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mefly2 · 03-07-2013, 10:53 PM

Yep, cell phones have really impacted the ham radio waves.

Scott J-24 · 03-07-2013, 11:13 PM

KI6MVT... got my tech license a number of years ago to communicate with our race committee during sailboat races. Now my handheld is part of our earthquake emergency kit.

mistermike · 03-08-2013, 03:15 AM

If you are in the Northeast you might want to visit NEAR-Fest. See sig line for more info.

73,

MisterMike, W1RC

Bruce B · 03-08-2013, 05:23 AM

MisterMike,
Are you the ham I met a couple years ago (at NEAR-fest) who has (or had) the 80m beam?
Bruce
AB1KC

aa6rv · 03-11-2013, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JandDcam

Hello - WA4P here. Look forward to getting on the HF bands from our 25 FC. Will be looking for antenna suggestions

73, Jim

I think ur best bet for Airstream antennas is to find out what hams are using at Quartzfest.

David. Aa6rv

aa6rv · 03-11-2013, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by r.swanson

hi swr would that be a ground or bad mount area ant on front street side ball mount.

That could be almost anything, from antenna to coax. What kind of Antenna, freqs?

Bruce B · 03-12-2013, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aa6rv

I think ur best bet for Airstream antennas is to find out what hams are using at Quartzfest.

David. Aa6rv

Quote:

Originally Posted by aa6rv

That could be almost anything, from antenna to coax. What kind of Antenna, freqs?

An incredibly useful website on the subject of mobile HF station setup, is that maintained by Alan Applegate. I have found more good advice here on this subject than anywhere. Alan is a great guy and he will answer questions and offer advice too. By following his directions I now have a wonderful mobile setup that works incredibly well! It is devoid of most noise and gets out very nicely. I made a 20 meter contact to NZ the other day while driving down the highway.... All with 100 watts. Way fun!
Bruce
AB1KC

KØBG.COM

mamos · 03-19-2013, 09:44 AM

We have recently moved into our globetrotter full time.

I passed my foundation (technician) licence a couple of years ago and I am now studying for my intermediate (General) at the moment.

I will be building a ham radio into the AS as soon as I can decide which antenna I am going to build.

M6ASG AirStream Globetrotter

Tom Bray · 03-24-2013, 08:27 PM

As far as antennas go, a lot depends on what bands and how convenient you want it to be. I have a 2M/70CM whip mounted on the roof, pretty much in the hole that was left when I removed the TV antenna. I also put a small painted steel sheet on the roof, held it in place with VHB tape (very high bond) and stuck a small mag mount antenna on it, routing the cable in through the fridge vent.

Both seem to work fine for repeaters and around the campground (when I go riding on my bicycle I take a handheld with me and can talk to the XYL over radio in the camper.

For more serious work I have a 6BTV that will go on the AS tongue or using either the AS or the truck tire to hold it up, for HF - I tuned it for essentially no radials - seems to work fine but it doesn't do as well as the one at the house with 30 radials under it.

Tom
WB8COX

mamos · 03-25-2013, 06:58 AM

Thanks Tom

I am wondering if I could get a foot that goes under the wheel of the AS that will take a telescopic mast that I could rig an inverted V for 40m

I have also built a dual band dipole which I will mount on a pole held with a clamp on the bumper

mamos

Jim Clark · 03-25-2013, 12:23 PM

You guys are going to make me dust off some of my old gear.

This is from a few years ago.

Tom Bray · 03-25-2013, 07:47 PM

I found a flag pole for an RV that came with the under tire mount. The push up pole is a little over 20 feet high and it works fine as a mast. I also have a bracket mounted on the mount that I can put the 6BTV on. I have occasionally used it as a flag pole too. I think it was around $150 for the mount, mast, flag, and carrying bag, which I thought was a terrible price at the time, but a good mast will cost that much.

If you have access to a welder ( the machine or better yet a person ) you can make a mount fairly easily with steel from Tractor Supply or Lowes. You can get aluminum mast material from DX Engineering, I think Texas Towers sells it too. MFJ has several metal and fiberglass models. Any good hamfest should have the military surplus masts.

Tom
WB8COX

mamos · 03-26-2013, 09:21 AM

Thanks Tom

I wish I could drop into any of those suppliers but alas I am in sunny Cornwall UK

I might set up something like this

Then it will be compact enough to pack away and even take with me on foot if I want to transmit from the top of 'Brown Willy' our highest summit.

mamos

kry226 · 03-26-2013, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Clark

You guys are going to make me dust off some of my old gear.

This is from a few years ago.

Nice Yaesu kit.

Tom Bray · 03-26-2013, 08:36 PM

That sure looks like vintage Collins to me. The rig I lusted for in my teens.

kry226 · 03-27-2013, 10:56 AM

I stand corrected. At first glance, it looked like an old Yaesu FT-101. Good catch. Didn't realize they looked so similar.

Jim Clark · 03-27-2013, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Bray

That sure looks like vintage Collins to me. The rig I lusted for in my teens.

All Collins S Line. Vintage Station, I have a small Collins collection. My brother swears by the FT101 his favorite rig.

mefly2 · 03-28-2013, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Bray

That sure looks like vintage Collins to me. The rig I lusted for in my teens.

Same from here, too ...

JimAspinwall · 03-31-2013, 09:21 AM

Ramblings...

I've heard of the flagpole stand idea for a vertical antenna, and am considering trying this as I just acquired an LDG 31' telescoping vertical, and use my SGC-230 at the base. As with any vertical the most important element is the missing one - the counterpoise - without it a vertical is almost useless. The other aspect is that a vertical has a low take-off angle and we'll lose a 45-90 degree swath of coverage in the direction of the nearby trailer, and anything else. You also risk projecting a lot more RF to nearby folks at that low elevation.

My second idea is to mount a plate to hold a 3/8-24 ball mount (I have one of the old heavy duty ones) stood-off atop the trailer, and mount an SGC-230 auto-tuner next to it. Excellent 'native' counter-poise, omni-pattern... and... with a 10' CB whip I get vertical. Pull the tip over and I have NVIS. Remove the whip, attach a wire and toss the other end into a tree...

As soon as I get the right stand-off channel to mount probably a 19" rack panel to hold the ball mount and tuner, I'll get some pics. The stand-off channel would be secured to the internal roof frame rails.

If all else fails, the old wire in tree to tuner grounded to A/S frame or water pipe may have to do.

Safari-Rick · 04-06-2013, 04:18 PM

When Cell towers go down and land lines (i.e earthquakes) etc. It's the Ham operator that is still able to communicate and get the message out.

this is what makes the Ham Operator network so important and reliable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fyrzowt

I'm not a ham operator, so here is a rookie question or two.

How often if ever do ham operators get involved in assisting with comm during disasters? Ham was mentioned in a recent class as a possible resource for us in the fire service if our communications was severed for whatever reason.

If this occurs, how difficult is it?
Logistically - how would you provide this service?
Is it on a voluntary basis?

Thanks for your input,
Dave