Completed ham radio installation, 2025 XL

[gzebrick]

Wow! That’s quite a rig to put there!

Thanks. It’s only for the occasional long road trips and maybe some camping. Rig mostly stays in the shack.

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[Aherpa]

I always thought CB and Ham radios were cool to have on trucks and the like. When i was a kid my cousin had one in the garage and was talking to someone in Spain.
Whether it was true or not, still cool.
Also just clicked on here cuz it said ham,
Mmmmmm

I give my wife a hard time when she is wearing her curlers and ask her if she can get Moscow on those things . . .

 

[gzebrick]

Well need to update my plans. Someone mentioned to check airbag location (good catch!) and unfortunately the rig location appears to be just on the edge of where the passenger airbag would deploy. Hard to tell but it's probably not best to keep the rig there when moving.

The airbag seams are hidden, so it's not obvious where it pops out from, but there's pics!

Still will keep the mount and will put the rig there when operating stationary.

 

[b05622]

You have to learn to love the holes!

that said, the Bulletpoint rear brake mount NMO antenna adapter that I installed to avoid holes and corrosion has itself started to corrode in its first winter salt, despite regular car washes.

Not super-thrilled considering how much it cost.

The corrosion is a disappointment. Do you have any pictures of what is going on? I've been debating a purchase of the adapter for awhile. I live in a salt-happy area so this is a concern. It's a large reason why I dislike drilling holes in the body!

 

[semicolin]

The corrosion is a disappointment. Do you have any pictures of what is going on? I've been debating a purchase of the adapter for awhile. I live in a salt-happy area so this is a concern. It's a large reason why I dislike drilling holes in the body!

I’ll take a good photo next time I get a car wash. If you don’t hear from me within a week, ping me here again to remind me.

 

[Cancunbadlands]

I always thought CB and Ham radios were cool to have on trucks back in the 90's

 

[semicolin]

The corrosion is a disappointment. Do you have any pictures of what is going on? I've been debating a purchase of the adapter for awhile. I live in a salt-happy area so this is a concern. It's a large reason why I dislike drilling holes in the body!

This is after less than a year. I get regular car washes and never let salt sit on the frame. I also use an NMO gasket; the internal corrosion seems to be from condensation. There’s never any standing moisture in there. I use a Larsen weather cap when going through a car wash, and I make sure it’s dry before reinstalling my antenna.

 

[b05622]

Ah, so it appears to be the NMO connector itself, not the bracket. It would be a pain, but I wonder if the NMO can come out of the bracket and be replaced?

I thought it might have been the black coating (powder coat? anodizing?) coming off of the bracket itself.

 

[Darthie]

Breaker Breaker 1-9 I'll catch you on the flip side.

 

[semicolin]

Oh it’s the bracket too. Should be shiny chrome and it looks like salad tongs that went through the dishwasher.

 

[semicolin]

Update! Positive news from Bulletproof diesel: I reached out today with the above photos, and they advised that there is an updated version with no bare metal, and it’s black paint right up to the NMO connector. I’m going to try that version and see how it goes. I’m hopeful, because everything painted on mine has no corrosion at all.

Excellent customer service from them on this issue.

 

[b05622]

Great news! I have a dash camera to install. Ideal would be to pull trim and the headliner down once to put both an antenna mount and the rear camera in at the same time.

 

[gzebrick]

Picked up a Yaesu FTM-200 vhf/uhf radio for cheap at a hamfest over the weekend. Put it in the Mav and found a lot of noise whenever I started the truck. Wound up being my Chinese dashcam. Some split-core ferrite beads on the cables out of the webcam and that seems to have solved my problem.

I wanted a semi-permanent mount but didn't want to drill any holes. Here's what I cam up with...

• Mag-mount shorty dual bander behind the Sirius antenna. Physically bent at an angle that matches the satellite antenna that's let me fit through the garage door.
• Power off the battery under the seat (fused leads)
• Radio body with speaker/Mic connection slipped into mounting bracket, mounting bracket HANGING down in front of the center console secured with a bent piece of aluminum stock I had hanging around. I Use the existing latch cover hole where it just slips in. Console cover still opens/closes normally.
• Head unit on mounting bracket sits on a (strong) magnet that's taped to a plastic add-on dash cubby.

The radio and the head unit are super easy to remove with no screws or bolts. Just lift the radio up, or pull the head unit off the magnet. They're stuck in place. securely during transit.

That add-on cubby makes a nice option without needing to screw anything directly into the Maverick... and watch out for cheap Dashcams and RFI.

 

[semicolin]

Installed the replacement NMO mount, upgraded version, today. Much more secure mount that didn’t require drilling holes. It’s unfortunate that the holes are already drilled from the first time, but oh well.

It’s powder-coated right to the NMO mount, and there’s no bare metal.

I think this one will last much, much longer. It looks better too!

 

[K9EMD]

I am awaiting delivery of my antenna mount glad to hear they have goo customer service. Hopefully Wisconsin weather stays warm enough long enough that I can install it soon.

UPDATE: my mount arrived it’s the black and silver mount and requires drilling. I am going to call Bulletproof Diesel this week about seeing I can exchange it for the newer model. I am worried about the oxidation and rusty look living in Wisconsin.

Update! Positive news from Bulletproof diesel: I reached out today with the above photos, and they advised that there is an updated version with no bare metal, and it’s black paint right up to the NMO connector. I’m going to try that version and see how it goes. I’m hopeful, because everything painted on mine has no corrosion at all.

Excellent customer service from them on this issue.

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