Driver
Member
As requested from my dashcam thread; here's my UHF radio install.
The UHF radio is a 2 way CB (citizens band) radio that doesn't require a license. It's very popular with truckies, caravans and 4WDs, etc, and unfortunately at times, brain-dead bogans.
But I personally think it's invaluable for additional situational awareness. Truckies (or whoever else has a radio) can give info of accidents ahead or traffic conditions or similar road-side hazards, like speed cameras.
Most people associate UHF radios in Australia with big bull-bar mounted antennas - or similar brackets slotted between the bonnet & drilled in to the bodywork. Sure those antenna do have the best performance but there's also the 'on glass' antenna options - which are still quite good for urban/highway use. These are fairly discrete and are often seen on unmarked Police cars here.
This particular antenna is from RFI - i can't remember which one - as I've had it for years. It is cut to length/tuned to 477Mhz. No drilling is required, it uses some sort of induction voodoo to send the signal through the glass. It's held on with 3M double-sided tape. It's not going to fall off without a heat-gun and pry tool!
Does the antenna make wind noise: yes (whistling like) - but it's only noticeable on really windy days depending on direction of travel. Moderate music volume will usually drown it out (at least from the driver's seat)
Inside, since we have virtually no dashboard space; I've opted for the smallest, remote-head radio I could find, an Oricom UHF395, 80channel 5W unit. It was $230 on special from SuperCheapAuto.
I previously had a similar, older Uniden 400SX remote-head unit; but it had a much bulker base unit that I couldn't mount anywhere in the Stinger. The box was easily 4 times larger!
The Oricom's reception seems much better than my old Uniden - but the Oricom's handset is a really lightweight/cheap plastic feel. Volume, Channel & squelch is also all controlled by cycling through the push-button rotary dial which is a mildly annoying as it's easy to push the dial and it's then changing the wrong function. :|
I've shoved the base unit 'brain' in the passenger foot well; under the glove box. I could've probably removed the panel and hid it entirely but meh
From there the antenna cable goes up the passenger A pillar to the antenna on the windscreen.
Then on the driver's side footwell is the speaker - covered in some cloth tape to prevent it from rattling. (This was awkward to mount - i didn't even cut the cable tie it seems!)
I made the bracket for the hand-piece out of a scrap acrylic plastic in an attempt to follow the contour of the dash - and some double-sided tape holds it down. It looks rough in this flash-heavy photo - but otherwise it's not really noticeable. Under it is a bit of rubber to correct my angles
Also I designed the rear of the bracket with the upwards bend - so the weight of the hand-piece can be counteracted/supported better as wedging it like that helps prevent it from lifting forwards.
Over and out
The UHF radio is a 2 way CB (citizens band) radio that doesn't require a license. It's very popular with truckies, caravans and 4WDs, etc, and unfortunately at times, brain-dead bogans.
But I personally think it's invaluable for additional situational awareness. Truckies (or whoever else has a radio) can give info of accidents ahead or traffic conditions or similar road-side hazards, like speed cameras.
Most people associate UHF radios in Australia with big bull-bar mounted antennas - or similar brackets slotted between the bonnet & drilled in to the bodywork. Sure those antenna do have the best performance but there's also the 'on glass' antenna options - which are still quite good for urban/highway use. These are fairly discrete and are often seen on unmarked Police cars here.
This particular antenna is from RFI - i can't remember which one - as I've had it for years. It is cut to length/tuned to 477Mhz. No drilling is required, it uses some sort of induction voodoo to send the signal through the glass. It's held on with 3M double-sided tape. It's not going to fall off without a heat-gun and pry tool!
Does the antenna make wind noise: yes (whistling like) - but it's only noticeable on really windy days depending on direction of travel. Moderate music volume will usually drown it out (at least from the driver's seat)
Inside, since we have virtually no dashboard space; I've opted for the smallest, remote-head radio I could find, an Oricom UHF395, 80channel 5W unit. It was $230 on special from SuperCheapAuto.
I previously had a similar, older Uniden 400SX remote-head unit; but it had a much bulker base unit that I couldn't mount anywhere in the Stinger. The box was easily 4 times larger!
The Oricom's reception seems much better than my old Uniden - but the Oricom's handset is a really lightweight/cheap plastic feel. Volume, Channel & squelch is also all controlled by cycling through the push-button rotary dial which is a mildly annoying as it's easy to push the dial and it's then changing the wrong function. :|
I've shoved the base unit 'brain' in the passenger foot well; under the glove box. I could've probably removed the panel and hid it entirely but meh
From there the antenna cable goes up the passenger A pillar to the antenna on the windscreen. Then on the driver's side footwell is the speaker - covered in some cloth tape to prevent it from rattling. (This was awkward to mount - i didn't even cut the cable tie it seems!)
I made the bracket for the hand-piece out of a scrap acrylic plastic in an attempt to follow the contour of the dash - and some double-sided tape holds it down. It looks rough in this flash-heavy photo - but otherwise it's not really noticeable. Under it is a bit of rubber to correct my angles
Also I designed the rear of the bracket with the upwards bend - so the weight of the hand-piece can be counteracted/supported better as wedging it like that helps prevent it from lifting forwards.
Over and out
