I'm going to get the larger battery installed before I use anything more than an HT with a mag mount antenna. My previous car had a couple antenna mounts, still deciding on whether to setup the Outback in a similar fashion. The Yaesu FT-857 can do up to 100W and will need some larger gauge wire for power.

 

No concern about this being a theft magnet since it's pretty visible?

I might try your setup though with radio in back of car since I have an Anytone 578 which works great with the Bluetooth Mic, which allows me to turn radio on and off from the BT unit. Since I just got rid of my roof top tent, have some more flexibility with where I mount the antenna and expect without the tent my Comet RS730 should clear most underground parking lots. It most certainly didn't when attached to the RTT.

Like you, additional holes is pretty much verbotten for WAF.

 

I'm not worried about theft here in Alaska. they can spin the antenna off the mount just as easy from a mag mount as from a bracket. If they really want, they could cut the wire and steal the mount, but they would have to repair the coax. Anyone who can repair coax, probably won't be the type to steal in the first place.
BTW- crime up here in Alaska is a bid different. Nobody is painting swastikas on cybertrucks, and accessories rarely get stolen off of vehicles. Don't hear of catalytic converters getting hacked either.

Daniel
KL4VG

 

Can you provide a photo of this "I ran the coax under the back mat, beside the seat and out the back hatch" where it exits the back of the hatch? I had my RS730 cable going out the passenger rear window which worked but got a bit of flack from my spouse about that, would like to do something better until I properly mount the antenna on the front hood putting coax through the firewall into the console. Project for another day though.

 

Sorry Tony, I can't right now as I am away from home for several weeks.
I'll try to describe it better though:
The coax cable runs from the radio, under the driver seat, to the left side of the rear floor mat, then up to the side of the rear seat. I tucked the coax between the seat and plastic trim all the way up to where it comes out near the shoulder. It then runs along the roof line, held with several wire management pieces which are zip ties with double stick plate. It then goes out the back hatch where it is gently pinched between the soft weatherstripping coming out at the roofline. I have another piece of wire management holding it in place so it doesn't slip inboard, because the gap there is much smaller and will pinch the coax.
I hope this helps.

I do plan for a more permeant install when the new radio comes in, but this is working wonderfully.

 

Best way to power a ham xcvr is directly with a separate battery. Charge that battery off of the engine. 100W on the air, no problem!

A Pb/H2SO3 battery could be charged right from the 12v outlet, although running a charge controller like Buddipole's is preferable.

If you go with LiFePO3, something like a Bioenno 1215, charging might require something like a small 120vAC inverter to run the 4 stage 14.4vDC charger.

 

Thanks for the tips!!

 

I have all that setup, the Anyone 578, 8Ah LiFePO4 and power cable to the dc power socket, all sitting in a plastic ammo case. Works well and easy to take out for use in the field as needed. The BT-01 makes using and managing the radio without cables soooooooo much easier

I do plan to get a second Buddipole Power Mini and build that into this case a some point. I am hoping they'll have stock at SeaPAC this year.

SEA-PAC

There are lots of readily available DC/DC converters which also work fine rather than a wasteful inverter. I am big fan of this one from Impulse

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I struggled to find a spot for my mobile unit. I considered that spot as well but wearing progressive lens glasses, it is hard to read and then adjust back to the road. What I ended up doing is using one of my HTs with a V25D amp. Depending on the radio I have connected, I get anywhere from 28-43w out of it (2m which is the band I use the most, I'd need a different amp for 70cm or 1.25m but it will act as a pass through on those bands if power off and I still get the benefit of a better antenna than the rubber duck). I tuck the amp between seat and console (it doesn't get even warm to head off those comments). The power draw is ~7a so running it off the 12v in the console cubby is a non-issue. The supplied SMA cable is a little short so I got at 3' one with the right connectors (the one with the amp is male on both ends, my radios are also male so I used the supplied adapter) and have a windshield mount to hang the HT and BT mic on, right in easy line of sight without restricting view of road.

Not wanting to scratch up the paint, I declined using a mag mount and got a Tram 1711 through-glass antenna. While I've read countless comments around the interwebs from people who haven't used one how it won't work... surprise, it works pretty well. I can hit repeaters 30-50 miles away (I'm in NH so this isn't flat land) and receive as far away as ~80 miles. SWR is 1.02 on 146.000 and no higher than 1.28 on both ends of the band. I could conceivably get better performance from a good 5\8th wave on a mag mount, but this works for my purposes. I have one anyway under the rear cargo floor just in case. I don't have to compromise using the roof for storage either, and there's practically no wind noise from it (mounted on the rear driver quarter window).Tint isn't an issue, the OEM tint isn't metallic. Routed the cable down next to rear seat, then tucked it into the crack at the bottom of rear seat to the passenger side, under the front of the lower backseat cushion, then under the weather mat to under driver's seat with a 4 turn coil of the coax for a choke, and up to the amp.

KC1MUR

 

interesting, I have a UHF window mount that I'd forgotten about, might just install it for kicks and giggles

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Yaesu FT8900: body sits under the driver seat, head unit hangs on a 3M heavy-duty velcro strip above the rear view mirror. Power sourced from an un-used slot in the fuse box with a fuse tap and a 15 amp fuse.

Antenna mount is a Diamond roof-rack mount. Performs well on 2 meters and 440; is acceptable on 6 meter band. I think a mount with a better ground would help on 6.