Radio Placement

[98Vandiemen]

I just purchased a racing radios system, and was wondering how and where you guys are mounting the radio for easy acess and so it doesn't get in the way. This is for a 2002 zetec.

[bob scheib]

My car is an older '95 chassis - Eric Purcell at EFM just installed a radio setup in it. He installed the radio mount to the interior side of the bodyshell just above my right arm - in the "V" shaped area between side frame tubes. From outside of car you barely see the 10/32 allen head's. The radio is very easy for crew to access even with me in car, and I can easily climb in and out of car never getting near it - also makes helmet mike / earphone wires and connectors very simple to do. Very very pleased with this installation.
Bob S.

[Bob Wright]

Believe it or not I put velcro on the back of a soft case and velcro'd it to the bodywork right side under the shift lever with nothing more than a rubber duck antenna. I can reach it, it stays put, and couldn't be simpler. The wire harness is all on the right side in the driver's compartment.

[D.T. Benner]

Before you go to the trouble of mounting an external antenna try your system with just the one that comes mounted on the radio. I noticed one of the top Zetec teams does not run an external antenna and when ask they said they didn't need one! I tried my setup without one and it works fine! Not having to disconect the antenna wire every time we remove the radio or the bodywork is just one less thing to go wrong.

[Chas Shaffer]

I want to say that I agree completely with the post above. Having spent considerable time and money trying to get an extenal antenna (ground plates, multiple mounting points etc..) to work and using some rather elaborate mounting kits, I now velcro my radio to the body work in the cockpit and use the stock antenna on the radio. It works better than anything I've ever used and it's incredebly easy to take out for charging as well as being very easy to adjust in the car.

[Chas Shaffer]

Oh, forgot to mention, we've done away with the headsets for the crew as well. The microphone in the handheld works soooooooo much better than the headset. I can hear 100% better now that we've eliminated them. I rarely talk to the crew but when I do they've had no problem hearing me.