Codan HF antenna install on rear door and dismantling of rear door and side trim

[Nik120 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Nik120]

G'day All,

My plan is to install a Codan 3040 antenna on a Kaymar HF mount - I've already installed this. Does anyone have any pics or ideas on how to pull apart the rear door trim and rear interior panel so that I can drill a hole behind the spare wheel, install a gland, run cables through the door, through the existing cable tube and into the chassis behind the trim at the rear of the vehicle??

Any info, mods, ideas and pics are most welcome.

Thanks.

Cheers,

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Everything you need to know should be in this excellent guide http://www.lcool.org/technical/120_s...ra/camera.html

Cheers Andrew

[Nik120 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Nik120]

Hey Andrew, thanks for the link - it's a good explanation.

I'll give it a shot.

Cheers,

[CASTOY Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CASTOY]

Nik, I installed mine by running it between the rear bar and up through the RH side. Didn't go through the rear door at all and there was no need to drill any holes.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

I am currently fitting up my Codan 9350 Antenna, mount is no problem and found spots for Radio and remote head in the cab. Only snag for me is running the control cable for the Antenna. I was just going to drill 2 small holes in the rear door and run the Control and Signal cables through them, but it looks like the 2 ends of the control cable are permanent fixtures, so it would need to be a large hole with no way to seal it up.

Anyone else run these cables through a panel before, any suggestions?

Cheers Andrew

[Trekrider Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Trekrider]

I am currently fitting up my Codan 9350 Antenna, mount is no problem and found spots for Radio and remote head in the cab. Only snag for me is running the control cable for the Antenna. I was just going to drill 2 small holes in the rear door and run the Control and Signal cables through them, but it looks like the 2 ends of the control cable are permanent fixtures, so it would need to be a large hole with no way to seal it up.

Anyone else run these cables through a panel before, any suggestions?

Cheers Andrew

Andrew, Do not cut or remove the connectors from the Antenna end - they are sealed and water blocked. When I fitted mine recently I just removed the connectors from the radio end, the antenna cable is just a PL259 so easy to take apart and reconnect. The control cable is just a normal unsealed connector - just remove the small screw from the side and it all comes apart. When I did mine I cut the connector off fed it through the bulkhead then re-soldered each wire in turn by matching the colour.

I used a couple of glands from Jaycar as shown here:



You can't see it in the photo (because it's on the other side of the door) but I also fitted a substantial earth lead from the back of the bottom mounting bolt through the rear door gland and earthed to the body inside the rear quarter.

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

OK, hadn't thought about cutting the cable midway, but guess that will work.

Whilst on the subject of mounting the Antenna, I notice every install I see people use braided earth straps, now I bought my setup from a retired local Radio Guru and it just has a normal insulated Earth lead from the Antenna, is there a reason everyone goes braided?

Cheers Andrew

[Trekrider Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Trekrider]

Mine is braided on the outside because that's what comes with the antenna from Codan. On the inside I have used ordinary cable - just very heavy duty. Makes no difference really as long as the earth cable is heavy duty.

[Trekrider Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Trekrider]

OK, hadn't thought about cutting the cable midway, but guess that will work.

Just to be clear, I didn't cut mine midway, I cut it at the connector (within 10mm). I could have just un-soldered the wires and soldered them back on but decided to cut it to make it easier to feed through and when it came to reconnecting I just removed each wire in turn and connected the cable to make it easier to ensure I got them the same way round.

[foxclan Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close foxclan]

So will AJ and Trekrider be able to speak to each other from Loxton to Safety Bay on the Codans?
MLC will not be impressed to be excluded from these conversations!

Steven Mitchells (an old mate) had the HF radio fitted to his Troopie going back a few years, and was pissed that he couldn't understand any of the talking that was coming through on it one clear night. Took the unit back to the installers with the complaint and was told that he had been tuned into Asian fishing boats talking offshore.
Not a bad range if you had to call an emergency service from remote locations.

[Trekrider Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Trekrider]

So will AJ and Trekrider be able to speak to each other from Loxton to Safety Bay on the Codans?
MLC will not be impressed to be excluded from these conversations!

Provided AJ is on HF Radio Club then yes we should be able to (using the right frequency for the conditions on the day).

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Thanks for the clarification trekky.

I plan to go with vks, everyone I know with a HF is with them. The head honcho from vks spoke at our club last year and I was impressed with what he had to say. Already having the sat phone the HF is useful only for the network behind it.

We might be able to talk face to face in a few months time when I am in Perth, but I will start a thread about that.

Cheers Andrew

[Trekrider Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Trekrider]

I didn't go with VKS as they have voice only. HFRC have GPS, SMS and phone connect. Let me know if you are getting over here.


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