Jax
Member Since: 19 May 2012
Location: Malawi
Posts: 12
 
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| Installation of Motorola VHF Radio in D4 |
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Hi I am new to this forum and would love some help from the seasoned Disco 4 people out there.
We have just purchased 2 custom built Disco 4 HSE SDV6s (Sub Saharan African Spec) in the UK and will be shipping them out to Africa where we live.
Due to the nature of our work (civil construction) we need to install VHF radios in the vehicles. We are looking at Motorola Digital Mobile Radios - DM3601 with a remote mount kit where you seperate the facia and transeiver box of the radio where you mount the facia in the front of the vehcile by the driver and the transeiver box in the boot of the car and connect them using a cable link. (This is going to be done by a vehcile ICE specialist in London). Was wondering if anyone has attempted such an install or any other VHF radio install?
If so, would love some ideas on where one would mount the facia of the radio, was thinking of maybe cutting out some of the kick panel by the knee area on the driver side and flush mounting them...though this may prove to be tricky! The problem is that the Disco 4 has hardly any space in the front for such an item. I am sure this is not high on most owners list of priorities and hence not been addressed in the design stage of this vehicle.
The other issue is where to mount the antenna without it being an eyesore. Was thinking of perhaps one of the rear side pillars on either side of the rear boot door?
Would love your esteemed comments!
Cheers From Africa 
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 13th Jun 2012 10:45 am |
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xtc
Member Since: 27 Mar 2007
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 1072
 
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Aerial mounting depends on if you have a rack fitted, if nothing or cross bars this is an option. If rack fitted a custom bracket is usually needed. For aerial parts we always use Panorama for pro VHF fits. Top quality at a good price. If you need part numbers let me know.
http://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/topic40474.html
Pretty tidy and with a 1/4 wave VHF whip pretty unobtrusive.
If wer'e doing a temporary fit we just put the radio between the pasenger seat and centre console, holds it a treat!
If it's more permanant or needs to be discrete we put them in the top glove box. If the radio is narrow enough you can get away with just a hole in the back for the cables, if not, ie for the Vertex VX4200's we fit we cut the back of the box out so it can stick out the back a bit. With this we run an external speaker and remote mike.
If your using remote heads you might get away with mounting the head in a U bracket and just sticking it to the top of the dash with automotive double sided tape! Means no ext speaker and mic plugs straight in. I have a whole radio on my dash like this, not just the head and it's never moved. Can take a pic tomorrow if your interested...
Make sure they take a fused feed directly from the battery including the and not from behind the dash!
We fit dozens of VHF/UHF radio's into LR's each year so feel free to PM if any questions!
CHeers, Richard. Off Roading is OK.... But I'd rather be Boating!
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| 14th Jun 2012 9:45 pm |
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Jax
Member Since: 19 May 2012
Location: Malawi
Posts: 12
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Thank you for your post Richard. Sending you a PM
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| 15th Jun 2012 9:44 am |
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Jax
Member Since: 19 May 2012
Location: Malawi
Posts: 12
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Lol seems like i need to post 3 times before i am allowed to send a PM! So please excuse me for sending another post to get my posts up to 3 
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| 15th Jun 2012 9:48 am |
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Jax
Member Since: 19 May 2012
Location: Malawi
Posts: 12
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xtc.....did you get my PM?
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| 19th Jun 2012 1:39 pm |
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