I obtained a Kenwood RZ-1 Reciever

[WX7P]

...for installation in the 1992 Suburban.

I've never done a mobile installation for an hf receiver before, so I'm curious what input you guys might have for avoidance of noise etc.

The RZ-1 is AM/FM only and does .5-905 MHZ.

In the house it hears the FM Broadcast band really well, not so hot compared to 746Pro on HF.

The previous owner of the truck had already removed the stock radio, installed an aftermarket, and removed that radio, so dash mounting will be easy. I had an RZ-1 back in the day and connected it using the cigarette lighter plug. That didn't go over very well, the result was ignition noise among other things.

Any input would be appreciated.

[K7SGJ]

I think I'd try putting it in and wiring it directly to the battery and see what you get. If it's clean, then try going to a point where the B+ is switched and se what you get. I'd just make sure the radio is solidly grounded to the body. Everybody and his brother make inline noise filters that aren't much more than the B+ lead wrapped around a toroid. I don't know how effective they are, but 20 bux for a little wire on a toroid and a bypass cap seems a little steep. Like I said, I'd just put it in and see what happens. If you do have noise issues, check K0BG web site. He has a lot of good info. Good luck. I hope it works with a minimum of BS.

[NQ6U]

If Eddie's advice doesn't work, try grounding the B+.

[K7SGJ]

If Eddie's advice doesn't work, try grounding the B+.


Simon and Garfunkel's Sounds of Silence comes to mind.

[NQ6U]

Simon and Garfunkel's Sounds of Silence comes to mind.

More like their lesser-known song, The Sound of Arc Welding.

[KG4NEL]

Don't forget the 250Wx2 amp and the wall of 6x9s with titanium-dome tweets.

[N8YX]

Kenwood makes an inline noise filter for installations of this nature. IIRC, it's a PG-3.

[K7SGJ]

Kenwood makes an inline noise filter for installations of this nature. IIRC, it's a PG-3.

That's the one. I used one in the truck and although the radio wasn't very noisy to begin with, it did help quiet it down a little further. I'm going to try one on the side by side to see if it will help there. That thing generates hash and noise like crazy.

Yaesu also sells one that is the spitting image of the PG3.

[WØTKX]

I've run coax to the battery to cut down on noise.
Don't forget the fuses. Works well in many installs.

[KG4CGC]

First off, Congrats! I'm jelly.

I've been wondering about doing an install in a 2005 Hyundai Santa Fe. 3.5L V6. Really quick car but a lot of computer controlled engine functions. The standard Monsoon sound system isn't well insulated from the RF of a 4 watt Bungfun HT. I'd hate to think what an HF going full bore at 100w might do not even considering the engine computers.

[N8YX]

Look around for a Phillips DC-777. It covers LW, some SW and the FM broadcast bands.

A Bearcat BC-996XLT is another good choice if coverage below 25MHZ doesn't matter.

Both are DIN form factor and will slide right into a single-height bay. The Bearcat unit nets you the ability to listen to most late-generation APCO 25 trunking systems.

[KG4NEL]

I'm looking at one of those handheld digital Unidens now, ever since all of the local counties (well, the ones with people in them) went to APCO 25.

They 'spensive.

[kb2vxa]

If you want to listen to Public Service frequencies many trunked systems are migrating to the new 700MHz band so you'll have to spring some big bux for a Uniden Home Patrol and programming software, the keypad is horrendous to put it mildly. That having been said, Ken's Woodie is to be used for HF primarily and like we've been saying with mobile operation noise can be a serious bitch. Good luck with that, but if you run into alternator whine like I did there's only one effective solution. I tried everything from soup to nuts, mostly nuts including a home brew L-C filter (secondary of a tube radio output transformer and a 100uF electrolytic) that worked on a 5W marine band portable. Then a friend gave me an active filter sold for boom car applications, it worked like a charm.

[KG4NEL]

I'm avoiding the Home Patrol for the same reason I think the IC-7100 is a horrible idea. Touchscreens on ham gear, boo, hiss.

I don't mind them on phones, because they're replaced every 3 years anyway.

[kb2vxa]

What touchscreen? The Uniden BCD436HP portable and BCD536HP base/mobile use a touch pad and Home Patrol software. The included software has lots of limitations and the favorites editor to create new systems in Sentinel is very limited. BuTel ARC536 solves this problem with a true excel style editor.

[KG4NEL]

Oh, I was thinking this one: http://rffun.com/catalog/scanners/6420.html

[kb2vxa]

Yep, and you can stuff it along with all those wonderful ASSecories in the 5331 Universal Go-Bag for whackeriffic fun... or you can just stuff it. (;->)