Mounting a ham radio, scanner, or CB in a vehicle is a different challenge than mounting a phone or GPS. The hardware is heavier, the installations are often permanent, and the mounting pattern — usually AMPS — determines what will and won’t work together. The guides below cover every major scenario by radio type and brand.
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START HERE The complete guide covering handheld transceivers, detachable control heads, AMPS compatibility, and every major mounting location. Best first stop for new installs. |
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How to use RAM’s modular mounting system for ham radio installs — covers handheld transceivers, detachable control heads, seat bolt mounts, and suction cup options. |
| Guide | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Mounting a Ham Radio in the Car | All radio types, all mount locations, AMPS compatibility explained |
| RAM Mounts for HAM Radios | RAM-specific mount options for handhelds and detachable control heads |
| Ham and CB Radio Mic Holders | Where and how to mount your mic when not in use — screw-on, adhesive, and magnetic options |
| ICOM IC-703, IC-706, IC-706II Car Mounts | Mount options specific to ICOM IC-series transceivers |
| Guide | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Handheld Scanner Car Mounts | Universal mount options for handheld scanners — seat bolt, suction cup, and vent mounts |
| Police Scanner Car Mounts and Holders | Mount options for police scanners including vent and seat bolt installs |
| Uniden BCD436HP HomePatrol Handheld Scanner Mounts | Vent, cup holder, and clip mounts for the BCD436HP |
| Mounting Uniden HomePatrol-1 and HomePatrol-2 in the Car | Suction cup, flat surface, and seat bolt options for the HomePatrol tabletop series |
| Uniden BCD396XT and BCD396T Scanner Mounts | Mount options for the BCD396 series handheld scanners |
| Uniden SDS100 and SDS150 Scanner Car and Truck Mounts | Mount options for the Uniden SDS100 and SDS150 digital scanner |
| Uniden BC-GPSK GPS Antenna Mounts | Mount options for the Uniden BC-GPSK antenna |
Most ham radio control head brackets, scanner cradles, and CB mounts use the AMPS four-hole pattern. Understanding this standard before you buy saves a lot of frustration.
| Guide | What It Covers |
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| AMPS Pattern Mounts — Complete Guide | What the AMPS pattern is, which radios use it, and which mounts are compatible |
If you own one of the Uniden handheld scanners that supports location-based scanning, the Uniden BC-GPSK GPS Antenna is the accessory that makes it all work. Plug it into your scanner, and the unit can determine where you are, then prioritize frequencies from nearby towers and systems within a set
Installing a ham radio in a modern car is more difficult than it was ten or fifteen years ago. Vehicle interiors have changed dramatically — dashboards are smaller, center consoles are packed with touchscreens and climate controls, and airbag sensors occupy areas that once would have been easy mounting spots.
There was a time when owning a scanner meant sitting down with a frequency guide, manually programming channels, and hoping you entered everything correctly. The Uniden HomePatrol-1 — and later the HomePatrol-2 — completely changed that experience. Enter your zip code, select the type of traffic you want to hear,
Mounting a police scanner in a vehicle is not as straightforward as mounting a phone. Handheld scanners are thicker, heavier, and almost always include a long antenna that changes how and where you can mount them. That’s exactly why a lot of standard phone mounts fail in this use case.
Mounting the Uniden SDS100 or SDS150 in a vehicle is more involved than mounting a phone or GPS. Both scanners use a button-and-belt-clip mounting system on the back of the radio rather than a standard cradle attachment point, and the extended battery on the SDS100 adds significant depth that rules
If you’ve ever shopped for a mount for a ham radio, a Garmin GPS, a police scanner, or a Sirius radio, you’ve probably run into the term “AMPS pattern” without much explanation of what it actually means. It’s one of those pieces of mounting jargon that gets assumed rather than