Need to route a power cable through forester firewall???

I found a route on my 04 XT on the passenger's side near the middle. There's a black tube that goes through and I just pushed the wire through that same grommet. I started from the engine compartment and then pulled from inside the car once I could see where it came through. From there it's close and easy to get to the console area.

Matt

Steering shaft grommet works, slit it with razor blade and silicone it shut. I recommend against going straight to the battery because the gasses there will turn the wire green for the first few CM past the battery. High resistance low amps. I go to the starter positive and don't have to cut the power cord every year. I know that's not what QST says but hey, they are amateurs also. AB7RS

hmmm. .... sounds cool. I am a amateur-ham wannabe, do you mind tell me what you can use your ham radio on car for?

I picked up 12VDC for the ICOM dual-band radio in my car (an older Subaru) by splicing into the large white wire that supplies accessory power and whatnot for the fuse box. Get a good chassis ground as close to the xcvr as possible. If you do run a wire to the battery, route it carefully away from heat sources, and sharp edges. Use an awl to poke a hole in the grommet where the wiring bundle penetrates the firewall, and feed the wire thru that. Be sure to locate the fuse for this lead as close to the battery as possible. I use a roof-mount antenna connection, and haven't had problems with RF upsetting the cars electronics. This can sometimes be a problem with mag-mount antennas, or other antennas that don't get a good ground at the antenna base. In my truck, (mag-mounted whip antenna) I (mostly) fixed this by sliding several ferrite cores over the antenna coax right where it connects to the rig. Hope this is helpful.

ByeBye! S.

Steve Jernigan KG0MB Laboratory Manager Microelectronics Research University of Colorado (719) 262-3101