Radio Jeep Top? What's that?

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mrdibbles
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Radio Jeep Top? What's that?

Unread post by mrdibbles » June 2nd, 2008, 8:34 pm

Hey Guys-
I am wondering how these tops I see on eBay work. They are often advertised as tops for "Radio Jeeps" and they have an access hole in the rear window. What feeds through the hole? I presume wires? But why? Why would I want my wires feeding through the middle of my rear window? Seems silly but I am sure I am missing something here.
Matt-

Here's a picture of what I am talking about:

Image
Last edited by mrdibbles on June 2nd, 2008, 10:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Radio Jeep Top? What's that?

Unread post by k8icu » June 2nd, 2008, 9:42 pm

The wires that go through that are the coax or transmission cable and the antenna tuner or adujster cable. The reason is that the wires can get pinched or worst cut if they travel on the outside of the body as they do on most 151s with a radio. Plust I believe that for a "radio" jeep there would be multipal wires going through there. But basically it was to keep the wires safe and on the straightest run.
There is one nut on a M151 that is very difficult to remove.....

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Re: Radio Jeep Top? What's that?

Unread post by mrdibbles » June 2nd, 2008, 10:05 pm

But wouldn't there still be a major interference with with either the radio operator or a passenger in the backseat? I see your logic to a degree. Seems like it would sure be "quick" to run them through the window but damn... seems nappy. Here's how I routed my wires and they seem very out of the way, safe, and secure (no hole in window needed). With the top bows fully folded down there's still at least a fingers width between them and fender. Thus I don't see it compressing the wires at all. A friend of mine does his radio Jeeps this way so in essence I am just copying his lead :D I also decided to mount the LS-454 loudspeaker on the 1029 sponson. That was much easier than routing the loud speaker up to the dash. This too is something my friend Mark has seen done and does himself on his Jeeps. Color me a copycat :) :)

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Last edited by mrdibbles on June 14th, 2008, 3:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Radio Jeep Top? What's that?

Unread post by Jay Mallari » June 3rd, 2008, 4:28 am

Maybe it was designed for those FAC mutts with the radios mounted where the rear seat is?

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Re: Radio Jeep Top? What's that?

Unread post by Ralph Fuller » June 3rd, 2008, 8:02 am

Matt: You do not have a radio Jeep. You have a Jeep with a single radio in it. The Forward Air Controllers (FAC) would have a rack or pallet of radios mounted in the back similar to this. He could talk to a unit in contact, and the Air Force planes at the same time. Hope this helps:
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Re: Radio Jeep Top? What's that?

Unread post by kb0jyl » June 3rd, 2008, 8:19 am

I have one of those tops. I needed a top and the price was right for a brand new in the box top. Anyway, not only is there a hole in the back window, but the bottom edge on the driver side behind the jerry can is cut up a little higher than the bottom of the mutt. Not sure why that is, but the hole in the back window lets you run coax, lima lima, or other accesories while parked. Put your dipole antenna up, run the coax through, and ready to go. Need to run, just unhook and go.

That is what I am using it for anyway.

My 3 cents worth.
Steve
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Re: Radio Jeep Top? What's that?

Unread post by Ralph Fuller » June 3rd, 2008, 8:44 am

The generator to power the radios was located in the trailer, towed by the Jeep.
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Re: Radio Jeep Top? What's that?

Unread post by mrdibbles » June 3rd, 2008, 8:49 am

Ralph Fuller wrote:Matt: You do not have a radio Jeep. You have a Jeep with a single radio in it. The Forward Air Controllers (FAC) would have a rack or pallet of radios mounted in the back similar to this. He could talk to a unit in contact, and the Air Force planes at the same time. Hope this helps:
Image

I disagree Ralph. I do have a radio jeep. That said I do not have a jeep with enough radios in it to stock an entire radio store :) If tops like these were designed for use in Jeeps like the ones you provided a picture of then yes I can see where that hole would be an asset/requirement. Thanks for the pictures.
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Re: Radio Jeep Top? What's that?

Unread post by moose53 » June 3rd, 2008, 1:10 pm

Mr. Dibbles,

I routed my antenna wires the same as you did, and mounted my speakers the same way as you have done. I have a jeep with radios though, not a radio jeep. The "radio jeeps" weren't M151a1's or A2's, they were MRC-107's and MRC108's, taking their designation from the radio systems installed on them. The jeep was considered a component of the radio system. They had the different tops, a 100 amp alternator, a passenger seat that faced the rear and a trailer mounted AC generator, along with the mass quantities of radios. There was a later version used in the 1st gulf war that used the GRC-206 radio pallet also but i'm not sure of the number for that setup. They were so loaded with equipment you had to be very careful to prevent tipping over, and they weren't too sporty climbing hills either.

Jim
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--------------------------------------
1971 G838-M151A2 1966 G857-M416
1968 G748-M101A1 1976 G748-M116A1
1990 MEP-701A

--------------------------------------
Real jeeps have horizontal grille slots

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Re: Radio Jeep Top? What's that?

Unread post by mrdibbles » June 3rd, 2008, 1:31 pm

I stand corrected. I do not have a "radio jeep". I also don't have a Gun Jeep but rather a Jeep with a gun in it :wink: Hell it isn't even a Jeep while we're at it. It's an AM General.

Anyway perhaps I have been using the term more loosely than those designations but I appreciate being corrected. Looking at the picture provided by Ralph makes me wonder how they were able to even use all that equipment. Them's tight conditions.
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Re: Radio Jeep Top? What's that?

Unread post by moose53 » June 3rd, 2008, 3:34 pm

They had quite a setup, FM-tactical like your jeep to talk to the troops, UHF and VHF aero radios to talk to the planes and helos, and sometimes HF for long distance comms... The big "coffin" containers held the aviation radios They filled the rear of the jeep so the passenger seat faced the rear for the operator to use. I like radios, but that is a bit much lol.

gulf war version:
Image

MRC-107 pallet:
Image

MRC-108 pallet:
Image

Jim
Zigzag50, Northeast51, KC2QDZ
MVPA # 30032 G838.org

--------------------------------------
1971 G838-M151A2 1966 G857-M416
1968 G748-M101A1 1976 G748-M116A1
1990 MEP-701A

--------------------------------------
Real jeeps have horizontal grille slots

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Re: Radio Jeep Top? What's that?

Unread post by mrdibbles » June 3rd, 2008, 4:45 pm

Great pictures Moose. Anyone have a picture of these configurations with the soft top? I'd like to see the wiring :D
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Re: Radio Jeep Top? What's that?

Unread post by moose53 » June 3rd, 2008, 5:18 pm

unfortunately, as you can tell from Ralph's pic, the radios sit so high that the wiring and that big square hole are hidden behind them...

Image

Image

Jim
Zigzag50, Northeast51, KC2QDZ
MVPA # 30032 G838.org

--------------------------------------
1971 G838-M151A2 1966 G857-M416
1968 G748-M101A1 1976 G748-M116A1
1990 MEP-701A

--------------------------------------
Real jeeps have horizontal grille slots

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Re: Radio Jeep Top? What's that?

Unread post by mrdibbles » June 3rd, 2008, 6:05 pm

I love that Bronco in the background :) Until we see a picture of the wiring going through the hole it doesn't exist :lol: :lol:
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Re: Radio Jeep Top? What's that?

Unread post by k8icu » June 3rd, 2008, 10:18 pm

Let me ask this....were there 151s that were sent up with multipal radios that didn't talk to aircraft, but rather were for command and control? i.e. mobile command posts so to speak? If so does anyone have a pic to post?
There is one nut on a M151 that is very difficult to remove.....

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