sparc
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2011
- Messages
- 1,093
- Location
- NJ
- Tractor
- JD 4410, NH TC-25, Bobcat M610, JD X534, Dig-It Model 158, JD Ztrak 737. 6X4 Gator
Wondering if anyone has a thread here (searched and didn't find one) about installing amateur gear in newer pickup trucks. My last was in a 05 F-150 and I did not have any issues but it was only a dual band V/UHF rig and I ran less than 20 watts most of the time as the repeaters are close. In my diesel powered Hummer H1 I had a IC-706MkIIg with a variety of antennas (whip, hustler center-loaded verticals, top loaded sticks, etc.) and a remote mounted AT-11 auto-tuner from LG Electronics and that setup worked well.
the IC-706 in my Hummer
But now my rig is the '12 F-350 diesel and the onboard computing power exceeds that used to get us to the Moon by a factor of 100!
I would like to put that same IC-706 in the F-350 and be able to work some mobile HF as well as VHF and UHF but I have concerns about stray RF and what it might do to the onboard computers and also warranty. Is there a paper from Ford on installing radios in their current vehicles? I believe most manufacturers used to put these out BC (Before Cellphones).
So if anyone has tips on antenna mounting and routing power to the under the back seat from the battery (and which one? does it matter?), I'd like to hear from you.
the IC-706 in my Hummer
But now my rig is the '12 F-350 diesel and the onboard computing power exceeds that used to get us to the Moon by a factor of 100!
I would like to put that same IC-706 in the F-350 and be able to work some mobile HF as well as VHF and UHF but I have concerns about stray RF and what it might do to the onboard computers and also warranty. Is there a paper from Ford on installing radios in their current vehicles? I believe most manufacturers used to put these out BC (Before Cellphones).
So if anyone has tips on antenna mounting and routing power to the under the back seat from the battery (and which one? does it matter?), I'd like to hear from you.