So i finally got around to putting my FT-7900R in the truck properly instead of just having it sitting on the seat with a mag mount which is how ive been rolling for embarrassingly long. Got the coax run through the firewall using one of those rubber grommets and everything seems solid but im second guessing a few things.

First - the radio is mounted under the dash sort of off to the side and the mic cable feels like its in a weird spot. Is there a good way to route that so it doesnt get in the way of my legs while driving? I see people with really clean installs online and mine looks like a rats nest comparatively.

Also the antenna is a Tram 1185 on the trunk lip and i get a decent SWR reading but on 70cm its a little higher than id like, like 1.8 or so. Does that antenna just not perform as well on UHF or should i be messing with the adjustment? I didnt really touch the tuning tip when i installed it just went with the factory setting.

Anyway the radio works great and im hitting repeaters i couldnt even hear before with the mag mount so thats a win i guess. Just want to tighten up the install.

Congrats on getting a proper install done, the difference between a mag mount and a good trunk lip or NMO mount is pretty significant especially on UHF. For the mic cable a lot of guys run it up along the dash edge and tuck it under the trim panel so it comes out near the steering wheel area. Some vehicles have a little gap between the dash and the door pillar trim that works perfect for this. Takes a bit of fiddling but once its done it looks factory almost.

On the SWR - the 1185 does have an adjustable tip and at 1.8 on 70cm i would definitely play with it. Shortening it slightly usually brings UHF down, just make a small adjustment and check again. Some guys end up compromising between 2m and 70cm performance since moving the tip one way helps one band and hurts the other a little. 1.5 or below on both is totally achievable with some patience.

yeah the rats nest feeling never really goes away lol. i redid my install like three times before i was happy with it and even now theres a zip tie somewhere behind the console thats been bugging me for months. the important thing is the radio works and youre hitting repeaters, the cosmetic stuff you can clean up over time as you figure out what routing actually works for how you drive and where you reach for the mic naturally.