I-Day (install day) for the 03 Suburban ( BIG HEADACHES)

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Thu Jun 05, 2003 9:35 am

Install time is fast approaching.

THe custome made underseat mounting system is already in production. Should have that in about a month from a metal shop. it will be no holes drilled and fit under the rear seat of a Suburban/Tahoe/Yukon body

Troy ModCon CC-024 console will be in the beast.

I'm going to start out with this setup in the console

A9 Spectra UHF 110w
A9 Spectra VHF 110w
C7 Spectra 800 35w
MACOM Orion Lowband 1102w
MACOM MDX 800 EDACS
Siren/PA DEK Box
SW4000 switch box

Seriously considering sellings the VHF and UHF A9 spectra and moving to multi-band orions on single control heads iwth dual control.

Possible future version of the console may be

3 Orion System Heads connected 2

110w VHF
110w UHF mid split
35w UHF High split
110W LoBand
800 EDACS

W7 Spectra for apco25/astro 800

Federal Signal Smart Siren SS2000SM

Low Band and VHF on one head, both UHF splits on another head and then the EDACS radio stand alone.

This would leave me with 2 less control heads in the console and more room for an LPE-200 mobile charger as well as an Astro Saber converta-com.

Also cup holders and storage box become internal instead of external options on the console with this version.

So what do you guys think? Leave it the way I have it set to go now or become a traitor and move to mostly MA/COM stuff!

Post by **alex** » Thu Jun 05, 2003 9:49 am

Well, I've been interested in doing the potential Orion dual radio switch, but a couple things has kept me from doing it.

1) Lack of MDC features - but that's such as life without the big M.

2) Parts are DAMN hard to find, and when you do find them - they are somewhat on the expensive side. This can be a good thing - if you can't find the parts it probably means that the equipment is good enough that no one wants to rid themselves of them.

3) The VHF bandsplits SUCK. I'd have to get 2 drawers - one of which is quite rare 136-151 I think is the split. That doesn't reduce my number of control heads since I would loose my ability to effectivly dual band a radio.

4) The UHF splits resemble that of the spectra. I would want Tband and 440 coverage in my moble, so I'd again, need 2 orions for this purpose. Thus, it doesn't eliminate the control head

I don't mean to sound negitive about these radios - they are neat - and I have played with them, these are just some of the roadblocks I stumbled across while trying to get my nose into them. MDC is something I can survive without - annoying people with GE star could provide enough entertainment to balance things out. Regardless, THey do have a good product, as a hobbiest, I would look elsewhere if your looking to the orion for pure consolidation purposes.

-Alex

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Thu Jun 05, 2003 9:59 am

Yes true, bandsplits are a little odd, but than be worked around to a degree.

My third though would be to dual band the lowband and 800 EDACS radios, that saves me at least one control head.

I to use MDC-1200, but could live without if I had to. GE-Star is almost as annoying as MDC-1200 with 1000ms preamble.

RESCUE161 · Post by **RESCUE161** » Thu Jun 05, 2003 10:30 am

I've been hex editing the dos rss for the Orion. I think I may have it, but they moved my VHF radio already. I will post my finding when I get finished moving. I have a 136-153 split that I need to go higher. The guy at M/A Com was going to help me get my radio into the HAM bands until I told him I had the low split. Then he refused to help me...lol

Oh well, I THINK I may have the OOB solved...

USPSS · Post by **USPSS** » Thu Jun 05, 2003 10:47 am

I put a Cimmaron Technologies board in my Orion's and it works perfect on MDC, on a per channel basis.

http://www.cimtechcorp.com/newscenter.htm

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Fri Jun 06, 2003 8:46 pm

Well, I have a HUGE problem to deal with. I decided to check out the factory console and what was lurking inside it.

When I ordered the truck it was NOT supposed to have a console installed, but when delivered it had one. No big deal, just thought I'd remove it and drop in a Troy system

NOT SO!

Its a huge console but inside it is several items. The amp for the bose stereo, a large induction cooling fan/housing which has to be for the amp and something else I haven't identified yet.

At this point it appears I will not be able to install a professional console. DAMN!

I might be able to remount this stuff, but where? ARG!

Only thing I can see doing now is using a custom faceplate system to cover the console top by removing the cup holders and the flip top storage box. This would work and give me a pretty large area, at least 20 inches to mount my stuff in.

If I go this route everything MUST be remote mounted because of the existing equipment - no room for anything dashmount.

This is completely frustrating. I have tons of room for remote radios and other equipment and enough roof real esate to farm sheep on, but where the hell do i put the control heads!!!!!!!

I'll take pics over the weekend, but I think I'm screwed.

Dale Earnhardt · Post by **Dale Earnhardt** » Sat Jun 07, 2003 12:01 am

Thats true Alex, sure cant find much stuff on ebay for Orions, theres not much ppl selling at all on those orions. Hey stan you have any for sale? lol

IT sorts of reseamble a spectra, just that a spectra you can at least get 450-482, and stretch it out. Got to have 482mhz to listen toooo.

007 · Post by **007** » Sat Jun 07, 2003 3:59 am

apco25 wrote: Its a huge console but inside it is several items. The amp for the bose stereo, a large induction cooling fan/housing which has to be for the amp and something else I haven't identified yet.

If it's a box about 3x5, and you have keyless entry, it's the receiver box for the key fobs. If you have Onstar, it could be that box...it think that would be in back, but who knows with GM.

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Sat Jun 07, 2003 4:53 am

I did not order OnStar or Xm Radio, so I have no idea what else is in there. Don't have a service manual yet.

Before I started looking in there I though the only difficulty would be remounting the rear audio controls.

FFParamedic571 · Post by **FFParamedic571** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 2:58 pm

Alex,

I know what you are dealing with, a department by me ordered an off the lot suburban. It had the bose system and power seats and front/ rear air. We found that the mystery box is the airbag brain. What we ended up doing is leaving in place and raising the back end of the console.

apco25 · Post by **apco25** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 5:47 pm

Do you have pics? How did it turn out and was it worth mounting around or moving all this stuff?

I'm lucky to have access to a custome shop to work around it, but still the off the self troy stuff would be nice.

Hell, maybe I'll just make my own version of the troy system and mount around all this stuff.

(WHY ME!)

FFParamedic571 · Post by **FFParamedic571** » Sun Jun 08, 2003 5:55 pm

i would have to check with the guy who did the console on the truck. He may have taken some pictures before it left. I wasn't doing the console. I did the mirror strobes and push bumpers. I got pullled off that to do a Dodge caravan... Oh yea..