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N8YX
07-30-2011, 08:36 PM
Spent the latter half of the day installing an FTM-10SR - 2/440MHz 10w mobile - on 'DSG's Valkyrie Tourer. What a friggin' project. The 'homebrew' aspect involves cable, bracket and interface building. A big tip of the hat to Jon Jamber and the rest of the Kennedy Technologies staff, who provided the FRSet-4 controller and a bunch of hard-to-find connectors.

Pictures forthcoming as soon as I clean the wiring job up a bit, along with the rest of the bike. Have to build a harness to connect the two rear speakers (mounted in the passenger armrests) to the Yaesu's AF Out line. It's capable of receiving FM stereo and that's the main reason I donated one of the rigs to her bike - it doesn't have a factory audio system.

Sadly, Yaesu discontinued the -SR (waterproof) version, leaving only the FTM-10R (50w) available. I would gladly pay $$$ for a waterproof, 10W mobile FM rig of similar construction that covers 10-6-2M, 220 and 440MHz. With the rig which is due here sometime next week we have four of them and I would like to find a fifth.

KG4CGC
07-30-2011, 08:48 PM
like

K7SGJ
07-30-2011, 11:22 PM
Spent the latter half of the day installing an FTM-10SR - 2/440MHz 10w mobile - on 'DSG's Valkyrie Tourer. What a friggin' project. The 'homebrew' aspect involves cable, bracket and interface building. A big tip of the hat to Jon Jamber and the rest of the Kennedy Technologies staff, who provided the FRSet-4 controller and a bunch of hard-to-find connectors.

Pictures forthcoming as soon as I clean the wiring job up a bit, along with the rest of the bike. Have to build a harness to connect the two rear speakers (mounted in the passenger armrests) to the Yaesu's AF Out line. It's capable of receiving FM stereo and that's the main reason I donated one of the rigs to her bike - it doesn't have a factory audio system.

Sadly, Yaesu discontinued the -SR (waterproof) version, leaving only the FTM-10R (50w) available. I would gladly pay $$$ for a waterproof, 10W mobile FM rig of similar construction that covers 10-6-2M, 220 and 440MHz. With the rig which is due here sometime next week we have four of them and I would like to find a fifth.

I wish I'd have known. I coulda helped you out with the fifth, but I drank it.

w2amr
07-31-2011, 07:21 AM
Spent the latter half of the day installing an FTM-10SR - 2/440MHz 10w mobile - on 'DSG's Valkyrie Tourer. What a friggin' project. The 'homebrew' aspect involves cable, bracket and interface building. A big tip of the hat to Jon Jamber and the rest of the Kennedy Technologies staff, who provided the FRSet-4 controller and a bunch of hard-to-find connectors.

Pictures forthcoming as soon as I clean the wiring job up a bit, along with the rest of the bike. Have to build a harness to connect the two rear speakers (mounted in the passenger armrests) to the Yaesu's AF Out line. It's capable of receiving FM stereo and that's the main reason I donated one of the rigs to her bike - it doesn't have a factory audio system.

Sadly, Yaesu discontinued the -SR (waterproof) version, leaving only the FTM-10R (50w) available. I would gladly pay $$$ for a waterproof, 10W mobile FM rig of similar construction that covers 10-6-2M, 220 and 440MHz. With the rig which is due here sometime next week we have four of them and I would like to find a fifth.IMHO, Riding a motorcycle is dangerous enough without adding the distraction of a two way radio. But that's just me.

N8YX
07-31-2011, 05:51 PM
IMHO, Riding a motorcycle is dangerous enough without adding the distraction of a two way radio. But that's just me.
Everything's integrated - your hands needn't leave the bars once you have set the operating frequency and mode. PTT controls for onboard CB (Hondaline/Clarion) and the Yaesu dualbander are on the left bar, near the grip. Easy reach.

Here's a shot of the FRSet-4, nestled in its frame area before the fuel tank was replaced:

4403

N8YX
07-31-2011, 05:58 PM
Can you spot the radio?

4406

N8YX
07-31-2011, 06:02 PM
Getting warmer...the main chassis tucks up underneath the Valkyrie I/S' trunk rack in the space where its OEM CB would normally mount. Since this is a Tourer, its accessory CB mounts under the driver's saddle - leaving the trunk area free.

4407

N8YX
07-31-2011, 06:06 PM
The control head. It's completely waterproof, as is the main chassis. The white lead to the right of the unit is the Hondaline CB unit's "Aux In" line - I opted to use the CB for this rather than the FTM-10SR's "Line In" port - owing to the fact it's a little bit easier for the driver (Nicki) to work the CB's audio input source selector with gloved hands.

4408

N8YX
07-31-2011, 06:13 PM
Antenna and connector. The mount is a standard Hondaline; it was adapted to accommodate a PL-259 on each end by first removing the Honda 8mm stud mount and coax. A pair of SO-239 to 3/8"-24 mounts and a 3/8"-24 threaded barrel (as is used to mount a fiberglass CB whip, for example) comprise the inside and a pair of Teflon washers/spacers - one at each end of the assembly - keeps the "center conductor" (barrel) from shorting out to the arm.

Easy to duplicate; all parts available from your local Radio Shack, CB shop, etc. The modification is completely reversible if wanting to return the bike to "stock".

The antenna is a Comet SB224 - it has a fold-over mast like the Hondaline CB antenna, which is mounted on the left side of the trunk. Handy for times when you need to throw a cover on the bike - just lay both of them flat. No need to remove.

4409

N8YX
07-31-2011, 06:19 PM
One other tidbit - I programmed a bunch of frequencies - simplex, repeaters, FRS/GMRS/MURS monitor channels - public service/safety allocations and a lot more into a master unit while sitting in the shack. Once this was done, I took the master and a 12v battery out to the bike, activated 'clone mode' and in about 2 minutes had a copy of the data residing in the newly installed radio, awaiting usage. I'll update the rest of the radios as I get them and install them. This is a cool feature to have, but the rigs have to be in close proximity to each other for this to work. How close I'm not sure - hopefully we can do bike-to-bike clones if parked next to one another.

w2amr
08-01-2011, 03:37 AM
Pretty slick, nice job.

N8YX
08-03-2011, 06:52 AM
Not done yet. 'DSG and myself did a T/R test last evening with the bike and it seems I'm picking up a sheetload of alternator noise on TX. Gotta get that fixed.

N8YX
08-06-2011, 08:16 PM
I redid the 'integrator' (FRSet4) to radio harness - seems that the supplied cable drawing had the Mic Gnd line routed to +5v! Also reduced the internal RX/TX Audio Gain setting to 'normal' (rather than 20dB boost) and made up for the level difference by increasing the FTM-10SR's Mic Gain menu setting.

Also built up a relay and wiring harness which picks power for both the radio and the KTG setup straight from the battery via an inline 5A mini-fuse. We have yet to try a transceive session with this modification but the initial harness rework and gain reduction appeared to quiet the noise substantially.

Of course, each time I make adjustments to the Integrator I have to remove and replace the fuel tank. Doing so caused the gas line to develop a leak and it's a single-wall, non-braided type. Which no one has in stock, naturally. I ended up going with 5/16" ID braided Neoprene line and had to remove the airbox assembly to replace it due to leverage constraints. :angry:

Hopefully I won't have to screw with the setup any more. 'DSG's other -10SR arrived in the mail today and it'll get installed on my Concours some time this fall.

W7XF
08-07-2011, 09:50 AM
IMHO, Riding a motorcycle is dangerous enough without adding the distraction of a two way radio. But that's just me.

+1

When I ride, I do have my VX-6 in my backpack. Only thing I listen to is music on my iPod. The phone is also in my backpack, on, incase shit happens. Although, in a lot of places I ride, if shit happened, I'd be more likely to be able to summon help with the HT.