Original Project Date: February 2006

Project Summary: I show how I installed a permanent CB antenna and radio in the H2.

CB are a commonly used to communicate with others on the trail. They're fairly inexpensive and don't require a license to use. Since I really only plan to use it recreationally, I opted for a lower priced all-in-one/handheld CB model from Midland, 75-822. I can wire this to the vehicle antenna most of the time. But if necessary remove it and use it with AA batteries and a with a removable stubby antenna if I need to use it outside of the truck.

I haven't updated the site lately. If you've been wondering why, it's because I've been in the middle of a crazy move. That move is just about complete. I'm sitting amongst boxes, but am ready to get back at things that aren't absolutely mandatory.

Summary: Mounting of a TabletKiosk oe i7210 UMPC in a HUMMER H2

In Part 1, I mention how Ram Mounts was the only mounting com ponent vendor (at the time) to have a UMPC holder that was sized well enough to hold the TabletKiosk eo i7210. Given that, I decided I'd go with an all Ram Mounts based solution to mount the eo in my HUMMER H2.

This is the full list of requirements I had in mind when planning this mount. Some were missing from my first post.

1. allow for quick insertion/removal of the UMPC into vehicle
2. don't obscure air vents
3. don't obscure shifter or cup holders
4. don't obscure center console stereo, climate controls, transfer case, e-locker, and traction control buttons
5. don't encroach on passenger space
6. securely hold it in offroad driving situations
7. position at convenient location for use by driver, i.e. don't have to stretch or bend to reach or read it
8. allow for repositioning for use by passenger
9. minimize visible impact to vehicle - while I own the H2 and don't plan to get rid of it until it dies, I'd prefer not to mar parts of the dash that are in plain view

This is a pretty healthy list of requirements. I decided that, to fulfill them, I had to use some sort of mounting arm that's attached near the floor in a carpted area where holes are out of sight, where the arm can be adjusted after installation, and the eo sits in a cradle at the end of that arm. It probably wasn't going to be the cheapest or most turnkey solution.

The moment the UMPC platform was unveiled at Microsoft, I immediately knew that I was going to put one of them in my HUMMER H2. My H2 doesn't have an in-dash nav unit. It's just a stereo, CD player, tape deck. I'm currently using a Creative Zen Touch to pipe audio into the head unit using an aux input module from Pacific Accessory Corporation that I installed a while ago. I figured, if I'm going to have a UMPC, it's going to replace my Zen Touch and add every other capability I might want in-vehicle since it's a complete Windows PC.

Now, one major problem is that there is no mounting system available for the TabletKiosk eo's yet. TabletKiosk has a "Universal Mounting Plate" spec'ed out, but I don't know when they'll be available. I contacted Arkon, Ram Mounts, Panavise, and ProClips and no one had anything specifically made for the i7210, nor were there any generic/univeral holders that looked to be the right dimensions to hold the i7210.

Original Project Date: July 2006

Project Summary: I mount a Hi-lift farm jack on the roof rack cross bars on my H2.

A Hi-lift farm jack is a useful tool to have with you when you go off road. The factory jack that comes with your vehicle to help you change the tire is really designed to lift the vehicle on level ground just enough to raise the tires off the ground. However, in an off road situation uneven ground may necessitate lifting the vehicle much more than the several inches to change a tire.

Original Project Date: April 2006

Project Summary: I explain how I level the H2 front to back.

The front end on my H2 had always been a little bit lower than the front. At first, I liked it this way, but it began to bothering me. It was about 16 inches to the bottom of the rockers in front, and just over 17 inches to the bottom of the rockers in the rear.

Original Project Date: March 2006

Project Summary: I explain how I securely mounted a large toolbox above one of the wheel wells in the rear cargo area of my HUMMER H2.

The HUMMER H2 SUV has a pretty decent amount of rear cargo storage space. When I got my 2003, the spare tire, which is a full-size wheel and tire was stored inside the cargo area as you can see in picture #1.

I just added a new section to the website. It contains writeups on some customization projects I've done on my 2003 HUMMER H2.

The new page is here: http://www.eeaston.com/hummer-projects. Enjoy!