Cobra 18 WX ST II (don’t laugh)

[Slowmover]

After about 3 months of parts sitting I found time and weather that worked for me.

Yup..time to drill a hole in the roof and install my NMO Breedlove mount!

Had to basically take all the rear interior panels off the get the headliner to drop enough to not punch through. I used a Harbor Frieght step bit. It worked but I should have gotten a better bit. It took some pressure to drill to 5/8”.

My son helped to hold the headliner while I drilled. Ok hole is good and centered. Make sure to triple check your measurements!! Could not install exactly in center of roof because of cross brace. So basically the exact same spot I had the magmount on.

My Dad was a welder and metal guy. He’s in his 80’s but still likes to get involved. I measured a 14ga stainless steel plate for support under the mount inside the truck. He cut and rounded the corners for me. Good job Pops!!!

Installed the coax and tried her out. SWR...1.1 across the band! 1.3-4 when amp is on. Super happy with the results! All that bonding sure paid off. Hearing more distant stations and noise floor is lower. Just need to make a gasket to replace Sirio gasket.

So it’s the NMO to adaptor to antenna.

View attachment 43815

A shot of the interior:

View attachment 43816

It’s real stable if I whip the whip back and forth. Hardly any flex. Even with the 3” mount. Took a drive and no issues.

Thanks to all that helped me along through this build up to this point!!! All that advice that was given is golden!!

I’ll put mine in next week (Ha!).

Looks great! I’ve no doubt it will perform well.

Shots of how coax run (and power run) will be nice to see.

The POWERWERX 12V Distribution Panel I recently installed is a NICE piece. More so than the SOTABEAM box it replaced (buss bar vs circuit board).

Anderson PP a great help in set up and take down. Changing something doesn’t involve losing nuts & washers.

Going to use an Isolator (feedpoint CM Choke)?

What post #s was the RF Bond story?

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[ForestRunner98]

I have to ask - if the antenna has a 3/8" mount, why the NMO puck/adapter ? What did I miss ?

I needed a SO239 puck mount with ring terminals but Breedlove didn’t make one. He only has S0239 to S0239. Not much room under the headliner. So I went with the NMO and used the a NMO adaptor to S0239. No biggie for me. I can now experiment with more types of antennas now.

 

[Handy Andy]

Nice work!

 

[ForestRunner98]

I’ll put mine in next week (Ha!).

Looks great! I’ve no doubt it will perform well.

Shots of how coax run (and power run) will be nice to see.

The POWERWERX 12V Distribution Panel I recently installed is a NICE piece. More so than the SOTABEAM box it replaced (buss bar vs circuit board).

Anderson PP a great help in set up and take down. Changing something doesn’t involve losing nuts & washers.

Going to use an Isolator (feedpoint CM Choke)?

What post #s was the RF Bond story?

.

Thanks SLO!! I had good results with the magmount but safety was a concern. Well also asthetics!!

The coax run is just from under the headliner down the side piller and to the 203. I was going to run it under the carpet but wanted to keep it out for the try out period. Power from the 203 is just out to the battery. Ground at the seat bolt.

I don’t have any chokes at the feed point. Don’t seem to need any since the antenna is seeing a big chunck of metal ground. I still have the CMF 500 from Palomar at the headunit.

As for the bonds...I put them in when I was still using the Cobra radio. Just some flat braid from HAM. 2 at hood and hatch, 1 at each door, and 2-3 on the exhaust.

I am looking forward to your install!!!

 

[ForestRunner98]

Nice work!

Thank you!!!!

 

[ForestRunner98]

Here is a pic of the adaptor I used.

 

[Slowmover]

Where’d you mount this?

 

[ForestRunner98]

Where’d you mount this?View attachment 44148

Don’t have one of those....yet. The radio is pretty quiet and ears are good but I am sure with that speaker would be a big difference. Funny that I was on their website this morn and it’s not available till June. I don’t have $220 for a speaker either so....

 

[Shadetree Mechanic]

Don’t have one of those....yet. The radio is pretty quiet and ears are good but I am sure with that speaker would be a big difference. Funny that I was on their website this morn and it’s not available till June. I don’t have $220 for a speaker either so....

I found a used one in good condition on ebay for about $150. Keep your eyes open, you will find something.

 

[Slowmover]

“Static on Radio” (11 Meter thread) is why I posted it.

And you’ve read my posts on RR: you got every other piece, right?

I’m looking forward to your trying one.
Makes that SUV, high-speed, low-drag.

 

[ForestRunner98]

“Static on Radio” (11 Meter thread) is why I posted it.

And you’ve read my posts on RR: you got every other piece, right?

I’m looking forward to your trying one.
Makes that SUV, high-speed, low-drag.

Static in a sense that there is nothing going on. I can hear stations 50-60 miles away(non skip). Usually in the mornings or evenings the boys come out and play but nothing this afternoon. Skip has been nonexistent for a bit now. When it does happen it moves on within an hour.

 

[ForestRunner98]

I found a used one in good condition on ebay for about $150. Keep your eyes open, you will find something.

That’s awesome! I haven’t tried because then it will consume my time as I get OCD over stuff at times. LOL

 

[Slowmover]

Static in a sense that there is nothing going on. I can hear stations 50-60 miles away(non skip). Usually in the mornings or evenings the boys come out and play but nothing this afternoon. Skip has been nonexistent for a bit now. When it does happen it moves on within an hour.

Thx for that info. Now I have an idea of a goal for reception range.

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[Slowmover]

That’s awesome! I haven’t tried because then it will consume my time as I get OCD over stuff at times. LOL

You won’t ever be sorry to own one it. I literally can’t imagine being on the road without it.

 

[ForestRunner98]

You won’t ever be sorry to own one it. I literally can’t imagine being on the road without it.

I bet!!! You can’t have more noise in a already noisy environment. Make a small vid and throw it on YT. I have seen some vids on it and it’s really something else!!