It took over a week of planning and ordering parts on Amazon and at the local Radio Shack, but I did it - I have installed a permanent radio (GMRS/FRS) in the car for meets and get-to-gethers.

I installed my Kenwood NX-5800 radio system (with boom microphone and push to talk switch on the shifter, for talking while shifting and driving) and high power speaker (so I can HEAR with the top down).

For now, the antenna is a magnet mount affair same as what I provide and recommend to the rest of you. I do plan to do something more permanent, but this beats putting the antenna on the rear deck and forgetting it's there when I want to put the top up. The cable is tied down and routed such that top operation and trunk closing does not damage the cable or interfere with anything.

This radio has FRS and GMRS channels, as well as capability to operate on several of my customer's systems: a local electric utility, my hometown's police and fire channels - as well as my employer's system that serves dozens of customers.

Retail cost for this radio as installed and licensed runs around $1900, but I got this one free because...... people like me.


Below we have the entire setup, the headset boom mic (it's a micrphone only) is laying in the driver's seat, this is a Pyle product and sells for $15 on Amazon.
The PTT switch on the shift is from Sporty's Pilot Shop and is integrated into the boom mic interface. THe head/mic contains all controls for the radio as well as a small (crappy) speaker and microphone.


Below is a closeup of the head.


Below are three photos of the actual radio in the storage area. I grounded it to the stud on the passenger side wheel well, power is fed from the small fuse box next to the battery (I found a 30 amp bolt-down fuse on Amazon that fits). I also ran an "ignition sense" wire to the main fuse panel so the radio goes on and off with the ignition key -but I can bypass this and make the radio power up without the key by simply pressing the power button on the head. But this all means I won't forget to turn the radio off.




The speaker (it's LOUD, this radio has a 15/22 watt output) and boom mic interface. THe interface is a modified Kenwood KMC-35 microphone being used as a boom mic adapter/amplifier.
The small wire you see runs to an outlet that I plug the PTT switch into. The coiled cord goes back to the radio in the storage area.



The PTT switch (with the boom mic) means I can drive even tight curves on the Dragon/Hellbender hill and still talk.


For now, the standard-issue TRAM 1135 antenna is what I'm using. I want to go to something more permanent, but for now, this is it.
The coax is routed and tied down such that it does not interfere with top operation or trunk lid closing. I can unscrew the whip and pass the base under the trunk lid, when the lid is opened, easily.