Ideas for homebrew HT vehicle mount

Ok it's got a clip, this should be easy, right? In a 2013 F150, not so much. The Lidos look interesting, and I'd grab their seat bolt mount in a minute if Ford had not done such weird things with this interior (Who designed this? My '06 was a lot easier when it came to radios). No cup holders that are even convenient for a coffee cup.

So I've looked at a pile of photos on Google searches, haven't seen anything that will work with this truck and an IC-V82. The a/c vents are round, so there go the cool vent mounts.

What have you come up with (or links to what someone else may have come up with) to give me some ideas?

Thanks,

Rick

W4FCC

 

How about making something that sticks down in the gap between the seat cushions?

 

I have a heavy duty GPS/phone mount by Bracketron. It has a large suction cup for the windshield and a long gooseneck with a clamp. I need something for my HT and thanks for the idea.

 

If you have a hand mike for your HT and a bucket seat in your truck, then I would wrap a belt around your truck seat and clip the HT on. Get a pouch for the HT if you want to be fancy. I suppose you could do the same thing with your headrest if it is more convenient. Best of luck,

 

...Or get one of those seat organizers and hang it over the front.

 

I drop my HT in a cup holder. Problem solved. I'll take a pic tomorrow, if you like?

 

I sometimes clip my HTX-202 to the sun visor.

 

Or if you are okay with doing some damage to the dashboard, try something like this http://chickenroadlabs.com/2013/10/24/mount-for-handheld-2-way-radio/

 

Hey Rick-
As an ex-installer ( mostly mobile radios ), here are a couple of quick clues:
1. Always think carefully about where you are drilling. Another installer that I knew managed to drill into an airbag system wire, which turned out to be very expensive. Always look at the backside of the metal ( good lighting and a mirror will help ) and don't forget that sometimes there is a double-wall. Measure twice and cut once.
2. Consider bolting a plate over the transmission tunnel using the seat bolts and some angle brackets ( for rigidity ). Use hex-headed bolts and extra nuts to make this easy to remove ( bolt ends up at the plate ). When you are ready to install a mobile radio, you can just remove the plate to re-drill- that is why the bolt tips go up. The bonus is that you have a removable plate with places to anchor the wiring.
3. Don't forget that for minimal power, there are premium 'add-a tap' connectors which can be put onto some inside fuseblocks. This may involve cutting a bit of plastic on the cover backside. Yet you may also want to look at pre-existing grommets on the firewall and in the 'drain pan' under the passenger seat 'feet' area for routing power direct from the battery & new fuse. Never bring a wire through the firewall without a fuse on the battery side. The edge of a firewall hole may seem rounded enough, yet grommets can fail.
4. On the subject of wiring, check out the different sizes of split convoluted loom plastic tubing. This is sometimes found in the 'stereo' section of large discount stores and always seen in the electrical section of huge home-contruction stores. Got tape? Wire splices?
73 de KB0MNM

 

I have a Ford Ranger (Mazda B-3000). My handheld fits nicely in the door pocket. The belt clip holds it clamped to the pocket wall..


KM5FL