NMO HAM Radio Antenna Installation in Nashville

[TGO David]

For the life of me, I cannot remember the name of the local Nashville company that does a lot of the police radio installations and will handle the drilling and installation of an NMO antenna base in the roof or trunk of vehicles.  I'm sure it's something I could tackle myself with the right tools, but it's also something I wouldn't want to screw up.

Do any of you know offhand?  @Dustbuster do you know?

Thanks.

 

[R_Bert]

Robin Midgett  K4IDC (I have no idea how to tag him, but he would know (if not do it himself)

Edited October 14, 2017 by R_Bert

[RED333]

If it is the trunk, just bring the trunk lid by, we take it out back and I will put as big or small a hole any where ya want. Roof is another thing, might have to roll the car a bit to keep the boolit from taking flight.

[10Kilr]

Try Trucker's Lighthouse on Foster Avenue.  http://truckerslighthouse.com

[RodMyers]

any reputable car stereo place can do a roof install. They do similar things with car stereo/video systems.

 

HRO Atlanta pointed me to a car stereo place in Smyrna(?) that installed mine

[n0rlf]

There is a guy in Columbia that does it. I will see if I can find his card. Otherwise the local Motorola service center is a good start. Most have the correct tool and charger less than twenty bucks. I went a different route and used a UHF trunk type from Diamond on my last two installs. I installed an Icom 706mkIig in my truck and of course when the wife saw it and used it she wanted one. 

[Dustbuster]

Motorola in Nashville,but they're pricey,used to be a guy on fesslers lane that did ham work dunno if he's still open or not,

 

if u need a nmo punched through w cable ran let me know we can do it at my shop.

 

truckers lighthouse may take it, they're usually swamped.

PM me or call me on Monday if u still need help.

 

 

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[RED333]

16 minutes ago, Dustbuster said:

Motorola in Nashville,but they're pricey,used to be a guy on fesslers lane that did ham work dunno if he's still open or not,

They are closed, been gone for a few months.

Edited October 14, 2017 by RED333

[Dustbuster]

Kind of a bummer, they had some good techs, pricey but they were good.


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[thundersnow]

There’s a few select folk in the Williamson county ares group with extensive install experience. Wcares.org if you’d like more info


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[TGO David]

3 minutes ago, thundersnow said:

There’s a few select folk in the Williamson county ares group with extensive install experience. Wcares.org if you’d like more info


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As soon as I get my radio installed in the truck, I need to get involved with WCARES.  The radio has been boxed up in storage since I parted with my Jeep Wrangler, so this project is long overdue.

Back to my original inquiry, I've ordered the necessary hole saw, antenna mount and other gear and will probably tackle this one myself very soon.  While the idea of drilling a hole in the roof my my truck almost literally makes my plums ache, I have come to the realization that if anyone else screws it up, it's just as screwed up.  I trust myself to measure a dozen or so times before putting drill-bit to metal.

 

[n0rlf]

Found the info finally, I will PM it to you.

[Dustbuster]

If you need NMO roof mounts let me know I have a case of them at work, brand new,they have tnc connectors at the end which can be swapped out relatively easy. I'll give you whatever you need, I'll do the hole as well if you'd like. I enjoy community projects!!

 

 

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[TGO David]

1 hour ago, Dustbuster said:

If you need NMO roof mounts let me know I have a case of them at work, brand new,they have tnc connectors at the end which can be swapped out relatively easy. I'll give you whatever you need, I'll do the hole as well if you'd like. I enjoy community projects!!

 

 

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Thanks!  I dug around in my radio gear and found a Larsen NMO hole-mount that I had never used, so I think I am good on that for now.  I was going to work on it some today but ran out of time.  I may pull power to the radio location and run the control-head wire, mic extension and external speaker extension tomorrow if I get a chance to work on it. 

 

[Dustbuster]

10-4! got the goods if u or anyone else needs it!!

[Photoguy67]

Sort of off topic but what kind of radio? vhf uhf dual band hf etc... I have an Icom 5100 mounted in my truck for dstar and the occasional local chat. Cheers

KE4PJR

[TGO David]

Icom 4100A.  Dual band VHF/UHF.  It'll mostly be for chatter around town but also for comms during bad weather or when traveling.

 

[Obiwan]

Didn't you have a Yaesu in the jeep?

[TGO David]

On 10/24/2017 at 7:23 PM, Obiwan said:

Didn't you have a Yaesu in the jeep?

Yep. I still have it.  Probably going to put it up for sale.

[TGO David]

On 10/21/2017 at 9:28 PM, Photoguy67 said:

Sort of off topic but what kind of radio? vhf uhf dual band hf etc... I have an Icom 5100 mounted in my truck for dstar and the occasional local chat. Cheers

KE4PJR

So... @Photoguy67 @Obiwan and any others who might know, what repeaters are active around Nashville on the 2m band these days?

[Photoguy67]

Last I was on 2meter, (couple years) 146.670 was the active one and 146.910 was active down south Murfreesboro area. Now days, I am mostly on dstar so I can't speak knowledgeably.

 

[TGO David]

3 hours ago, Photoguy67 said:

Last I was on 2meter, (couple years) 146.670 was the active one and 146.910 was active down south Murfreesboro area. Now days, I am mostly on dstar so I can't speak knowledgeably.

 

My radio will do D-Star also.  I need to learn about that and check it out.

[Photoguy67]

About the only dstar repeater in Nashville that I know of is 147.180 in west nashville. I have a openspot at home which I use for access mostly. Getting started in dstar isn't hard but can be tedious.

 

[JayC]

Wireless Plus 

1136 Myatt Blvd, Madison, TN 37115

(615) 333-0108

They did the radio (Icom 7000) install for me and did a very good job.  You're going to need to bring with you EVERYTHING they need antenna mount wise.

@TGO David

[TGO David]

Thanks @JayC.  I should have updated the thread.  I installed it all this past weekend.  Drilling that hole and mounting the antenna was the easy part.  It doesn't help that I am OCD when it comes to projects like this.  I ended up with half of the interior of the truck out to run cables, hide things, and try to make it look as close to stock as possible.