Just got my Technician license last month and looking to install my first mobile rig in my 2024 Ford F-150. I've narrowed it down to either the Yaesu FTM-300DR or Icom ID-2730A. Main question is about antenna placement - I'm seeing mixed advice about roof center versus fender mount. Is drilling the roof really worth the performance gain over a mag mount? Also wondering about the best spot to mount the control head where it's visible but not screaming "steal me" to passing thieves.

Planning to run power directly to the battery with proper fusing. Any other gotchas I should watch out for on a first install?

Congratulations on the upgrade! I recommend the Icom 2730A dual band mobile. I have two of them and have encountered no issues with them. They have a 50-watt output. They cover the 2-meter band and the 70-centimeter band. The center of a vehicle's roof is a very good place to mount a VHF/UHF antenna. However, creating an optimal ground in this position involves drilling a hole. If you choose this path, seek professional help from your dealer or a qualified installer. You could use a mag mount instead, but the only ground path is through capacitive coupling, which is lossy in comparison.

Do a proper install, power off the battery directly. Do NOT tap into existing vehicle wiring, and for the love of God and all things holy, do NOT use cigarette lighter sockets. For the control head, I've seen good installs using the sunglasses compartment area or custom dash mounts. I went with a BuiltRight dash mount, allowing me to put the remote head and a remote speaker up there. The remote speaker was really helpful, as the radio body (and speaker) are under the passenger seat. Yes, it is visible from outside, but it's not as obvious as having the whole radio there.

Welcome to the hobby! Don't get hung up on power differences - there isn't much difference in range between a 50w radio and a 65-80w radio. Getting hung up on power output of the radio is a common rookie mistake. A 80 watt radio will not talk twice as far as a 40 watt radio. Focus on getting a good antenna system with proper grounding and low SWR. That'll make way more difference than a few extra watts.