I want to hard-mount the radio portion of my FTM-400 ham rig. It's about the size and weight of a 2" book. I would like to place it at the passenger's feet on the side of the console hump. I've been using velcro but it's not holding on the carpet well enough. If I drive some short sheet-metal screws through the carpet and metal, what am I likely to hit? Something critical?
Thanks for the advice.
I have a Yaesu FTM-400 and just got back from a 4000 mile road trip through Canada then back to Texas in my Model S.
I use the Lido cup holder mount on the center console driver side cup holder for the control head. It is infinitely adjustable and very easy to view without problems. FSD doesn't bark at me when its in this location.
LM-803 Cup Holder Mount With Height Adjustment Control For Yaesu FTM-300 FTM-350 FTM-400 FT-891
I have the radio in the trunk with the mount screwed down onto a wood charcuterie board that I bought at Target for $8. The board is velcroed to the floor of the trunk so it is easily removed and adjusted. I have an extension for the microphone and control head running underneath the full coverage floor mats I bought from Tesmanian, and they are completely hidden. I also have 12v power to the unit from a splitter inserted into the 12v accessory cigarette receptacle in the center console, also routed under the floor mats, along the left passenger seat, and into the trunk. This has a 14 amp fuse, and the unit draws a max of 10 amps. So not ideal, but I have had zero problems with it.
The antenna is mounted on the left trunk lip with a Diamond K400C
DIAMOND K400C Antenna Accessories Mounts Lip, K400C
The antenna itself is a Diamond AZ507 RSP
DIAMOND AZ507RSP Antenna Mobile Dual Band 2m-70cm, AZ507RSP
This is small enough that raising the hatch on the Model S doesn't snag the garage door, and still gives me good reception and good signal reports.
I have had zero interference with the Tesla controls or FSD while transmitting at 5, 25, and 50 watts.
I can hear the speaker decently even though it's in the trunk, but I also use a Blue Parrot B-450 headset. It covers only one ear and connects nicely to the Yaesu by bluetooth. (It also does a really nice job connecting to my iPhone and I get comments using it on how it sounds like a corded phone rather than a car speakerphone. If I am on a road trip and my wife is sleeping, I will use the B450 for phone calls.) You could easily run a speaker connection along with the other cables to a speaker under the front seats if you prefer that.
Good luck on your installation. 73, KC5JIF
Thanks
