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What are you using your comms radios for, and what do you have? (VHF, GMRS, FRS etc..)

redone17

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What's holding your radio?
A 3D printed holder. It’s not a perfect fit - but, I’m working with a designer on one for my exact radio.

I’m currently looking for a way to mount a magnetic antenna with the accessory bolts on the cowl. JCR has a decent solution, but I don’t need the pair.
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A 3D printed holder. It’s not a perfect fit - but, I’m working with a designer on one for my exact radio.

I’m currently looking for a way to mount a magnetic antenna with the accessory bolts on the cowl. JCR has a decent solution, but I don’t need the pair.

Fab a piece of 304 stainless with hole spacing to match the screws on the cowl, longer screws and aluminum stand off spacers (everything painted black), bolt the plate on?

https://www.amazon.com/Aluminum-Lengths-Metal-Spacers-Online/dp/B0842FQMWN/ref=sr_1_17?crid=2FN2QRFWM9U81&keywords=aluminum+spacers&qid=1643158287&sprefix=aluminum+spacers,aps,179&sr=8-17
 

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I ordered one of these switch plate sockets to see if it works and I'll search for a good placement in one of the broncos at my dealer.

If anyone has any ideas please share!

39mm x 19mm is approximately 1.5" x 0.75".

The two wires are there to light up the UHF Radio letters which I wouldn't use.
Ford Bronco What are you using your comms radios for, and what do you have? (VHF, GMRS, FRS etc..) 1643170465711
 

Mdemieville

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I ordered one of these switch plate sockets to see if it works and I'll search for a good placement in one of the broncos at my dealer.

If anyone has any ideas please share!

39mm x 19mm is approximately 1.5" x 0.75".

The two wires are there to light up the UHF Radio letters which I wouldn't use.
Ford Bronco What are you using your comms radios for, and what do you have? (VHF, GMRS, FRS etc..) 1643170465711
The only bad thing about this connector is you have to have a square hole. That's why I went round with mine. I can use a step bit and just slide the connector in and secure it
 

EveryDayBronco

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The only bad thing about this connector is you have to have a square hole. That's why I went round with mine. I can use a step bit and just slide the connector in and secure it
Round is definitely easier but rectangular keeps the same look as everything else in there. I'll know when I see it, who knows I may end up with round!

I have the first cable I linked left over from another install and I bought this connector, they're cheap enough to buy a few to see which one works out the best. I'll use the left over for my friends jeep!
 

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Mtap did you fish your coax all the way to the front with the PL259 attached?

I have a nice NMO with RG8X without any radio connector and really do not enjoy installing the connector. If I can run cable with the PL259 attached I will go that route.
 

mtap

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Mtap did you fish your coax all the way to the front with the PL259 attached?

I have a nice NMO with RG8X without any radio connector and really do not enjoy installing the connector. If I can run cable with the PL259 attached I will go that route.

I only had to fish through the rear panel ( hole by tailgate to top access, then top access to bottom of rear passenger)…from there the floor panels are easier to pop off and you can just lay the wires down all the way to the front. 👍
 

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Is this something you guys would be interested in having a company mass produce? I saw a post that @mtap made but I don't want to "steal" his idea if he/she is planning to make them already. Someone came to us and asked us (it's something we've thought about doing but never knew how popular it might be).
 

BroncoKong Jr.

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Is this something you guys would be interested in having a company mass produce? I saw a post that @mtap made but I don't want to "steal" his idea if he/she is planning to make them already. Someone came to us and asked us (it's something we've thought about doing but never knew how popular it might be).
The antenna mount? If so, yes. the usual suspects (Cooltech; Teraflex, etc.) have still not released a Bronco antenna mount.
 
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Jpursuit

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I have the MXT275 GMRS radio and also wanted to mount my antenna on the rear tire carrier. I followed member MTAP's thread and was going to fabricate a mount but did find that the JL wrangler tire mount fit perfectly with no modifications. I bought this mount on Amazon HOOKE ROAD ANTENNA MOUNT . The mount seems solid BUT needs a spacer to be able to mount an antenna to it.

There is less than 1.5” between the body and the tire with this mount installed. Consequently, you need to find a way to space this out a bit more. You could use washers on the lug bolts but I chose to make a spacer out of King Starboard. I used this 8" circle of starboard to add a bit of space between the tire carrier and the tire. The 8” circle needs to have a center hole of 2 ¼” + to fit over the camera that comes through the hub. Centering the hole is easiest if you cut a matching circle of paper and fold it twice. The intersection of the two folds should be the center. After cutting the center hole, you just need to cut 3 - 9/16” holes for the 3 (1/2”) lug nots. Then place it on the carrier before reinstalling the wheel.

Here's a picture of the spacer after being drilled and then another with it on the tire carrier. I forgot to take a clear picture of just the mount but you can see it in the picture with the mounted spacer on the tire carrier.

The spacer provides just over 1.625” of clearance between the tailgate and the tire and the antennas I have is 1.44” at its base.

Finally, here’s a picture from above of the antenna base behind the tire.

Ford Bronco What are you using your comms radios for, and what do you have? (VHF, GMRS, FRS etc..) IMG_2936


Ford Bronco What are you using your comms radios for, and what do you have? (VHF, GMRS, FRS etc..) IMG_2937


Ford Bronco What are you using your comms radios for, and what do you have? (VHF, GMRS, FRS etc..) IMG_2942



UPDATE 2/22/2022: Bought a SWR/Power meter and found out that the spare wheel tire degrades my signal considerably. While the spacer is fine, the hooke road mount is too low to get a good signal from the radio with this Midland MXT26 antenna. I will be making a new antenna mount that clears the tire.

I determined my SWR was 1.75 - 1.8 on channels 15-22 with eth spare off the vehicle and 2.35 - 2.4 with the spare on the vehicle. Appears I have found the cause of my weak signal transmission.
 
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Bob Blaylock

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I am a fan of radio communications but never really set one up in a vehicle. I have a handheld dual band VHF, but want to mount a mobile radio in the Bronco.
We do a lot of exploring and dispersed camping, mostly solo trips or with one other vehicle.
What are you usually using your radios for? I imagine off road groups may have a preference and that dictates what you have. It seems FRS would be easiest since there is no license, GMRS is probably the best of all worlds now.

Do you chat with only people in your group, is there a common frequency for reaching out to others (like 19 on the CB)?

thanks for your info!
I've been wondering about some similar things.

I'm not so much likely to be into two-way radioing for its own sake, but in connection with some thoughts that I have had about possible group trips, it seems like some form of two-way radio communication between participants in such trips is extremely desirable.

So far as I know, the two very viable media would be the old-school Citizen's Band (CB) or the more modern General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS).

If the choice is between one or the other, which to choose?

And does anyone manufacture a single radio unit that supports both bands? Seems like that would be the best thing.
 

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If the choice is between one or the other, which to choose?

And does anyone manufacture a single radio unit that supports both bands? Seems like that would be the best thing.
GMRS is a better choice that CB. It has clearer signals and is higher powered, significantly so with a mobile unit.

FCC recently gave permission to manufacturers to make CB/GMRS combo radios. Not sure when it goes into effect or when any such radios will come out.
 

mtap

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Anyone know why GMRS or at least the midland ones do not have external PA capability like on CBs?
 
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GMRS is a better choice that CB. It has clearer signals and is higher powered, significantly so with a mobile unit.

FCC recently gave permission to manufacturers to make CB/GMRS combo radios. Not sure when it goes into effect or when any such radios will come out.
Agreed that GMRS is definitely preferred over CB. The frequencies are so far apart I presume it would be hard to have a single antenna suitable for both. So it would be hard to combine into one radio.
 

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Agreed that GMRS is definitely preferred over CB. The frequencies are so far apart I presume it would be hard to have a single antenna suitable for both. So it would be hard to combine into one radio.
Well, what I am thinking of, technically, wouldn't really be one radio. Two radios in one case. One object to mount in one's vehicle, instead of two, one set of controls, one speaker, one microphone, to be able to communicate on both bands. Two separate antenna connections, of course, since a CB antenna would necessarily be different than a GMRS antenna.
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