Ham Radio Install - questions

[HowlingWolven]

Hi all, longtime lurker. I'm working on getting a ham radio installed in my '08 5dr hatch, and one of my goals is to do as little 'damage' as I can get away with.

For those who've done something similar, I have a few questions.

First and probably most important, I haven't settled on a location for the control head yet. My current thought is to VHB the bracket that comes with the radio to the dash next to the cluster and to run the cable down a crack.

Secondly - the hand mic. Underneath the climate controls is a little square punchout. What did Toyota intend to put there, and does anyone know of an RJ45 connector that I can install, preferably without cutting plastic?

I'm talking about this little punchout.


My idea is to install an RJ45 passthrough, maybe even with a neat little green light and pictogram here.


And then the mic itself would most likely live on the left of the radio.

Thanks and 73!

[Winter]

I installed a Kenwood TM-281 but I ended up just setting it in the space below your picture of the power plug. Mine is a 5 speed. There is a grommet on pax side just above or close to the computer on the engine side, use a sharp object to put a hole in it to feed pwr wires and you will need to remove the fuse or fuses. I ran the coax from mag mount up on the pax side behind all the moulding. My radio stayed for about 5 or 6 years then i got an icom 5100 which i ended up using one of those seat track attachments that is supposed to fit on the seat bolts but mine would not turn so i mounted it through one of the push out buttons on center console in front of parking brake. The whole plastic section pulls off and you punch out a blank and you will see a bolt that you can take out to mount the flexible mount. You then pull the plastic section over the flex mount pole and fasten it back. I mounted the faceplate to a RAM mount. Nly problem is you really dont have a lot of space to mount anything and the faceplaTe is in way of fan, heater and temp if you carry pax if you dont you can move mount towards paz seat. I then installed the radio unit under pax seat along with two bearcat speakers of which one is under driver seat and other is under pax. I got the cable extensions and ran them under seat

[myfirstyota]

The push-out next to the 12 accessory outlet was for usb connection or an auxiliary input. Not exactly sure which.