[C320-list] Radio Remote Mounting

[Mark Cole]

John;

I upgraded to pretty much the same VHF/RAM mic combination as you.  I looked at adding the RAM mic to the instrument panel and decided against that route.  Instead, I made a small wood pad the size of the mic and mounted that pad on the port side of the cockpit, just in front of the propane locker.  That allowed me to drill a hole large enough for the connector to pass through (no need to cut it off and resplice).  The cable run was then very easy - through the port locker, into the wire tray through the galley, through the electrical panel and into the back of the radio.  The only issue was to protect the mic from the hatch on the aft seat locker.  Since the whole seat top swings forward, I had to put a small side piece on the wood pad for the open hatch to lay against.  The mic is facing the wheel, so you can hear radio calls while at the helm and the cable is long enough to allow you to reach down, grab the mic and stand at the helm while talking.  Works for me.

Mark
Fiddler’s Green, #8
Tacoma, Washington

> On Sep 12, 2017, at 6:18 PM, Welch, Myron D <myron-welch at uiowa.edu> wrote:
> 
> Art,
> 
> I changed to an angle guard about 8 years ago. I'm not certain of the manufacturer, but the tube was 1 1/8" or 1 1/4". Yes, it was much easier to use, but with that fat radar wire, remote mic, GPS and everything else I managed to fill it up. I hope I never have to pull wires through those tubes again. 
> 
> Myron Welch
> Wind Instrument #238 (1995)
> Iowa City, Iowa
> Grace Memorial Harbor
> Elk Rapids, Michigan 
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
> 
>> On Sep 12, 2017, at 8:00 PM, Art Harden <artstree at aol.com> wrote:
>> 
>> I know the standard instrument stanchion is 1" but has anyone seen anything bigger. An 1-1:8" od would give toy about 25% more area to work with. Just a thought. 
>> 
>> Art Harden
>> Tortuga Catalina 320
>> 937-477-5544 (m)
>> 
>>> On Sep 12, 2017, at 8:24 AM, Graeme Clark <cg at skyflyer.co.uk> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Yes I have done this using the Standard Horizon RAM Mic and extension cable.
>>> 
>>> Well, to be precise, I did not run the cabling up the pedestal itself (where the engine control cables route) but through the 1 inch hoop stanchion.
>>> The problem is that -  depending on your instrument fit - you may be struggling for space within that 1 inch stanchion , especially if there are other cables that have plugs on them!
>>> In the end I - basically -  re-configured the whole wiring circuit for the instruments using a multicore cable that had enough cores in it to do what I needed.
>>> This is because its not really the cores of the cables that take the space it is the outer insulating sheath. In the space that you can run (say) two separate 3-core cables, you can just as easily fit a single 10-core cable.
>>> The stanchion just lifts out the deck once you remove the fixing screws in the base fittings that attach to the deck.
>>> You can  - obviously -  remove the box covering the steering gear from inside the aft cabin to get access to the underneath.
>>> In practice I had to enlarge the hole through the deck as well to get the extra cabling through it.
>>> Again t will depend on your own instrumentation set up but you may be able to split the cabling up the two legs of the stanchion.
>>> The RAM mic extension cable has a huge plug on it that was no way going to fit through the stanchion. So I cut it and made a new join within the instrument pod. Only the core that has the mic signal needs to be screened.
>>> All my other instrument cabling i ran on new multicore cabling down through the stanchions and using cable ties kept it out of the way of the steering gear and ran it through the aft bulkhead and then made new connections to the old cabling using an airtight sandwich box screwed to the aft side of the aft cabin bulkhead to protect everything rom damp and splashes etc.
>>> I wont lie - it took me the best part of two solid days work. As I had also fitted a new autopilot I also had to route a raymarine STNG cable the same way, but at least the plugs on these are quite thin.
>>> Basically - its not impossible nor do you have to be an electrical genius, but it is fiddly and it takes time. I also had the joy (?) of having to drill extra holes in the stanchions at instrument pod level, which - being stainless steel - isn't the easiest job!
>>> Hope this helps -  I’ll see what photos I have for this and post a link to view them if thats of any help
>>> Graeme
>>> #366, 1996, Jaskar
>>> 
>>>> On 12 Sep 2017, at 12:56, Chris Burti <clburti at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>> Tried and removed all of the electronics wiring...no go...the only way is
>>>> to remove all wiring and the engine cables. I mounted mine on the port side
>>>> of the cockpit just forward of the propane locker and near the top. Not the
>>>> ideal location of the pedestal, but functional.
>>>> 
>>>> Chris Burti
>>>> Farmville, NC
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>> On Tue, Sep 12, 2017 at 6:57 AM, John Meyers <jcmeyers7 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> I am looking for a way and place to mount a radio remote onto the
>>>>> pedestal.  I have the standard Edson pedestal including the instrument pod
>>>>> near the top over the compass. (I purchased and installed a Standard
>>>>> Horizon GX2200 in the cabin and then bought the remote CMP31.)
>>>>> 
>>>>> The remote cable has a connector that won't fit easily into the conduit
>>>>> that goes into the gauge housing on my 1997 #406. There are about a dozen
>>>>> wires and shut off cable that uses that conduit that leads from the housing
>>>>> down to the steering box in the aft berth.  I tried pulling the
>>>>> disconnected wires down and there was a lot of resistance and not sure if I
>>>>> could push/pull those wire back through after I put through the remote
>>>>> cable.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Has anyone done this? Is there another place/way to mount the radio remote?
>>>>> Any advice on what I am trying to do?
>>>>> 
>>>>> Thanks in advance for any help.
>>>>> 
>>>>> John Meyers
>>>>> 1997 #406
>>>>> Wind Chime
>>>>> Muskegon, MI
>>