Member Since: 29 Aug 2006
Location: NSW
Posts: 111
HF Radio
Hi all, has anyone installed a HF radio in their D3? if so where did they put it?
Cheers
Kenso
26th Sep 2006 2:05 am
Tony
Member Since: 20 Apr 2006
Location: Adelaide Hills
Posts: 183
Hi Kenso,
My Codan just floats around in the back I have not been able to find an acceptable place to mount the autotune antenna - ARB and LR bullbars are too close to the body to fit the antenna, so I mount it on the towbar tongue, but only when stationary, and use the radio via the tailgate. Power comes from a heavy lead direct from the battery to a socket near the rear lighter socket, which is also wired to the same cable and thus is permanently live. To get acceptable auto tuning, I have had to connect the earth on the radio to both the car frame and the earth point on the antenna by heavy copper braid.
Not an elegant solution, but OK for the times I am in the bush. Of course, if you fit a Kaymar rear spare mount, it can include a place to put the antenna.
Regards,
Tony (VK5ZPE).Ex Defender 110 200Tdi owner.
26th Sep 2006 2:34 am
Haggis
Member Since: 26 Jun 2006
Location: Sydney
Posts: 126
I've got an old Codan installed (8528 from memory). The autotune antenna is in the Kaymar twin wheel carrier bar (there is a bracket that is a separate part number). The main unit is under the Black Widow draws in the cargo space, and the head unit is mounted on a flat plate that fits flush against the left side of the transmission tunnel.
The plate for the head unit is ~2mm aluminium sheet (part of an old PC case) and is fixed to the transmission tunnel by double sided tape. Mounting the head unit like this effectively makes the rubber coin tray on the left side of the tunnel unusable.
Power comes from the Optima Yellow Top under the bonnet. I ran a battery/starter size cable to the rear of the vehicle to a separate fuse box mounted in the right hand wing of the Black Widow draws. From that feed I power the HF with a 40A breaker (no fuse, just breaker). There is another breaker (120A) at the Yellow Top taking care of the large cable run down to the rear.
I considered running a return cable (-ve) but measured the body resistance between the front (near the second battery) and rear (behind the right tail light) earth points and found much less than 0.1 Ohm - low enough to not worry about.
Getting power to the rear was easier than expected. Behind the right front wheel plastic guard there is a big grommet with a blind nipple you can trim to size. I ran a flexible conduit down the chassis rail with the vehicle harness. To get the power inside at the back there are a number of grommets in the rear right quarter panel (aft of the rear wheel). I found that I could buy glinds (cross between a grommet and a cable clamp) that had a matching outside diameter to the vehicle and inside diameter to my cable.D3 (06) SE TDV6, Rear Locker, Rear Air, ARB bar w/winch, Safari Snorkel, 110l aux fuel tank, Kaymar rear bar (twin wheel carrier), Black Widow rear storage system, Rhino rack, GME UHF, Codan HF, IPF HID lights, CSA Explorer 17" w/BFG Mud Terrain KM2 - see Australian 4WD Monthly #103
26th Sep 2006 12:31 pm
kenso
Member Since: 29 Aug 2006
Location: NSW
Posts: 111
HF Radio
Thanks for that,
Think I might go:
Radio Yaesu YFT-857D
Arial Yaesu ATAS-120
As the radio combines HF, VHF, UHF and has a detachable face and a remote lead, quite a cool item as you can mount the face (not sure where yet) and the actual radio can go elsewhere up to 17m away. Can get the unit including remote lead autotuning antenna, face mounting kit and radio for about $1850.
will post mounting pics as soon as the jobs done...
Kenso
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2nd Oct 2006 8:05 am
Mossy
Member Since: 01 Jul 2005
Location: Hollyoaks, UK
Posts: 2684
Re: HF Radio
kenso wrote:
Thanks for that,
Think I might go:
Radio Yaesu YFT-857D
Arial Yaesu ATAS-120
As the radio combines HF, VHF, UHF and has a detachable face ....
I have the exact same set-up 'D' version for MARs / Freeband . I have the main unit mounted behind the plastic cover on the lefthand side in the boot with the cable(s) run under the trim to the main cabin. Bought the separation kit and now the head unit is mounted on the dash snug to the window for a neat install. Even the duplexer for the HF VHF/UHF split hides away behind the plastic. The standard mike has enough controls to save too much fiddling, although there is an advanced microphone available with pretty much duplicate head unit controls, including direct frequency key entry.
You could probably (not done yet) run the sound through the AUX socket. although you may need to check for noise.
Install is pretty much invisible.
You should be very pleased with it D3 HSE V8...
2nd Oct 2006 6:19 pm
Mossy
Member Since: 01 Jul 2005
Location: Hollyoaks, UK
Posts: 2684
And here's one I fitted earlier... You could probably mount any radio that has a separate headunit this way. This is myFT-857D fixed using the supplied bracket. Been there for months now and no problems or issues whatsoever.
you crafty devil you 8)Home of RLD Hidden winch mounts Spare wheel Locks Trailer Body Fabrication ray@rld-tech.co.uk D3/4 sump plates MY 14 sump plates and the Discovery Sport wheel protectors Discovery 5 wheel locks
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2nd Oct 2006 7:32 pm
kenso
Member Since: 29 Aug 2006
Location: NSW
Posts: 111
Good thunkun!
Nice Job! do you have any pics of the head unit mounted on the dash?
Kenso
2nd Oct 2006 11:19 pm
Mossy
Member Since: 01 Jul 2005
Location: Hollyoaks, UK
Posts: 2684
Re: Good thunkun!
kenso wrote:
Nice Job! do you have any pics of the head unit mounted on the dash?
Kenso
Didnt think to shoot the dash , but I'll sort some out this weekend and some of how I've channelled the cables.
D3 HSE V8...
3rd Oct 2006 1:37 pm
alinton
Member Since: 06 Feb 2006
Location: Waterford, Ireland.
Posts: 108
Here's a pic of my Yaesu FT-787 dash installation.
The main body of the radio is behind the drivers seat, in the recess that my commercial version has where the rear seats would be. (in my gallery)
The remote front panel is mounted on a new panel I made to replace the ash tray/cig lighter panel. But I still included the 12v socket undere the radio.
Andy.
4th Oct 2006 3:24 pm
kenso
Member Since: 29 Aug 2006
Location: NSW
Posts: 111
HF
Exactly the right spot! how did you mount the antenna?
Kenso, does your radio rx/tx on the same freqs as Barretts & Codans, thereby giving access to Flying Dr etc. It's a damn sight cheaper than either of the popular ones.
Also, I take it that it can communicate on the 40 free UHF channels?
TIAHave a nice day!
2010 Cayenne Diesel with PASM & Off Road Pkg
2005 HSE D3 (Sold)
5th Oct 2006 9:59 am
alinton
Member Since: 06 Feb 2006
Location: Waterford, Ireland.
Posts: 108
Re: HF
kenso wrote:
Exactly the right spot! how did you mount the antenna?
Kenso
Me? Well I don't have the TV/GPS ant on the roof, just a blank. So I removed that, which leaves a large hole, approx 18mm and two 6mm holes.
I mounted a wireless LAN antenna in the large hole, its a stubby thing that needs a 16mm hole, so it fitted, and I enlarged one of the 6mm holes to 10mm for the antenna base, and blocked the other 6mm hole with a blind grommet.
I'll try and photo tomorrow.
Andy.
6th Oct 2006 8:18 pm
Mossy
Member Since: 01 Jul 2005
Location: Hollyoaks, UK
Posts: 2684
As promised, a few more pictures of the HF Installation
The bracket for the ATAS 120 is mounted to the rear ladder.
It has a screw-in plastic cap so that you replace after removing the antenna to prevent water ingress.
And with the ATAS fitted – very, very stable even at speed in excess of 100 mph.
Antenna cable runs down the side and is clipped to the retaining screws that hold the lamp guards. Removed rear lamp and fed the cable through the grommet into the rear left wing of the car. Loop at bottom in the cable, below the grommet prevents any water rising. And then insulating tape and silicon sealant make doubly sure.
From a distance
A little closer up
Inside – there is a double grommet (the one you see outside and one here on the inside) – threaded antenna cable through – soldered PL259 plug, fed this into the duplexer (which is also hidden behind panel and attached to FT-857 main unit. Also attached speaker cable to feed through to rear AUX input.
And another closer up.
Took one small aluminium box, bought for £1.49 from Maplin and bent both the right angled edges over to form an acute angle of about 30 degrees – sits nicely on the dashboard at a good angle for viewing – i.e., the facing edge presents an almost square on front to you. You may have to play around with the angle depending on where you mount on the dashboard.
Fixed this little box top an bottom with 6 mm foam number plate adhesive strips to absorb vibration yet secure it well to the glass and dashboard. Very secure but non damaging.
Tried a close-up here to give an idea of how it is fixed and the angles of the metal. Anyway. Using some spare number plate adhesive foam pads, I fixed the mounting bracket to the fabricated metal bracket. The headunit simply clips on as you know.....
And so here it is finished. Although not clear from this shot. All controls are accessible and all clearly visible from the driver's seat without being too distracting or you having to glance away or down.
Cables are run from the rear of the car under the plastic trim up the left hand side and across the dashboard. Secured the cable between windscreen and dash by wedging little bits of foam. Sounds scrappy but you cant see it from inside or out.
Power is direct to the battery to avoid noise, with enough cable spare to attach to spare battery on split charge should Santa feel I’ve been good.D3 HSE V8...
Last edited by Mossy on 8th Oct 2006 7:19 pm. Edited 1 time in total
8th Oct 2006 4:26 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73086
Mossy, do you moonlight for the Beeb when they need a temporary transmitter??? Now we know why you need a V8, it is not to pull the birds, its to power the mobile Crystal Palace!
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I have not been able to find an acceptable place to mount the autotune antenna - ARB and LR bullbars are too close to the body to fit the antenna, so I mount it on the towbar tongue, but only when stationary, and use the radio via the tailgate. Power comes from a heavy lead direct from the battery to a socket near the rear lighter socket, which is also wired to the same cable and thus is permanently live. To get acceptable auto tuning, I have had to connect the earth on the radio to both the car frame and the earth point on the antenna by heavy copper braid.
, but I'll sort some out this weekend and some of how I've channelled the cables.
