To install my 2m/70cm FTM-500 in the Defender, I opted for an installation variant from PowerfulUK. I had the corresponding panel for the Yaesu made by HEIKO Metallbau.
The ‘Centre Console Auxillary Switch Panel for Land Rover Defender L663’ gave me the space I needed to install the radio in the first place.
Now, however, I needed a suitable front panel to be able to recess the radio so that it doesn’t protrude too far out of the panel, but the speakers and connections are still not covered. I had this front panel made by HEIKO Metallbau.
Anyone interested in this black powder-coated installation panel is welcome to contact me. We can manage production and despatch somehow.
I attached the main body of the FTM-500 to the rubber inlay with 4 screws and the original bracket under the centre console. This means that the main body is securely mounted, cannot slip, but can still be easily removed from the bracket. Even after heavy jolting on off-road routes, the bracket has not slipped so far. There is even space on the mounting plate for a connection box with fuses and switch. In addition, the air supply to the device is not impaired. However, I had to use a PL angle plug on the side of the device to connect the aerial.
Once again, I decided to use the Duo-Band adhesive antenna from WIMO. This antenna can be conveniently sticked to any vehicle windscreen and couples inductively through the windscreen. Suitable for transmission powers of up to 100W, I have only had good experiences with this antenna so far. The antenna eliminates the need to lay cables through the engine compartment, drill cable bushings or mechanically mount antenna feet.
I was able to install the aerial on the passenger side, and the feed cable could be laid conveniently and almost invisibly above the storage compartments. I was able to fix the aerial cable to the inside of the windscreen and the dashboard using adhesive cable ties.
However, in order to install the aerial as far as possible out of sight and outside the area of the windscreen heater, I also had to use a TNC angle connector on the aerial socket.
All in all, this is one of the cleanest radio installations I have ever done myself. The new centre console looks as if it has always been part of the car and the colours of the Yaesu FTM-500 display can be adjusted to blend in perfectly with the lighting of the other controls. The cables have been concealed as far as possible.
