Ham Radio - HF/VHF/UHF

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What Bands Are Usual Fixtures In Your Overland Rig

  • HF Bands + 6M

    Votes: 24 23.5%

  • 2M (VHF)

    Votes: 95 93.1%

  • 70CM (UHF)

    Votes: 78 76.5%

  • Other. (Describe in comment)

    Votes: 21 20.6%

  • None.

    Votes: 3 2.9%
  • Total voters
    102
KD7WCD

KD7WCD

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TerryD said:
Thanks! What is the one in the rear step in under the plastic?
Click to expand...
As I remember it, I just put it through the thicker part of the step and backed it with a washer. Next time I crawl under there I'll take a look. Because the counter pose ground at the tuner I just had the feed line running to it. I wanted to keep it isolated so no metal bits attached to the cars chassis.

Like I said it did not work well. I suspect it may have been where I put the tuner and the length of wire I used. The mount is still in place because I have wanted to give it another try at some point.

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KD7WCD

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Sorry Terry. I think I miss read your question. I was trying to use an Antenna tuner with a tall whip for work HF. As the last post stated, it did not work out all that well. I could not really getting he rig to tune up all that well.

I wanted something that was durable and a screwdriver Antenna seems just to fragile for the money. The idea of being able to hop bands with out changing hamsticks out was the end goal.

As for the mount it self. It worked great with an 8½' stainless steel whip.

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TerryD

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KD7WCD said:
Sorry Terry. I think I miss read your question. I was trying to use an Antenna tuner with a tall whip for work HF. As the last post stated, it did not work out all that well. I could not really getting he rig to tune up all that well.

I wanted something that was durable and a screwdriver Antenna seems just to fragile for the money. The idea of being able to hop bands with out changing hamsticks out was the end goal.

As for the mount it self. It worked great with an 8½' stainless steel whip.

Sent from my XT1650 using OB Talk mobile app
Click to expand...
OK, sounds like you and I had had a similar idea. I was toying with the idea of turning a 80m Ham stick into a "random wire" with a tuner in the cabin, very similar to your idea. I was going to use a body grounded mount though.
 
KD7WCD

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Yep. One thing that I found out that the tuner I have does not like tuning an already matched Antenna. That is why I was running with the tuner a little further away with some extra wire to throw things out of whack.

The tuner idea seems like a good bit of magic in theory. I seem to have better luck with a properly tuned antenna for a particular band.

As cool as it all is with the whizz-bang stuff it is kind of like the the Overland Bound mantra. It is not about what you drive but it is about what gets you out on the air.

I might have to take another swing at the tuner idea. This conversation has me thinking about it again. Maybe something to work on for Field Day this year.

http://www.arrl.org/field-day


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TerryD

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One of my Elmers runs hamsticks with shunt caps setup in power poles so when he swaps a stick, he swaps the cap out to get the right match. I can't remember the theory behind the cap but if your hamsticks present as very broad banded, them you need a shunt cap. Hamsticks should be VERY narrow banded, especially the 20-40m band antennas. The 80m is another story entirely though...
 
KD7WCD

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I may have to pick up an 80m. I have not played with one. Switching out caps is kind of what the tuner does so that might be a solution. Might go with MFJ version because the whips look to be a little more flexible.

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TerryD

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With the caps, you don't have to mount or power a tuner, but you do have to keep up with the caps and what goes where.
 
GoneBush

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TerryD said:
I currently have a TYT TY-9800 I just picked up in my Xterra and an Icom IC-2100H in my truck. I want Kenwood TM-D710GA in both eventually and would like to have a TS-480SAT in the Xterra for HF+6. But that's a ways down the road yet.
Click to expand...
Hey, how do you like the TYT 9800? What antenna are you running with it?
 
TerryD

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GoneBush said:
Hey, how do you like the TYT 9800? What antenna are you running with it?
Click to expand...
So far I like it quite well. It's no Kenwood or Yaesu as far as finish, but it works well for it's price. I'm currently just using a 2m/440 Tram dual band. I have a duplexer to go with it and I want to add a 6m whip to my other antenna mount. I considered the quad band that goes with it but I've not gotten there yet. I don't know that I'll ever use the 10m capability so I'm still on the fence about that.

I would recommend the radio for a beater but I think I'm going to go with a Kenwood TM-D710GA and a TS-480SAT in the future though.
 
Lyon McKeil

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I normally run with a Kenwood TM-V71 and a CB in case I'm with folks that primarily use it. When I'm stopped and set up I pull out the Icom 718. The front antenna has a quick release so I can take off the CB antenna and put on a Hustler. In this photo I have the FT-8900 installed which was moved to the other car.

20151017DSC_0010.JPG
 
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RyanC

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I'm thinking of having 2m/70cm installed all of the time and then having a portable 6m/10m radio I can setup at camp or in an emergency but I'm not sure about the feasibility of that. I'm pretty new to amateur radio.
 
TerryD

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6 and 10 are more novelty bands, neither are good for emergency coms. You'd want 40 or 20 for semi-reliable (again, depending on ionosphere) communicating. But even then, you can't guarantee you can make contact with a particular location. Your best bet is to find a net and announce that you have an emergency, then amateur radio will really come through for you. There is the maritime emergency net that runs every day on 14.300 and sorted other nets around the bands throughout the day.

I try to participate in a few 80m statewide nets and there are days I can't hear the guys 40mi away running 1kW but I can copy the guys on the coast with a homebrew qrp rig 100%.

But 10m, especially 10m FM, is rarely an active band right now. 6m is a little more active, but still not something I would want to rely on.
 
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KD7WCD

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Upgrade is the lesson there. It will open up all kinds of opportunities.

For short distance HF you should try a little cloud warning with an NVIS antenna. Or so I am told. I have one I home brewed to use with my truck but have not really had much luck with it. In theory it should be good for about 50 to 400 mile range. Problem being someone has to be listening with a similar antenna in that range.

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TerryD

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KD7WCD said:
Upgrade is the lesson there. It will open up all kinds of opportunities.

For short distance HF you should try a little cloud warning with an NVIS antenna. Or so I am told. I have one I home brewed to use with my truck but have not really had much luck with it. In theory it should be good for about 50 to 400 mile range. Problem being someone has to be listening with a similar antenna in that range.

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Click to expand...
What band? NVIS only works below 5MHz IIRC.
 
KD7WCD

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Ubiety

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Ribs
  1. Modified Kenwood TMD700A - UHF/VHF including APRS (terrestrial and sat), FRS, GMRS
  2. Kenwood/Baofeng UHF/VHF HTs for camp/walking around
  3. CB radio to be installed (not in a rush, yet)
  4. Outernet Dreamcatcher satellite data RX (hardware acquired, enclosure in progress)
  5. Valentine 1. It is a receiver... ;)
Forgot to add the Rino 530 - my goto waypoint/track collection device. It is a GPS plus FRS/GMRS radio, oh so handy for overlanding!

New Jeep, just installed TMD700A. I used a Rugged Radios JK antenna mount (with vinyl paint protector between mount and paint), found a bolt sticking up from floor under driver's seat to attach radio mount to and placed the head end up on top of the driver's side sun visor. I don't use the sun visor and have other stuff stuck to it (V1, garage door opener, etc.)

Have not tested SWR yet but am getting APRS packets in and out and voice to/from an HT sounds great.

IMG_3958.JPG IMG_3959.JPG IMG_3963.JPG
 
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ICOM IC-7100 All band/All mode transceiver

1504496439057.jpg

Head unit

1504538540598.jpg

Main Unit with other electrical goodies

As for antennas

A dual bander VHF/UHF

And ICOM AH-4 mated with a whip that will tune from 40m to 6m ham radio bands + 11m CB radio

IMG_1570.JPG

My rig but the whip was removed but you can see the spring
 
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Dave Decker

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On the cheap! Running a dual band Wouxun KG-UV2D hand held at 2 meters and 0.7 meters. Also carry FRS and getting ready to install a Cobra 75 WX CB.
 
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