Ham Radio in A/S

[GSansoucie]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

Most AS models (trailer and van) have a chunk of coax for hooking to cable or an external satellite antenna. With the right adapters, it will work fine for getting things "outside". In our trailer there are a couple of holes in the floor in the front that make for fine routes for coax headed that direction.

Bob

I did this last year and have all the correct converters. It was a major pain to find and then pull out the satellite coax from the inside, it was buried in a jumble of wires (no shock there as I’ve seen enough of the crappy wiring job done in our Airstream). The coax is lossy, 5W doesn’t do it for me, but at 10W CW, I was working quite a few stations from the mountains of NH on 80M last Oct at a Rendezvous. I originally hooked up my HR 50 with the hopes of running 50-70W CW but at 35W, all the lights were flickering so I backed down the power.

I still have yet to run a dedicated 50 Ohm coax outside yet. Warranty is up this November. Actually, as soon as I install our Lithium bank inside, I will pull some coax through the front where the power leads go to the battery bank now.

[GSansoucie]

I do a lot of HF work while camping. I’ve maintained my CW QSO A Day (QAD) now for about 19 months home, camping, and /p in general. I normally work from the picnic table or a camping chair. My /p setup is pretty refined, but we will be fulltiming in less than 18 months here, I have a few “shack items” that I would like to come with me. I just recently received my first bug (like last week). It’s a Vibroplex. I cannot fathom bringing it with me when we go fulltime, it has so many moving parts. It would be a chore to break down, then set back up and configure.

Is there anyone else out here traveling with a bug?
How do you pack it?

W1ND

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by SVTOTEM

......

I need to experiment a bit and see what the effects are of mixing 75 ohm coax with the usual 50 ohm cable. Using the SAT input does put the feed in back at the dinette area.

Bill W4WWB

Hi

Simple answer: As long as you respect the power ratings, the 75 ohm stuff will work ok. You aren't going to be able to run 1KW through it ( or through RG-58 or RG-59)

Bob

[SVTOTEM]

Thanks again, Bob. I will look around for adapters F-BNC and F-UHF.

[RVDreamer]

How do you like the IC-705, Bob?

I have been debating on whether or not to pull the trigger on that purchase.

I like the SDR aspects of the radio but not sold on low power operation. I am sort of holding out for an updated IC-7100 mobile unit. One with all the features of the 705 but in a mobile full power unit. I might be waiting a long time.

I have a Flexradio 6400M at home and an IC-7000 for the road.

However that IC-705 sure looks sweet with the great color screen, band scope, digital modes, and SDR features. Nice quality audio as well.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by RVDreamer

How do you like the IC-705, Bob?

I have been debating on whether or not to pull the trigger on that purchase.

I like the SDR aspects of the radio but not sold on low power operation. I am sort of holding out for an updated IC-7100 mobile unit. One with all the features of the 705 but in a mobile full power unit. I might be waiting a long time.

I have a Flexradio 6400M at home and an IC-7000 for the road.

However that IC-705 sure looks sweet with the great color screen, band scope, digital modes, and SDR features. Nice quality audio as well.

Hi

My guess is that the 7100 version of the 705 will be announced in about 4 years with first delivery scheduled 2 years after that. In roughly 9 years, normal folks will be able to buy them. ( keep in mind that the "full" 705 set of goodies only really started shipping in June .....

For now, if you want more power, put an amp on the output of the 705. It's a very capable radio. I'm quite happy with it. I actually have .... errr .... several of them.

Bob

[Rich Jenkins]

Well, joining the thread...just saw my license was posted in the ULS system this week: I'm KO4ZMP.

Took my Technician exam Saturday finally. Always was interested in Ham radio since my brother is an AE but never took the time to get one. We have Motorola Walkie Talkies on FRS but just for backing in the trailer.

I bought a Baofeng BF-F8HP to play around with V/UHF this summer. I heard about CHIRP so set that up on the laptop; sure makes programming a lot easier, that's for sure.

I won't get really going at home until we get off the road in the fall; we are headed out West again in May for a few months. I've heard about the POTA and SOTA but don't have the equipment to participate in those events, but it looks like fun.

73, Rich

[GSansoucie]

Congrats and welcome to the hobby (addiction) and the thread.

Originally Posted by Llando88

. I've heard about the POTA and SOTA but don't have the equipment to participate in those events, but it looks like fun.
73, Rich

I can’t say enough good things about SOTA and POTA, they help make an excuse to get out, explore and operate in some really beautiful places. While I’ve seen a few people on the SOTA reflector and forums mention they were able to successfully activate on FM with an HT, most of those are in the EU where the mountains are higher, people closer, and more overall interest in SOTA (and you only need 4 contacts to successfully activate a summit).

If there is enough interest, start on your General now. The extra privs will make HF really work for you which is where all the SOTA and POTA activity is.

This year, one of my goals was to shrink my /p (portable) kit and to change my CW QSO A Day to a QRP QAD. I’ve actually packed away my KXPA100 amp recently after it’s been disconnected for the past two months. This is a good time to be on HF (well not yesterday with the huge Geo storm, but I digress). Low power (QRP) and excellent solar activity make for very fun and exciting field operations with nothing more than a small rig, battery, and a wire. Perfect for campsite activity or from the top of a hill, a rock on a shore, etc.

Good luck.

W1ND

[JimAspinwall]

Rich,

Congratulations and welcome!

Where, generally, in "the West" will you be headed? I run 4 linked UHF repeaters in the SF Bay area, tied to a dozen or so in SoCal - 'CalNet' is the group name, if you or anyone else travelling here are interested, my email address is good on QRZ.com - I can reply with a list of repeaters and tones. We're also connected to the AllStarLink system - which makes it pretty nice to keep in touch with our locals while we're on the road.

Portable radio coverage can be "pretty good", better with a basic dual-band external antenna. Of course a 20-50w mobile rig would be a lot better for Rx and TX coverage, and easier to program/set frequencies is VFO on the fly vs firing up CHIRP to plug new things in.

Absent that, many of us travel monitoring and occasionally calling out on 146.52 simplex to catch contacts along the way. Maybe we need to do more 'MOTA' - mobiles on the air! Big trip coming up this summer - we'll be on APRS and HF as well.

Enjoy!

- Jim, No1PC

[Rich Jenkins]

Originally Posted by GSansoucie

Congrats and welcome to the hobby (addiction) and the thread.

...

Good luck.

W1ND

Originally Posted by JimAspinwall

Where, generally, in "the West" will you be headed?

...

Enjoy!

- Jim, No1PC

Thank you both for the welcome. Still getting used to the Ham lingo; I think I understood most of that. I still have yet to do even a basic "radio check" using my handheld.

We are generally headed out of Florida in May, up to Michigan in June then will make our way out to the Flathead Lake area of Montana in late June / July. Return route is unclear but will involve the Rockies at some point in August, perhaps Colorado ish. We plan to be back around September.

Yep, I have started on General. I checked into some of the content on ARRL and Hamstudy, and its a bit more work than Technician. My degree is in EE (communications / signal processing) so I have to dredge up a few more formulas from memory, and work on understanding more of the ins and outs of the rules and other radio related stuff, but it looks doable.

My plans this summer are pretty simple; play with V/UHF on the road, perhaps monitoring 146.520/440 while driving. We have only a few weeks before we get moving, so I don't have any immediate plans for any more equipment.

Having said that, and not to ask a dumb question, but is there a typical low cost ish ($250?) option for a general purpose HF/VHF/UHF radio? Something more or less portable, and more or less compact enough, to carry along in an Airstream? Our current rig is 23', and I am not allowed much storage space by DW for my hobbies; everything has to fit in a shoe box. She's also not going to let me attach any antennas, that's for sure, so I'd be limited to leveraging the TV Sat coax, or sitting outside at the picnic table with a dipole hung up temporarily.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Llando88

.......

Having said that, and not to ask a dumb question, but is there a typical low cost ish ($250?) option for a general purpose HF/VHF/UHF radio? Something more or less portable, and more or less compact enough, to carry along in an Airstream? Our current rig is 23', and I am not allowed much storage space by DW for my hobbies; everything has to fit in a shoe box. She's also not going to let me attach any antennas, that's for sure, so I'd be limited to leveraging the TV Sat coax, or sitting outside at the picnic table with a dipole hung up temporarily.

Hi

The leading candidate for small / hf / vhf / uhf and reliable seems to be the Icon IC-705

https://www.icomamerica.com/en/produ...5/default.aspx

It will run on batteries and it can connect to this and that via Bluetooth rather than a rat's nest of cables. Main down sides are: no internal antenna tuner, low output power ( = QRP in Ham speak ) and ...errr ... cost.

There are other "runner up" radios depending on just what you want to move up or down the list. I don't know of any that do HF / VHF / UHF and come in under about $500 new.

Since you are working with limited antennas at HF, QRP means not a lot of SSB. The focus will be on the fancy new narrowband digital modes that do much better at low levels.

Bob

[Silver Ship]

My first radio was a CB, licensed with a call. Then came a 2-Meter and Civil Air Patrol call sign to be utilized in Air Search and Rescue as a Radio Operator/Scanner/Pilot. Learned Morse Code thru local Amateur Radio Club and took advantage of their Advanced Electronic Theory training. A home HF Station followed, however, utilizing the nearby Club's extensive Station was preferable.
Employed as a County/Local/Federal First Responder led to opportunities to facilitate communications operations. Next project will be installing Micro-Air Bluetooth Easy Start units on my Dometic AC Units. Travel with an ICOM ID-51 and am considering adding a CB. 73 J
"Retirement is Great - Just Complicated"

[Al and Missy]

I hadn't read this thread in a while. I'm amazed at all the members who have posted that I never knew were hams.


We have an old Icom 706 Mk II hooked to a Tarheel and a Kenwood 710 in the truck. I have an older 706 I plan to put in the trailer and a old screwdriver antenna (predecessor to the Tarheel) I plan to mount on the roof with a HB power lift and lay mount. I/m short a few round TUITs; when I get a couple some of these things may get done. I already have a coax out the front and a power cable ready. I may make a jumper so I can use the truck antenna from the trailer in the interim.


73, all


Al

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Gear can be had on a budget. Typically the easy way to do it is to haunt the local hamfests. You may spend a bit of time doing it. You will see a lot of grossly overpriced gear. The typical approach is to wait until the end of things and then haggle a lot.

The result likely will be one radio for HF and another for VHF / UHF. They aren't going to be as compact as a 705. They may well give you more output power. You can shop for some of the earlier "all in one's". My guess is that they will be harder to find than a pair of radios.

The "homework" for all this would be to spend a lot of time doing research. YouTube is one way. Ham magazines ( like QST ) that have gear reviews are another way. Knowing what you are looking at as you wander the hamlets is way better than guessing at what this or that might be ....

Bob

[hikingcamera]

KJ7PLM here. Newer to HAM. I've been thinking about how and what to setup in my new TV and soon to be new Airstream (scheduled to come off the factory floor tomorrow).

[Genebuilder]

Hello all! N5EAS here, Amateur Extra Class, located in Celina, TX. Never knew there was a Ham radio thread on the Forum. Been inactive for a while, maybe the spur I need to get on the air again. Earned my licenses after the Morse code requirement was dropped. Otherwise, probably would have never been a Ham. Good to be here!

[rmkrum]

True story: Back in the day, there was a “No Code International” group formed to work to eliminate the code requirement. I was member #13. Lobbied and worked with them for a few years to remove the obsolete need for code. Once the requirement went away, we disbanded. Mission accomplished!

I always had the chops on the technical and regulatory parts of the tests, and have passed ALL of them, multiple times, but was totally miserable bad at Morse code skills. Still can’t manage it. Tin ear, I guess.

Now I’m KE4GNK/AE, (Amateur Extra) and quite happily using digital modes like PSK-31 on HF and APRS on VHF radio. Digital stuff can be ‘read’ perfectly by hardware under far worse conditions than Morse, by the way. Admittedly, there are still those that enjoy Morse Code, and they are welcome to it.

Two of my sons and many of my friends that I have mentored have also become hams. It’s fun, and also great for use for Emergency communications. Works without cell towers, the internet, phone wires, or any other infrastructure.

[JimAspinwall]

I am, I am!!!

Diligently re-configuring and nailing down a revised mobile implementation... from open-bed and several antennas on bed-tool-box to utility shell. "GodZilla II" gets a make-over, sans the 500w mobile amp I still need to figure out.

I facilitated two options for mobile HF... top-mounted SG-230 fed 8 foot whip and road-appropriate TarHell (not yet pictured) - http://www.no1pc.org/album/thumbnails.php?album=8

Having the SG-230 and external contact access means I have a ready platform to toss 30, 60+ feet of wire out from the platform just because. Yes, any and all cabin, body, bed, shell elements are well-bonded to frame - excellent ground-effect coupling.

We're heading cross-country CA to Maine for 'International' starting Field Day weekend. Will be present on APRS, 146.52, and wherever 40 or 20 are open... pivoting off 7155, RV Services Nets, etc.

Stationary pre-trip vehicle video tour upcoming via HamRadioNow (YouTube, FB...) then hopefully a LOT of "met ... " along the way video and QSO experiences.

I just submitted VE application so I could help out with licensing in Fryeburg.

~60 days on the road to and from... hopefully teaching licensed XYL to do logging for me.

Find us on the air and let's meet for coffee...

[jwgreen]

Greetings from the North Texas Airstream Community in Hillsboro, TX where we currently have 10 hams. My home station here is a FT-1000 Mk5 into a 4BTV vertical behind the house. Rig in the AS is a FT-991A to a ATAS-100 auto tuning antenna on the roof of the AS. Rig in the TV is a FT-400XD for 2M & 70cm. The Airstream club has a amateur radio club with the call sign WB8RC that will be active during the rally in Fryeburg. If you're at the rally, there will be an informal morning net at 7:30 AM on 146.430 mhz FM simplex. It also sponsors the RV Service net that's on 40M every morning. There will be a club meeting and dinner during the rally. See Ernie, N4AEW, or me at the sign up tables in the registration area when the rally opens for tickets and join or renew your membership in the club. If you're not a current member or won't be attending the rally, contact Ernie, N4AEW, at his QTH in NC. His address is good on QRZ.com. The current club president is Jim Johnson, WW7N, and new officers will be elected at the dinner meeting.

[BTW]

Good evening everyone. I'm very new here. W5BT from Sagerton, Texas (50 miles north of Abilene). We just picked up our trailer almost two weeks ago. We have downsized from a 5th wheel and I don't have a clue on where I'm going to put my ham gear!?!? The new trailer is definitely going to be a challenge. John thanks for your information you provided above. I had no idea about the net on 40 or the club etc. I'll be looking at joining.