Has anyone installed a ham radio on a Can Am Spyder GS? I am a licensed amateur radio operator and recently purchased a Yaesu FTM-10R mobile 2 meter/440 MHz radio to install on my Spyder. This unit has a water-proof remote control head and id designed for harsh environments. The biggest challenges are going to fins a place to hide the main unit and a way to mount an antenna, If anyone has mounted a radio and/or antenna, please contact me.
I use my 5 W Hand Held (HT) with a speaker Mic. I would recommend a "J-Pole" antenna as you won't need a ground plane of metal to properly load the antenna, 1/4 Wave Mag Mounts and such are half of the needed dipole and need a lot of metal beneath them, the "J-pole" does not need the metal ground plane. I do have concerns about the RF from 50/60 watts messing with the on-board electronics that make the Spyder run. KE7GZU 73's.
I had my FTM-10R control head mounted on my Spyder's handlebars once but never installed the rest of the radio. I later installed the radio on my Honda NC700X 2-wheeler. For now I use my VX-8 talkie on the handlebars but I am looking for another FTM-10 - they are getting hard to find.
Has anyone installed a ham radio on a Can Am Spyder GS? I am a licensed amateur radio operator and recently purchased a Yaesu FTM-10R mobile 2 meter/440 MHz radio to install on my Spyder. This unit has a water-proof remote control head and id designed for harsh environments. The biggest challenges are going to fins a place to hide the main unit and a way to mount an antenna, If anyone has mounted a radio and/or antenna, please contact me.
Mike (KA6ALF)
Mike, I think versitility of RAM mount systems offer many options, however you should reconsider a 50 watt rig and possible interference with Spyder can-bus computer system. lack of a good ground plane, higher SWR you don't know where stray RF will be going while communicating. Only good place to safely hide power module is in a luggage case. IMO a hand held 5/10 watt HF transceiver to work repeaters with bluetooth audio & helmet mic would be my choice... D-Star HF handheld rig & repeaters you can talk to the world. Another serious consideration is small moto battery & alternator capacity designed to handle only Spyder electrical systems with very little power left for anything else when on the road.
Bruce, W1VOT (One Very Old Timer)
2018 RT Limited Spyder , Garmin Zumo GPS, Battery tender wire harness Show Chrome brake pedal extender Oxford Blue
A 50 Watt mobile may be a good choice, you can always run it on medium or low power. That will give you a larger heat sink, and running it at 20 Watts or so may keep it cooler.
I mounted the body of my mobile rig in the frunk on the removable panel that covers the battery. Made it easy to mount and mess with, just the two top screws holding the panel on.
I transmitted at the full 50 Watts and never noticed any issues with the Spyder, however I normally operated at the medium power setting.
A 50 Watt mobile may be a good choice, you can always run it on medium or low power. That will give you a larger heat sink, and running it at 20 Watts or so may keep it cooler.
I mounted the body of my mobile rig in the frunk on the removable panel that covers the battery. Made it easy to mount and mess with, just the two top screws holding the panel on.
I transmitted at the full 50 Watts and never noticed any issues with the Spyder, however I normally operated at the medium power setting.
My antenna was a Diamond 1/2 wave that does not require a ground plane, I mounted it at the back of the trike. Junior2.jpg
Very nice Spyder mobile set up. Nothing like real world test...up to that point only hope it works as planned. Good to know no can-bus computer problems and electrical system can handle a 50 watt rig.
73's W1VOT
2018 RT Limited Spyder , Garmin Zumo GPS, Battery tender wire harness Show Chrome brake pedal extender Oxford Blue
Ham radio??
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Originally Posted by Alfdude1
Only good place to safely hide power module is in a luggage case. IMO a hand held 5/10 watt HF transceiver to work repeaters with bluetooth audio & helmet mic would be my choice... D-Star HF handheld rig & repeaters you can talk to the world. Another serious consideration is small moto battery & alternator capacity designed to handle only Spyder electrical systems with very little power left for anything else when on the road.
