GETTING READY FOR DMR IN MY VERY NEAR FUTURE

[nokones]

12 minutes ago, WSHH887 said:

As long as I have been reading forums I have found some of the best information comes from thread drift. 

Hey, no worries.  It is all good discussion for everyone and if anyone has any heartburn over it, they can always hit the backarrow or "X" out and go sign-on to Radio Reference.

[Jaay]

1 hour ago, nokones said:

Hey, no worries.  It is all good discussion for everyone and if anyone has any heartburn over it, they can always hit the backarrow or "X" out and go sign-on to Radio Reference.

My primary site, actually.

[WRYZ926]

It really doesn't matter what brand or model of vehicle you have there just isn't a whole lot of room to add radios to any newer vehicle. Let us know what you come up with nokones.

[Lscott]

1 hour ago, WRYZ926 said:

It really doesn't matter what brand or model of vehicle you have there just isn't a whole lot of room to add radios to any newer vehicle. Let us know what you come up with nokones.

If they can interface a cell phone to the screen in most new cars you would figure the radio manufactures would figure out a way to remote the front panel of a two way radio the same way. Then you can stuff the radio body out of the way, wherever it fits, and not have to run cables all over the place and find a spot to mount a remote head.

[WRYZ926]

@Lscott That would be nice if that could be done.

Right now I use radios with detachable heads. The main units are stuffed under my seat and the head units are on a Lido seat bolt mount. The downside is I also had to connect external speakers to both radios so I can hear them. Just more stuff to mount.

Space is a premium on any newer vehicle but its worse in smaller SUVs like my 2023 Ford Escape.

[nokones]

7 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

It really doesn't matter what brand or model of vehicle you have there just isn't a whole lot of room to add radios to any newer vehicle. Let us know what you come up with nokones.

There are systems out there to consolidate multiple remote radios and control it by one device. I had one in my company car for about a year before I retired about 20 years ago. 

[WRYZ926]

I figured that there was something available for commercial/government use. But it's probably very expensive for consumers.

[nokones]

2 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

I figured that there was something available for commercial/government use. But it's probably very expensive for consumers.

It is very very very expensive.

Also, there is the multiband APX series radios which is just very expensive, even used.

[Lscott]

53 minutes ago, nokones said:

Also, there is the multiband APX series radios which is just very expensive, even used.

Yeah, I’ve seen them at swaps a few times. One had a price tag of $1500. Nice radio. Wait a few more years for one of those zeros to drop off the price and I might be interested then.

[WRYZ926]

@nokones if you are not worried about hauling passengers or cargo, then you can always turn your Wrangler into a military style commo Jeep. The M38A1 and M170 both had radio versions. The USMC even had a tall hard top version of the M170 for commo use.

Here are a couple of photos for inspiration.

M170 radio Jeep

 

M38A1 radio Jeep

 

[nokones]

I don't see a trailer being pulled with the batteries and generator to power those radios.

[WRYZ926]

One had to run the engine to power those radios.The radio versions had bigger generators compared to standard versions. Military vehicles and equipment all ran on 24 volt systems by the time the M38A1 and M170 were first put into service.

The US military used the portable 4.2KW generators for powering commo equipment when I was in. The 4.2 was small enough to fit in the back cargo area in the HMMV and the M577 Command Post Carrier had the 4.2 mounted up front next to the driver's hatch. 

It is possible that there was small 24v portable generators that were carried in the old radio Jeeps. They were long gone by the time I enlisted.

You could always get a small portable 12V DC generator for your Jeep.

[WSHH887]

The military did a lot of odd voltage systems. We had 1950's era crash and structural trucks that were 24 volts. The 12 volt batteries were installed in series parallel to give us the 24 volts but lots of amps to crank the vehicle engine and the modified Continental aircraft engine for the pumps. 
Other slightly newer trucks were 12 volts but still had batteries in parallel to provide the amps needed. 
then there were auxiliary vehicles (mostly modified pickups) that had conventional 12 volt systems. 
 

I never did see any 24 volt batteries in use. But it's possible some of the 24 volt series parallel were first fitted with them. But when I became a fireman in '71 most of the vehicles were as old or older than I was. We got our first "new" structure trucks in about '73, new rescue trucks about the same time and new crash trucks in'74. 
By the time I was discharged most of the structural trucks were newer models but we still had a few 1950's era crash trucks around including the Cardox carbon dioxide crash trucks. 

[WRYZ926]

The military has always used 12 volt batteries in series or in parallel/series depending on the vehicle. The M38A1 and M170 used two 12 volt batteries. The HMMV, and most other wheeled vehicles use four 12V batteries. Most tracked vehicles to include armored personnel carriers, self propelled artillery, tanks etc, all use eight 12V batteries.

The CUCV Chevy trucks and Blazers had both 12V and 24V systems. They had two generators on them. All military equipment has been 24 volts since the 1950's.

[nokones]

1 hour ago, WRYZ926 said:

One had to run the engine to power those radios.The radio versions had bigger generators compared to standard versions. Military vehicles and equipment all ran on 24 volt systems by the time the M38A1 and M170 were first put into service.

The US military used the portable 4.2KW generators for powering commo equipment when I was in. The 4.2 was small enough to fit in the back cargo area in the HMMV and the M577 Command Post Carrier had the 4.2 mounted up front next to the driver's hatch. 

It is possible that there was small 24v portable generators that were carried in the old radio Jeeps. They were long gone by the time I enlisted.

You could always get a small portable 12V DC generator for your Jeep.

Actually, I have a dual AGM battery system. One battery is the primary for the starter and vehicle systems and the second battery is the Secondary battery for the accessories like the winch, air compressor, and other accessories such as Flashlight chargers, etc. My radios are powered from the primary battery system using one of the Four Auxiliary switched circuits that is a 40-amp circuits. The other Aux circuits power my Trail Lights.

[WSHH887]

I've run two batteries in my Jeep since I put my winch on in 1983. One for starting the other for auxiliary stuff (winch, lights, etc.). Yea, I have a high output alternator. 
 

Here's a question for the fuel injected crowd. What do you do if your in tank fuel pump dies on the trail?  
 

[OffRoaderX]

3 minutes ago, WSHH887 said:

What do you do if your in tank fuel pump dies on the trail?

Get dragged out to the closest pavement and call AAA.

[Davichko5650]

5 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

@nokones if you are not worried about hauling passengers or cargo, then you can always turn your Wrangler into a military style commo Jeep. The M38A1 and M170 both had radio versions. The USMC even had a tall hard top version of the M170 for commo use.

Here are a couple of photos for inspiration.

M170 radio Jeep

 

M38A1 radio Jeep

 

Here's a mid 70's Model we used in the ASA making sure no one could use their radios

[Lscott]

1 hour ago, WSHH887 said:

What do you do if your in tank fuel pump dies on the trail?

Now you get to go hiking too.  Make sure you bring along some conformable shoes/boots and a backpack with some food and water bottles.

[WRYZ926]

9 minutes ago, Davichko5650 said:

Here's a mid 70's Model we used in the ASA making sure no one could use their radios

Ah the M151 MUTT.  They finally made National Guard and Reserve units park those things for good around 1990. They were more prone to roll overs than any of the Willy's GP vehicles they replaced.

We found a couple that only needed fresh fuel and tires out in the training area at Ft Irwin in 1995 while cleaning up all of the old hard targets. The base Command Sargent Major made us go park them on the M1 tank range so the next rotation could destroy them.

[Lscott]

2 minutes ago, WRYZ926 said:

We found a couple that only needed fresh fuel and tires out in the training area at Ft Irwin in 1995 while cleaning up all of the old hard targets. The base Command Sargent Major made us go park them on the M1 tank range so the next rotation could destroy them.

Where is DOGE when you need them? Government waste at it's best.

[Davichko5650]

8 minutes ago, WRYZ926 said:

Ah the M151 MUTT.  They finally made National Guard and Reserve units park those things for good around 1990. They were more prone to roll overs than any of the Willy's GP vehicles they replaced.

We found a couple that only needed fresh fuel and tires out in the training area at Ft Irwin in 1995 while cleaning up all of the old hard targets. The base Command Sargent Major made us go park them on the M1 tank range so the next rotation could destroy them.

I mostly drove an M561 Gama Goat with a Pod on the back, slogged that thing all around Ft. Campbell when I was there in 76-77.

[WRYZ926]

8 minutes ago, Lscott said:

Where is DOGE when you need them? Government waste at it's best.

Well the old CSM was actually saving the government on hospital bills and/or funeral expenses when he had us destroy the M151's. They were quite dangers for those that did not know how to safely operate them.

On the plus side of that clean up mission, we did revere some pretty rare vehicles and parts that the different military museums came and picked up. Those rare vehicles and parts allowed them to restore more vehicles for public display.

[nokones]

4 hours ago, WSHH887 said:

I've run two batteries in my Jeep since I put my winch on in 1983. One for starting the other for auxiliary stuff (winch, lights, etc.). Yea, I have a high output alternator. 
 

Here's a question for the fuel injected crowd. What do you do if your in tank fuel pump dies on the trail?  
 

What Randy said.  Mine is still under warranty.

[WSHH887]

See now, if my fuel pump dies, it mechanical, I just undo the hose connections and a couple of bolts and put on a spare. 
But should I not have a spare like the first time that happened, just fill a bottle with gas, tape it to the windshield, run a section of fuel line to the carb and set the drip then drive on out. 
Now tell me fuel injection is better off road.