P1000 Ham Radio / Comms Installation

[Remote]

So I have to ask (since I’m setting up my own) on your dual band rig what antenna and more specifically what grade coax and size diameter you using (since your obviously a professional and not using over the counter products) and length increments?

Nope no pro here, just playing around because I get to do the home office thing cuz COVID and that gives me a lot more free time. I'm running two different TYT8600 based platforms (one is a Rugged GMR25) ,as this is an open car weather proof is needed, with two different antennas. One strictly GMRS with a GMRS lisense and one 2M amature with an amateur license using a NGP antenna (yet to be tuned) I'm using stuff from the parts bin, checking values and working backwards it doesn't work. Trying to make this a cheap and easy to duplicate set up

So the GMRS is, a Tram 5/8 wave amateur 70 cm band antenna trimmed to GMRS, with a fabricated 1/4 wave ground plane base mounted to the roll cage and super grounded with the provision for 3 equally spaced radials (if needed) to fabricated rollcage mount. A parts bin Comet NMO base (I think its Comet) with RG-58 trimmed to fit the install. Guessing the COAX ia about 10 feet. Kind of a best guess deal that worked out well on the first try. About $28 for the antenna, and $12 for the cage mounts. Everything else scrounged from scrap or leftovers.. One of my goals is to make it look like it belongs, not just cobhed together. This one was easy.

Incorporating this type design into the P1000 isn't easy. P1000 is a bugger for antennas. I settled on Larson glass mount on mine for the 2 meter rig that sits in it. Antenna analyzer gives that a VSWR of 1.2 to 1.7 on the Amature 2m band which is decent.

As soon as the install Im working on is done, I'm jumping to the Pioneer for a GMRS installI 'd be happy to be more specific on that install as I have two, perhaps three installs to do. Making something look like it belongs on a Pioneer is always a head scratcher for me.I got some good ideas tho.

Some pics of the GMRS antenna, mount and ground plane. The desired ground plane actually calculates out for something like a 6.7" base, and I'm a little less so you can see I have left holes in the plane ro mount wire radials spaced at 120 degree intervals if needed. Considering my results , I'm not going down that rabbit hole.

I got into this and suddenly realized my antenna analyzer only worked to 220MHZ. So I bought the one pictured from Amazon for about $150 so I could tune to UHF bands. For the price it seems to be a steal. Checking it against my MFJ analyzer at lower frequencies it is in complete agreement.
If your going to play with this a well matched antenna is a must. And an analyzer is an essential time saver. My now decreased dad got his Amateur license at the age of 13 in the 1930s and beat this stuff into my head. A fun hobby.

 

[JAL]

Obviously an amatuer you mean? I guess rg8x, or lr400

73

Here is a photo comparison:

RG8X Top. LMR 400 Bottom. I used RG8X, cut it to length and crimp/soldered a connector. I will leave terminating LMR 400 to the pros.

 

[HondaRed16]

Here is a photo comparison:

RG8X Top. LMR 400 Bottom. I used RG8X, cut it to length and crimp/soldered a connector. I will leave terminating LMR 400 to the pros.

View attachment 241977

That's what I'm talking about right there!
LMR 400 should have very little signal loss

 

[Dockman]

My dad was big into hamm radio. Had 2 towers 80' & 75' plus a whole bedroom full of radios. I personally do not understand the hamm radio thing. However I do understand the importance of it and the love you guys have for it.


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[Dockman]

Oh btw his 80' tower was a repeater tower. Guessing you all know the importance of them.


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[Remote]

LMR 400 should have very little signal loss

Damn......now you got me thinking about those 2.6 watts I'm leaving on the table 😉

 

[JAL]

My dad was big into hamm radio. Had 2 towers 80' & 75' plus a whole bedroom full of radios. I personally do not understand the hamm radio thing. However I do understand the importance of it and the love you guys have for it.
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We had a massive fire here, the Almeda Fire, burned right up to the city limits, 2800 structures destroyed. Hams were monitoring scanners, evacuation orders and the news. Folks were texting hams constantly for updates on how and when to evacuate. It was nice to see Ham Radio serve during a disaster. And we NEVER got an EAS ALERT on the TV!

 

[Dockman]

View attachment 242013

We had a massive fire here, the Almeda Fire, burned right up to the city limits, 2800 structures destroyed. Hams were monitoring scanners, evacuation orders and the news. Folks were texting hams constantly for updates on how and when to evacuate. It was nice to see Ham Radio serve during a disaster. And we NEVER got an EAS ALERT on the TV!

I totally respect all ham radio operators. When my dad was involved he explain how he would be part of a national emergency. I never knew until that day. Thank you ham folks!


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[lowrider]

I had a Hallicrafters receiver as a youngster...closest I got to ham...until I flew mission pilot for Civil Air Patrol on SAR flights in AK. We frequently used them for weather in specific areas, ground conditions and just general comms when were down low and out of FAA comms reach. A number of hams in the Cook Inlet area had aviation band radios and would happily join in to assist us mostly with HF. I'm tempted to get one of those "meter measured" radios for the Pioneer except for the testing issue. I'm good with 440 volt AC and below but them transistor things throw me...maybe some day.

Hats off to the hams!!!

 

[thashane]

I finally got around to measuring the SWR on my setup. I was making good contacts and had carried on a conversation on a repeater 90 miles from my house. WELL, that 1/4 I had is for the commercial bands, so my SWR was from 7-12...
So I put on the 5/8 wave Larsen and was able to tune it resonate at 146.52. And was able able to make a contact on a repeater 150 miles from my house.

The 5/8 hits the roof where I store the 1K5, so I ordered a Laird BB132R. Resonate at 145-147, and 1.13 at the edges of the band.

So in conclusion my diy ground plane with radials tied in to the cage works great!
Edit to include the swr meter from amazon for $50

 

[Remote]

GMRS performance report. I finally got around to installing a Rugged GMR25 into the Pioneer. We are complimenting it with a Laird NGP 1/4 wave antenna. I'm adding the Rugged single seat car headset cable with a,PTT steering wheel button to this set up. Some observations
Running an antenna analyzer gives us a really good VSWR of around 1.1
Double checking with an inline SWR/WATT confirms
Watt meter shows 23 watts output.
Watt meter on the KRX install gives us 22 out and a slightly higher SWR

Being this is our first experience with UHF I wasn't expecting much, especially in the terrain in our area. I was thinking that as soon as we lost line of sight it would be static and clipped signal city. Let's just say the performance of these radios vastly exceeded expectations. In trial 1, Talking car to car, with the Pioneer stationed purposely in a low meadow and the KRX behind several low hills (way out of line of sight) we got consistent perfect signals for several miles in every direction and even taking a route behind some significant hills the comms were always 100%. It was like the second car was right behind us.

Trial 2 took us about 8-9 miles away with yet another set of low hills (~200-300feet) and down a rocky canyon where I totally expected to loose signal. Other than a bit of clipping/static when the road got really close to steep rocky side walls there was always 100% readability. My expectations have been greatly exceeded with this set up! Pioneer antenna pic below.

 

[elkaholic]

For those that are interested, the Rugged GMR25is essentially a rebadged TYT-8600 that has been tweaked to meet part 95 requirements. TYT recently(late in 2020) certified their own version as GMRS only ... still trying to get my hands on some of these latter models.


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[Remote]

For those that are interested, the Rugged GMR25is essentially a rebadged TYT-8600 that has been tweaked to meet part 95 requirements. TYT recently(late in 2020) certified their own version as GMRS only ... still trying to get my hands on some of these latter models.

Great news. That intercom jumper is pricy if not needed. We're wanting 3-4 for trucks and plow equipment.

 

[elkaholic]

Great news. That intercom jumper is pricy if not needed. We're wanting 3-4 for trucks and plow equipment.

BTW, the standard TYT 8600 can be programmed easily to operate on GMRS frequencies - allegedly



If you get my drift


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[Remote]

If you get my drift

10-4 .Got the cable, software spreadsheets set up, for amateur bands only. Have a GMR25 and a 8600 in my KRX. 8600 Talk only on legal channels, listen on on fire district, blm fire, usfs fire....all still using 2m fm in backcountry. Really starting to like the tyt platform. I am affiliated with first responders and their related comm systems. Gotta be squeaky clean legal. 😉

 

[elkaholic]

Yes, for the price point, the 8600 is quite nice and the only waterproof unit I have seen. Their only weakness of the microphone - I’ve had about a 10% failure rate so I keep spares on hand for customers.

I have been trying a 7800 in my Jeep and I am not impressed ... guess I will double the cost and get a Yaesu for it.


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[TripleB]

Yes, for the price point, the 8600 is quite nice and the only waterproof unit I have seen. Their only weakness of the microphone - I’ve had about a 10% failure rate so I keep spares on hand for customers.

I have been trying a 7800 in my Jeep and I am not impressed ... guess I will double the cost and get a Yaesu for it.


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I've bought 4 tyt8600s total for 2 machines. 1 i fried out of stupidity when I was installing it. From what I've read, I think it can be fixed. I had 1 microphone quit working. I used the extra microphone from my fried unit lol. I've aslo got an 8600 unit that does nothing but static after a year of use. I don't know what that is all about. I just bought another unit until I have time to to do some reading and maybe I can fix it.

 

[elkaholic]

I've bought 4 tyt8600s total for 2 machines. 1 i fried out of stupidity when I was installing it. From what I've read, I think it can be fixed. I had 1 microphone quit working. I used the extra microphone from my fried unit lol. I've aslo got an 8600 unit that does nothing but static after a year of use. I don't know what that is all about. I just bought another unit until I have time to to do some reading and maybe I can fix it.

They do seem to be more sensitive to antenna tuning than most. I have seen 3 or 4 get the static and when I checked SWR on their antenna system, all of them were above 3.0. I cannot say this was the cause but there is some correlation I believe


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[HondaRed16]

Yes, for the price point, the 8600 is quite nice and the only waterproof unit I have seen. Their only weakness of the microphone - I’ve had about a 10% failure rate so I keep spares on hand for customers.

I have been trying a 7800 in my Jeep and I am not impressed ... guess I will double the cost and get a Yaesu for it.


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FWIW,

This is more than likely a install/grounding issue. The antenna and the radio must be grounded. Also being a Jeep guy myself most all off us like to mount the
in the back between the tailgate and spare tire giving you only a couple of inches for the radio signal (not good at all) not to mention the SWR that bounces back in the middle of 2 metal objects. Get an extension pole to raise the antenna while using the radio, put a metal plate (that should also be grounded) on the roof with a magnetic antenna to take on & off, or search Jeep accy’s for attractive front fender mounts that you can put the antenna and cubed lights on.

Changing the radio “might” help a little, not likely much. If you don’t ground the radio & antenna and set your SWR you’ll eventually ruin whatever radio you have regardless of quality.

Good luck man,

 

[Remote]

I had some issues with the GMR 25 in the KRX, it Wouldn't Xmit and I figured it was a blown secondary (I thought I may have hooked it to the dummy load with a shorted connector when initially out of the box testing). Pulled it, was going to rebox it to return it and a little voice in the back of my head said let's try it one more time. Worked perfectly. I think it was an intercom interface issue. It's in the Pioneer now working fine. I might mention that the Laird antenna on the Honda (NGP 1/4 wave) was spot on tuning wise. I seem to have excellent luck with Laird Technology, and Larson products SWR wise. The TYT 8600/Rugged GMR 25 series is the only IP water rated at this time so I'm stuck with them for open cars. The Pioneer also has a Kenwood 2M FM in it because it has a cab. The Kenwood has a milspec dust/dirt rating (it gets stupid dirty) and has worked perfectly for several years.