Codan 9350 install

Submitted: Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 19:49
ThreadID: 76985 Views:11766 Replies:7 FollowUps:17
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Good Day Guys,

I'm chasing some info on installing a Codan 9350 onto my bullbar.

I have a set of IPFs on the lower part of my bar so I onlly have the top bar to play with. The top bar does not have any tabs for spots or antennas.

I have not yet recieved the antenna so I'm having trouble getting a mental picture of the base.

Can anyone advise how they have installed theirs?

A rear mount is out of the question, and there are no laws restricting a bullbar mount in the territory.

Look forward to some suggestions.

Regards

Tadge
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Reply By: Ozhumvee - Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 21:13

Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 21:13
It would be best to have a tab welded onto the top bar as the antenna weighs a few kilo's and with its length will have a fair bit of leverage.
ARB used to sell a large tab that could be welded on, they also had a large version of their clamp on bracket but it could only handle the weight of a Barrett antenna not the codan.
The bracket needs to be about 6mm thick, 100mm wide at its attachment point near the top of the bar tube and nearly the same distance out. The antenna sprung base is approx 100mm square.
There should also be side gussets from the outer edge increasing in height back to the bottom edge of the bar tube.
I used to install lots on 4wd's, trucks and buses and anything lighter will eventually let go especially if you spend a lot of time on corrugated dirt roads.
Don't put it directly in front of the passenger seat either, drives them mad trying to see past it ;-))
AnswerID: 409400

Follow Up By: Tadgell - Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 21:31

Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 21:31
Thanks Ozhumvee,

I have not looked into welding a tab but I think the lower bar area will be the go.

I did have a look at some of the heavy duty bar mounts (U Bolt syle) but I'm not confident they will hold the weight.

Tadge
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Reply By: Member - Fred B (NT) - Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 21:20

Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 21:20
Atually there are laws regarding diminished visibility in the NT.
I did have mine on the front bar, and couldn't wait to get it off there. As soon as I was able to get a bracket to mount mine on the back of the Prado, I did.

What vehicle do you have? What bar? Alloy or steel?

This is what the antenna looks like mounted on the front:
Image Could Not Be Found

Will post new photos of rear mount later. On the front you will have to watch very, very carefully where you drive, otherwise you will take out your expensive antenna...
regards
Fred B
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AnswerID: 409403

Follow Up By: Tadgell - Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 21:28

Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 21:28
G'day Fred,

The vehicle is a Jeep Wrangler JK. It has a factory MOPAR bar (steel) about 65mm.

I have done a bit of research and there is room for it to be mounted on the bottom (lower section) of the bar, however there will be about 10mm overhang.

I would ideally like a rear mount and aside from having one manufactured they just are not available.

From the questions I asked at Parap MVR, there was no real issue in mounting it on the bullbar, however they may not have understood the width.

Thanks for the pic, Is that on a standard mounting tab?

Regards

Tadge

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Follow Up By: Member - Fred B (NT) - Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 21:38

Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 21:38
Trust me, you will not like having it on the front. I am not really familiar with your vehicle, but there are ways to get around problems. For 2 years I was told "there are no spare wheel brackets for your vehicle Fred". Well there are, and I am sure that one will fit yours. You just need to try every bracket untill you find one that fits.

You are going to need a large, well made tag to put it on the front.
This is my rear mount.
Image Could Not Be Found

Image Could Not Be Found

Image Could Not Be Found

Tadge, email me and I can give you a lot more info (click on my profile for the address).
regards
Fred B
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Follow Up By: Member - Tezza Qld - Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 22:04

Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 22:04
The JK Wrangler has a fairly small centre in comparison to the Prado. Any mount at this point would need to be specially made.
The auto tune aerial weighs 9 kg. If you only use two or three channels then maybe a tap whip aerial could be the way to go. I agree with Fred, mounted on the bullbar soon becomes a pain.

Cheers Teza
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Follow Up By: Tadgell - Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 22:26

Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 at 22:26
Tezza,

I did want to avoid the rear mount (more so cause I'm tight...) However a custom job may be in order. It wont be easy to run off the studs as I have the factory alloys that are dished and have concave stud holes.

I have ordered the 9350 as I will be running all freq from 2-30mhz, this is an amature radio setup, no VKS freq.

Fred B,

Thanks for the pics, much appreciated, I'll try some of the local engineering mobs and see if they will have a crack.

I would like to know who did yours if it is not of the comeercial variety.


Regards

Tadge
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Follow Up By: Member - Jerry C (WA) - Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 21:56

Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 21:56
Hello Tadgell,

I was recently at the Codan factory in Adelaide where they showed us a new model of the Auto Aerial, about 80mm in diameter and 300mm high. The comment was made that one of the advantages was to reduce the visable obstruction. It may be worth a phone call to Codan.

Regards,

Jerry
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Follow Up By: vk1dx - Saturday, Mar 20, 2010 at 06:50

Saturday, Mar 20, 2010 at 06:50
Tadge

I am interested in why you chose the Codan kit for full HF band coverage. I would have thought you could have got one of the usual ham sets, an "internal" auto tuner and antennas for less than half the cost of a codan setup.

I have been contemplating buyig a Yaesu FT-857D myself with home made helocals. Don't know about the tuner yet as using the helicals, I should not need it. But we will see.

Why the codan?

Phil
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Follow Up By: Tadgell - Saturday, Mar 20, 2010 at 11:03

Saturday, Mar 20, 2010 at 11:03
Gday Phil,

I too had all intentions of an Yaesu 857d and running the Yaesu ATAS 120.

However I came across a deal on an IC-706 and the Codan for a price I coudnt say no to, ie for less than the 857d alone.. The Icom tunes the Codan direct from the head unit.

Until I bought this setup I had not entertained the idea of a Codan.

The 857d's internal tuner will only tune the atas antennas.

Regards

Tadge

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Follow Up By: vk1dx - Saturday, Mar 20, 2010 at 11:11

Saturday, Mar 20, 2010 at 11:11
Fair enough. The 706 is a big radio though. I put the 731 in the car for a while and am now saving up for the 857. Might check out the tuner you mentioned as it would be nice to be able to just hook up to a fence whenever anything like that or a windmill was available. I have done it before but with John Moyle club kit. Not mine.

Whats the callsign.

Thanks

Phil
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Follow Up By: Tadgell - Saturday, Mar 20, 2010 at 11:40

Saturday, Mar 20, 2010 at 11:40
Gday Phil,

The 706 is big, it does have a remote mount head unit, it comes with the separation kit. The main unit will be mounted under the front pax seat, it has fairly high seats so ventilation wont be an issue, but I'll have to be careful of water crossings.

I sit my standard test in a fortnight when I get home, work in Broome, so I dont have a call yet. Have completed the Ron Bertrand study course, seems to be strait forward, just have to keep doing the prectice exams so I dont lose it all in the meantime...

Regards

Tadge
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Follow Up By: vk1dx - Saturday, Mar 20, 2010 at 11:57

Saturday, Mar 20, 2010 at 11:57
You are right. Watch out for water under the seat.An unhappy day for the computer under the seat

This was at one of our clubs training courses. Pity about the computer that everyone forgot except a woman near the camera. What about the car. A write off apparently after this.

Best of luck with the exams.

Cheers

Phil

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FollowupID: 679528

Reply By: Ozhumvee - Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 07:17

Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 07:17
You may have a tuning problem on certain frequencies with the mounts that come out from the centre of the rear tyre as pictured above.
The steel belts in the tyre act as a Faraday shield/coil and muck up the antenna tuning.
The top 2/3rds of the antenna should be well away from anything (300mm+) for best performance from your setup.
There can also be problems getting a good ground connection between the antenna base and mount and the vehicle itself. Like bullbars it is amazing that there can be no electrical connection between the tyre carrier/door and the body of the vehicle.
If mounting it on the bottom of the bullbar make sure there is plenty of space between the antenna and the top bar and vehicle body as the antenna can move around a lot on rough roads.
AnswerID: 409443

Follow Up By: Member - Fred B (NT) - Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 11:01

Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 11:01
Peter,
the radio/antenna setup works fine with no problems. The HF mount has an earth braid which runs to the chasis of the vehicle, so no probs there either.
regards
Fred B
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Reply By: Member - Fred B (NT) - Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 11:06

Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 11:06
Tadge,
if Kaymar make a rear step towbar for your vehicle, surely they make a HiLift jack bracket to fit the spare wheel as well...... and if so, then a Kaymar HF mount will fit the jack bracket. try ARB in Winnellie. Tell Craig, I sent you... lol.
That will make his day...
regards
Fred B
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AnswerID: 409467

Reply By: Member - Chris & Debbie (QLD) - Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 11:30

Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 11:30
Tadge

I just took my Cruiser to the local welding shop with the antenna and they manufactured and welded a bracket directly onto the bull bar. I had it welded to the far left hand side on the top bar. The antenna was needed at fitting to ensure that the bonnet would clear when opened.
Personally I do not like the idea of mounting it on the rear of the vehicle, besides it will affect the performance of the antenna, I like to see that it is not getting caught up on an overhanging tree branch etc.
After a while you or the passenger will not even notice it is there.
Chris
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AnswerID: 409468

Reply By: Pete Jackman (SA) - Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 13:26

Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 13:26
I just finished making my own last night. When I get back from Mildura tonight I will post a few photos.

Pete
AnswerID: 409477

Follow Up By: Tadgell - Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 22:02

Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 22:02
Gday Pete,


Would like to see the pics when you get a chance.

Cheers

Tadge
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Follow Up By: Pete Jackman (SA) - Monday, Mar 22, 2010 at 21:47

Monday, Mar 22, 2010 at 21:47
I had a busy weekend and am now in Tasmania for the week. I will post photos on Saturday

Cheers

Pete
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Follow Up By: Pete Jackman (SA) - Sunday, Mar 28, 2010 at 00:31

Sunday, Mar 28, 2010 at 00:31
Here are the photos:

Image Could Not Be Found
Autotune Mounted

Image Could Not Be Found
Detail 1

Image Could Not Be Found
Detail 2

Cheers

Pete
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Reply By: Member - Fred B (NT) - Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 13:52

Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 13:52
Here is one of Kaymars HF setup for the wrangler
regards
Fred B
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AnswerID: 409481

Follow Up By: Tadgell - Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 22:10

Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 22:10
Gday Fred,

Thanks for that, I did look at the website a while ago and could only find Patrol/Cruser/Prado mounts, clearly didnt look to hard...

They are a nice mount but I dont have and dont have use for a swing out carrier.

Nice and neat setup tho.

I will run off the lower bar to begin with, have to move some lights and there is a hole that just needs to be opened up.

Will see how that goes, considering the Wrangler has a resin top the groundplane will be lower than a tin top, there is the roll cage so I'll suck it and see. Failing that I'll move to the top of the bar. I understand the vis restriction may be a pain but once again I'll see how it goes then run with a rear mount, there are plenty of HI Lift mounts for the rear carrier on the market that would make ideal mounts with a little fabrication.

Another question from left field regarding bonding. I plan on bonding the antenna to the chassis (probably via the neg terminal to body point) but do diesels suffer the same issues as petrols regarding feedback? and thus require bonding of exhausts ect?

Regards
Tadge
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Follow Up By: Member - Fred B (NT) - Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 23:54

Friday, Mar 19, 2010 at 23:54
You will probably find the antenna comes with a short length of earth braid. Bolt that almost anywhere on the chasis except onto where the battery -ve or engine earth bolts to the chasis. I bolted mine onto a bolt that attached the radiator to the frame attached to the chasis. Far away as possible from battery or engine earthing and you should be fine. Every vehicle is different, but have a good earth for the antenna and you should be fine.
regards
Fred B
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