Batboard

Has any one done a recent install on a toyota tundra sr5 access cab? I need help with placement.I have all this in a ranger now,but need a bigger truck.The toyota's it will have a bucket seats and a console.
I need to place a kenwood 30 series dualband vhf/uhf single head and a icom 2720h 146/440 dual band as well strobes,siren,and leds. I also need to install a hands freekit for my cell phone. which the cell phone is not a big deal i will buy a vehicle specific mount from tessco. i need to have the least amount of antenna as possible 3 total if possible and mounted on the roof. i am currently using 1 antenna for the 30 series and have not purchased the icom as yet. I would like to only run 1 big power wire to a fuse panel and tap off the main line.

Tundra I did had a BIG bench seat. The dash is EXTREMELY accomodating...it's got alot of open space in it. You can easily mount things to the floor and in the back passanger side there is a storage compartment GREAT for mounting remote units. Easy truck overall....Good luck!

Matt

If you haven't gotten the IC 2720 yet, DON'T! They're not such great rigs. My brother is on his second one. Icom got tired of fixing the first under warranty, so they just gave him a new one. So far the new one is better than the first, but WAY too many guys on the different ham forums and on the air have had too many problems with the 2720.

There are plenty of dual band ham rigs to pick from. I urge you to pick a different one.

Yaesu has some nice ones.

Anyone used the Yaesu FT-8900? I was looking into this unit since it's a quad band. I was wondering also if anyone knows of a mod for it to TX and RX in the 46 mhz range since that is where the fire freqs are where I'm from.

I've had my 8900 for almost 2 years now and I can honestly say it's the best mobile rig I've ever owned, bar none! 4 RF power settings, nearly immune to intermod, clean display.

Remote mounting is a breeze. The remote cable is straight-through with 6-conductor (RJ-12) modular ends. "Roll your own" and avoid the overpriced kit sold by Yaesu.

I haven't used 10m at all but it's superb for the other 3 bands.

I don't think there's a mod to open up 6m. You could try http://www.mods.dk for more info.

If I could change anything it would be to have backlit buttons on the head.

va3wxm wrote:I've had my 8900 for almost 2 years now and I can honestly say it's the best mobile rig I've ever owned, bar none! 4 RF power settings, nearly immune to intermod, clean display.

Remote mounting is a breeze. The remote cable is straight-through with 6-conductor (RJ-12) modular ends. "Roll your own" and avoid the overpriced kit sold by Yaesu.

I haven't used 10m at all but it's superb for the other 3 bands.

I don't think there's a mod to open up 6m. You could try http://www.mods.dk for more info.

If I could change anything it would be to have backlit buttons on the head.

I looked at that mod site already, and there is a mod to increase the TX/RX, but he only elaborates on @ meter and 70 CM... He said ETC.... I'm not sure if that'll open up the 6 meter also. That is the only thing holding me back right now on the rig. I've heard what you mentioned about the backlighting as well as the audio, but I guess if you remote mount it, you use the external speaker and that takes care of that. Thanks for your input! Much appreciated.

so does any one else have an thoughts about how hard this install will be and can i get away with just with one antenna with the cross band repeat functuon in pace

Yes you can.

Buy a Diamond HV7A antenna with 10m coil. There's your quad band antenna in one package. It can be a little finicky to tune on the lower frequencies but it does work.

any ideas on how or where to mount the control heads for the radios. I am going to use a TouchTek VI Switch Panel to control my lights. however i need help with the placement of and how to mount the controlheads for the radios as well as the speakers. Any one have pics of installs on tundras?