Big Blue's Transformation

[kramttocs]

Didn't get much done on Big Blue today, but did some thinking about the storm which is to roll in early tomorrow morning. A couple of days ago we were to get 1 - 3" of snow. A few hours ago it was 4 - 6". And now it is 5 - 8" with blowing and drifting. And temps down to -9F Monday night.

So, the possibility of losing electricity exists. But all I'd have to do is to use BB's inverter to power the garage door in the shop and then drive him to the front of the house and use the inverter to power the furnace. I could run the furnace a while and then start the truck and charge the battery. The rear tank is full, so we could do that for quite a while.

Also, I did check out the brace in the radio opening. At first blush I was worried that might have been working on it, but I compared it to another dash I have and they are the same.

And it looks like I could cut the brace back a bit if I need to space the bracket away from the radio a bit to clear the microphone plug. But, I can come over the top so it shouldn't be a problem, as Jim said.

And, speaking of the microphone, I've been wondering where to put it. And then it dawned on me that I need to fill in the opening above the switches, as seen below. As it turns out the XLT from the original bezel fits in that opening nicely, so what I'm thinking is to fill the opening from the rear with a piece of black plastic and mount both the XLT and the mic to it. I could drill a hole in it and bring the mic through from the back.

Thoughts?

Yes, that hump and trapezoidal cutout look a bit unpolished but I guess gets the job done.

I see them a often ran up the A pillar and clipped onto the upper windshield molding in front of the driver. Or in your case you could put it in your highliner. That said, in real world usage in a reg cab pickup is it really going to make a difference whether it's in the radio bezel or near the visor? - I doubt it. Plus might pick up Janey better in the center.

I thought you were installing a ticker type display there?

If that might happen, I'd go ahead and run it up and center it (so above the rear view mirror attached to the trim or highliner) myself.

 

[kramttocs]

Yes, that hump and trapezoidal cutout look a bit unpolished but I guess gets the job done.

I see them a often ran up the A pillar and clipped onto the upper windshield molding in front of the driver. Or in your case you could put it in your highliner. That said, in real world usage in a reg cab pickup is it really going to make a difference whether it's in the radio bezel or near the visor? - I doubt it. Plus might pick up Janey better in the center.

I thought you were installing a ticker type display there?

If that might happen, I'd go ahead and run it up and center it (so above the rear view mirror attached to the trim or highliner) myself.

And hopefully no electricity is lost but in a pinch, good to have BB to keep things as comfortable as possible.

Shouldn't need to power the door though

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, that hump and trapezoidal cutout look a bit unpolished but I guess gets the job done.

I see them a often ran up the A pillar and clipped onto the upper windshield molding in front of the driver. Or in your case you could put it in your highliner. That said, in real world usage in a reg cab pickup is it really going to make a difference whether it's in the radio bezel or near the visor? - I doubt it. Plus might pick up Janey better in the center.

I thought you were installing a ticker type display there?

If that might happen, I'd go ahead and run it up and center it (so above the rear view mirror attached to the trim or highliner) myself.

I agree, I hope we don't have to use it, but having BB as a backup plan for heat sounds pretty good to me. But I'm not sure how balanced that 10' door is in the shop. I've never tried to open it w/o the opener.

As for the mic position, I was thinking of Janey. The kids call us when we are traveling and it will be good for them to hear her as well as me. But you have a good point about the readout. Not sure I'll ever get it done, but if I just put the XLT there on a piece of plastic I can easily add the readout.

So, if there's enough wire for the mic maybe I should put it in the Highliner. Or, extend the wire. I think I could put it beside the GMRS radio and it would work nicely. And, that would keep it away from noisy things like the transmission, HVAC system, and even the exhaust.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I agree, I hope we don't have to use it, but having BB as a backup plan for heat sounds pretty good to me. But I'm not sure how balanced that 10' door is in the shop. I've never tried to open it w/o the opener.

As for the mic position, I was thinking of Janey. The kids call us when we are traveling and it will be good for them to hear her as well as me. But you have a good point about the readout. Not sure I'll ever get it done, but if I just put the XLT there on a piece of plastic I can easily add the readout.

So, if there's enough wire for the mic maybe I should put it in the Highliner. Or, extend the wire. I think I could put it beside the GMRS radio and it would work nicely. And, that would keep it away from noisy things like the transmission, HVAC system, and even the exhaust.

I think there's plenty of wire on the mic, Gary.

I know I have at least a couple of feet coiled up and zip-tied to the warning buzzer bracket where I get trigger for my fog lights.

I have mine running up the A pillar, out the pivot and along the DS visor to the inboard corner.

(Mine is an '87, so the visors are supported)

I have a little windsock over the microphone.

It is just a foam boot like you would have found on an early earbud, but I think it helps the noise cancellation while making a call.

ETA, you mostly want the microphone isolated from squeaks and clatters that get transmitted through whatever it is mounted on.

If that plastic headliner can rub against itself, or move at all you might be better off somewhere else, or mount it to a piece of foam that's mounted behind the panel.

[Gary Lewis]

I think there's plenty of wire on the mic, Gary.

I know I have at least a couple of feet coiled up and zip-tied to the warning buzzer bracket where I get trigger for my fog lights.

I have mine running up the A pillar, out the pivot and along the DS visor to the inboard corner.

(Mine is an '87, so the visors are supported)

I have a little windsock over the microphone.

It is just a foam boot like you would have found on an early earbud, but I think it helps the noise cancellation while making a call.

ETA, you mostly want the microphone isolated from squeaks and clatters that get transmitted through whatever it is mounted on.

If that plastic headliner can rub against itself, or move at all you might be better off somewhere else, or mount it to a piece of foam that's mounted behind the panel.

Thanks, Jim. Glad to see that. If you have a couple of feet tied up and you have it up by the visor's inboard end then there should easily be enough wire to get it to the GMRS radio.

And thanks for the tip on the wind sock.

By the way, I have the later visors as well.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Thanks, Jim. Glad to see that. If you have a couple of feet tied up and you have it up by the visor's inboard end then there should easily be enough wire to get it to the GMRS radio.

And thanks for the tip on the wind sock.

By the way, I have the later visors as well.

I think I remember you saying that.

I was trying to point out that my microphone is not wildly bouncing around even though it's clipped to the visor.

[Gary Lewis]

I think I remember you saying that.

I was trying to point out that my microphone is not wildly bouncing around even though it's clipped to the visor.

Makes sense, Jim.

I may do a test once I get the radio installed. Go down the road on a call and move the mic around to several places and see what the best spot is for minimum noise and maximum clarity. Would be easy to bring the wire through that rectangular opening above the switches and move it from there to the Highliner and to the visor. Might be very interesting.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Makes sense, Jim.

I may do a test once I get the radio installed. Go down the road on a call and move the mic around to several places and see what the best spot is for minimum noise and maximum clarity. Would be easy to bring the wire through that rectangular opening above the switches and move it from there to the Highliner and to the visor. Might be very interesting.

Remember that you can use the mic to set delay from the speakers.

Not that I do.

Heck, I can't even find a use for the phone app.

I just want to stream tunes and answer calls.

[Gary Lewis]

Remember that you can use the mic to set delay from the speakers.

Not that I do.

Heck, I can't even find a use for the phone app.

I just want to stream tunes and answer calls.

Oh yes! I'd completely forgotten that. Thanks for reminding me, Jim.

Having said that, I'm not sure I understand what that does as the documentation is somewhat sparse. But I think what it does is to set the delay to the separate speakers such that the sound arrives at the position selected at the same time from each speaker.

However, all I find in the documentation is shown below, which doesn't tell me much. And while I have the Music Center app on my phone, since I don't have the radio I can't actually use the app to see what it does.

But, you are telling me that I can use the mic to set the delays for the listening position? I'm not sure I need to do that 'cause I'll probably use either "1" or "3", but I'm just trying to understand if that's how it works?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Oh yes! I'd completely forgotten that. Thanks for reminding me, Jim.

Having said that, I'm not sure I understand what that does as the documentation is somewhat sparse. But I think what it does is to set the delay to the separate speakers such that the sound arrives at the position selected at the same time from each speaker.

However, all I find in the documentation is shown below, which doesn't tell me much. And while I have the Music Center app on my phone, since I don't have the radio I can't actually use the app to see what it does.

But, you are telling me that I can use the mic to set the delays for the listening position? I'm not sure I need to do that 'cause I'll probably use either "1" or "3", but I'm just trying to understand if that's how it works?

Yes, that's how it works.

And then you can also go into the radio settings and move where the sound* seems to be coming from.

IIRC, there are various 'concert' settings that make it seem the sound is in front of you rather than around you.

I think I'm just set to (3)