TYT TH-8600 vs Rugged ABM-25/GMR-25

[WRFP399]

I have a TYT I am experimenting with. Does anyone have a Rugged ABM-25 or GMR-25 and would be willing to take the top 3mm Allen head bolts off to expose where that pigtail is attached into? 

 

I attached an image of the TYT for reference.

 

I also attached the pinout of the Rugged Interface Cable and those are the connection I will be looking to make *IN* the radio.

 

5-Pin-Headset-Wiring-Diagram.pdf

[WRFP399]

Dove in further. Found access to the back of the microphone port was easy to access.

Just waiting on the wire and mini XLR connector to arrive.

[WRFP399]

I completed the job today.

Open up the radio as above (allen screws and small torx screws)

Unscrew fan and remove the rubber plug for the wires powering the cooling fan. Feed the 5 conductor 28 awg wire through the hole.

 

[WRFP399]

Strip off the conduit, bring the white, yellow and red wires forward to the rear of the microphone port. The black and green wires will go to the speaker terminals at the rear of the circuit board. 

[WRFP399]

Use silicone to secure the wires in place inside the radio to prevent rubbing. Seal up the hole at the back of the radio where the wires pass to the exterior. Attach the mini-XLR connector to the wire. White goes to pin 1, yellow goes to pin 2, red goes to pin 3, green goes to pin 4 and black goes to pin 5.

 

[SteveShannon]

Nice work.  

[WRFP399]

Congratulations you have a 'Rugged Radio' for a total cost of $120 instead of $260.

 

[MichaelLAX]

What does that dongle do for you?  I am not familiar with the context of an "intercom" on GMRS or other two-way radio.

[wayoverthere]

44 minutes ago, MichaelLAX said:

What does that dongle do for you?  I am not familiar with the context of an "intercom" on GMRS or other two-way radio.

Think in terms of driver and passenger/navigator in off road racing or similar...loud environment, hearing protection, probably helmets.

Intercom lets them talk within the vehicle without needing to yell, and also allows interfacing headsets (hearing protective or not, with or without helmet) with the radio to communicate with a base, crew, or chase vehicle.

[Lscott]

I just wonder how well it's going to work since the cable/wires are not shielded. The cable/wires go right through in close proximity to the RF power stage. You might have been better off punching a hole in the bottom or side of the face plate and running the cable through there.

As a side note I have one of these radios and I'm not impressed with the receiver performance. The radio has poor selectivity in the presence of strong in band signals. A few channels I've had to lockout due to fire paging calls, some from 10+ miles away, showing up on channels I'm sure they really don't operate on.  I don't pick these calls up on my other radios. I guess for a $110 CCR ,what I paid, that shouldn't be a big surprise.

[WRFP399]

All fair points. I simply copied what Rugged did, included where the wire exits the radio. 

 

I will say the TH-8600 works better in high RF environments than my UV5R but I have not put it side to side with my PM400/CM300 radios.