the dome light. It was perfect. No dropping the headliner, no measuring, nothing. Dead center

So far, it's working great!

From Above

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From the side

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The antenna

Doug · Post by **Doug** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 4:48 am

Hey Matt,
How do you like that Icom? I'm contemplating a new dual band for myself.
Doug

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 7:00 am

I love it. The only thing is that when I am IN the city, it gets mad front end overload. Even with a PL, I get a combination of paging and other channels breaking through it. Once I am not in the heart of RF Hell, it is fine.

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 9:43 am

Isn't the whelen controller a pain to use mounted down there? It appears to be pretty well obstructed except for the slide switch. How do you change siren tones while driving or do you have TAP II set up.

nmfire10 · Post by **nmfire10** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 10:54 am

Ah, well, to answer your question... Yes. It is nearly impossible to change the siren tones. However, since I have no need for a siren, it doesn't bother me

All I use it for is the slide and buttons. One of these days I will get around to actually mounting a speaker and even then, it would be used for the airhorn.

Radio_Cowboy · Post by **Radio_Cowboy** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 8:00 pm

Hey Doug,

if you are looking at a new Dual band radio, and are into APRS, I would look at the Kenwood TM-D700A. I'm prolly gonna be picking up one of those myself. They have a built in TNC for APRS use.

[/url]http://www.gigaparts.com has them for $495.00 and FREE shipping ... -RC-

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 8:12 pm

I'm not real fond of the Kendwood D700A. Friend of my had one - its a feature rich radio but lousy RF performance. We had nothing but antenna interaction and rf feedback issues with the install. Once we replaced everything with Spectras the RF problems went away.