VHF radio powered by cig lighter?

[Labraptor]

My current radio is wired direct. I did use my Icom plugged into the lighter for the first SnoBall. Truck had been delivered only 6 days before the trip and wiring the radio direct just couldn't happen in time. It worked without issue. That same radio went to this year's SnoBall in a buddy's Raptor plugged in again for what its worth he didn't have issues either.

Having said that I still agree wired directly is best. I thought I would only use the radio for the one run. Thankfully I was wrong it has seen enough use I upgraded.

 

[lka]

Per the article. How about running one of these boxes/systems and hiding somewhere then plug-n-play as needed?
http://www.powerwerx.com/powerpole-power-distribution/

 

[All The Way]

The radio should have a plug on it that looks similar to this
Power Cable for FM Radios fits Powerwerx DB-750X, Yaesu, Kenwood & Icom [OEM-FM-CAB] - $12.99

I wouldn't trust powerpole connectors in out trucks.

 

[Huck]

Interesting my ICOM F5021 came with a cig socket adapter and I have it plugged into the center console socket.....

I also ran my icom through the rear power port for all of snoball without issue. It was supplied with the radio

 

[beachz]

My dad is running one in his F350 Super Duty FX4 Dually that plugs into a power port. I have no idea what the power rating is. I will ask him what it is. He has been a Ham guy for about a hundred years. When I borrowed the truck last year I stored the whole thing including the mag base antenna under the back seat so no one was tempted to help themselves.

He actually just gave me a Kenwood transceiver for my truck and a Wouxun HT over the weekend. I know the Kenwood is going to have to be wired it. It has the connector mentioned above hanging off of it. It will likely go into the center console. Right now I just use that space to collect crap I don't need anyway!

 

[jondle]

A little late to the party, but I second the wiring directly up to the battery.

I had the same concern as you. I thought I might only be using the radio a few times a year, so I wanted it easy to remove.

I mounted the radio to the metal bar that the glove box mounts to, so the radio is just under the glove box. I've been on a few runs and never had my passenger complain about it being in the way. I have it wired up directly to the battery through a small hole in the firewall.

I use a magnetic antenna, which has never come close to moving or falling off, with the cable running to an extension cable behind the rear seat. I have that extension cable running under the door sills up to the front where the radio is. I have BNC adapters on the radio and extension cable to make connecting and disconnecting it really easy.

So the wiring is permanent, but when I pull the radio and antenna, I tuck the power and antenna wires up behind the glove box and back seat where they can't be seen at all. In under 10 minutes I can have the radio in or out with nothing permanently showing.

That said, I gave up on removing it and it just stays in my truck.

 

[dogknat]

If you want something you can take out pretty easy to make it look stock then you might just want to go the route of @FarFromStock. Buy a replacement tray for the 5th speaker (estimated $50 for the blank no speaker) and mount it to that, run all the power wires hidden below the dash and through the hole in the firewall and the antenna cable down the passenger side of the console and out the back door. I used that setup on my truck during the ARDD and removed it afterword and set aside the radio for later use still mounted to the extra non-speaker tray. Looked clean once it was in and looks stock when its out. After the install its 2 7mm screws to change it back and forth. Also if you order from someone like PCI and call to ask they will upgrade you to a larger mag mount antenna (I think 5") no charge, Mine took a beating during ARDD on low branches and the antenna didn't move..... might have chipped paint from the tip of the ball smacking the roof at 70 but minor details. But hey at least mine didn't look like a shepards hook at the end of the day eh @Yukon Joe?

Side note I have seen 2 dash fires from using larger items on the cig-plug adapters. One was a radio and another a power inverter. I tend to steer away from that on anything larger than a cell phone charger.