VE6AB Mobile Ops
The Whole Shebang Front to Back
I receive a lot of email in regards to where I purchased the radio-stack that resides in my mobile, and once I say its a custom built assembly of my own design, then the next question is to how my radio stack is assembled that resides in my mobile.
In actuality the first rendition of the radio-stack as seen here, first came about 3 mobiles back, when I first put together a radio-stack due to the limitations of trying to mount radio gear on the instrument panel, or even below it in a 1989 Ford F150.
My first generation radio-stack was not near as efficient in its usage, as my second and third radio-stacks that evolved through my next two mobiles, beginning with my 2004 Ford F150, and that radio-stack re-installed into my 2012 Avalanche that I purchased new in 2012, with modifications made to the floor plate, allowing it to fit in the center area of the Av.
I built the custom floor-plate/bracket assembly in my shop that is bolted to the center seat floor mount assembly, as well as to the floor of the Av.
This heavy Aluminum floor-plate assembly that includes the 3"stub for the mount post to fasten to, forms 90 degrees when looking at it from the top down, and this assembly is bolted to the passengers side of the mount for the center seat, and also has an arm that is bolted to the far front drivers side of the seat assembly as well for stability.
The main post assembly is a modified heavy-duty photography monopod, that I discarded the two bottom sections of, and modified the remaining shortened top section to become the main base section of the radio stack and attaches to the 3" stub at the floor with a cam-lock lever.
I then utilized 4 flanged double-ended ball mounts that required some modification, and the addition of custom made brackets from my shop to allow all the ham radio devices to be fastened in place.
With all the double ball mounts fully adjustable, it allows one to tweak the positioning of all the mounted radio gear, allowing for a unhindered view of all the components that are mounted on the radio-stack, from the driver's position, or from the navigator/operator position, by unlocking the quick-lock lever at the base, and swiveling the complete radio-stack towards the right-hand seat.
The flanged double-ended ball mounts that I had in my collection of acquired bits & pieces, and used in my radio-stack are no longer available to be purchased unfortunately.
The complete radio stack assembly may be removed in minutes, if required, as the only cables required to be disconnected from the radio stack, are the three data cables visible in the photo, and the quick-disconnect at the bottom of the radio-stack post, where the 3" stub-adapter bracket is bolted to the center seat mount assembly.
If desired, the upper part of the assembly which means all the devices, may seperated from the lower post-mount, allowing for service work in a jiffy when required, or for security reasons when away from my mobile.
Although I make the odd tweak to this rendition of my radio-stack, for the most part the design has matured to the point that the only changes that will be required, is when I decide its time for a new mobile, and I move the radio-stack as seen here, into the next mobile that I decide to acquire.
Course the only changes required, will be to the custom floor-plate needed for the radio-stack to fit this new mobile.
No rush on that, as the Av continues to serve me well....
Click on the photo for a closer look.....
