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Radio reception in the bush

8241 Views 14 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  snodrogs, 
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Any ideas on how to improve radio reception when traveling in outback Australia, I was thinking of mounting an antenna but from where on a Touareg? BTW Just traveled 17000km towing a 3.2mt caravan around Oz and used on average 17LPH, and the Touareg performed beautifully over all terrain. What a machine.
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sumar
Armdlo said:
Any ideas on how to improve radio reception when traveling in outback Australia, I was thinking of mounting an antenna but from where on a Touareg? BTW Just traveled 17000km towing a 3.2mt caravan around Oz and used on average 17LPH, and the Touareg performed beautifully over all terrain. What a machine.
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I used a stailess Z bracket under the engine hood, on the left for the radio & on the right hand side for the phone

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OILSLURPER
Well, the other point is what signal frequency you operate on. UHF is not hard to rig up as Sumar has already done. It's cheap, plenty of set options and it's DIY. Even the UH078SX works well without an aerial and that's what I chose over the mounted set Not much use when you are out of repeater range, but great in convoy. It's a different matter if HF is the choice and not so easy I'd suggest on a Treg unless you get one of those nudge bars and weld on an aerial mount. VHF is mainly commercial, but it's damn good and way better than UHF. I have UHF and VHF sets in my boat and VHF is what I find the best for distance but you need an operator license.
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T
sumar said:
I used a stailess Z bracket under the engine hood, on the left for the radio & on the right hand side for the phone
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Hi Sumar, I am interested in doing this too. Thanks for the pics. How did you route the cable through the firewall, did you have to cut a hole?
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T
OILSLURPER said:
Well, the other point is what signal frequency you operate on. UHF is not hard to rig up as Sumar has already done. It's cheap, plenty of set options and it's DIY. Even the UH078SX works well without an aerial and that's what I chose over the mounted set Not much use when you are out of repeater range, but great in convoy. It's a different matter if HF is the choice and not so easy I'd suggest on a Treg unless you get one of those nudge bars and weld on an aerial mount. VHF is mainly commercial, but it's damn good and way better than UHF. I have UHF and VHF sets in my boat and VHF is what I find the best for distance but you need an operator license.
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The Treg manual says you shouldn't use a transmitter of over 10 watts. UHF is generally 5 watts unless you are a professional. VHF is far superior but is mainly a marine radio and aeronautic, and generally runs at 25 watts ( twice as good as UHF due to inverse square law) and HF is generally 100 watts, and I would worry about that. I ran a Codan NGK on my Landcruiser thru HFOz which gave me phone use quite economically, SMS service but abbreviated, position logging and other good stuff. Generally much better and less crowded than VKS, which I also ran. The use of VHF is generally frowned on in vehicles, and should never be used near a coast, plus you should have a Marine a Radio Operators a License to operate. Having said that, it does work brilliantly in the bush. I sold my HF when I got my Treg as the manual said not to do it, but I did wonder. Hope this helps.
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TimWhit said:
The Treg manual says you shouldn't use a transmitter of over 10 watts. UHF is generally 5 watts unless you are a professional. VHF is far superior but is mainly a marine radio and aeronautic, and generally runs at 25 watts ( twice as good as UHF due to inverse square law) and HF is generally 100 watts, and I would worry about that. I ran a Codan NGK on my Landcruiser thru HFOz which gave me phone use quite economically, SMS service but abbreviated, position logging and other good stuff. Generally much better and less crowded than VKS, which I also ran. The use of VHF is generally frowned on in vehicles, and should never be used near a coast, plus you should have a Marine a Radio Operators a License to operate. Having said that, it does work brilliantly in the bush. I sold my HF when I got my Treg as the manual said not to do it, but I did wonder. Hope this helps.
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Sorry, I should have stated in my request, I meant am-fm radio.
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Steve_L
Tony,

there is grommet on the passenger side, upper left, between the glovebox/air vent, and the door frame.
View it from under the bonnet, behind the hinge on the passenger side.

If I can come and show you if you like. Simple job, neat, effective and I used a Bennelec bracket to attach the UHF aerial to the trialing edge of the bonnet.
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Steve_L said:
Tony,

there is grommet on the passenger side, upper left, between the glovebox/air vent, and the door frame.
View it from under the bonnet, behind the hinge on the passenger side.

If can come and show you if you like. Simple job, neat, effective and I used a Bennelec bracket to attach the UHF aerial to the trialing edge of the bonnet.
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Thanks Steve, that looks great. I'll definitely check that out. I'm ok with my CDs, it's the person who sits next to me who wants the radio. She said thanks!
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Steve_L
ok...this is for the UHF (CB) radio. Not the AM/FM unit.
I'm not sure how you could boost the signal/reception.

We live in the northern suburbs (Mindarie), and I quite often listen to ABC News Radio (585AM) on the way home from work. Because of the plethora of limestone in the area, and the interference from the power lines of the rail network, I quite often get static/interference from Hodges Dr o'pass on the freeway, until I turn off onto Burns Beach Rd.

The RNS510 does not have a great capacity to pull in the weaker signals. That's why my co-pilot always has her SD card of 'her' music at the ready, whenever we travel.
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sumar
not much that I can ad to the above, I was talking about the CB Radio
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snodrogs
Steve L

Does your model have the plastic plenum chamber cover in the engine bay - covering up the area at the base of the windscreen to the front of the firewall? I have looked all over the place for this elusive grommet but can't see it and I suspect that I will have to take the plastic plenum cover off to get access to it... Unless your good self or anybody else can share any secrets with me.

I have bought the Benelec mount as in your earlier post as well. Do you remove this and secure it (without the antenna) under the bonnet when not using the 2-way? No paint damage from the screw clamps I assume/hope.

Any other hints or tips? I have a GME TX3540S which I will mount in front of the driver- out of site in the cavity behind the fuse box - just about the right size for it. I plan to run the antenna behind the dash to the passenger side and through this elusive grommet into the engine bay. I will mount the telephone-style socket from the handpiece extension out of the way under the passenger side footwell and connect up the remote controller/mic when I want to use the radio (trips etc).

It's a little mucking around but will be neat and tidy when finished.

Providing I can find this grommet...

Cheers

Andrew
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Steve_L
There could be some differences in the firewall design between my 2008 version and your 2014.

Here is the upper corner (passenger side) that I am referring to


Here you can see where the antenna etc are traced thru


here is where the trace comes thru into the LHS fuse box.


and a close up of the finished 'trace/pull thru'


Does that help?
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snodrogs
Thanks mate. I think there is significant differences (at least cosmetically) under the bonnet. I'm sure that mine will have the grommet, but not as readily accessible. Another difference is that I do not have the air vents blowing into the door in my model... Will go back and take yet another look. I'd love to get to it without taking the plenum cover off, but that simply may not be possible...

If I get through (read "find") the grommet, I will post some photos of how, installation etc.

Thanks again,

Andrew
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Fawlty
snodrogs said:
Thanks mate. I think there is significant differences (at least cosmetically) under the bonnet. I'm sure that mine will have the grommet, but not as readily accessible. Another difference is that I do not have the air vents blowing into the door in my model... Will go back and take yet another look. I'd love to get to it without taking the plenum cover off, but that simply may not be possible...

If I get through (read "find") the grommet, I will post some photos of how, installation etc.

Thanks again,

Andrew
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The rubber grommet covers the unused hole for the engine hood (bonnet) release cable. There are 2 symmetrical holes in the firewall, which one is used for the release cable depending whether it’s a left- or right-hand drive, the other one is plugged by said grommet. From the engine compartment, look where your release cable comes through, and then find the grommet in the same spot on the opposite side.

Btw, thanks Steve L, great info. I am in the process of installing my "bush comms" as well.
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snodrogs
Thanks Mr Fawlty, or is that Basil. :)

Good timing for my update.

I have a draw wired run through now utilising the grommet as described. The Plenum cover indeed had to come off to facilitate access to the little blighter.

Now to feed the RF cable into the cabin...
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