VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

tpenfield · Mar 2, 2013

After a few weekends of traveling around the country, etc, I finally got a chance to work on my boat :thumb:

So, I decided to install a VHF radio, since the boat did not have one previously. Here are a few pictures of the day . . .

I have noticed that other F-330's typically have have the VHF radio installed in the lower white trim strip of the instrument panel (right below the ignition switches). I purchased a Uniden VHF radio a month or 2 ago . . .

So, I did some measuring and it turned out that there was 'just' enough unobstructed room behind the panel on the left side to install the radio. After a couple passes of measuring I made the cut-out. and also mounted the microphone clip.

The radio fit into the opening . . .

Here is a pic of the radio set into the opening . . .

Next up was to do the electrical connections and then install the antenna . . .

tpenfield · Mar 2, 2013

Re: VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

The electrical connections were a bit 'interesting' so, I set up a quick power on of the radio, before I continued to figure out the best way to connect the power, etc.

The lights on test worked out fine.

I hooked up the power lead to the electronics circuit breaker, but could not find a bus-bar or anything like that up in the instrument panel area for the ground lead. So, I had to improvise and connected it the the ground side of a close by 12V outlet. We shall see how that works out :noidea:

Here is a picture of the power-up once the electrical connections were complete.

Tomorrow, I will work on installing the antenna. . . I plan on mounting that on the starboard side of the boat, near the helm.

dingbat · Mar 3, 2013

Re: VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

Nice install. Watch out for your sore knee.

Auger01 · Mar 3, 2013

Re: VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

Looks like you cut into the least exprensive, most easily replaced part near the helm. Well done.

Capt Sully · Mar 3, 2013

Re: VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

What model Garmin do you have on your dash ??? looks like it fits well. I'm looking to do the same.

tpenfield · Mar 3, 2013

Re: VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

Capt Sully said:
What model Garmin do you have on your dash ??? looks like it fits well. I'm looking to do the same.

It is a GPSMAP 400/500 series . . . not sure of the exact model because the PO installed it.

tpenfield · Mar 3, 2013

Re: VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

A quick update . .

The antenna was 'interesting' to install, because I had very little access and a long reach to secure the thru-bolts for the mounting bracket. I had to do all kinds of contortions and stand on my head to get a wrench on the nylock nuts. I even used some duct tape to hold the wrench to the nut as I was tightening the bolt from the outside . . . :facepalm:

Definitely a 2-person job, but I was working alone today.

It took so long that I did not have time to wire up the antenna. So, that will have to wait for next weekend.

tpenfield · Mar 3, 2013

Re: VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

Here is a picture of the antenna mount . . .

I was thinking it would take a hour or so to install it, but it actually took all day because of the difficult access to the back side of the mount. :facepalm:

sweet addiction · Mar 3, 2013

Re: VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

Nice work so far! :thumb:

KD4UPL · Mar 3, 2013

Re: VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

I think you know this but your negative wire connection probably won't be acceptable in the long term. IF there isn't too much voltage drop you might still have problems with interference. It's best to ground directly to the battery.

What holds the radio in the dash cut out? I didn't see any fasteners or brackets or anything.

Looks good so far.

tpenfield · Mar 4, 2013

Re: VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

KD4UPL said:
I think you know this but your negative wire connection probably won't be acceptable in the long term. IF there isn't too much voltage drop you might still have problems with interference. It's best to ground directly to the battery.

What holds the radio in the dash cut out? I didn't see any fasteners or brackets or anything.

Looks good so far.

Yup, I was looking for a sizable ground lead in the instrument panel area, and maybe a bus bar or something to attach to, but could not really find anything. So, as you say, I might have to route a lead from the rear of the boat, where there are probably some ground terminals, etc.

The radio is fastened from the back, so things are hidden to give it a nice clean look, similar to the OEM installation.

Here are a couple of pics of the OEM installation below . . . (click to enlarge)

formula-330-sun-sport-28743010130548575649554969694569x.jpg

Formula seems to fit the radio and the microphone clip both on the white trim strip. the problem that I saw was that it would be too close to the steering wheel mechanism. So, I allowed more space in case of measuring inaccuracy, etc., and put the microphone clip just to the left of the trim.

tpenfield · Mar 9, 2013

Re: VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

Finished . . .

I was able to hook up the antenna connector and make final fittings, etc. Seems to work fine . . . listened to the weather broadcast for a while. so, I get a check mark next to that item on my long list of things to get done on the boat before launch date (sometime in May)

Here is the antenna installed . . .

Here is a look under the instrument panel. . . .

Now I have to go fetch out the wrench that I dropped into the depths of the hull structure last week . . . :noidea:

jhebert · Mar 9, 2013

Re: VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

The PL-259 is not properly installed.

tpenfield · Mar 9, 2013

Re: VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

jhebert said:
The PL-259 is not properly installed.

Yea, I had a lot of trouble figuring out how it goes together, as the instructions were not helpful. I guess I'll have to 'tweak' it.

Thanks for the heads up.

sweet addiction · Mar 10, 2013

Re: VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

I think the shielding should be folded back onto the cable and sticking out a tiny bit past the back of the PL-259 so that the shielding is making good contact with that part of the Pl-259. :noidea:

tpenfield · Mar 10, 2013

Re: VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

sweet addiction said:
I think the shielding should be folded back onto the cable and sticking out a tiny bit past the back of the PL-259 so that the shielding is making good contact with that part of the Pl-259. :noidea:

Yea, I got the shield folded back, etc but I probably did not get the inner 'barrel' screwed in all the way. I soldered the center lead and also the ground shield to their respective contact surfaces, etc.

I may just leave it alone, since it works fine. :noidea:

sweet addiction · Mar 10, 2013

Re: VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

Do you have a way of testing your SWR? That will tell you if everything is fine or not.

tpenfield · Mar 11, 2013

Re: VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

sweet addiction said:
Do you have a way of testing your SWR? That will tell you if everything is fine or not.

I don't have any way of testing it, other than the fact that it works OK. Maybe there will be something in the user manual that I can reference to see if it is up to par.

sweet addiction · Mar 11, 2013

Re: VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

There probably won't be but if you have a friend with a handheld or another VHF radio that would be a good way to test it.

tpenfield · Mar 11, 2013

Re: VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

The weather broadcast comes in . . . I haven't monitored channel 16, but there is not much communication going on this time of year.

VHF Radio Installation w/ Pics

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