where to put the radio?

[Tomdoc]

That's true! But the radios work without cell towers and infrastructure when I am out and about. it's a hobby and a safety feature in one!

 

[AnD3rew]

Ah, so that's why the mobile phone was invented, slim and would fit in your pocket

Where I go, here in Australia your cell phone might as well be a brick for all the use it is with no reception. And you would be surprised by how quickly that reception disappears when you head out of town. We have a population of 25 million in a country larger than most of Western Europe or the US.

 

[rovie]

Where I go, here in Australia your cell phone might as well be a brick for all the use it is with no reception. And you would be surprised by how quickly that reception disappears when you head out of town. We have a population of 25 million in a country larger than most of Western Europe or the US.

Hi @AnD3rew , but you could use a satellite phone, couldn't you?

 

[AnD3rew]

Hi @AnD3rew , but you could use a satellite phone, couldn't you?

Yes and if you go really remote you should take one. But we use UHF primarily for vehicle to vehicle communication and satellite phones are quite expensive for that. It’s also illegal to use a phone while driving but not illegal to use a radio.

 

[rovie]

Yes and if you go really remote you should take one. But we use UHF primarily for vehicle to vehicle communication and satellite phones are quite expensive for that. It’s also illegal to use a phone while driving but not illegal to use a radio.

Ah ok, thanks for the explanation. Unfortunately, more and more things are being banned and regulated here.
But that you are not allowed to use the phone in the outback, where the next vehicle is 5 miles away, is incomprehensible to me. But you have a radio there. So all is well.

 

[AnD3rew]

Ah ok, thanks for the explanation. Unfortunately, more and more things are being banned and regulated here.
But that you are not allowed to use the phone in the outback, where the next vehicle is 5 miles away, is incomprehensible to me. But you have a radio there. So all is well.

The other advantage is that if you see another 4x4 or a truck in the road and you want to talk to them to ask about overtaking, or ask how the road is ahead or just say hi, or warn them about a speed camera ir cop ahead, even if you do have reception or a Sat phone you would have to know their number to call them. But most people monitor specific channels for various locations or uses so a good chance with the UHF you can contact them on the road without needing to know their number or anything.

 

[DaveB]

Where I go, here in Australia your cell phone might as well be a brick for all the use it is with no reception. And you would be surprised by how quickly that reception disappears when you head out of town. We have a population of 25 million in a country larger than most of Western Europe or the US.

I only have to drive 10km from home and I have no mobile phone reception.

 

[rovie]

The other advantage is that if you see another 4x4 or a truck in the road and you want to talk to them to ask about overtaking, or ask how the road is ahead or just say hi, or warn them about a speed camera ir cop ahead, even if you do have reception or a Sat phone you would have to know their number to call them. But most people monitor specific channels for various locations or uses so a good chance with the UHF you can contact them on the road without needing to know their number or anything.

Yes, that's right. In fact, in the past we used to have that too. I always had the truckers' channel on. Because they knew best about the situation. I still had the device installed in the Defender. But the messages on the motorways were hardly available any more, and if they were, they were in an Eastern European language.
But in the USA it seems to be the same as in Australia. Perhaps one of our American friends here can confirm this when they warn of the Kojaks with the Kodaks with the BirdDog on.

 

[Eric]

I only have to drive 10km from home and I have no mobile phone reception.

I have no mobile reception at home! Rely on wifi calling to make mobile calls at home.

 

[rovie]

I have no mobile reception at home! Rely on wifi calling to make mobile calls at home.

The same here in some places in Germany.

 

[Jiman01]

Yes, that's right. In fact, in the past we used to have that too. I always had the truckers' channel on. Because they knew best about the situation. I still had the device installed in the Defender. But the messages on the motorways were hardly available any more, and if they were, they were in an Eastern European language.
But in the USA it seems to be the same as in Australia. Perhaps one of our American friends here can confirm this when they warn of the Kojaks with the Kodaks with the BirdDog on.

Aside from commercial vehicles, here in the US CB, GMRS, HAM radios are much less common unless you live/operate in more remote areas.

Probably the most common method for warnings up ahead, like police, accidents, etc…are crowd sourced applications like Waze. That obviously requires cellular, but on US highways, it’s normally pretty well covered…especially where I am on the East Coast. Out West, I’m assuming cellular coverage isn‘t as dense.

 

[rovie]

Aside from commercial vehicles, here in the US CB, GMRS, HAM radios are much less common unless you live/operate in more remote areas.

Probably the most common method for warnings up ahead, like police, accidents, etc…are crowd sourced applications like Waze. That obviously requires cellular, but on US highways, it’s normally pretty well covered…especially where I am on the East Coast. Out West, I’m assuming cellular coverage isn‘t as dense.

Thank you @Jiman01 for the detailed explanation!

 

[Krabby]

. Perhaps one of our American friends here can confirm this when they warn of the Kojaks with the Kodaks with the BirdDog on.

 

[rovie]

I love this movie, it's been a long time, but I've seen it countless times. By the way, there's also the song "West bound and down", but I'm sure you know that.

 

[Tomdoc]

10-4

 

[AnD3rew]

Aside from commercial vehicles, here in the US CB, GMRS, HAM radios are much less common unless you live/operate in more remote areas.

Probably the most common method for warnings up ahead, like police, accidents, etc…are crowd sourced applications like Waze. That obviously requires cellular, but on US highways, it’s normally pretty well covered…especially where I am on the East Coast. Out West, I’m assuming cellular coverage isn‘t as dense.

Waze also very popular here and I use it all the time, but yes no good as soon as you lose cellular coverage

 

[KDJDGrenadier]

Pretty sure no DIN slots anywhere and the panels are not modular as they appear to be. So far I haven’t seen anyone post an installation. I will be looking for a spot behind the dash to locate a remote unit and put a jack for a remote microphone with integrated speaker somewhere to plug it in. Will be looking for a grommet in the firewall to pass an aerial cable through to the front and mount on the roo bar.

I have just followed Canny Outdoors suggestion on Antennae mounting and coax run. I mounted the antennae to the front bullbar and ran the coax (encased in some loom tube) behind the light, along the inside top guard in the engine bay and down to a grommet just made for the installation. Now to work out where to install the radio and put the Microphone Hand-piece. Next job

 

[Jiman01]

I have just followed Canny Outdoors suggestion on Antennae mounting and coax run. I mounted the antennae to the front bullbar and ran the coax (encased in some loom tube) behind the light, along the inside top guard in the engine bay and down to a grommet just made for the installation. Now to work out where to install the radio and put the Microphone Hand-piece. Next job

Pics please

 

[Tomdoc]

One option is to look at RAM mounts or Lido mounts for radio gear. May be one way to get radios in the vehicle.

 

[Burki]

View attachment 7821648

Shortwave is ok.
But why you did install 2m and 70cm?
Here in Germany 2m and 70cm are dead, there is more (interesting) traffic on PMR or CB.