Where is a good place to source a solid 25 amps of power for a radio that is in the front passenger compartment? I don't want to drill holes in the firewall. Where do 9C1 cop cars get power for the cop radios and equipment?

I can get it off the fuse block inside, but really would rather get it off the fuse block under the hood if possible (more direct route to battery). I don't like to put a full 20-25 amp load on the inside block if I can help it.

The under hood fuse block looks like it has a position that isn't filled for aux power or dual batteries or something (where the pos lead comes in from the battery, it looks like it could go right back out if something was there)

Thanks!

Well what car radio shops do is just connect to the main red wire that comes in from the firewall to get the power.


Just cut it with special wire strippers but dont cut it actually just strip it twice about 1" apart and then remove the plastic with a razor so it exposes the wire without cutting the wire and just connect your wire there. Don't forget to put a fuse of your choice in-line with your power wire just in case.

I usually put a fuse by using the bigger fuses and using connectors on the bottoms of the fuse then just use some electrical tape.

when looking from the fuse block under the hood to the firewall (pass side) I see a group of fat red wires going in. Any one of those? I am guessing there is at least 6 8-10 gauge wires going in.

I think there is some openings in the fuse block. Maybe I will go junkyard hunting to see what I can find for stuff like wiring and connectors that go in the fuse block under the hood.

Yup, I need to add that, I don't have a fuse in yet, I was hoping to tap into a fused source, but should have added in my own anyway, wasn't thinking when I started soldering. Got some awesome commercial radio wiring that is first class, but still need to find out where to attach a 6-8 gauge stranded wire to! It isn't little stuff, is actually tough to work with.

Maybe it is worth drilling through. On my T/A I snaked a wire though with the throttle cable. But I can't get to it on this car. I have a 160 watt amp for the trunk (ham radio 144-148 MHz) that I might put in too. I am going to go 20M (14 MHz) mobile now (100 watts out) so I can try to talk to family over the radio over long range (1000 miles +) My dad has been working coast to coast on his RV on the 14 MHz band.

Thanks! Good tip on the razor, I didn't think of that, I usually either tried to strip it back and then get the excess out of the way, or try to cut a hole into it without nicking the wire, which is tough.

For car stereo stuff at 25 amps, the cigarette lighter power works. It's easy to Tee into wire going to the fixture. Voltage drop does not mean much to the larger amplifiers as they use switching power converters to make 30-60 Volts for the rails of the output devices. An H.F. transceiver is another story. Most really suffer when hooked to a power source with poor dynamic power supply regulation. A quick look at the R.F. envelope pattern will expose any supply shortcomings. The best way to go would be right to the Battery with positive and negative cables each connected through fuses. I hope your 2 metre antenna is on the roof as you might be exposing yourself and your passengers to a little too much R.F. on that band with 160 Watts Po.

2M/70cm antenna is mirroring the power antenna just on the drivers side. I am running 45w now, unless it is a problem, I won't mess with the amp just yet. I plan on doing more 20-40M stuff for now. 10M once the band opens up again in a few years.

I have a 20M Hamstick on the back now, mounted to an existing hole in the bumper underneath. Running wiring in this car is pretty easy, one of the easiest I have worked on. I may go 40M, my uncle feels 40M might be a better band right now.

I will likely go ahead and find a place to drill a decent size power bus to make sure I have a clean solid power than can handle anything I toss at it.

2M/70cm antenna is mirroring the power antenna just on the drivers side. I am running 45w now, unless it is a problem, I won't mess with the amp just yet. I plan on doing more 20-40M stuff for now. 10M once the band opens up again in a few years.

I have a 20M Hamstick on the back now, mounted to an existing hole in the bumper underneath. Running wiring in this car is pretty easy, one of the easiest I have worked on. I may go 40M, my uncle feels 40M might be a better band right now.

I will likely go ahead and find a place to drill a decent size power bus to make sure I have a clean solid power than can handle anything I toss at it.

10 is going to be pretty lonely for a while yet unless you habla Espanol.
Biggest problem on 2 is that most 5/8 vertricals need a series capacitor at the feedpoint as it is a Voltage point. These caps can fail with a lot of power. When that happens the shield of the coax will radiate power. There are plenty of online R.F. exposure calculators to see what you will be dealing with but the roof has got to be better on 2. I'm working on a 2 metre W6PO 8877 amplifier right now for a customer. I've got 16 states on FM simplex here.

Maybe we can get on the air some time. I can run any H.F. band.

Get yourself a spare alternator when the chance comes up. Keep it in the trunk.

I only have General class, and only have a 40M dipole at home (1.4:1 SWR, pretty decent for tossing it up Saturday!)

The 2M is a 1/4 wave with a coil in the middle for 440. So unless the base coil fails, it should be ok. I have a sep whip for 2M 5/8 and a sep for 440 too. Both gain antennas.

I can do 40 from here no problem when you are ready just send a private message and I'll light of the TS-440 and Harris Amp some evening.