Years ago, I installed a 2 meter radio in my truck, I stuck it where the ash tray goes. Well, this meant that to plug in an antenna you had to take the dashboard apart, so I ripped the radio out.
I just don’t like being alive enough to deal with that shit anymore.
So the stock ash tray is back installed. The cigarette lighter works so I got back my second power socket, the bulb in there is burned out but who gives a fuck, and I just AIPed the radio’s power line under the carpet.
My 2m radio, an FT1900R by Yaesu has this in common with French nobility: It doesn’t survive a beheading. The control plate isn’t detachable on this radio.
Also, relocating the unit elsewhere in the truck wouldn’t help with power. It might help with feed line routing but not power routing.
My Icom 706Mkii does have a detachable head, but I’m not installing that in a vehicle. I’m…feeling pretty done with radio, tbh.
For me, the hobby has waxed and waned over the years. Getting the mobile rig set up was an adventure unto itself, since I wanted it to be visually unobtrusive. But ultimately, I’m not unhappy that it’s installed, and it’ll be there for when I want to pick up the mic again.
Oh, and it can RX on airband, so when I’m bored and waiting at the airport cell phone area, I can listen into the tower frequency. Fun times!
I actually let my license expire, and didn’t manage to navigate the FCC’s smegma smear they call a website before the 2 year grace period was up, so I recently had to retake the tech test and I was issued a new callsign.
I don’t want to fuck around in my attic running feed line, I don’t want to snake cables through my car, all to talk to elderly republicans. I’m the only non-MAGA with a ham license in 4-land.
Precisely why it wasn’t worth my time any more. Trolling was fun for a bit, but that got old too. Breaking a conversation to spoil conspiracy talks with well placed facts tends to ruffle a few feathers, it seems.
Still though, the late night party conversations are fun to listen to in the Denver area. People don’t hide the fact that we have many legal drugs and a massive supply of craft beer.