pic of my portable install not pretty but works

[LilRodbuster]

since it is a family van I needed to be able to take it out and so I built this out of plywood and ran wires from battery neatly to tuck under seat when not in use and coax out of rear vent window so it unhooks in a few min I am happy with it and after buying a wilson 1000 mag mount I was able to get swr's to 1.2.1 on 1 and flat on 20,40 so I guess the swr's slowly decrease as i change channels up ward.

hope you guy's like it

[DanTaylor]

Dosnt matter if its the best looking thing in the world as long as it works for you.....I gotta say though ive never seen anyone run a box with a smaller radio....

[LilRodbuster]

well this setup is about 250 amp radio antenna

on a budget you know

[yMidnite]

I like how you made it "portable" in a sense. You did the right thing by getting a good antenna first and the box will work with any radio you get in the future. I'd say money well spent, you are on the air, and you can save for the "big" radio.

[LilRodbuster]

Thanks midnite

[drdx]

The radio is just a signal source. As long as it is on frequency and sounds good, while giving you decent receive, it is doing its job. The amp will do the work- wattage is wattage. The antenna is the most important part but that setup is fine and looks ready for fun.

-drdx

[LilRodbuster]

Thanks DRDX

[kurtis1971]

looks good.

[drdx]

You know, the funny part is that some of the smaller radios, especially the older ones, have better receive than the new larger ones. This reminds me of years ago (about 20). I had a little truck that I added a cool factory looking 2nd battery setup and nice antenna install and, like many, lost interest in radio for a year or so. The antenna was stored in the end of the frame rails, the ampstill under the seat, and the radio sold. A friend of mine begged me to get on the radio one day and all I had was a $5 radio shack mobile, a 3 knob job with no meter. So there I was, my 3 knob job RS radio, 102 inch whip, and 500 watt Tx star under the seat that had been dormant a year. I got on there and the locals were hating me as my friend and I locked down the town talking about old times, very funny, and proof that the radio part is of little consequence if the rest is all there.

-drdx

[DanTaylor]

I wasn't implying that running a little radio is a bad thing. Just simply that I have not seen it before. One of my RL friends runs a Cobra 25 in dash of his Ford pick up and that is a talking little radio. Sorry if I offended anyone with my comment. It was just meant as an observation. Plus I do like what he did making it a quick lock and load with the radio/amp combo.

[drdx]

I don't think anyone took offense. We're all guilty of thinking that if the radio doesn't have 50 knobs, 4 meters, and a dvd player it isn't what we want. Out of all those knobs, how many do we really use? My dream radio would have a meter, volume, channel, and rf power. For that matter, I should just take my cobra 19ltd in, have the squelch removed and rf power put there and I'd be done. I never touch the rest but some do.

-drdx

[Radio 75]

I don't think anyone took offense. We're all guilty of thinking that if the radio doesn't have 50 knobs, 4 meters, and a dvd player it isn't what we want. Out of all those knobs, how many do we really use? My dream radio would have a meter, volume, channel, and rf power. For that matter, I should just take my cobra 19ltd in, have the squelch removed and rf power put there and I'd be done. I never touch the rest but some do.

-drdx

That's why I like my Magnum 257HP so much, small but powerful!
But I need my squelch for monitoring FM repeaters on 10M.

[LilRodbuster]

nope no offense taken for under $250 with a city range that I know of so far of 20 miles and comments of it sounding like a $5000 rig I am happy but.....

I am wondering what a power mic would do for me or if I really need one cbradio mag has a gave good reviews of a under $20 DM-452 that would still keep me under 250

what's your thoughts on that

[Delivery Man]

I have a friend that runs a cobra 18 with a palomar 250 it sounds good, one day I was going through some old audio stuff and found my first cobra power mic, it still looked new. Any how I picked up a new batt for it and brought it to him to give it a try, man that radio was smokin with great audio with that mic, I let him have for just the price of the new batt. Like all the other post say u can short change the radio but spend your money and time on the antenna system and it will make the world of differnce. I must admit I was a bit jealous his sounded good with minimal change spent.

[LilRodbuster]

Thanks again D man I went ahead and ordered 1 and if it is not what I want well I got a buddy who's trying to put a radio together now so guess he can get it from me but will let all know how it goes

Oh I got a superstar DM-452

[RUDEBOY292]

If it is not broke then don't fix it. I used a Cobra 138XLR for a base for years. Still have it. Hooked up to a starduster antenna I used that set up for almost 15 years.

[Hondarider]

Sweet setup! I have a midland 1001z also and its great for smaller cars. Had troubles with my first one and sent it to the headquarters with a breif description why it was not working and they sent me a brand new one right away. (it was still under their 3 year warrenty)
Have a good one.

[Polish Eagle]

Robert, I have Built a similiar mount for my '10 Expedition. No real space to mount a radio without a lot of drilling or cutting. I used a cherry wood shelf to blend with the interior, mounted my 138xlr along with an external speaker, SWR meter and Mic holder on it. Attached 2 table legs which were modified to fit in the rear cup holders for support and the entire shelf lies on top of the center arm rest. Ran the coax out the rear hatch, under the seats and up to the back of the radio. Disconnect power and antenna and the entire unit comes out in a flash.

[Pistol_Pete]

If it works for you and your happy with it that is all that matters! Enjoy!!