Easy or Pain to use One Mobile Unit as Base and Mobile

[TrikeRadio]

I assume this has been asked and answered before but searching and finding the answers in the forums past posts is a pain so...

I am wondering what kind of ease or pain it can be to have one mobile unit that you use as a base AND occasionally put in your car and then remove to use at home as a base again.

Are there quick mount methods that you can easily and quickly put  radio in your car securely and hook it up to your antenna, and then easily take it out and easily hook it up to your power supply and home antenna?

or should I just not be cheap and get a radio for the car and leave it in there and another for the house? 

I would really like to see if it is at all practical and easy to be able to move it back and forth based on everyone's experience, or if it is just not really worth the trouble.
 

Thanks

[LeeBo]

Depends on how "occasional" you plan to use it in the car.

From the other thread, you see the image I posted of the H8 clipped to an old WeatherTech Cup Phone holder.  While it's not too much of a pain to put in and out of the car, it is nice to have two identical units, one for home and one for the car.  They are programmed 80% identical as there are repeaters I hit in the car that I'll never hit at home.

Having one unit to do both isn't the end of the world, but for the price point, I bought two just for that reason.

[WRQC527]

4 hours ago, TrikeRadio said:

Are there quick mount methods that you can easily and quickly put  radio in your car securely and hook it up to your antenna, and then easily take it out and easily hook it up to your power supply and home antenna?

It wouldn't be hard, and actually not a bad idea, especially if you're on a budget or just frugal like me. I've seen folks use velcro to attach some of these smaller radios to the center console or the top of the dash (be careful with that one because you don't want the air bag launching it at your face). 

[WRQC527]

5 minutes ago, WSDT603 said:

clipped to an old WeatherTech Cup Phone holder

This is exactly how I set up an HT in my wife's Kia. If you only need five watts or so, it's a good solution. If you need more power, some of these mounts might be able to hold a small mobile radio. Lido, for example, makes a variety of such mounts.

https://www.lidoradio.com/

[nokones]

I have a bunch of radios so I don't have to take a radio that is mounted in a car for a base unit. Although, I do have some radios that I use for temporary mobile units with my Car and Jeep Club's for my radioless friends so they can have radio comm on the driving tours or Jeep Trail runs. My Pickup and Jeep have permanent mounts and I use a Jerk & Run setup for one of my cars that accommodate an installation

Here are my two permanent base radio setups and a couple of mobile temp. Jerk & Run Setups.

[BoxCar]

The wiring in the vehicle is one point that stymies many. The easier solution is to install a power stub permanently in the vehicle from the power source to the T-plug on the radio. you the only have to connect the antenna and power at the T-plug. The same for your base install. The connectors are available on Amazon and most Ham radio stores. You can get a fused one from Quicksilver radio (qsradio.com).

[WRXB215]

I like @BoxCar's solution and would like to add that if you go with an HT like @WSDT603 said, you may want to use a BNC adaptor for the antenna. I've heard that SMA isn't designed for repeatedly adding and removing the antenna and therefore more prone to failure after repeated use than BNC which is designed for repeated use.

[LeeBo]

I like [mention=2074]BoxCar[/mention]'s solution and would like to add that if you go with an HT like [mention=19521]WSDT603[/mention] said, you may want to use a BNC adaptor for the antenna. I've heard that SMA isn't designed for repeatedly adding and removing the antenna and therefore more prone to failure after repeated use than BNC which is designed for repeated use.

Excellent point. I do have some adapters but this radio rarely comes out of the car. Probably wouldn’t hurt to add one anyway. That way I could try using other HT’s just to see how they work.


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[WRYZ926]

I am going to second the use of extra T connectors or power pole connectors and the use of a BNC adaptor right at the radio if using a hand held. Yes that would mean using two adaptors; a SMA to BNC and a BNC to SO239. BNC connectors are way better than SMA in this situation.

[WRWE456]

Ya I have all my radios setup with BNC connectors, including the KG-1000G+ in my truck. That way I can hook up an HT or scanner if needed or for testing quickly.

I used an HT for a mobile and as a base radio for over a year. It works good with a mag mount antenna and speaker mic for both applications but It does get old after a while. Plus I was worried about the wear and tear of constant plugging and unplugging of connectors. And a base/ mobile would be even worse. Bigger heavier to pack from the house to car and back along with everything else I bring. The HT I can throw in my lunch box.

[TrikeRadio]

3 hours ago, WSDT603 said:

Depends on how "occasional" you plan to use it in the car.

From the other thread, you see the image I posted of the H8 clipped to an old WeatherTech Cup Phone holder.  While it's not too much of a pain to put in and out of the car, it is nice to have two identical units, one for home and one for the car.  They are programmed 80% identical as there are repeaters I hit in the car that I'll never hit at home.

Having one unit to do both isn't the end of the world, but for the price point, I bought two just for that reason.

Yeah that is what I am doing right now with my TD-H3s.. but I don't have a cupholder mount like that.

but when and if I decide to get a "real" mobile radio, I was wondering if there is an easy quick mount / quick release way to put it in nicely that is secure and usable. For now I am happy to use my HT setup but... just thinking toward upgrades.


 

[WRUU653]

Check this thread out here. I thought this was a good solution.

[TrikeRadio]

15 minutes ago, WRUU653 said:

Check this thread out here. I thought this was a good solution.

interesting solution... My cup holders are in the center console close to my arm and the parking brake lever so... Not sure if there is room for it, but cool idea.
 

[WRXP381]

Sounds like most of the solutions are for hand helds and I’m pretty sure the original question was regarding base/mobile radios not hand helds.   If you put in a connector or have the cigarette plug and buy a second bracket and wing nuts or some other quick mount it’s not really bad but by the time you do all that you may as well have spent the money on another radio. I’m by no means made of money and have many other hobbies to spend extra money on but I’d personally just save the $100-$150 and buy a nice 20w mobile unit and a good antenna properly mounted for the type of antenna it is.  Also think about where it’s mounted.  If it’s low in a place that coffee or water or what not may get spilled on it pick a water proof radio.  I can’t count the amount of times my tyt water proof radios have had things spilled on them. 

[TrikeRadio]

20 minutes ago, WRXP381 said:

Sounds like most of the solutions are for hand helds and I’m pretty sure the original question was regarding base/mobile radios not hand helds.  

Thanks, yes that is kinda what I was asking for since I already hook up my HT to a mag mount antenna and use a hand mic... which is great but this question is more for things I might want to do to "upgrade" a bit for the future.
 

22 minutes ago, WRXP381 said:

If you put in a connector or have the cigarette plug and buy a second bracket and wing nuts or some other quick mount it’s not really bad but by the time you do all that you may as well have spent the money on another radio. I’m by no means made of money and have many other hobbies to spend extra money on but I’d personally just save the $100-$150 and buy a nice 20w mobile unit and a good antenna properly mounted for the type of antenna it is. 

Good point. Yeah I was kinda wondering if I should just forget the swapping out option and get one for the car and one for a base if I want it. Just trying to see if I can ease into it without the cash getting out of hand right away. I too seem to have too many other hobbies demanding money. lol.
 

25 minutes ago, WRXP381 said:

Also think about where it’s mounted.  If it’s low in a place that coffee or water or what not may get spilled on it pick a water proof radio.  I can’t count the amount of times my tyt water proof radios have had things spilled on them. 

That (yeah I have this habit of spilling drinks on things), and I guess I am also concerned about leaving a radio in a hot car and it being a visible target for thieves. Do mobil radios do ok in hot cars? I am kindof afraid of cooking it to death if it is a more permanent install.

[wrci350]

6 hours ago, TrikeRadio said:

That (yeah I have this habit of spilling drinks on things), and I guess I am also concerned about leaving a radio in a hot car and it being a visible target for thieves. Do mobil radios do ok in hot cars? I am kindof afraid of cooking it to death if it is a more permanent install.

Chances are you already HAVE a radio in your car, yes?  Has it been cooked yet?  

Seriously though, mobile radios are designed to be used in cars.  I just randomly grabbed an owners manual for one of mine and I find:

Operating Temperature -20℃~+60℃

60C is 140F.  I think it's possible for the interior of a car sitting in the sun in the summer in the desert to get hotter than that, but that's the *operating* temperature.  So do the radio a favor and wait a few minutes and let the A/C cool down the interior before you turn it on and you'll be fine.

No matter where you live, there are lots of vehicles that have mobile radios permanently mounted in them and they work just fine.

[dosw]

18 hours ago, TrikeRadio said:

I assume this has been asked and answered before but searching and finding the answers in the forums past posts is a pain so...

I am wondering what kind of ease or pain it can be to have one mobile unit that you use as a base AND occasionally put in your car and then remove to use at home as a base again.

Are there quick mount methods that you can easily and quickly put  radio in your car securely and hook it up to your antenna, and then easily take it out and easily hook it up to your power supply and home antenna?

or should I just not be cheap and get a radio for the car and leave it in there and another for the house? 

I would really like to see if it is at all practical and easy to be able to move it back and forth based on everyone's experience, or if it is just not really worth the trouble.
 

Thanks

 

Power: The radios I've seen all connect their power either through a cig adapter (Radios outputting 25w or less) or using some sort of relatively easy to find plug connector so that you can remove them and leave the primary wiring still routed through the firewall to the battery (fuses, of course). So whatever that connector is, you'll want two of them; one to leave in place in the car, and one to leave connected to your 13.8v DC power supply at home. Or get a lower powered radio that can work with an easy to remove cig adapter. At home  you'll need a cigarette receptacle on your 13.8v DC power supply.

 

Antenna: It doesn't take much time at all to unscrew a PL259 connector. Keep an antenna mount on your vehicle with a cap over the NMO mount when not in use. And have an antenna mount at home. At home you might go with a more stationary antenna like the Tram 1486, whereas on the vehicle you would probably want an NMO whip antenna.

 

Mount: Some of the cigarette plug radios have mounts where you can slide it in and out of the mount quickly and easily. You would probably order a second mount so that you have somewhere to slide it into in both the vehicle and at home.

 

The swap would take just a couple of minutes. I do the same, with a Midland MXT-275; I have a mount for it in my boat, a mount in the RV, and a mount in my wife's car. We just put it where we need it. I never need it to be in more than one of those places at the same time.

[TrikeRadio]

17 hours ago, wrci350 said:

Chances are you already HAVE a radio in your car, yes?  Has it been cooked yet?  

Good point. I don't think twice about the AM/FM radio that is factory installed.
So yeah, I assume a mobile unit would be fine. I guess I am just a bit paranoid.

I currently only have HT units and I don't leave them in the car for both fear (however unfounded) of the heat killing them... and because I don't need them to attract thieves. (of course I could just put them out of sight in the glove box or something.)

Maybe I am over-thinking this!

[WRUU653]

14 minutes ago, TrikeRadio said:

and because I don't need them to attract thieves

The Wouxun KG-1000 has a detachable face, I think the Retevis RT95 does also. I have an Icom 2730A with a detachable face that connects to the mounting plate with magnets. I unplug the face and it fits in a sunglasses case I have and the magnets keep it in the case. My mic plugs into a Jack in the center console. It takes less than 30 seconds and no sign of a radio is visible. Besides all that, it’s easier to find a spot to mount just the face. Midland and Retevis also have radios where the display is on a mic which would be easy to unplug and stash in the glove box. Anyway there’s options out there if you desire a stealth install.

 

24 minutes ago, TrikeRadio said:

Maybe I am over-thinking this

I’m sure I’m overthinking this