CALLING All AMATEUR (HAM) RADIO NERDS

4runner DOA

Hold my beer
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I have considered switching to HAM from the junky cb I have now. What would you guys recommend for the Runner? Handheld or is there a unit that is configured similar to cb's for mounting?

You should be able to find a unit with a detachable faceplate. Throw the body under a seat and extend the wires to put the face where you want. I don't typically have a passenger so i mounted mine on the side of the center console. I believe @WileECoyote has his in his center dash. Not sure how similar the 1st gen taco dash is to the 3rd gen runner dash.
 

Rockdawg84

Confidence the feeling before fully understanding
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You should be able to find a unit with a detachable faceplate. Throw the body under a seat and extend the wires to put the face where you want. I don't typically have a passenger so i mounted mine on the side of the center console. I believe @WileECoyote has his in his center dash. Not sure how similar the 1st gen taco dash is to the 3rd gen runner dash.


What is the wattage I should be looking for. 25, 50? thanks for the info guys. Great thread
 
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You should be able to find a unit with a detachable faceplate. Throw the body under a seat and extend the wires to put the face where you want. I don't typically have a passenger so i mounted mine on the side of the center console. I believe @WileECoyote has his in his center dash. Not sure how similar the 1st gen taco dash is to the 3rd gen runner dash.
Sorry, for being late to the party. Been kinda busy lately!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA

My Yaesu FT-1900R 2m mobile is a 55W max radio and is located just above the ashtray. I had to make custom mounting brackets as well as utilizing the stock radio mounting bracket/hardware. It was NOT easy!!! :headwall::smash::deadbanana: HAHAHAHAHA

What is the wattage I should be looking for. 25, 50? thanks for the info guys. Great thread
As mentioned earlier, you don't necessarily want to concentrate on the output wattage itself, but also invest in a good antenna system setup. Prefer, hard-mount antenna, but that's just me. A magmount is also good, but I've just never been a fan for magmounts other than for strictly emergency last resort setups only... which I do sort of as a setup... just not completed... anyways...

The one that the OP has in the very first post is a decent one to start out with. With that said, even a dual band is a good to have. It gives you a few more options to go with than just having a single band radio.

I personally have NO issues with CB and have used it to get information from the truckers or whatever. But, again, that's just me. I have a CB setup and if it comes into play than it's that many more options I have available to me. Other than that, I have: HAM (various freq bands, but all analog), CB, GMRS/FRS, and hopefully a digital radio here soon... well, not as soon as I would like... anyways...

DO NOT go cheap on an antenna system. Good rule of thumb that seems to work for just about any purchases, don't go for the cheapest and don't necessarily go for the most expensive. A "middle of the road" cost product, in this case a HAM radio (mobile) won't steer you wrong.

So, with all of that said, 25W is NOT bad, 35-50W is going to reach out there pretty far (you'd be surprised), and then +50W, which that Kenwood Danny has is a 65W max radio, I believe. Nice radio too for a single bander!!!

Just keep in mind to TX on lowest/medium power 99% of the time. 1) your radio will thank you for that that you're not constantly cooking itself 2) you don't want too many high wattage radios around such a fairly close proximity and it just isn't necessary!!! If the guy is only 100-200ft away... TURN THAT F***ER down on the wattage output!!!

Sorry if I'm confusing you, but trying to get as much info out as possible.
 

4runner DOA

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Sorry, for being late to the party. Been kinda busy lately!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA

My Yaesu FT-1900R 2m mobile is a 55W max radio and is located just above the ashtray. I had to make custom mounting brackets as well as utilizing the stock radio mounting bracket/hardware. It was NOT easy!!! :headwall::smash::deadbanana: HAHAHAHAHA


As mentioned earlier, you don't necessarily want to concentrate on the output wattage itself, but also invest in a good antenna system setup. Prefer, hard-mount antenna, but that's just me. A magmount is also good, but I've just never been a fan for magmounts other than for strictly emergency last resort setups only... which I do sort of as a setup... just not completed... anyways...

The one that the OP has in the very first post is a decent one to start out with. With that said, even a dual band is a good to have. It gives you a few more options to go with than just having a single band radio.

I personally have NO issues with CB and have used it to get information from the truckers or whatever. But, again, that's just me. I have a CB setup and if it comes into play than it's that many more options I have available to me. Other than that, I have: HAM (various freq bands, but all analog), CB, GMRS/FRS, and hopefully a digital radio here soon... well, not as soon as I would like... anyways...

DO NOT go cheap on an antenna system. Good rule of thumb that seems to work for just about any purchases, don't go for the cheapest and don't necessarily go for the most expensive. A "middle of the road" cost product, in this case a HAM radio (mobile) won't steer you wrong.

So, with all of that said, 25W is NOT bad, 35-50W is going to reach out there pretty far (you'd be surprised), and then +50W, which that Kenwood Danny has is a 65W max radio, I believe. Nice radio too for a single bander!!!

Just keep in mind to TX on lowest/medium power 99% of the time. 1) your radio will thank you for that that you're not constantly cooking itself 2) you don't want too many high wattage radios around such a fairly close proximity and it just isn't necessary!!! If the guy is only 100-200ft away... TURN THAT F***ER down on the wattage output!!!

Sorry if I'm confusing you, but trying to get as much info out as possible.

Hey, the wall o Randy is spaced out. You're learning. :rofl:
 

Rockdawg84

Confidence the feeling before fully understanding
Joined
Oct 22, 2018
Messages
210
Age
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Location
NW Tucson
Sorry, for being late to the party. Been kinda busy lately!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA

My Yaesu FT-1900R 2m mobile is a 55W max radio and is located just above the ashtray. I had to make custom mounting brackets as well as utilizing the stock radio mounting bracket/hardware. It was NOT easy!!! :headwall::smash::deadbanana: HAHAHAHAHA


As mentioned earlier, you don't necessarily want to concentrate on the output wattage itself, but also invest in a good antenna system setup. Prefer, hard-mount antenna, but that's just me. A magmount is also good, but I've just never been a fan for magmounts other than for strictly emergency last resort setups only... which I do sort of as a setup... just not completed... anyways...

The one that the OP has in the very first post is a decent one to start out with. With that said, even a dual band is a good to have. It gives you a few more options to go with than just having a single band radio.

I personally have NO issues with CB and have used it to get information from the truckers or whatever. But, again, that's just me. I have a CB setup and if it comes into play than it's that many more options I have available to me. Other than that, I have: HAM (various freq bands, but all analog), CB, GMRS/FRS, and hopefully a digital radio here soon... well, not as soon as I would like... anyways...

DO NOT go cheap on an antenna system. Good rule of thumb that seems to work for just about any purchases, don't go for the cheapest and don't necessarily go for the most expensive. A "middle of the road" cost product, in this case a HAM radio (mobile) won't steer you wrong.

So, with all of that said, 25W is NOT bad, 35-50W is going to reach out there pretty far (you'd be surprised), and then +50W, which that Kenwood Danny has is a 65W max radio, I believe. Nice radio too for a single bander!!!

Just keep in mind to TX on lowest/medium power 99% of the time. 1) your radio will thank you for that that you're not constantly cooking itself 2) you don't want too many high wattage radios around such a fairly close proximity and it just isn't necessary!!! If the guy is only 100-200ft away... TURN THAT F***ER down on the wattage output!!!

Sorry if I'm confusing you, but trying to get as much info out as possible.


Not confusing at all. Great info! thanks :)
 

KevinK

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Oct 26, 2018
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338
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AZ and OH
Just posting a few pictures of the Unicorn so I remember to come back and talk about the install and performance of the mobile rig setup like this.

7C6628FD-43FD-41B9-B47F-A5F337A8F409.jpeg2CF2FEF4-4C4D-4036-8F6F-6FD633EF378F.jpeg9AB5603C-6756-4607-94AE-44748D8BEEC2.jpeg291D1585-0CC2-44E9-8620-918EFF6CA03F.png
 
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