[smslavin]

I had a few hours this afternoon and started on installing my FTM-350. I got a lot of it done but then got stuck. The antennae (Diamond NR-770) is going to be mounted to my BajaRack in the driver's side front corner.

How do I get the cable from there into the cabin? Is it possible without drilling a hole?

The main radio unit is going to be mounted from the underside of the driver's seat. I got the wires run, just need to make a Home Depot run for some larger washers and maybe some kind of bracket. I plan on using the existing mount that came with the radio so if you have ideas, I'd love to hear them.

I took 1911's idea and epoxied a piece of 2x4 to the roof. I need to go pick up a mount for the faceplate but I put all the cables up there already.

When I get the mount, it should look something like this.

For the GPS receiver, I'm thinking about using some double sided tape and putting on the dash pod. What's the best way to get the dash off to route the wire?

 

[1911]

Sean, on the antenna coax you have several choices; you can run it along the rack to the back door and in through a grommet, you can run it to the front and then in a rain channel at the front of the roof down through a door and into the A-pillar, or you could try putting it through the roof rack mounts like people do with rack-mounted lights.

The GPS antenna wire should be able to be pushed underneath the rubber between the bottom of the windshield and the top part of the dash, and thence down the inside of the dash behind or next to the side air vents and on down to the kick panel or the floor. I routed my GPS power that way.

Hope this helps -

 

[smslavin]

Thanks for the tips Lee. I think I'm going to run the coax down the A-pillar to the kick panel then under the seat. It looks like the outside cover is pretty easy to remove.

As for the GPS cable, I'll see if I can make it fit between the dash. The cable is coming from the faceplate and I currently have it routed under the headliner to the passenger A-pillar. I've got about 3' of extra which I'd like to tidy up somewhere rather than just leaving it hanging behind the dash.

 

[smslavin]

Well, after a few moons I was able to get back to this today. I think I'm going to swap out my antenna, coax and mount for the NMO style. It's going to be a much cleaner install. Hitting the road on Monday for a few weeks of work traveling so I hope to finish this up when I get back at the end of the month.

The faceplate is mounted to Yaesu's MMB-98 suction cup mount. I flipped it upside down then screwed it to the 2x4 I mounted a couple of months ago. A little rummaging at the hardware store and I found what I needed to give some clearance for the GPS connector.

The main radio unit I mounted under the driver's seat. Not sure how the sound is going to be but if necessary, I have an external speaker that I could mount up.

I still need to connect the power. I have the cable run up to the firewall and tomorrow I'll poke it through to the battery.

Took me awhile, but it's finally getting done.

 

[1911]

Looks very clean, I like it.

 

[FJ&TJ_Dude]

Just curious but could you use a magnet mount through the windshield and still get signal?. Basically a magnet on each side of the window with the wire screwed into the opposite side of each magnet. I don't remember where I saw the application but do remember thinking it was different and interesting.

 

[smslavin]

Looks very clean, I like it.

thanks

Just curious but could you use a magnet mount through the windshield and still get signal?.

Not sure. The NMO mount is going to be the easiest and it'll be a good way for me to get over my apprehension of drilling a hole in the truck.