julio100
Registered user
any new ideas where to fit the radio on a gs ?
where to put the radio
- Thread starter julio100
- Start date
Just done my radio and really short of space on the GS. Have my Autocom in & under the tool tray. Mounted the radio in the top box with waterproof connector so box can still come off.I use the top box all the time so unlikly to be removed to often, can still operate the expanding system as well. Also have PTT button on the Aux light switch easy to get your thumb on but usually have it set to VOX activation.
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Geoff Crowther
Registered user
Hi julio
Autocom unit (assuming you have one) secured to handbook holder; behind tank, under seat, fastened with elastic bands. Radio (Kenwood 3201) in tool tray. Requires bending aerial only very slightly but fits fine. Been like that on my GS for over 3 years including a year working as an instructor. Works just fine. Radio has a battery eliminator connected via autocom.
Let me know if you need any other details.
Cheers
Geoff
Autocom unit (assuming you have one) secured to handbook holder; behind tank, under seat, fastened with elastic bands. Radio (Kenwood 3201) in tool tray. Requires bending aerial only very slightly but fits fine. Been like that on my GS for over 3 years including a year working as an instructor. Works just fine. Radio has a battery eliminator connected via autocom.
Let me know if you need any other details.
Cheers
Geoff
Bumpkin
Registered user
Do you find that the range of the radio is compromised by laying it down. The antenna works optimally when upright like Ted's. Probably not too much of an issue when instructing as your students won't be straying too far away from you I suppose. However, over greater range it's surely going to have an impact.
Quite difficult to do on a bike where there's no storage space with enough vertical room to accommodate an upright radio. Top-box or tank-bag are the only real options which aren't ideal unless you already use one.
The other option is the Bikers Oracle antenna kit which from my experience, and a few others on here, works well. This allows the radio to fit in any convenient space, irrespective of orientation, with a lead running from the handset to the antenna. Real world 1-2 mile range, though if the conditions are right considerably further. Kenwood TK3201 would require surgery to add an SMA connector though.
The BO antenna keeps everything neat and integral. Radio stashed safely under the seat. If worried about the antenna getting pinched it does un-screw.
Geoff Crowther
Registered user
Hi Bumpkin,
yes, the range probably is compromised. Interestingly, I tested it with a pal who's just fitted a similar arragement on Monday.
We found comms fine up to quarter of a mile away; after that deteriorating.
On balance, that covers most of our present requirements. I do appreciate your comments though, but note that tampering with the aerial IS illegal on a PMR unit unless you have a licenced radio.
In short, ease of fitting under the seat overides all the effort of fitting it elsewhere.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Geoff
yes, the range probably is compromised. Interestingly, I tested it with a pal who's just fitted a similar arragement on Monday.
We found comms fine up to quarter of a mile away; after that deteriorating.
On balance, that covers most of our present requirements. I do appreciate your comments though, but note that tampering with the aerial IS illegal on a PMR unit unless you have a licenced radio.
In short, ease of fitting under the seat overides all the effort of fitting it elsewhere.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Geoff
Bumpkin
Registered user
I'm sorry, but you're incorrect, it's a commonly misunderstood bit of legislation. You are allowed to add an external antenna so long as the ERP remains no greater than 0.5W.
Please see the part under 'Converted radio equipment' on page 6 of this document solely about PMR446, issued by OFCOM.
However, I do concede that the BO antenna has a claimed gain of 4.2db which, as far as I understand it, may well make a TK3201 exceed 0.5W ERP. ERP is a product of power from the radio and the gain of the antenna. Not sure how much the cabling will mitigate this though.
Geoff Crowther
Registered user
Bumpkin,
Thanks very much for this correction. I'm indebted to you.
My friend is an am radio enthusiast and he wasn't aware of this update.
Apologies to juilo for highjacking your post.
Cheers
Geoff
Thanks very much for this correction. I'm indebted to you.
My friend is an am radio enthusiast and he wasn't aware of this update.
Apologies to juilo for highjacking your post.
Cheers
Geoff
julio100
Registered user
thanks for the input with think it over the next few weeks
Radio on my 2010 GSA
Hi
I was a tad disappointed to find naff all space available under the seat of my GSA.
I ended up binning the tool tray, making a small ally tray and velcroing it in place of the tool tray, but much lower so to make use of the space. I now was able to fit a fuzeblock with an autocom unit on top.
Tip, I did use a hot air gun to make a very shallow (1/2") dent in the plastic inner mudguard to make a tad more space available.
I just needed to seal the bloomin rubber strap hole as the water just pours in there. Not a good idea now that electrics are sitting there.
Now, another problem, where to put the PMR?
I thought of fixing it within the cases, but didn't want to drill holes in them. I bought a plastic tool tube from this parish and made up a couple of simple ally brackets to fit it inside the right pannier rail. I had a couple of goes and at the second attempt, I extended the forward bracket to make a mount for the autocom plug socket, which neatly velcroed on and is very handy there for the pillion.
I put my PMR in the tool tube, and have two waterprooff connectors, one for the autocom connections and and the other for the co-ax. A simple right angle bracket mounted the aerial ( licensed!!) and bob's nearly me uncle.
Just needed to sort the PTT now. A bit of flaffing about with some S/Steel knocking around and trimmed the PTT down as small as possible and mounted it near the clutch, in a similar fashion to an earlier poster.
Now Bob really is my uncle and the whole lot works a treat.
I hope that gives others some ideas.
Hi
I was a tad disappointed to find naff all space available under the seat of my GSA.
I ended up binning the tool tray, making a small ally tray and velcroing it in place of the tool tray, but much lower so to make use of the space. I now was able to fit a fuzeblock with an autocom unit on top.
Tip, I did use a hot air gun to make a very shallow (1/2") dent in the plastic inner mudguard to make a tad more space available.
I just needed to seal the bloomin rubber strap hole as the water just pours in there. Not a good idea now that electrics are sitting there.
Now, another problem, where to put the PMR?
I thought of fixing it within the cases, but didn't want to drill holes in them. I bought a plastic tool tube from this parish and made up a couple of simple ally brackets to fit it inside the right pannier rail. I had a couple of goes and at the second attempt, I extended the forward bracket to make a mount for the autocom plug socket, which neatly velcroed on and is very handy there for the pillion.
I put my PMR in the tool tube, and have two waterprooff connectors, one for the autocom connections and and the other for the co-ax. A simple right angle bracket mounted the aerial ( licensed!!) and bob's nearly me uncle.
Just needed to sort the PTT now. A bit of flaffing about with some S/Steel knocking around and trimmed the PTT down as small as possible and mounted it near the clutch, in a similar fashion to an earlier poster.
Now Bob really is my uncle and the whole lot works a treat.
I hope that gives others some ideas.
Attachments
Wiring Up Autocom to 2010 GSA
Can anyone let me know how they have wired in their autocom unit to a 2010 or later GSA? I have been told by BMW that I should take a feed off the blue and brown sidelight wire (so as not to affect the CANBUS system and also to prevent the autocom from flattening the battery). It is located down near where the cable plugs into the sidelight housing behind the headlamp. This is fine but I am unsure how to get access to the cable to solder on the autocom power cable. Access is very tight.
Does anyone have any easier access points to tap into bike power?
Can anyone let me know how they have wired in their autocom unit to a 2010 or later GSA? I have been told by BMW that I should take a feed off the blue and brown sidelight wire (so as not to affect the CANBUS system and also to prevent the autocom from flattening the battery). It is located down near where the cable plugs into the sidelight housing behind the headlamp. This is fine but I am unsure how to get access to the cable to solder on the autocom power cable. Access is very tight.
Does anyone have any easier access points to tap into bike power?
Apologies. am new to this forum thing. Just realised i should have started a new thread with this question...
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