I would like to if my VHF radio would be damaged from heat begin mounted under the radio
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Radio mounting
- Thread starter TreXTerra
- Start date
So what do you think would be better changing it or finding a way to improve the airflow
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I put mine on top of the dash with a sun shade that allows lots of air to flow. I dont think being wedged into the dash will allow the radio to cool itself. If you are onky using 5-10W transmit power and not chewing the rag for more than a minute or so, it should be okay... probably. If you crank it up to the full 75W you will probably damage the radio and possibly melt parts of your interior or the stereo.
I'll keep it in mind not to crank it up to 75W, thanks for the info
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I would see if there is any way to get more air back there, possibly add some ducting for intake and exhaust. I have that same radio and it is designed to have air flow in the back and exhaust out the top. With another hot piece of equipment right on top of the heat sink, there is no where for the hot air to go.
Honestly, this is a pretty bad setup. It would probably work for a CB radio, those are smaller and produce a lot less heat; but I wouldn't want to install a ham radio this way. Honestly, I would consider relocating the radio or getting one with a remote head unit. That way you can mount the body of the radio somewhere with good airflow and just put the control panel in that spot.
Honestly, this is a pretty bad setup. It would probably work for a CB radio, those are smaller and produce a lot less heat; but I wouldn't want to install a ham radio this way. Honestly, I would consider relocating the radio or getting one with a remote head unit. That way you can mount the body of the radio somewhere with good airflow and just put the control panel in that spot.
Thanks, your the person who has made sense of why I should relocate the radio, I'll be looking for one with a remote body unit.
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I think in the dash below the AM/FM stereo would be fine. If you're worried about heat, get a couple of 40mm computer fans, wire them to the ignition, and hot glue them to the rear of the radio, pulling air over the massive heat sink. If you're not doing LOTS of transmitting it'll be fine.
The ICOM IC-V8000 already has an integrated cooling fan. The problem is there is no where for the air to move; the cooling fins on the back of the radio are vertical, so air has to go in the back and out of the top. If there is nowhere for that warm air to go, it will just collect inside the heat sink getting hotter and hotter until the radio fails.
The solution should allow for the radio to be used as needed, "don't use it as much to avoid failure" isn't a good option in my opinion. In a lot of areas, a ham radio is your lifeline to the world, you need it to work in an emergency and having to stop transmitting to let it cool off due to a poor install isn't a viable option.
The solution should allow for the radio to be used as needed, "don't use it as much to avoid failure" isn't a good option in my opinion. In a lot of areas, a ham radio is your lifeline to the world, you need it to work in an emergency and having to stop transmitting to let it cool off due to a poor install isn't a viable option.
I just got mine mounted today.
The face is mounted here:
The main radio is here:
The mic has an extension ran thru the console and mounted on the drivers side of the console between seat and console.
The speaker is mounted underneath the drivers seat.
I have an antenna ordered but can add pics when it comes in and I get it installed.
All wires secured and hidden.
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The face is mounted here:
The main radio is here:
The mic has an extension ran thru the console and mounted on the drivers side of the console between seat and console.
The speaker is mounted underneath the drivers seat.
I have an antenna ordered but can add pics when it comes in and I get it installed.
All wires secured and hidden.
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That's true my radio is my life line when I go Offroading it's the main communication between me an the convoy without it I'll be lost in a sea of sand
Now my thoughts are either to
A: put it on top of the radio and add cooling fans as recommended.
B: mount it somewhere where thier is lower heat
C: sell it and buy a Vhf with a removable screen
But all I hear about it is that's a really good unit.
Can someone verify that for me.
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I wasn't saying "don't use it much." I was saying your duty cycle is typically very low. 1 minute of transmitting, and 1 minute of listening is only a 50% duty cycle.
More likely you're doing 30 seconds to two minutes of transmitting, and 5 to 30 minutes of listening.
More likely you're doing 30 seconds to two minutes of transmitting, and 5 to 30 minutes of listening.
Member III
Running a Yaesu FT-8800 for VHF/UHF, body of the radio in the glove box and the control head mounted bottom center of the dash. The external speaker if between the passenger seat and the center console.
Have a Kenwood TS-480sat for HF. Body mounted under the driver seat with the control head on a pedestal mount on the passenger side of the center console. The mic is run from the body of the radio up between the driver seat and console. It just lays next to the parking brake. The external speaker for the TS-480sat is there as well.
I am also running a Yaesu FTM-3100 for APRS. It is connected to a Mobilink tnc and I use APRSdroid on either my tablet (mounted on a pedestal mount on passenger side behind the TS-480 control head) or my phone.
For antennas I use Browning BR-180 for the VHF/UHF mounted on the front drivers fender and another BR-180 for APRS on the passenger rear "roof rack". For HF I run hamsticks on the drivers rear corner.
For the moment a CB is absent as this is all likely a temporary setup. This Jeep Cherokee will likely be my soon to be 16yr olds vehicle. I am building another Cherokee that I move everything over to.
This isn't my current Jeep but the antenna setup is the same. This Jeep was totaled in a head on collision almost a year ago.
Have a Kenwood TS-480sat for HF. Body mounted under the driver seat with the control head on a pedestal mount on the passenger side of the center console. The mic is run from the body of the radio up between the driver seat and console. It just lays next to the parking brake. The external speaker for the TS-480sat is there as well.
I am also running a Yaesu FTM-3100 for APRS. It is connected to a Mobilink tnc and I use APRSdroid on either my tablet (mounted on a pedestal mount on passenger side behind the TS-480 control head) or my phone.
For antennas I use Browning BR-180 for the VHF/UHF mounted on the front drivers fender and another BR-180 for APRS on the passenger rear "roof rack". For HF I run hamsticks on the drivers rear corner.
For the moment a CB is absent as this is all likely a temporary setup. This Jeep Cherokee will likely be my soon to be 16yr olds vehicle. I am building another Cherokee that I move everything over to.
This isn't my current Jeep but the antenna setup is the same. This Jeep was totaled in a head on collision almost a year ago.
Last edited:
Enthusiast III
@Prerunner1982 Unfortunately the picture doesn't load since we're not members of the xjtalk forum. I'd love to check out your setup, can you download and repost it here?
Member III
Both pictures are hosted on XJTalk. So if you can see one but not the other something else is up. I noticed it as well and hoped it was something on my end.
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Influencer II
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That is a fantastic idea! I wish I had thought of that on a couple of my installs.How do you have your radio mounted? Tell us about your installation.
I purchased an ICOM IC-V8000 2M radio used because it was what I could afford and most the repeaters here are on the 2M bands. Also, it has a front-facing speaker and cooling fan, which was something I wanted since it will go up to 75W and will be used in the desert. I also found this model ICOM is a mil-spec level of construction, so it should hold up well to shocks and vibration. The seller also threw in a rather nice whip antenna that mounted up easily to the hood. All in all, I think it was a pretty good score for $120.
I first ran power right from the battery through the firewall and into the center stack. I purchased a second coin tray from a guy online and cut it up/drilled holes in it to mount the radio (the original tray is unaltered and in the garage). I did have to cut some slots in the dash plastic under the tray to run the antenna and power cables, but those cuts would be completely hidden by the unmodded tray if it is ever reinstalled.
This worked great until summer, when the sun started to cause the radio to heat up faster than I would have liked. I made a paper template for a sun shade and then made a prototype out of Kydex. That lasted for a while until the Kydex melted in the heat, but it was a good proof-of-concept. Next, I got some aluminum scrap and had it cut and bent to shape. I painted it in textured Rustoleum that was almost the exact color of the dash and mounted it over the radio.
The mic has a patch of heavy duty velcro on the back and it hangs on a large velcro patch on the dashboard. I don't have to fumble around with getting it back in a hanger, I just slap it up there any which way so I can get back to watching the road.
I also have a Cobra CB, a 75 WB ST Remote Mount that hangs down by my right knee, since lots of people don't have their ham ticket in my usual group.
The body of my radio is mounted under my drivers seat using Velcro. I suppose a weakness would be in a scenarios where the vehicle flooded. Faceplate is on top of the dash.
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