[mojosxs]

At least for this week.





So far I added the Rugged Radios setup which we were able to test this weekend with several other friends and it worked perfectly. The range was decent however I think I need to add some grounding to the antenna. Rugged makes an awesome mount for the radio and intercom.






As I posted before I did several mods to my cage for added strength.







For lights I added 35 Watt HIDs for Low Beams, 55 Watt HIDs for High Beams, Spot/Flood Combo 42 Inch Light Bar and 10 Inch Spot/Flood Combo all from Swerve Off Road





To power the lights and the Radio/Intercom Systems I added a second battery which posted before but now have better pics. I made this entire mod removable.








Pro Armor Belts which I recommend to anyone looking for a comfortable belt, the 5th point really holds you in.



The BRP Nav system, this mount is plug and play. It comes with the Garmin 650t which worked perfectly, is easy to use and for Dove Springs OHV in California knew pretty much every single road. I was impressed.




That's everything I am doing this week. I am sure I will think of something else later. Ran it 60 miles or so the first night and the lights did amazing the battery isolator rocked, never ran out of power. The radios sure do add a nice element to riding with friends. I would suggest getting a Rugged Radio setup for anyone who rides with friends.

Dennis

 

[USAFAMMO]

Very nice...I like every mod you did. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Megadesertdiesel]

Looks great.

Is the radio mount floppy at all? Do you cut the stock plastic or replace it?

 

[Goairborne]

Wow!! what a setup.... I really like the battery and your cage emprovements. Thanks for the pictures.

 

[Goairborne]

Nope! I have the same type mount on my commander, I got mine from UTV.Inc. and it mounts solid with on bouncing around. You do have to cut the one side of your dash panel. I used a hacksaw blade without taking everything apart, just follow the line. It was that easy, the other side is still secured and you can't tell if it was cut, it that clean.

Looks great.

Is the radio mount floppy at all? Do you cut the stock plastic or replace it?

 

[CrazyCooter]

Awesome! I like it all!

How do you like that 686 intercom? Did you get the speech processor with it? Is the driver/passenger full time duplex and the radio on the PTT buttons? I'd love to use that clean mount, but being a Ham, I use the Yaesu dual band radios.

 

[SickStick]

Nice job. Looks great.

 

[mojosxs]

Looks great.

Is the radio mount floppy at all? Do you cut the stock plastic or replace it?

It comes with a support that clams to the bar and the intercom. It's quite sturdy.

 

[bulldogs101]

very nice job man!

 

[mojosxs]

Awesome! I like it all!

How do you like that 686 intercom? Did you get the speech processor with it? Is the driver/passenger full time duplex and the radio on the PTT buttons? I'd love to use that clean mount, but being a Ham, I use the Yaesu dual band radios.

I did not get the Digital Speech Processor however I am going to order it. From what I have read it makes a huge difference. The VOX is fulltime and the radio is PTT. I am looking for a way to make the Driver to Passenger PTT as well. I think it would work much better however want to try the DSP first. I am really happy with it, we have 3 SxS all with the Rugged setups and I have to tell you, it really adds to the SxS experience when you are all on a ride. We did a 60 mile ride to the Gold Mines in Dove Springs and being able to talk to the other SxS's made that ride more fun and faster.

 

[CrazyCooter]

I did not get the Digital Speech Processor however I am going to order it. From what I have read it makes a huge difference. The VOX is fulltime and the radio is PTT. I am looking for a way to make the Driver to Passenger PTT as well. I think it would work much better however want to try the DSP first. I am really happy with it, we have 3 SxS all with the Rugged setups and I have to tell you, it really adds to the SxS experience when you are all on a ride. We did a 60 mile ride to the Gold Mines in Dove Springs and being able to talk to the other SxS's made that ride more fun and faster.

I can't wait! I'm doing the DSP for sure.....figure less noise will make for less fatigue.

Once the Mav gets here, I have to sell the RZR S and I could use every dollar from that for Maverick parts! My parts list is about $7K right now......

We will be visiting Dove Springs, Randsburg, Calico, and Rasor Rd. the week of March 9th-17th. Might be cool to meet some of the family from here....

 

[mojosxs]

I can't wait! I'm doing the DSP for sure.....figure less noise will make for less fatigue.

Once the Mav gets here, I have to sell the RZR S and I could use every dollar from that for Maverick parts! My parts list is about $7K right now......

We will be visiting Dove Springs, Randsburg, Calico, and Rasor Rd. the week of March 9th-17th. Might be cool to meet some of the family from here....

Let me know when you will be around, we are in that general area every few weeks.

Dennis

 

[CrazyCooter]

Let me know when you will be around, we are in that general area every few weeks.

Dennis

Will do!

You might look into a 1/4 wave antenna if you are looking for more coverage in the hilly terrain. That 5/8 wave you are using is for more flat terrain and has more gain for longer distance.

 

[mojosxs]

Will do!

You might look into a 1/4 wave antenna if you are looking for more coverage in the hilly terrain. That 5/8 wave you are using is for more flat terrain and has more gain for longer distance.

It's actually 1/2 wave and I need to tune it. Most the riding we do is in the flat open desert, would 1/4 wave still get the range?

 

[CrazyCooter]

OK cool! The 1/2 wave doesn't require a ground plane. Tuning is important! At least roughly cut it to the proper length. The radio will power itself down to a safe output if SWR is bad enough. Maybe that's all you need?

1/4 wave has a wider vertical pattern with less distance and the 1/2 or 5/8 waves would be a flatter horizontal long distance pattern. I really notice some funky phase distortion from the whip wobbling around in my Jeep at high speeds with the 5/8 wave.

I use a 1/4 wave on the RZR because it works on UHF, VHF, less wobble, and gets me out of the deep canyons to the repeaters. I also have 1/2 and 5/8 waves in the truck to swap if needed. NMO antennas are too cheap not to have a few different types/spares.

This one is a favorite of mine: Maxrad MWB1320S [MWB1320S] - $29.95 : The Antenna Farm :: , Your Two Way Radio Source!

 

[mojosxs]

I know I need to trim the antenna down, I ordered an SWR meter from Rugged which I should have tomorrow. I was thinking about mounting a 1/4 wave with a switch so I can toggle between the two.

Awesome, Thanks Cooter, your not so crazy after all

 

[CrazyCooter]

Cool! The 1/4 wave has a wider band width so it will have a lower SWR throughout the VHF band. You cound do the dual ant. setup, but they are so easy to swap out on the fly.

I'm planning to install 2 NMO mounts in my roof....one for the car to car and one for my fixed APRS radio: Byonics - MicroTrak

Do you have Rugged's generic program in your radio? I need to add that block of freq's to my Ham radio so I can find a freq that you guys use easier.

 

[mojosxs]

Cool! The 1/4 wave has a wider band width so it will have a lower SWR throughout the VHF band. You cound do the dual ant. setup, but they are so easy to swap out on the fly.

I'm planning to install 2 NMO mounts in my roof....one for the car to car and one for my fixed APRS radio: Byonics - MicroTrak

Do you have Rugged's generic program in your radio? I need to add that block of freq's to my Ham radio so I can find a freq that you guys use easier.

So for flat desert style riding do you think 1/2 wave is good our would 1/4 wave be better?

I just bought the programing software and cable for my vertex, I could download all the channels and send it to you once I get it.

Thanks Cooter

 

[desertdog]

Curious,how much was the bed liner?

 

[CrazyCooter]

So for flat desert style riding do you think 1/2 wave is good our would 1/4 wave be better?

I just bought the programing software and cable for my vertex, I could download all the channels and send it to you once I get it.

Thanks Cooter

In theory, the 1/2 wave will be better in flat country than the 1/4.

My Yaesu radios are programmable on the fly so no worries there. That is one of the things I hate about the commercial gear, but I think it is more durable.