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Posted: 6/18/2024 12:48:02 AM EDT
I'm thinking about putting some kind of GMRS mobile radio unit on my tractor to make things a bit easier when working outside with someone else on foot who has a basic FRS handheld radio i.e. walkie talkie. That way, the person driving the tractor can hear someone calling when the RPMs are up and the engine is making noise, and the person on foot doesn't have to wave their arms and scream to get the driver's attention. My wife can even keep a walkie in the kitchen just for letting me know when dinner is ready or when I need to wrap things up and get my ass showered for whatever is going on later. It would also be nice to not worry about keeping a handheld battery charged or accidentally leaving it somewhere.
What radio would you recommend for this scenario? Tractor already has a 12v outlet. I imagine the radio would need to be fairly ruggedized to deal with the elements in an open cab tractor. No idea what else I should be looking for in a quality mobile radio. Since we're already talking about adding useful stuff to tractors here, I'm really curious what other home-brewed tractor accessories and/or tool kits y'all have rigged up to your machines to make things a little more convenient out in the field. Please don't be shy. Let's use this thread to share some cool ideas! Pics are always welcome. I'll kick it off with a pic of our bone stock JD 2032R that was delivered this past weekend: 
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Posted: 6/18/2024 12:54:47 AM EDT
[#1]
I've been meaning to make a chainsaw holder for mine.
Reality has been I just throw it on the mower deck. |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 12:57:02 AM EDT
[#2]
I've thought about velcroing a clock to help me keep track of time, I wear ear protection on my open station tractor and would have to throttle down to have a hope of hearing a radio.
My best bet is to stream from my phone, and let the phone call from my wife interrupt that to catch my attention. 
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Posted: 6/18/2024 12:59:38 AM EDT
[#3]
I think gmrs is the classic way to do what you're talking about. Be sure to get a radio that will scan/monitor all channels so you can hear the neighbors fight.
In days of yore the base station in my grandparents house would occasionally pick up shrimp boat chatter. |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 4:14:18 AM EDT
[#4]
i've put radios in ambulances, police cars, semi tractors, trash trucks, school buses, pickups, snowcats, atvs, motorcycles...
really isn't much to it. Coax kit, connector, ignition-sense or chargeguard, fuse holder or fuse block, radio/control head (might be one and the same, depends on the radio), and mic (or go easy-mode and get a handheld control head). External speaker usually gets a little more volume than the CH speaker. |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 4:21:56 AM EDT
[#5]
Work tunes will be more enjoyable since they act as ear protection and music.
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Posted: 6/18/2024 5:00:12 AM EDT
[#6]
Throw a cab kit on it, then a radio. World of difference. Or get a set of those wonky radio hearing pro...
 Buddy has a John Deere up in Upper MI. It's the full monty….some type of SEAL RIB seat suspension, full cab, heater, AC, stereo…..I'm jealous every time I see it. Very nice tractor but too much down here in TN for what I need. Up there? Works great as he's plowing his way out of a mountain 9 months out of the year.  Attached File |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 5:04:33 AM EDT
[#7]
Cell phone mount is about as far as I'll go for electronics. Have Ram mounts on the tractor and UTV.
Have other stuff carrying chains, an axe, a shovel, and straps. Might ditch the shovel and only carry it during mud season, but that can be unpredictable. Have a chainsaw mount on the ROPS, but want to move it further inboard. I do most of my chainsaw stuff in the UTV anyways, so might just leave it alone. |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 5:07:27 AM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I've thought about velcroing a clock to help me keep track of time, I wear ear protection on my open station tractor and would have to throttle down to have a hope of hearing a radio. My best bet is to stream from my phone, and let the phone call from my wife interrupt that to catch my attention. My tractor has a cab and a regular fm radio. But I can plug my phone into it. I always do and listen to YouTube music. The text pauses the song. On my zero turn. I plug my phone into my shooting muffs. So sound dampening and a call or text stops the song. Just buy a set of Howard lights and a male to male adapter. Less than $100 bucks. muffscord. |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 5:10:05 AM EDT
[#9]
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Posted: 6/18/2024 5:16:18 AM EDT
[#10]
OP, did you order the pats easy change like I suggested in the other thread?
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Posted: 6/18/2024 6:12:54 AM EDT
[#11]
A grapple, I hope you got a grapple.
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Posted: 6/18/2024 6:30:16 AM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Work tunes will be more enjoyable since they act as ear protection and music. This is what I use. |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 6:31:30 AM EDT
[#13]
I wear AirPods listening to music as hearing protection. My old tractor is not quiet at RPM to drive the PTO.
If my wife needs me she can message or phone me and it rings in the ear buds and watch. +1 on the UP snow. If the ATV or zero turn get stuck I pull them out with the Jeep. If the Jeep gets stuck the tractor comes to the rescue.  Go Blue! |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 6:32:52 AM EDT
[#14]
tractor accessories -- Pimp my tractor
 Traktor Polka - ATOMIK HARMONIK (Official HD Video) |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 6:38:36 AM EDT
[#15]
Bungee cord wrapped around ROPS. Fly swatter tucked on the inside. Outside is for random feathers (mostly turkey).
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Posted: 6/18/2024 6:40:22 AM EDT
[#16]
I run AirPod Pros on my open cab machines. My enclosed cabs all have radios with Bluetooth installed.
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Posted: 6/18/2024 6:47:55 AM EDT
[#17]
Get a cab and a/c and heat
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Posted: 6/18/2024 6:48:51 AM EDT
[#18]
I have a ram mount to hold a rifle and a sony bluetooth speaker in the cab. I also did sound/heat insulation on the floor as well as under and behind the seat.
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Posted: 6/18/2024 6:57:50 AM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted: A grapple, I hope you got a grapple. Looking at his pics in the other thread, I doubt he needs one. |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 8:07:53 AM EDT
[#20]
How are you going to hear the radio on the open cab machine? I would use some headphones or over the ear hearing protection with Bluetooth in it.
Personal experience here, I did not like pats easy change system. Had one on a cat 1 tractor. A speeco quick hitch with a hydraulic top link is superior in every way I have them on all my cat 2 tractors |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 8:09:41 AM EDT
[#21]
I use noise canceling headphones and listen to audiobooks on my phone. Call me if you want me to stop.
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Posted: 6/18/2024 8:13:20 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted: This is what I use. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Work tunes will be more enjoyable since they act as ear protection and music. This is what I use. Me too I think op should be able to run a baofeng into the aux port if he wants. |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 8:16:05 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I've been meaning to make a chainsaw holder for mine. Reality has been I just throw it on the mower deck. I bought a big wall hanger tool hook thingy from HD, and bolted it to the side of the ROPs on mine. Works great. |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 8:21:53 AM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I wear AirPods listening to music as hearing protection. My old tractor is not quiet at RPM to drive the PTO. If my wife needs me she can message or phone me and it rings in the ear buds and watch. +1 on the UP snow. If the ATV or zero turn get stuck I pull them out with the Jeep. If the Jeep gets stuck the tractor comes to the rescue. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/202/IMG_8065-3220537.jpg Go Blue! nice tractor!  Attached File |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 8:25:26 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I've been meaning to make a chainsaw holder for mine. Reality has been I just throw it on the mower deck. I have this one simple trick....where I put the saw in the bucket and inevitably forget and wind up dumping it out. Once in the pond.
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Posted: 6/18/2024 8:41:17 AM EDT
[#26]
I have a set of 3m worktunes. Hearing protection with built in radio and blue tooth. The wife and kids can call me and it will interrupt my music to let me know I’m getting a call.
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Posted: 6/18/2024 8:48:40 AM EDT
[#27]
I bolted an ammo can to the ROPS behind the seat to hold tools, gloves, lynch pins, etc and a magnetic cup holder on the fender
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Posted: 6/18/2024 8:55:39 AM EDT
[#28]
My dad had a commercial Kenwood 2-way radio (license required) in his John Deere back in the 70s, plus a ham radio.
It kept him in touch with mom (not a licensed ham) and all of his ham friends. Plowing for 8 hours can get pretty boring. Don't know why anyone would think twice about it today. |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 9:05:19 AM EDT
[#29]
Back when i was kid we had radios on every tractor. Fender mounted with about 8 inch speaker. You could hear them sumbitches from long way. We run from about 8 in morning to 10 or so at night so it sure helped pass the time. |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 9:22:08 AM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Work tunes will be more enjoyable since they act as ear protection and music. It’s what I use. Also have walkers Bluetooth headset. Allows incoming calls. My tractors and mowers are loud. I like ear protection. I wear a helmet if working around trees. |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 9:29:11 AM EDT
[#31]
I'm putting a pair of trash pinchers on my riding mower to help easily move the dog toys.
City slicker tractor- I don't have much input for a useful item for your big tractor. Maybe a steering wheel knob
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Posted: 6/18/2024 9:33:49 AM EDT
[#32]
Gun rack or scabbard. A marlin model 60 fits just fine in a leather lever gun scabbard.
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Posted: 6/18/2024 10:17:53 AM EDT
[#33]
I forgot... I replaced the shirtt halogen cab floods with LEDs. That eas by far the best money spent. My next planned upgrade is to tint the cab.
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Posted: 6/18/2024 10:20:53 AM EDT
[#34]
@1andy2
The bucket scabbards we use for tree work are $200+ but I just found this and may get one for mine.  Attached File |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 10:46:40 AM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted: My tractor has a cab and a regular fm radio. But I can plug my phone into it. I always do and listen to YouTube music. The text pauses the song. On my zero turn. I plug my phone into my shooting muffs. So sound dampening and a call or text stops the song. Just buy a set of Howard lights and a male to male adapter. Less than $100 bucks. muffscord. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: I've thought about velcroing a clock to help me keep track of time, I wear ear protection on my open station tractor and would have to throttle down to have a hope of hearing a radio. My best bet is to stream from my phone, and let the phone call from my wife interrupt that to catch my attention. My tractor has a cab and a regular fm radio. But I can plug my phone into it. I always do and listen to YouTube music. The text pauses the song. On my zero turn. I plug my phone into my shooting muffs. So sound dampening and a call or text stops the song. Just buy a set of Howard lights and a male to male adapter. Less than $100 bucks. muffscord. Sorry, forgot to clarify I use blue tooth ear pro that also has FM radio |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 10:55:14 AM EDT
[#36]
No one uses a traditional radio anymore.
As everyone else said. Some sort of Bluetooth headphone and a cellphone. |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 11:02:58 AM EDT
[#37]
No need for it and I wear foam earplugs anyway. Best thing I ever added to the tractor was a sun umbrella.
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Posted: 6/18/2024 11:07:41 AM EDT
[#38]
Good grief.
The last thing I want to do is give anyone the ability to contact me while I’m on my tractor. Tractor seat & ZTR seat are the only places on earth I know I’ll be left alone. Earbuds in, music on, not a care in the world. |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 11:09:28 AM EDT
[#39]
a cab and AC
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Posted: 6/18/2024 11:10:45 AM EDT
[#40]
Hard to argue against getting a hard cab. I run a Curtiss Cab on mine which makes snowblowing way better.
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Posted: 6/18/2024 11:13:17 AM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryQuoted: @1andy2 The bucket scabbards we use for tree work are $200+ but I just found this and may get one for mine. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/523616/IMG_3509_png-3244382.JPG I've been looking for an easy way to carry the chainsaw too. But what I really want is a way to carry a extendable pole saw. I'm thinking about a mount that will sit on the side or even the top of the loader arm. And yes OP , I put a Anytone 778 UV || , 2M , 70cm in the cab . Looking for a really bendy but good antenna though. Lot's of trees around. I made a bracket that I was able to bolt to the rear floodlight up top and plopped a magmount on it. Anyone know of a good dual band antenna that is really flexible? I thought I had one saved in my phone but can't find it now. I think it was one recommended from a thread I had a while back in the ham forum. Found my archived thread and this is the antenna I'll probably get . https://signalstuff.com/product/super-elastic-signal-stalk/ |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 11:14:47 AM EDT
[#42]
We had CBs in all of our tractors and farm trucks growing up in the 80s. My grandpa’s house that served as the HQ had a base station too
Once cell phones became common, we stopped using all of the radios. |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 11:24:03 AM EDT
[#43]
Quoted: I'm thinking about putting some kind of GMRS mobile radio unit on my tractor to make things a bit easier when working outside with someone else on foot who has a basic FRS handheld radio i.e. walkie talkie. That way, the person driving the tractor can hear someone calling when the RPMs are up and the engine is making noise, and the person on foot doesn't have to wave their arms and scream to get the driver's attention. My wife can even keep a walkie in the kitchen just for letting me know when dinner is ready or when I need to wrap things up and get my ass showered for whatever is going on later. It would also be nice to not worry about keeping a handheld battery charged or accidentally leaving it somewhere. What radio would you recommend for this scenario? Tractor already has a 12v outlet. I imagine the radio would need to be fairly ruggedized to deal with the elements in an open cab tractor. No idea what else I should be looking for in a quality mobile radio. Since we're already talking about adding useful stuff to tractors here, I'm really curious what other home-brewed tractor accessories and/or tool kits y'all have rigged up to your machines to make things a little more convenient out in the field. Please don't be shy. Let's use this thread to share some cool ideas! Pics are always welcome. I'll kick it off with a pic of our bone stock JD 2032R that was delivered this past weekend: https://i.imgur.com/vOXUCtF.jpg Got these for Father’s Day op. Was on my tractor yesterday hauling hay, listening to music off my phone, wife called easily heard and answered, talked, hung up. Love them . They have a sort of ear plug insert that cuts down on environmental noise for some hearing protection, which also helps hear music, calls better. Supposedly waterproof too.  Attached File |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 12:48:01 PM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Work tunes will be more enjoyable since they act as ear protection and music. Yep |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 1:04:28 PM EDT
[#45]
I have Midland MicroMobile in my cab tractor, both trucks, and eventually I'll have it in my kitchen.
Don't think it is waterproof though. You wouldn't hear it unless you use the stereo out to some wired headphones which would suck. |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 2:46:49 PM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Looking at his pics in the other thread, I doubt he needs one. I didn't get the Pat's quick hitch either. Mine came with the JD factory equivalent quick hitch (like the one in @PA-Minuteman's pic), but I haven't tinkered much with it. What about a tooth bar for the loader bucket? Curious if there are any not-so-obvious downsides to running one. I need to scoop dirt and rocks from piles and will also need to lay down and grade dirt, gravel, etc. Is an aggressive tooth bar like the Piranha tooth bar really going to help with those tasks or should I be looking at some other kind of protective bar like the Piranha straight bar or perhaps something from a different brand? Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone. |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 2:56:46 PM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Correct. Can't justify it at the moment. Until I build a shed next year, I'm short on space too. I didn't get the Pat's quick hitch either. Mine came with the JD factory equivalent quick hitch (like the one in @PA-Minuteman's pic), but I haven't tinkered much with it. What about a tooth bar for the loader bucket? Curious if there are any not-so-obvious downsides to running one. I need to scoop dirt and rocks from piles and will also need to lay down and grade dirt, gravel, etc. Is an aggressive tooth bar like the Piranha tooth bar really going to help with those tasks or should I be looking at some other kind of protective bar like the Piranha straight bar or perhaps something from a different brand? Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Looking at his pics in the other thread, I doubt he needs one. I didn't get the Pat's quick hitch either. Mine came with the JD factory equivalent quick hitch (like the one in @PA-Minuteman's pic), but I haven't tinkered much with it. What about a tooth bar for the loader bucket? Curious if there are any not-so-obvious downsides to running one. I need to scoop dirt and rocks from piles and will also need to lay down and grade dirt, gravel, etc. Is an aggressive tooth bar like the Piranha tooth bar really going to help with those tasks or should I be looking at some other kind of protective bar like the Piranha straight bar or perhaps something from a different brand? Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone. I’ve never felt the need for one. Honestly your machine is too small to even worry about something like that. Plus you lose the ability to finish grade with the back cutting edge. Which, IMO is more important on a small tractor. Being able to back drag. What I would do, is weld a strip of ~3/8 x 3in steel plate across the top of your bucket. Then weld ~2-3 hooks onto that. This will give the top of your bucket more rigidity and strength. As that’s where those buckets tend to bend if anything. As well, you can lift from those points. Or pull. |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 2:58:15 PM EDT
[#48]
my best added tractor accessory was a 12"x24"x8" storage basket , i haul drinks, snacks, tools, etc in it, yesterday it held my phone, a cooler with 9 bottles of gatorade, a towel, some tools, gloves, etc. had it for about 4 years now, and its a great accessory. im always off a few miles from home working with the tractor and really needed a way to haul extra items with me and this thing has been amazingly helpful. i also added a mounting spot on the right lower edge for mounting switches too, for the work lights and light bar i added.
future addition will be mounting a 5000-6000lb winch up front between the grill and the loader bucket for usual winch uses.  Attached File Attached Fileadding permanent D rings, a hook and mounting a long chain to the bucket is another awesome upgrade as well. that way you ALWAYS have a length of chain with you handy for dragging, lifting, pulling, etc.  Attached Filei also added some rear facing work lights and a forward facing light bar to the roll bar too. |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 3:03:36 PM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Work tunes will be more enjoyable since they act as ear protection and music. 3M Work Tunes are one of the best things I've purchased in the last 5 years. I ran over my last pair with my tractor, and had a new pair coming from Amazon in less that 10min. It's down right miserable doing yard work without being able to listen to music on them. |
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Posted: 6/18/2024 3:07:40 PM EDT
[#50]
Spraypaint the tips of your pallet forks a different color than black. Bright color makes it easy to see when you're grabbing a pallet.
A long bolt through the hole at the top of the loader on the left side makes a nice handhold to mount/dismount. OP, where you live goodworkstractors does free freight shipping. He's got a host of neat accessories, implements, and such. Peruse his site if you want to spend some money on cool tractor things. |
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