HMMWV computer mount

[FrankenCub]

First off I gotta say, I hate you HMMWV owners! Just kidding. I want one pretty bad but New Yorkistan isn't very friendly to them.

I'm pretty sure I've seen in passing a picture of a HMMWV with a Getac B300 laptop mounted in the cab but for the life of me I can't find it. Anyone here have one of those mounts that I can get some pictures of, or know where I can find the correct pictures?
I have a Getac B300 that I want to install in my M1008 and figured this may be the best way to go. I've looked at the aftermarket sources and they're crazy expensive and I don't think they're worth the price. It's not like I need all the functions they put in the mounts for LE.

 

[NDT]

I have only seen the AN/UYK-128 mounted in HMMWVs. Putting a LEO B300 mount in a CUCV is possible, but it will interfere with the transfer shifter. Huge B300 fan here, been using a ex-USMC unit for going on 8 years now as my main platform at home, it is indestructible. The Gamber Johnson B300 vehicle mounts used to be all over ebay cheap.

 

[jake-cutter]

I have a laptop mounted in mine. It is a General Dynamics Itronix GD8200 that came with a Gamber Johnson docking station and I mounted it on a Gamber Johnson Mongoose mount. Keyboard lights up for night time use and the screen is a touch screen.

 

[FrankenCub]

I have only seen the AN/UYK-128 mounted in HMMWVs. Putting a LEO B300 mount in a CUCV is possible, but it will interfere with the transfer shifter. Huge B300 fan here, been using a ex-USMC unit for going on 8 years now as my main platform at home, it is indestructible. The Gamber Johnson B300 vehicle mounts used to be all over ebay cheap.

Last I looked on Ebay I didn't find any of the LEO take outs, only found new and couldn't believe how expensive they were. I knew I would have to get creative to get the dock mounted because of the T-case shifter but it shouldn't be an issue bending some tube steel. My B300 was a LEO take out, a guy I know put a price tag on it I just couldn't refuse. He said it was really rugged, he wasn't kidding. If SHTF and I run out of bullets I'll use the B300 and beat 'em to death lol. Then use it as I was before. I'll take a look at Ebay again and see if something comes up.

I have a laptop mounted in mine. It is a General Dynamics Itronix GD8200 that came with a Gamber Johnson docking station and I mounted it on a Gamber Johnson Mongoose mount. Keyboard lights up for night time use and the screen is a touch screen.

View attachment 686063

View attachment 686064

Thanks for the picks, that's a slick set-up. Hopefully I can find a cheap dock for mine and make the rest of the mount. Are you using something vehicle wired for charging your laptop? That's something else I've been looking into.

 

[jake-cutter]

The docking station can go to 28 volts if I remember correctly. I bought this off of a recommendation of Ryanruck who should be along shortly to give a better explanation. Out the door for the laptop and docking station it was a little under $300 shipped.

 

[FrankenCub]

The docking station can go to 28 volts if I remember correctly. I bought this off of a recommendation of Ryanruck who should be along shortly to give a better explanation. Out the door for the laptop and docking station it was a little under $300 shipped.

Ok, that's cool. I just don't want to keep tapping off one battery to run other stuff. The only thing I have on one battery right now is my Icom ID5100. That's not a bad price for both. Last time I looked the dock itself were around the $300 price I think. I just looked again and there's one listed for $170 or so new but I want something pulled from LE or EMS to save some money. I already have a bunch of work on the truck I want to get done before snow flies. I'll keep watching though and will also ask some LEO friends of mine if they know where one might be sitting.

 

[ryanruck]

Jake is correct. The Gamber Johnson dock for the General Dynamics laptops has an internal power supply that will run off 24v-28v.

All you need is paired 14ga wiring to wire it up to the vehicle electric. Latching and unlatching the dock will switch the dock's power off and on but, it keeps the power supply board hot at all times so I'm adding a switch to the blank on the dock where the manual switch normally goes to cut power.

I used a Gamber Johnson Quad Motion TS-3 mount (the older style one, not the new one that goes full vertical tilt) to mount the dock to my radio tray but any Gamber Johnson mounting solution should work with the Gamber Johnson dock since they're all supposed to have the same bolt pattern.

My setup...

 

[FrankenCub]

Ok, so now I'm wondering it the picture I seen was a General Dynamics laptop and I just confused it with a Getac, it looks like they are very similar with the handle and doors covering the input ports. In the picture I seen the monitor was folded down and I couldn't see the top of it. If it were open I would have recognized the stupid finger print scanner on the Getac.. The Gambler Johnson dock wouldn't have 24-28v capability then if that were the case.
I know Getac were used in EMS and LEO vehicles though, so I may be stuck tapping one battery.
Once I find a dock to work I'm going to build a base to use with it, thinking I can use steel pipe and incorporate a slide in pipe section to allow me to fold the whole unit vertical for room if I need.

 

[ryanruck]

You sure it's a B33 you've got? I couldn't find any reference to that model anywhere. If you've got the Getac B300 though, this is the Gamber Johnson dock you want to hunt down: http://www.gamberjohnson.com/products/dock-getac-b300-computer-dual-rf

This is the same type of dock, with internal power supply, like our General Dynamics laptops use.

The installation documentation for it confirms it can accept 11-28 VDC input as well.

Once you've got the dock, then you can find or build a mount that will work for you.

 

[FrankenCub]

You sure it's a B33 you've got? I couldn't find any reference to that model anywhere. If you've got the Getac B300 though, this is the Gamber Johnson dock you want to hunt down: http://www.gamberjohnson.com/products/dock-getac-b300-computer-dual-rf

This is the same type of dock, with internal power supply, like our General Dynamics laptops use.

The installation documentation for it confirms it can accept 11-28 VDC input as well.

Once you've got the dock, then you can find or build a mount that will work for you.

Ooops, sorry that was a typo, I have a B300 and corrected the post.
Thanks for the links. I just compared that one to the one on Ebay and it appears to be the same one, which was a display unit. Hopefully one of my LEO friends knows of one that was removed when cars were upgraded.

 

[FrankenCub]

Well after looking at the manual some this may become a little more difficult. It says it's not compatible with 1st or 2nd gen B300, only with 3-5gen, and I have no idea which one I have. The serial numbers appear to have never been printed on the sticker on the back. It may be just to do with the port replicator on the back though, which I'll not be using anyway. I'll see what I can dig up.

edit: Found my serial number in the BIOS but that don't help, apparently need the part number lol. I'm thinking I definitely have the 1st or 2nd gen. It has the Core 2 Duo processor.

 

[country]

we have computer mount options availabe

Dave

www.easternsurplus.net


SP-1772 | Blue Force Tracker Computer System Keyboard Stowage / Storage Box
Keyboard Stowage / Storage Box for FBCB2 Blue Force Tracker C4SI Battlefield Computer System
NSN #: 2540-01-481-5744
Part #: 872845-1
$79.00



RAD-276 | Computer Mounting Bracket
Computer Mounting Bracket For Military Radio Application.
NSN #:
Part #: 7110-0325
$49.00







HM-245 | Stryker HMMWV Mobile Computer Mounting Bracket Kit
Stryker HMMWV Mobile computer mounting bracket. Kits appear complete. Fits Common Application
NSN #: 5340-12-372-1961
Part #: 200-00041
$89.00







HM-244 | Stryker Mobile Computer Mounting Bracket
Stryker Mobile computer mounting bracket. Small plate version. Fits Common Application
NSN #: 5340-12-372-1961
Part #: 200-00041
$89.00







HM-246 | Stryker Mobile Computer Mounting Bracket
Stryker Mobile computer mounting bracket. Kits include ONLY THOSE ITEMS SHOWN. Fits Common Application
NSN #: 5340-12-372-1961
Part #: 200-00041

 

[FrankenCub]

we have computer mount options availabe

Dave

Thanks, Dave. What I'm going to need however is the dock itself that the laptop interfaces with. It is a brand/model specific piece.
If I decide not to make the mount that the dock attaches to I will revisit your links, and maybe PM you for measurements to be sure they would be tall enough.

 

[papakb]

I know that UnixSurplus in Santa Clara had plenty of the GD8200s with the docks available for around $280. I've bought 4 of them so far and they all work fine. You do need to ask them to check that the battery will hold a charge though.They are i7 processors with 8Gb of memory and I threw a standard PATA 1Tb solid state drive into mine so I wouldn't have any issues with vibration. A couple of other really nice features are daylight readable touchscreens and the dock comes wsith the power cable.

 

[ryanruck]

I know that UnixSurplus in Santa Clara had plenty of the GD8200s with the docks available for around $280. I've bought 4 of them so far and they all work fine. You do need to ask them to check that the battery will hold a charge though.They are i7 processors with 8Gb of memory and I threw a standard PATA 1Tb solid state drive into mine so I wouldn't have any issues with vibration. A couple of other really nice features are daylight readable touchscreens and the dock comes wsith the power cable.

Jake and I got ours from seller estreammicro on eBay. They included the GJ dual RF dock and came similarly equipped as yours with i7, 8GB RAM, 128 GB SSD, and AC cord. We paid right around $280 as well. I think these are a much better deal than the surplus Panasonic Toughbooks being sold out there since these tend to have better specs for a similar price. And you're right, they are really nice, affordable rugged laptops good for these trucks. What is also great is the integrated GPS to use with navigation and mapping software.

Doug, the owner of estreammicro, has RAM and SSD upgrades available as well as the hard to find keys that will allow you to securely lock the laptop into the dock. A must for those of us with soft top trucks!

No power cord for the dock but I made my own with some 14/2. I also replaced the standard power connector with a sealed connector and coated all the internal PCBs with a conformal coating to make the dock a little more rugged as well. I hosed it off after my trip to Haspin to clean off all the dust and it still works perfect so I must have done something right!

Also, an FYI, if you get one of these and aren't hooking up any external antennas to the dock, cover the dock antenna contact points on the bottom of the laptop or else GPS, WWAN, and WLAN performance will suck.

I've decided to forego installing any sort of marine radio and speakers in my truck and am going to use the laptop as the audio center since it also has a built in CDMA WWAN (or I can use the mobile hotspot on my phone) and I can get online radio with my SiriusXM and Pandora subscriptions. You're probably wondering about audio output... That will be going through my VIC-3 setup I'm installing thanks to some interface boxes SS member Augi has built allowing 3.5mm jack output into the VIC's radio inputs.

 

[FrankenCub]

Thanks guys, those look like a good solid option if I can't dig up the correct pieces to use the Getac I already have. Unless of course I come up with some more extra scratch before hand, in which it would save a lot of time and upgrades to the Getac (i7 motherboard). Currently this B300 doesn't even have a WiFi card so I'm using a small usb dongle and Verizon 4G MiFi. That is working out pretty well though.
Using the laptop and VIC-3 for audio is a good idea, I like it. I had no plans on putting a radio in my truck, other than the Icom 5100. The M1008 is louder in the cab than my '71 GMC w/3" exhaust and Flowmasters kicking out in front of the wheels. I've been putting a LOT of miles on it lately and as much as I love the sound of the diesel, the drone for hours down the highway is a bit much. Much less trying to talk to my wife riding shotgun. That might not be so bad though lol.

 

[FrankenCub]

Ok, so I'm going to retouch on this topic again. I've given up trying to find an affordable dock for my Getac. I'm a bit up in the air whether I want to go the Toughbook rout or General Dynamics route. The GD8200's are going for roughly the same price as a loaded CF-30 that has a slower processor. What has me questioning this is with the CF-30 I can get every part that would be needed for repair or upgrade, and usually they say whether it has GPS, WWAN, and WLAN. And if the ad doesn't I can tell by looking at the laptop as therer are several indicators to look at pointing to what options it has, or is lacking. On the GD-8200 however, very few ads say what options it has and I don't see where I can tell by looking at it. Apparently they don't have visible antennas like the Toughbooks do. Something else I've found, parts for the GD-8200 don't seem to be very plentiful, or at least I can't find who has any. Even the batteries, I've only found two site that sells them, one they cost as much as the 8200 and the other they rebuild for a much better price. And most every ad on ebay states the battery is bad, many say they don't even come with a battery. so that means not having an old one to be rebuilt. Kinda frustrating IMO. I like the i7 of the 8200 but without knowing what's in it I'd have to pass. GPS, WWAN, and WLAN is a must for me.
Rather have the 8200 but the CF-30 can be upgraded really cheap and easily.

Something else I found, there are a bunch of docks for the CF-30 for around the $50 mark on the bay, only a couple for the 8200 last I looked.

 

[papakb]

Search for postings by augi. He has his BFT computer suspended from the overhead in some of his interior shots.