Member Since: 25 Apr 2008
Location: Christchurch
Posts: 193
one for the radio fanatics..... HF antenna mounting fun!
All,
i thought it maybe useful to record some of the experiences gained
whilst installing all the new kit into the G4 D3.
My old set up using the HS1800 and the 706 MK2G worked flawlessly
first time it was installed and never suffered any issues in my old Defender.
I decided with the purchase of my new truck to upgrade to an IC7000
mostly as i can poke the video out from the 7000 into the LCD panel
on the dash of the D3 and of course the latest DSP filtering etc.
The LR3 is blessed with a nice area behind the 2nd row seats and ive
tucked the radio kit under here.
The High Sierra is mounted on the ladder on the rear top door.
Although this swings upwards mounting the HS on this means it goes
parallel on the rooof level even with my huge G4 kit roof
rack!
I was a bit stuck for where to put the head unit and ended up
turning the drivers side cup holder insert upside down and sticking
the MB-65 to the bottom . it means no screw holes afterwards and i
can reach the main VFO and controls while glancing at the main dash
LCD ... coool!
OK .... so problems and issues......
well first antenna mounting was relatively easy ... might sound a
bit odd but the photos will show what I mean!
I had a brainwave that I could mount the antenna in a similar
fashion to the old SGC tuners that clipped on the side of the
vehicle.
I used two spare feet from a roof rail kit another amateur colleague
bought in error for his Nissan.
These clamp to the vertical on the rail closest to the vehicle
centre line. This means I can a) still see out the window ok b) get
up the ladder c) not affect carrying kit on the roof rack and d) the
antenna is not in anyway possible to hit from branches or trees
passing the sides or more importantly hook a passing cyclist!
the HS mount received 2 extra holes in it so i can keep the height
low over all (too many overhead wires in the germany cities due to
the tram systems!) The bottom foot is clamped to the ladder and is
bolted onto the bottom foot.
the top foot is mounted the same way but unlike the bottom has a
larger distance so the whip is not off vertical by too much.
I used one of the spare diamond VHF/UHF mounts in a rather ingenious
way! I screwed the top right angle portion to the existing holes in
the HS mount - lady luck arranged the pitch to be the same and
diameter of the holes to be the same!
the three threaded studs then clamp the whole assembly to the Thule
roof bar foot. This really saved huge issues in engineering and
means the whip is pretty close to vertical. Well close enough on HF
at 140km/h!
Next issue was how to run a ground strap.
After a chat with Richard from XTC Comms who do the radio installs
for the G4 events i ran the high sierra ground strap to the stud
under the hinge on the bodywork side which with alittle struggle fit
nicely. The nut & thread of the screw fit and have enough length to
allow the strap to fit underneath and clamp. LR were nice enough to
bond the top window both sides to chassis and appears to have a v
good earth - Richard commented this SGC installed kit on the roof
racks mount there with no issues.
The DC and RF cables to the HS mount in a loop under the whip and up
the ladder. They then loop under the window and the combined cable
runs down the left side channel, in through the door seal (needing a
small notch put it in and sealed afterwards by Silicon). The cable
then passes under the poly foam tool tray to the radios.
DC power to the radios was supplied direct from the battery.
The DC power cable runs from the battery across the back of the
engine bay tucked into the exisiting cable loom.
The cable then ducks down an exisiting rubber gromit by the steering
rack - mine already had a cable through it and I could see a pin
prick of light where the big DC cables got shoved!
I used a large individual 40A red-black twin, fused at the battery
and terminating in a power pole which plugs into a 5 way rigrunner
which is nice as its individually fused. As I run the IC7K, a TMD700
and GPS and my fridge, the whole load is fine.
The TMD-700 is mounted in a similar fashsion - using a PG-4X ext
pack.
The HS1800 was initially controlled by a W4RT but this seems to have
died during testing .. perhaps due to some of the difficulties
encountered below - but for now i am back to manual tuning until my
turbo tuner arrives later this week!
Once everything was mounted some initial tests with the W4RT started.
10 - 20m would tune but seemed very twitchy and 40/80m would not and
the radio was shutting down power.
At some stage during the testing my W4RT packed in (RF feedback??)
dont know but it ended up getting removed and reverting to manual.
I was still suffering from EMC issues on 40 / 80.
Adding a clip on ferrite on the remote OPC cable helped and at least
meant I could run more than 50w on 40/80 but still the display was
being affected and the radio shutting down.
After reading some forum messages I realised two items which seems
insignificant but in hind sight seems to be rather more so.
1) I had missed an individual ground from the chassis to the
radio ... this was easily added from the from the frame under the
rear boot floor.
2) I had missed the small hold down screw on the OPC cable in the
back of the radio.
ensuring these two were in place removed all traces of RF on the
display and left me with a good solid remote head and no turning off
of the radio!
A side effect was also that tuning seems more stable (no stray RF in
the SWR bridge) and also seems more sharp so perhaps I had some
wierd RF loop going on.
The last remaining task to do now is to install the TT when it
arrives this week.
Ill post some pictures as this has been rather a saga and must more
troublesome than the 706.
My initial feeling is that the 7000 is much more susceptible to RF
in the remote head than the 706 and that this is probably due to the
the increased complexity with the TV display.
Performance on the radio seems much better and once I have the TT
installed should have a much better installation!
Hope these notes help someone in what has been an interesting
problem solving experience in modern electronics!!!!
Wonder how long it will take for you to discover that the IC-7000 is crap compared to the IC-706IIG........
The novelty of a call sign on the screen soon wears off.
I'm now back with a 706IIG and a couple of Motorola GM360's, and a few other things........ The older I get, the more I realise that people confuse wrinkles for wisdom
Founder member of Club FFRRV
Club Orange, Mint or Fruit
Club Walnut Sniffers
10th Jun 2008 9:00 pm
britindus
Member Since: 25 Apr 2008
Location: Christchurch
Posts: 193
to be honest I dont really do a lot of HF ..... most of my work is done above 1 GHz and certainly not with an IC7000!
its only for some fun and the odd HF QSO while out and about
if I was doing this seriously I would be installing something a lot more professional !
I was involved in comms professionally when I was in the military ... yes the IC7K is a toy ... !
and I think its safe to say callsigns on screens at start up does not really impress me ....
11th Jun 2008 5:38 am
britindus
Member Since: 25 Apr 2008
Location: Christchurch
Posts: 193
follow up .....
all is installed now and neat!
I also invested in a new antenna controller . a turbo tuner by N2VZ
I have to say this is a big improvement from my W4RT antenna boss.
The unit works like a dream - has a CW id'r so you can tell whats going on and a natty park function ... rather useful for me living in a germany city with lots of overhead tram lines
hit the tune button twice and the unit neatly parks your antenna to its lowest setting !
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