WA5VHU
07-03-2017, 11:24 PM
Big Boy’s Ham or CB Radio
For those of you with a wimpy factory CB radio or if you are using a little boy’s handlebar mounted CB radio and can’t make them work worth a darn this is the story of my installation of my Yaesu FTM-350 dual band VHF/UHF Amateur (Ham) mobile radio on my 2013 RS Spyder, AKA “we don’t need no stinking walkie talkies!”
Everything here would also apply to installing a typical mobile CB radio also as all of the inputs and outputs would be the same, only the frequency (and antenna model) would be different. I don’t know of a CB radio with a remote head so you would have to stop to change channels. But you would have a real radio, and one of your choice that you know works!
The FTM-350 is a 2 meter/70 cm 12V mobile unit with 50 watts output and uses a remote head for control. I help out with our Ham club at a number of public service events such as marathon runs and the like and sometimes use my Spyder so I wanted a radio on the motorcycle for that and also just to talk to my friends while ryding around.
The radio is not water resistant so I chose to mount the transceiver unit and accessories inside the frunk on the cover that goes over the battery, that way the assembly could be put together and worked on out of the frunk and on the bench.
With the radio and stuff you likely can’t get a big boy’s helmet in the frunk anymore but there is still likely room for a little boy’s (or little girl’s) helmet to fit in, as since they are only part of a helmet they should go in no problems. I could put two big boy's helmets in my "really big butt" top case so I put my mesh jacket and pants in my frunk.
150435
The remote head is not water resistant either so I used one of those water tight boxes from the camping section of Wally World to put it in. It was mounted in the center of the handlebars with a short RAM mount. I guess I didn’t take an overall picture of the handlebars with the radio head on them but here is a picture with a plate I used to hold my phone before I got a RAM X-Mount, the plate is in the same place the big boy’s radio control head went.
150436
150437
The setup consist of the following:
Handlebars:
Radio control head, mounted on RAM mount (not used for CB).
Frunk battery cover plate:
Main radio chassis (CB mobile radio would go here).
Fuzeblock, provides power distribution, fusing and on-off relay key switching of the radio
12V DC filter, the kind for car stereo use, may not be needed but I had one.
Sena SR10 to put the receive and transmit audio in my helmet via my 20S
DC-DC ground isolator module for the Sena SR10 to stop the ground loop whines
Audio/PTT interface box to go between the radio and SR10 to stop the ground loop whines
The DC-DC ground isolator module is from eBay, search on “Isolated Power Module DC-DC Converter Input Voltage 9V-36V Output 12V 5W”. I just wrapped the module with tape.
The Audio/PTT interface box I home-built but you can get the same thing on eBay, search on “Psk-31 "EASY DIGI" Sound Card Interface” and stick in in a box or just wrap the PC board with tape.
As the RS does not have an entertainment radio and no provisions for antenna(s) I bolted a piece of aluminum flat plate to the top box bracket sticking out the back for my whip aerial. If you have an RT you could use the second antenna position.
For the PTT switch I drilled a small hole in the curly end of the Sena PTT button switch and used a #4 stainless steel screw and nylock nut to mount it to the blank button on my RS. You may have to do something different if yours isn’t an RS.
I am happy to answer any questions and help you if you wish to try this.
150438
150439
For those of you with a wimpy factory CB radio or if you are using a little boy’s handlebar mounted CB radio and can’t make them work worth a darn this is the story of my installation of my Yaesu FTM-350 dual band VHF/UHF Amateur (Ham) mobile radio on my 2013 RS Spyder, AKA “we don’t need no stinking walkie talkies!”
Everything here would also apply to installing a typical mobile CB radio also as all of the inputs and outputs would be the same, only the frequency (and antenna model) would be different. I don’t know of a CB radio with a remote head so you would have to stop to change channels. But you would have a real radio, and one of your choice that you know works!
The FTM-350 is a 2 meter/70 cm 12V mobile unit with 50 watts output and uses a remote head for control. I help out with our Ham club at a number of public service events such as marathon runs and the like and sometimes use my Spyder so I wanted a radio on the motorcycle for that and also just to talk to my friends while ryding around.
The radio is not water resistant so I chose to mount the transceiver unit and accessories inside the frunk on the cover that goes over the battery, that way the assembly could be put together and worked on out of the frunk and on the bench.
With the radio and stuff you likely can’t get a big boy’s helmet in the frunk anymore but there is still likely room for a little boy’s (or little girl’s) helmet to fit in, as since they are only part of a helmet they should go in no problems. I could put two big boy's helmets in my "really big butt" top case so I put my mesh jacket and pants in my frunk.
150435
The remote head is not water resistant either so I used one of those water tight boxes from the camping section of Wally World to put it in. It was mounted in the center of the handlebars with a short RAM mount. I guess I didn’t take an overall picture of the handlebars with the radio head on them but here is a picture with a plate I used to hold my phone before I got a RAM X-Mount, the plate is in the same place the big boy’s radio control head went.
150436
150437
The setup consist of the following:
Handlebars:
Radio control head, mounted on RAM mount (not used for CB).
Frunk battery cover plate:
Main radio chassis (CB mobile radio would go here).
Fuzeblock, provides power distribution, fusing and on-off relay key switching of the radio
12V DC filter, the kind for car stereo use, may not be needed but I had one.
Sena SR10 to put the receive and transmit audio in my helmet via my 20S
DC-DC ground isolator module for the Sena SR10 to stop the ground loop whines
Audio/PTT interface box to go between the radio and SR10 to stop the ground loop whines
The DC-DC ground isolator module is from eBay, search on “Isolated Power Module DC-DC Converter Input Voltage 9V-36V Output 12V 5W”. I just wrapped the module with tape.
The Audio/PTT interface box I home-built but you can get the same thing on eBay, search on “Psk-31 "EASY DIGI" Sound Card Interface” and stick in in a box or just wrap the PC board with tape.
As the RS does not have an entertainment radio and no provisions for antenna(s) I bolted a piece of aluminum flat plate to the top box bracket sticking out the back for my whip aerial. If you have an RT you could use the second antenna position.
For the PTT switch I drilled a small hole in the curly end of the Sena PTT button switch and used a #4 stainless steel screw and nylock nut to mount it to the blank button on my RS. You may have to do something different if yours isn’t an RS.
I am happy to answer any questions and help you if you wish to try this.
150438
150439