Midland MicroMobile 15w GMRS Install

[CoolTech]

I’m leaning towards this with the cooltech package. But I have a few questions I’m hoping those with more knowledge can answer.

1. For those who cut a hole through the firewall where the clutch would go, do you seal it up with epoxy or anything after you run the wire?

This would be a good idea.... also, have the wire (coax) droop down on the engine side of the firewall. This is called a drip loop so if any water gets on the coax, it will run down and drip off at the lowest point of this loop.

2. There isn’t a great way of adding a good ground for the antenna. With the Midland 6db antenna mounted next to the hood and A pillar, how much does this matter? Does your range drop from 15 miles to 13 miles? Or 15 miles to 2 miles? Is the percentage drop off different between good conditions and poor conditions? (Like does it loose 10% with line of sight, but 20% in the trees?)

The bracket IS grounded by virtue of the way it mounts. This is imperative and then the antenna is grounded because it is attached to the bracket. An ungrounded antenna would significantly impact the performance.

3. I have a spare AUX switch I can use. Is there any benefit to wiring it to an AUX switch vs. directly to the battery(Or the ignition wire)? It would spend most of its life turned off and only on when I’m off-road with a group. Parasitic drain? Premature death due to it being “on” for longer than it needs to be?

Just wire the way that is most convenient. There's no downside to wiring to the AUX switch. Over the years, I found myself wiring the radio to be hot all of the time - so I can sit and chat if/when needed without the ignition being on. Just have to remember to turn the radio off or it WILL drain the battery after a couple of days.

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[Cyber_Jeeper]

The bracket IS grounded by virtue of the way it mounts. This is imperative and then the antenna is grounded because it is attached to the bracket. An ungrounded antenna would significantly impact the performance.

Is the same as using a ground plane? Or it's just electrically grounded? From what I've read, GMRS antennas want a 12 inch in diameter or so ground plane to get the best signal. Mounting it on the edge of the hood doesn't fully accomplish that. Plus some of the signal could get blocked by the vehicle itself. The tall, 6 DB antenna seems like it should get around some of that problem though.

Just wire the way that is most convenient. There's no downside to wiring to the AUX switch. Over the years, I found myself wiring the radio to be hot all of the time - so I can sit and chat if/when needed without the ignition being on. Just have to remember to turn the radio off or it WILL drain the battery after a couple of days.

I was re-reading the manual on the AUX switches. The AUX switches can be programmed to have a power source of ignition or battery. From my quick test, setting it to battery allows it to turn on without the ignition, accomplishing the same thing as wiring it directly to the battery.

 

[CoolTech]

Is the same as using a ground plane? Or it's just electrically grounded? From what I've read, GMRS antennas want a 12 inch in diameter or so ground plane to get the best signal. Mounting it on the edge of the hood doesn't fully accomplish that. Plus some of the signal could get blocked by the vehicle itself. The tall, 6 DB antenna seems like it should get around some of that problem though.

On virtually *any* antenna mount, the mount bracket itself should be grounded so that the chosen antenna can have a ground plane. The Wrangler has always been a challenge due to the lack of large planer metal surfaces (like a metal roof or large trunk lid). The ideal location for an antenna would be in the middle of the hood - although that wouldn't look to good. The location on the side of the hood is going to provide an asymmetrical ground plane. The good news is that GMRS (because of the frequency) is MUCH less demanding of a ground plane than say a CB antenna.

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