Where do I mount that new radio?

[W7KKK]

Just an idea for those of you that are like me and running out of room to mount things in your car or truck.
I have a Ford truck with a manual transmission with a floor shifter. I already had a brake controller, a CB for RV use with non hams, optional gauges and many other things to deal with mounted on the dash.
Anyway, I got to looking at the problem when I got my new Yeasu FT-1500M 2 meter radio. I noted that the small bracket that came with this radio looked like the spacing in the factory holes were about the same as the diameter of the lower part of my gearshift.
Sure enough, I purchased some common hardward U bolts and double nuted them for a secure mount and the radio now rides the lower part of the stick. It always faces me, regardless of the gear I am in. Just leave a liitle slack for the wiring when you shift!
With a little thought, any of these new small radios will fit this same way.

73's W7WV Ken
kelly@eaznet.com

[KL7IPV]

There is another way. I had a problem with that as well and found that I could use the dashboard cover to hold the radio too. Put screws with large washers UNDER the cover and mount the radio mobile bracket on the cover. Put some tape over the screw heads to protect the dash surface and put the cover back on the dash. That puts the radio close to eye level without blocking your vision and allows you to see the radio without looking down into the cab. It also allows you to see the radio frequency without waiting for your eyes to adapt to see the numbers when the radio is low and the sun is bright. If you have a place to mount the radio and need a place for an external speaker, that will work for a speaker too. Try it, you might like it.
73
Frank
KL7IPV

[N8EMR]

How are the seats configured? Do you have bucket seats with a console inbetween? Even with a shifter in the middle you might be able to put a console unit just behind the shifter. Move your factory console back a little to make room. Check out some of the commerical radio consoles. I use a modified pro-copper in my truck to support my radios. http://www.k2bj.com/images/Photos/MOTM/sanders_3.jpg

Here is a pix of radio's in trucks with floor based shifters.
http://www.k2bj.com/images/Photos/MOTM/wa2isc_interior.jpg

[KR4JA]

I'm thinking about one of the mobile mount accessories made for cell phones and PDAs (http://www.mobileplanet.com/vendor.asp?vendor_name=ARK).  They should work for mounting the face plate of my IC706.  I may try the PDA mounting bracket which fits in a cup holder of my center console. Looks like it'll work?

73

Dave
Norcross, GA

[KL7IPV]

Look at All Electronics  ( www.allelectronics.com ) for some cell phone mountings. They are reliable to deal with and their prices are hard to beat.
73
Frank
KL7IPV