Ya know, its the Little Things...

[Dilldog]

So I finally got my Icom set up in my Escape. Driving home last night I turned it on and hit scan, found a repeater and listened in. This morning going to work, I listened in again. Right now I have my Boafeng listening in. I had no idea how fun this whole thing would be. I honestly just decided to get my Technician just to be able to communicate on the trail and because a very good friend of mine gave me a bunch of old equipment. Now Im listening to the other hams in the area and learning quite a bit just by listening. I really had no idea how neat this whole ham thing would be.

 

[Sparksalot]

So I finally got my Icom set up in my Escape. Driving home last night I turned it on and hit scan, found a repeater and listened in. This morning going to work, I listened in again. Right now I have my Boafeng listening in. I had no idea how fun this whole thing would be. I honestly just decided to get my Technician just to be able to communicate on the trail and because a very good friend of mine gave me a bunch of old equipment. Now Im listening to the other hams in the area and learning quite a bit just by listening. I really had no idea how neat this whole ham thing would be.

Welcome to the fun. You’re already finding how much you can learn by listening. before you know it, you’ll be in there contributing to the mass knowledge.

 

[Prerunner1982]

See if any of the local ham clubs are doing Field Day (June 27-28), it's a 24hr widespread disaster/readiness drill where hams set up temporary stations and antennas using emergency power and try to make as many contacts as possible in 24hrs.
HF, VHF, CW, digital, satellites....fun stuff.

 

[J.W.]

So I finally got my Icom set up in my Escape. Driving home last night I turned it on and hit scan, found a repeater and listened in. This morning going to work, I listened in again. Right now I have my Boafeng listening in. I had no idea how fun this whole thing would be. I honestly just decided to get my Technician just to be able to communicate on the trail and because a very good friend of mine gave me a bunch of old equipment. Now Im listening to the other hams in the area and learning quite a bit just by listening. I really had no idea how neat this whole ham thing would be.

It’s insanely addictive. Wait till you get in with a good rag chew group that sits up half the night. Glad to hear you’re having fun with it!

 

[M Rose]

See if any of the local ham clubs are doing Field Day (June 27-28), it's a 24hr widespread disaster/readiness drill where hams set up temporary stations and antennas using emergency power and try to make as many contacts as possible in 24hrs.
HF, VHF, CW, digital, satellites....fun stuff.

There is a club in Couer d’Aleen (sp) that is doing this, as well as the Grande Ronde Radio Amateurs here in La Grande.

 

[M Rose]

So I finally got my Icom set up in my Escape. Driving home last night I turned it on and hit scan, found a repeater and listened in. This morning going to work, I listened in again. Right now I have my Boafeng listening in. I had no idea how fun this whole thing would be. I honestly just decided to get my Technician just to be able to communicate on the trail and because a very good friend of mine gave me a bunch of old equipment. Now Im listening to the other hams in the area and learning quite a bit just by listening. I really had no idea how neat this whole ham thing would be.

I’ll be looking for you in the not so distant future.

 

[Sparksalot]

So I finally got my Icom set up in my Escape. Driving home last night I turned it on and hit scan, found a repeater and listened in. This morning going to work, I listened in again. Right now I have my Boafeng listening in. I had no idea how fun this whole thing would be. I honestly just decided to get my Technician just to be able to communicate on the trail and because a very good friend of mine gave me a bunch of old equipment. Now Im listening to the other hams in the area and learning quite a bit just by listening. I really had no idea how neat this whole ham thing would be.

I forgot:

This thread is worthless without pics! Show us how you installed it.

 

[Dilldog]

Still not quite done, I need to make a filler plate. But the Escape had this little cubby hole that I never really used in the center console, so I popped that out. When I did that my 12volt power point went with it, but since I never use my cigarette lighter I removed that (its up by the temperature control knob for the HVAC) and moved the 12volt power point up there.
For the antenna mount I scavenged an old hub odometer mounting bracket out of the scrap bin at work and modified it slightly. Im still not 100% on where its mounted, but that was the easiest spot. We will see if I decide to move it.
Running the cables was super easy. This body style of Escape still came with a manual transmission, so I just cut a small hole in the grommet where the hydraulic clutch normally mounted and ran everything through that. Then I just zip tied everything up to existing harnesses through the dash and down into the center console.

 

[Dilldog]

Met up with WU7X ( member here and long time friend, and the guy who gave me my gear) to get the antenna tuned, I'm running about 1.4 SWR.

 

[Sparksalot]

Met up with WU7X ( member here and long time friend, and the guy who gave me my gear) to get the antenna tuned, I'm running about 1.4 SWR.

That's honestly not bad for a mobile installation. I like how you were able to use the console and grommet holes.

 

[M Rose]

That’s a clean install buddy, can’t wait to see the trim ring done... it’s going to look amazing

 

[MojaveGreen]

That’s a clean set up. If you start running the lower bands you might enjoy skip as well.

 

[M Rose]

That’s a clean set up. If you start running the lower bands you might enjoy skip as well.

DXing is loads of fun... i used to do it in the CB world when I was a kid, looking forward to DXing and FT8 when I get my unit.

 

[MojaveGreen]

It is fun. I was able to talk to a Harrier jump-jet pilot down in the Falkland Islands when England was battling Argentina and our own troops located in Afghanistan as some of my favorites. I hope to hear you out there.

 

[RockyMountaineer]

Still not quite done, I need to make a filler plate. But the Escape had this little cubby hole that I never really used in the center console, so I popped that out. When I did that my 12volt power point went with it, but since I never use my cigarette lighter I removed that (its up by the temperature control knob for the HVAC) and moved the 12volt power point up there.
For the antenna mount I scavenged an old hub odometer mounting bracket out of the scrap bin at work and modified it slightly. Im still not 100% on where its mounted, but that was the easiest spot. We will see if I decide to move it.
Running the cables was super easy. This body style of Escape still came with a manual transmission, so I just cut a small hole in the grommet where the hydraulic clutch normally mounted and ran everything through that. Then I just zip tied everything up to existing harnesses through the dash and down into the center console.
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Nice job man! I like the homebrew approach you took. What radio is that?

 

[Dilldog]

Nice job man! I like the homebrew approach you took. What radio is that?

Icom 270h