New ham setup

[trump]

Finished getting the Radio in last night, so here are the obligatory install pictures and some thoughts.

Some of the features that I was looking for in a radio:

-2m/70cm Dual band
-Dual receive (Wanted to be able to monitor another channel)
-APRS (For overlanding, it seems like a valuable tool that would be nice to employ)

Unfortunately (only to my pocket book), to get APRS capability you have to go with a high end radio. I decided on the Yaesu FTM-350AR. It gave me the features I was looking for with a user friendly interface. This radio also uses the standard NMEA data for the APRS function, and I happen to already own a GPS that is compatible.:victory:

Due to the two units output being closely related with APRS; I wanted to put the radio controls near the GPS. That required me to move my ScanGaugeII from its former location...

...and fab up a new mount for the radio face plate. After toying around a bit I was able to bend back a piece of metal on the external antenna bracket I have been using for the SG and drill it out to fit the radios mounting screw. Toyed around a little with some hardware to secure it and...

Voilà!

I originally had put together a extension cable for the SGII to mount it by the rear view mirror. It used a RJ-45 coupler/network cable to add the required length. This saved me time since I would be able to leave the extension cable in place and use it for the radio. With the SGII now moved to the steering column, it no longer needed the extension. Here's a picture of the RJ-45 coupler attached next to the dash fuse box.

For now the SGII is mounted with Velcro, but I'll be making an aluminum bracket for it in the near future.

I mounted the radio itself right by the drivers-side seat belt reel. I haven't attempted to hide any of the wires right by the radio since I will be changing a few things soon.

The antenna mount will be changing to an Larsen NMO-K through the roof sometime this weekend. Right now I have the Larsen 2/70B NMO I'm using is mounted on a Diamond Antenna K400SNMO that I was trying out to see if it would get me in the garage any easier... no dice, so I'll be returning it.

Additional projects to come:

-Mic extension w/dash mounted port.
-Build data cable and wire to GPS

 

[4RunAmok]

Everything looks pretty good! That's the radio that's next on my list.

I wonder how much I could get for my 8800 to offset the cost of 350AR?...hmm

How do you deal without having a rear view mirror though?! That'd drive me nuts

 

[trump]

How do you deal without having a rear view mirror though?! That'd drive me nuts

For a long while I had my spare tire on the carrier completely blocking the view out the rear. In addition I had two Jerry can carriers bolted to the rack on top of the wheelwells... I couldn't see squat out the rear. I got used to it after a while and taking the rear view mirror down helped take my mine off it, especially after putting the GPS in its place.:sombrero: This was all before the RTT. Putting the rack and RTT on actually forced me to flip the tire under the carrier and move the can mounts. So my vision improved a lot. I can see out the rear again... that's a bonus, though now it requires me to turn my head. No biggie. :coffeedrink:

 

[Chazz Layne]

Good choice on radios, I think you'll be pleased. The 350 is by far the easiest unit I've had the pleasure of using, its almost worth the price just for the big clear display and menus.

APRS does indeed come in handy overlanding with a group. I can think of more than one occasion where we've used it to guide a wayward straggler or have the tail find and mark the correct route (when the rest of the group already made a wrong turn). We've even used it to aid keeping the group together through a sandstorm.

 

[4RunAmok]

I'm an APRS dummy. I've seen it in action on the web and in a truck.

Am I to understand you must give up a tuner to make it work?

 

[Chazz Layne]

Correct - which can either be a dedicated radio running APRS, or a single-side of a dual transceiver radio (like the Yaesu 350 above or the Kenwood 710).

While APRS is running, nothing else can be done with "side B" of the radio. This is kind of a bummer when in a spot where you want to monitor the group's frequency and a repeater at the same time. You would have to disable APRS temporarily to use the radio that way. Fortunately, this is quick and easy to do on a 350.

I wish Kenwood still made their tri-transceiver radio, it would be perfect.

 

[xtatik]

I wish Kenwood still made their tri-transceiver radio, it would be perfect.

Or, you could just use your HT for local traffic within your group. An HT is a great complement to the communications package for what we do. Also helps for those extra-vehicular/bipedal excursions that can happen during outings.
Personally, twixt the HF/FM radio and an HT, I've never felt the need for APRS. As long as everyone else has APRS in their trucks....my radio will locate them.:coffeedrink:

 

[4RunAmok]

A tri-transceiver or "APRS-as-needed" Meaning it would utilize one of the bands, whichever is not receiving or transmitting at the time, and momentarily change to the APRS freg, transmit and receive updates, and then switch back.

 

[rambrush]

Last year we used a friends aprs radio. set it up with a mag mount antenna. then used the 706 for all radio communications.
we departed Kingman heading to Montana via I-15. because I-15 is linked with repeaters all the way North from Vegas my friends were able to track and then a few in Kingman were able to swing there beams around to hit the vegas repeater.
Worked pretty slick.
Now I would like to add a APRS and DSTAR unit only takes money

 

[Chazz Layne]

Personally, twixt the HF/FM radio and an HT, I've never felt the need for APRS. As long as everyone else has APRS in their trucks....my radio will locate them.:coffeedrink:

:elkgrin:



Yep, using the handheld would indeed work, provided I left the silly British vehicle at home...:snorkel:

The windshield's defroster plays havoc with reception, the design of the roofline prevents clip-on window antennas, and the aluminum body makes magnetic mounts worthless.

 

[taugust]

Nice setup Mark. :drool: Should come in handy on the Bradshaw :smiley_drive: I have APRS on my Kenwood D-7A HT. I some times run stand alone, or through a laptop with UI-View32 APRS software. That is nice to have computer screen size map tracking. Probably won't use it on this trip, since my mom is coming along.

 

[trump]

Thanks guys... I'll be updating this as I go. Decided to hang onto the lip mount for use with the Xterra and an HT in the future. Now to talk my wife into taking the test.:snorkel:

Nice setup Mark. :drool: Should come in handy on the Bradshaw :smiley_drive: I have APRS on my Kenwood D-7A HT. I some times run stand alone, or through a laptop with UI-View32 APRS software. That is nice to have computer screen size map tracking. Probably won't use it on this trip, since my mom is coming along.

I probably won't have the GPS and radio talking in time, so I wouldn't get to test out APRS quite yet. Turns out they don't have a cable available for wiring this up. I need to get the connector, find the correct pins, and wire the cable from scratch, unless I'm missing something. This might get interesting.

More to follow...

 

[trump]

Oh, and for anyone interested:

 

[esh]

Have they added memory groups with the new model?

That has to be the most frustrating thing about the 350.. leaving out such a useful feature.

 

[taugust]

I probably won't have the GPS and radio talking in time, so I wouldn't get to test out APRS quite yet. Turns out they don't have a cable available for wiring this up. I need to get the connector, find the correct pins, and wire the cable from scratch, unless I'm missing something. This might get interesting.

More to follow...

Mark,

Garmin (I think you have a Garmin) sells data cables with bare wire ends that you can custom wire to the radio connector. Should be relatively easy to find locally. Not sure about the radio side, but HRO *should* have something for that. I have done this for my old Garmin GPS III. Not sure if the connector is the same (round connector with 4 pins), but I bought the cable at Fry's. Now that I think about it, they probably have the data cable terminated in a standard DB-9 serial port connector. That may be an easier connection to the radio. There also should be a turn-key cable available from Yaesu, no?