Bronco Nation

How Many Ham Radio Operators are in Bronco Nation? Sound Off...

Overlanding4Fun
Feb 24, 2021

Rank V

Feb 24, 2021

Callsign: November Whiskey Nine Foxtrot

I am looking at moving my Yaesu FTM-400 over to the Bronco. I am sure I can find some place suitable on the dash to mount the head unit, but I am not sure where I am going to install the radio or place the antenna. I might install a GMRS radio too. There is not much of a GMRS community where I live, but I am sure it would be useful on the trail.

Does anyone know if Ford has incorporated some direct DC power runs to the battery on the Bronco? That would be a nice feature instead of trying to fish power cable through the firewall without compromising any watertight seals. My radio is rated at 11 amps when transmitting at 50 watts and I am sure that would be similar for for a GMRS mobile at max power. Most accessory (cigarette lighter) plugs are protected with a 20 amp fuse, but the accessory wiring is typically small gauged and can melt.
|'21 4-Door | Badsquatch™ | Area 51 | 2.7L | MIC 2.0 Hard Top | Lux Package | Grey Poupon on Tap |

You can find me on the Socials at https://bio.link/overlanding4fun
TK1215, Crowza
Last edited by a moderator: Feb 24, 2021

Rank IV

Sep 07, 2022

#80
KG5ZEV
22 Black Dimond 2.7 auto

Rank IV

Sep 07, 2022

#81
N8IOK… S. FL and I have installed both Ham And GMRS in my Wildtrak. I made my own brackets for radios and antenna mounts.

Attachments

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Lucunup, Mal

you can tune a guitar but can't tune a fish

Sep 07, 2022

#82
cfb9d471bbdd124f16d332ef801277d44da0060e1bd19bf4cbbf7eb17b4f148f_1.jpg
Joined May 29, 2020 Member 546
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Rank III

Sep 13, 2022

#83
73, aj6xp
2022 CyberOrange Badlands 2D LuxTow SansSquatch.
Pre-order 8/21/20; Sold 10/30/22.

Rank 0

Oct 31, 2022

#84
KE6GYD with a 2DR Badlands. Loving it so far. See attached pic of my antenna mount and radio mount. Found a nice spot for the radio mounting plate I made between the trim above the radio and below the display. Snugs in there quite nicely with no bouncing. Some of the Ford 12" screen is blocked, but only for the items not used much.

Attachments

AntennaMount.jpg 640 x 480 · 53.38 KB
AntennaMount2.jpg 640 x 480 · 50.37 KB
Radio Mount.jpg 2016 x 1512 · 443.37 KB
Radio Mount-Plate.jpg 1512 x 2016 · 446.88 KB
Mal

Rank 0

Oct 31, 2022

#85
Overlanding4Fun
Callsign: November Whiskey Nine Foxtrot

I am looking at moving my Yaesu FTM-400 over to the Bronco. I am sure I can find some place suitable on the dash to mount the head unit, but I am not sure where I am going to install the radio or place the antenna. I might install a GMRS radio too. There is not much of a GMRS community where I live, but I am sure it would be useful on the trail.

Does anyone know if Ford has incorporated some direct DC power runs to the battery on the Bronco? That would be a nice feature instead of trying to fish power cable through the firewall without compromising any watertight seals. My radio is rated at 11 amps when transmitting at 50 watts and I am sure that would be similar for for a GMRS mobile at max power. Most accessory (cigarette lighter) plugs are protected with a 20 amp fuse, but the accessory wiring is typically small gauged and can melt.

Rank 0

Oct 31, 2022

#86
Have my Yaesu 400 installed. I just ran the fused DC cable from + of Batt. Fused ground cable connected AFTER the sensor at the battery negative. Ran it and the Comet Antenna feedline through the oval big rubber plug in the firewall above the pedals (easily seen and accessed from under the hood) and siliconed it up. I want that 12ga wire to the radio and not the smaller wire Ford runs.

For the mount, found there was a tight gap above the radio and below the display grey trim. The aluminum plate pressed right in there and is held tight. Works great. Painted it black after I took the pics.

For now, I just placed the radio body under the seat (there's room in my manual adjust seats.) and used velcro to hold it in place. Ran the lines under the floor mats. Then used a remote speaker. Works great.

Antenna mount utilizes the accessory mounting screws for lights. Guess you could still use lights there too if wanted.

There are other places, maybe with a better pattern, to mount an antenna, but this was the simplest and quickest I could come up with short of a trunk lip mount on the hood.

See attached pics.
73
KE6GYD

Attachments

AntennaMount.jpg 640 x 480 · 53.38 KB
AntennaMount2.jpg 640 x 480 · 50.37 KB
Radio Mount.jpg 2016 x 1512 · 443.37 KB
Radio Mount-Plate.jpg 1512 x 2016 · 446.88 KB
TMars

Rank I

Nov 09, 2022

#87
AA5IB

MN_Warthog

Nov 28, 2022

#88
KD0AUF

73
2024 Ford Bronco Raptor - Shelter Green - Order Confirmed 9/21/2023, Scheduled 1/29/2024, In Production 2/2/2024, Built 2/23/204, Shipped 2/25/2024, Delivered 3/12/204.

Dusty

Jul 11, 2023

#89
N7DHW

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