 | Home > In Car Electronics (L663) > VHS/UHF Radio installation |
 
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| DaveCNB Member Since: 15 Mar 2022 Location: So. Cal Posts: 63  
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Hi all. Got around to installing a compact 25W VHF/UHF mobile radio into our 2022 Defender 110 yesterday.
The radio is an Any Tone AT-778UV, which is approx 124x39x163 mm or 4.88x1.54x6.42 inches, so there is plenty of depth in the big opening in the center console of the Defender. https://www.rigpix.com/anytone/at778uv.htm However, since I didn't want to drill holes into the plastic center console of a new car lol, I mounted the radio to an inexpensive ~$25 cubby organizer I got off Amazon.  Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge After a little cutting of plastic with a Dremel tool (not perfectly straight cuts but the radio prevents anyone from seeing any minor irregularties), some drilling and mounting of the radio's mounting bracket (mounted it down flush at the bottom of the cubby organizer), the radio now sits in an easily removable tray. I also cut the rubber tray liner w/ a razor blade and straight edge so that it fits around the radio (and hides the imperfect Dremel technique): Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Super easy to pop the radio out, unhook the power connector and the antenna and the radio can be taken out of the car or stored out of sight (if that is a consideration). I did take power from the battery under the front passenger seat (the power draw of this 25W radio is too high for the fused 12V circuits to handle) by using 12ga wires w/ an inline fuse and battery terminals to connect directly to the bolts off the ground wire and a 12V power take off. BTW, be real careful when you do this, rubber gloves, disconnect the ground off the battery terminal first and isolate it (so it can't short accidentally, I trapped it under the rear rubber mat well away from where I was working). There is an exposed metal plate off the negative terminal of the battery that is uncomfortably close to where I was working on the bolt carrying +12V, I covered that metal with electrical tape. Did a power test, ran the wires, reconnected the negative battery cable and tested the car (fired right back up w/o any errors or anti-theft system triggering off). It took some time but wasn't too difficult, just make sure you take proper safety precautions and have the right tools/wiring or have it done professionally. I can get some better pictures out in the daylight (it was getting dark by the time I was done). Now just have to figure out how I'm going to route an antenna wire and where I'm going to put the antenna. Dave |
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15th Mar 2022 8:30pm |
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| DaveCNB Member Since: 15 Mar 2022 Location: So. Cal Posts: 63
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So I got one of Ray's excellent roof rail antenna mounts shipped out to me from the UK (Thanks Ray!!). It is a seriously nicely made piece, if you're in the market for any of the stuff he makes, be assured it is top notch.
Click image to enlarge Here are some shots of an 19" dual band VHF/UHF antenna mounted on the right rear portion of the roof rail. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Using a NMO mount and a coax that connects via a 90 degree angle PL-259, there is about 0.75 cm of clearance above the car's roof at the lowest point of the connector barrel. I'm undecided on the best location for the mount, right now since the coax I have is a bit short, I have the cable coming out the rear corner/edge of the right rear passenger door. I'm pretty sure for this sort of antenna, the current location isn't optimal (better located at the center of a large expanse of metal for a proper ground plane). But I'm looking at one of these cool compact antennas that actually likes being on a corner w/ nearby vertical metal surfaces dropping off next to it: https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/can-2m-440 I'll need a longer extension cable to try to run it out the rear hatch so I can move the mount all the way to the back of the rail space available. I'll probably have to rig up some sort of ground strap as the paint on the factory rails and the mount seem to prevent much grounding to the rest of the car's body. Then again, I'm just using this VHF/UHF radio for car to car communications and not really trying to do super long range communications so the setup I have right now might be just fine. Any critiques, suggestions or observations about how I've set this up would be appreciated. |
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4th Apr 2022 6:08pm |
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| mse Member Since: 06 Apr 2008 Location: UK Posts: 5038  
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Sorry...but how does the car in space 51 actually manage to use that bay
 Mike |
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5th Apr 2022 7:22am |
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| DaveCNB Member Since: 15 Mar 2022 Location: So. Cal Posts: 63
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LOL, yeah from that angle looks like the column is blocking him, but it's actually off to the side and the guy can actually get 2 cars into that tandem spot!
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5th Apr 2022 7:51am |
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| mse Member Since: 06 Apr 2008 Location: UK Posts: 5038
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  Mike |
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5th Apr 2022 6:53pm |
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| BruceT Member Since: 01 Nov 2010 Location: South Africa Posts: 518 
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Nice. Exactly where i fitted my radio.
Behind the brake pedal is a big (around 3 inches) round rubber grommet. make a small hole in that and run the cable through there, then run it up the A pillar in the crack on the front of the roof, to where you have fitted your antenna in the roof rails. In my video from about 5 mins 50 seconds i show how i did mine. Hope it helps you. (sorry not such a great video as im still learning) "Overlanding With Bruce" - Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@OverlandingwithBruce 11MY Defender 130 23MY Defender 110 D300 HSE X-Dynamic https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzrHKcjA-LJ470_H4QwPgVA |
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25th Apr 2022 1:04pm |
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| TRGRichie Member Since: 03 Mar 2021 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 180
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Thanks very useful. L663 90ht
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25th Apr 2022 5:26pm |
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| DaveCNB Member Since: 15 Mar 2022 Location: So. Cal Posts: 63
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Great install, very clean. I was looking at a post on another Defender forum where they went via a right rear quarter panel modification (slightly tricky removal of the exterior C-Pillar trim piece but there is a rubber plug over a hole that is already in the body work to the inside of the car where you can run wires down through the interior trim pretty cleanly) to run wires up to the roof rack area. That may be an interesting way to get an antenna wire up to the rear roof area. (I didn't post the thread link from the other forum b/c I didn't know if that was allowed) I think in the meantime, I'm looking at modifying one of these trunk lid mounts to bolt onto Ray's rail antenna mount: https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-003079 It has a thinner gauge wire that may just pass through the boot door seals w/o much pinching/distortion so that I'm not drilling into any body panels, and since it's hinged, I could fold it down out of the way w/o dismounting an antenna for low/tight clearances. I like the higher position of the antenna on the roof and am looking into this antenna which apparently likes a corner placement and is quite low profile: https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-016475 BTW, BruceT, did that trick of clipping in/out the seatbelt x 10 rapidly while the car was powered up (accessories only, no engine start) help get rid of the annoying seatbelt alarm for you? Probably won't fix the door alarm while in gear though. Dave |
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25th Apr 2022 5:52pm |
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| BruceT Member Since: 01 Nov 2010 Location: South Africa Posts: 518
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Dave to be honest I tried it once while I was in a rush and it didn't work but I think perhaps I didn't do it correctly. I will try again tomorrow and let you know. Thank you "Overlanding With Bruce" - Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@OverlandingwithBruce
11MY Defender 130 23MY Defender 110 D300 HSE X-Dynamic https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzrHKcjA-LJ470_H4QwPgVA |
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26th Apr 2022 5:57am |
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| BruceT Member Since: 01 Nov 2010 Location: South Africa Posts: 518
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finally found this thread although slightly off topic. Just a quick thank you to Dave and others who advised me on the seat belt trick. It worked the second time I tried.
Thank you "Overlanding With Bruce" - Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@OverlandingwithBruce 11MY Defender 130 23MY Defender 110 D300 HSE X-Dynamic https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzrHKcjA-LJ470_H4QwPgVA |
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27th May 2022 2:25pm |
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| BruceT Member Since: 01 Nov 2010 Location: South Africa Posts: 518
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very nice.
Thank you for the power take off point tip. Im going to do the same now. Ive just been using the cigarette socket with a male cigarette socket plug. Where did you get ground from? "Overlanding With Bruce" - Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@OverlandingwithBruce 11MY Defender 130 23MY Defender 110 D300 HSE X-Dynamic https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzrHKcjA-LJ470_H4QwPgVA |
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19th Jan 2023 10:04am |
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| zilch Member Since: 11 Sep 2019 Location: Whitsundays & Sydney Posts: 820 
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Bruce according to the auto spark they connected the UHF units earth/black cable to the
corresponding connection terminal point behind the USB/aux plug below the centre dash.. I hope they got that right  yet another pommie bar steward down under
MY20 110 P400 SE Defender MY10 3.0 RR Sport |
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20th Jan 2023 5:08am |
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| BruceT Member Since: 01 Nov 2010 Location: South Africa Posts: 518
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Thank you very much. Going to do the same this weekend.
If smoke escapes this weekend please let me know. "Overlanding With Bruce" - Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@OverlandingwithBruce
11MY Defender 130 23MY Defender 110 D300 HSE X-Dynamic https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzrHKcjA-LJ470_H4QwPgVA |
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20th Jan 2023 11:40am |
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| zilch Member Since: 11 Sep 2019 Location: Whitsundays & Sydney Posts: 820
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: yet another pommie bar steward down under
MY20 110 P400 SE Defender MY10 3.0 RR Sport |
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20th Jan 2023 12:10pm |
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