Ham Radio Installation in the MME?

[Eric_C_Boston]

As I consider a road trip to Ohio in May, my mind dwells on how to get VHF/UHF radios in the MME.

I have done some research, on and off, over 10 months I had the car, but have not found much information. I did find this thread here, but it seems like the thread title and initial message got destroyed. https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/a.11735/

I have seen news stories about MMEs being used for police vehicles. I wonder what modifications were done to beef up the LVB system and antenna mounting. I have not done an exhaustive search, but I can not spot the antennas on the police MME pictures I've seen. I would think that companies with radio systems also tackled this problem after they bought a MME.

One downside is my MME has the glass roof, unlike the police vehicles. It also appears components around the rear hatch are plastic and not metal. The WSM has a diagram showing where the different types of steel are used in the vehicle.

I am thinking antennas that do not need a ground plane maybe a good choice.

One feature I liked about my Ford Fusion Hybrid was the nice cubbyhole in the dash. I was able to do a non-drill install of a remote head. The upper/lower tray of the MME does not seem as useful. The lower tray seems too out of the way and I do not put stuff there. Maybe it would be a good place to put the main part of a radio.

Has anyone on the forum done two-way radio installs in the MME?

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[MyLittlePony2022]

My brother was a big ham radio operator and I always remember him having one in car up until the last ten years or so. He had a glass mounted antenna which made me curious when you mentioned it. Not sure if this is your concern. If it is, here is a link to a video. Good luck with your install.

 

[averyintucson]

I took deliver on my MME March 30, and I put in a Ham Radio today. This is a very minimal installation, just an HT and and antenna. I found that the fin antenna just in front of the hatchback is on a metal plate, and there is enough room between the fin and the hatchback for a magnetic mount VHF/UHF antenna. Also, I purchased a Sparkwhiz dash storage tray which mounts on the center screen, and is great for holding my HT. I have also determined that the 12VDC accessory supply from the traction battery is active when the full accessory mode is on, so I don't have to worry about running down the 12VDC battery when the MME is not in drive mode.
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[Mach-Lee]

I have also determined that the 12VDC accessory supply from the traction battery is active when the full accessory mode is on, so I don't have to worry about running down the 12VDC battery when the MME is not in drive mode.

Careful, the DC/DC inverter stays on for a few minutes in accessory mode, but then shuts off after about 5-10 minutes in my experience. You can have a dead battery if you leave it in accessory mode too long. Recommend you monitor battery voltage and turn the car on if it drops below 12.8V. Leaving the car ON will ensure the DC/DC is always running and keeping the battery charged.

 

[devmach-e]

I took deliver on my MME March 30, and I put in a Ham Radio today. This is a very minimal installation, just an HT and and antenna. I found that the fin antenna just in front of the hatchback is on a metal plate, and there is enough room between the fin and the hatchback for a magnetic mount VHF/UHF antenna. Also, I purchased a Sparkwhiz dash storage tray which mounts on the center screen, and is great for holding my HT. I have also determined that the 12VDC accessory supply from the traction battery is active when the full accessory mode is on, so I don't have to worry about running down the 12VDC battery when the MME is not in drive mode.
AmazonSmile: SPARKWHIZ for Ford Mustang Mach-E 2021 2022: Center Console Dash Storage Tray Organizer with Cellphone Holder Inserts Dashboard Storage Box Accessories : Automotive

In the past, when I ran an HT (Yaesu FT-470) in my car, I used one of these to get the HT's antenna outside the car to improve reception/transmission: https://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-007620
I originally had the BNC version, but have since upgraded to the reverse SMA for my newer Wouxun radios.

 

[averyintucson]

Careful, the DC/DC inverter stays on for a few minutes in accessory mode, but then shuts off after about 5-10 minutes in my experience. You can have a dead battery if you leave it in accessory mode too long. Recommend you monitor battery voltage and turn the car on if it drops below 12.8V. Leaving the car ON will ensure the DC/DC is always running and keeping the battery charged.

Good to know. I will keep an eye on the voltage. Thanks!

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