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Icom 706 in VW New Beetle
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by W4PJ on July 10, 2004
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I'm putting an Icom 706 in a "New Beetle." What antenna's are mobileers using on this critter? Where did they put the rig etc.? Use a more robust battery (like the high-power stereo boomers)? Where did you connect the DC leads?
I just wanted to know what other hams did to install the 706 in the new VW Beetle.
Tnx de W4PJ
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RE: Icom 706 in VW New Beetle
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by AA1K on July 12, 2004
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The chassis of the New Beetle, Jetta and Golf are the same. I have a 706Mk2G in my 2000 Jetta TDI (diesel engine). Just below the rear bumper, on the right side, is a towing ring (I just checked my wife's New Beetle, it has the same ring). This towing ring is attached to the body via a piece of U-channel steel welded on during manufacturing of the car. This channel conveniently had a hole of about 3/8-inch already drilled in it. I used that hole and the towing ring to use two bolts to attach a piece of galvanized angle steel that is long enough to stick out about 5 inches beyond the bumper. I initially had a lightweight version of this -- using 2" by 2" angle stock -- which held a 3/8-inch antenna mount and I used various Pro-Am monoband whips on this. Later when I bought a KJ7U screwdriver antenna, which is quite heavy, I rebuilt the mount using 3" by 3" by 1/4-inch thick angle stock. This has handled the screwdriver antenna quite nicely for more than two years and 90,000 miles, and gives me continuous tuning from 160-6 meters.
For power, I ran a piece of RG8 coax from the battery, under the vehicle, and up into the luggage area through a convenient rubber grommet near the right rear wheel well. I kept the main body of the IC706 loose in the luggage area for the first three years, then finally mounted it permanently to the steel under the shelf below the rear window (this is not there on the New Beetle or Golf). I run cables -- for the key (yes, I do mostly CW), remote front panel, speaker and control for the screwdriver antenna -- between the rear seats and along the hump up to the front dash. I mounted the toggle switch for the screwdriver antenna on one of the dummy panels for a switch that was used on other models.
The coax and screwdriver control cable can either be run through the same grommet as the power cable into the luggage area, or just directly into the trunk and the trunk lid closed on them. I do the latter with the screwdriver control cable, and I have not had any problems with it.
I run a separate 2-meter radio in the Jetta, and my wife's (AB1P) New Beetle has only a 2-meter radio. Both vehicles have sunroofs, so roof space for a 2-meter antenna was limited. For a while on both we used magnetic mounts, but eventually the door would chafe the coax and it would need replacement. Finally I bit the bullet and mounted an NMO mount on the roof about halfway between the front windshield and the moonroof. This area is accessible by removing the controls and motor for the sunroof. I snaked the coax along the front of the headliner and down along the pillar on the right side of the windshield, then up under the dash.
To power the separate 2-meter rig, I snaked the power cable beneath the dash (use a torx driver to take off the panel below the steering wheel) and used a stiff wire to push it through the firewall alongside one of the wiring harnesses, on the left side of the vehicle behind the battery, and wired it directly to the battery.
I just use the standard battery, but it is huskier on my TDI than on the gas models.
With the diesel there is no ignition noise. I get some "birdies" about every 1 kHz from the VW electronics on 20-10m when I have the taillights on (the headlights are always on). Also, if I transmit with 100 watts on 40 meters, RFI shuts down the speedometer. It recovers when I stop transmitting though. No problem with this if I cut power to 30 watts, and this is only a problem on 40 meters -- no trouble on other bands.
I'll try to get some photos of the installation up on my web site in the next few days.
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze7hjw3/
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RE: Icom 706 in VW New Beetle
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by AA1K on July 12, 2004
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The photos are now up on the site:
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze7hjw3/id6.html
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