Any Ham Radio Oper. out there?

[NR4A]

John-

The Yaesu 120 should do well, although I think
you will find it will not tune all bands unless
your RF grounding is adequate. The ladder is
probably the best place for your antenna while you are parked, but dont think Id attempt using it while zooming down I-4 or I-75.

Welcome to Tampa - Camp Nebraska is a dump. Always has been. Glad to hear you are outta there!

Ive tried to buy RVs from Bates many times over the years, can't seem to get their sales people to return phone calls or make me feel like they could care about my business at all. Long View RV who just opened up across from Bates will not be there long. They remind me of the fast talking "Sleazy Sam - the used car man" type of personalities that operate out of a trailer.

IMHO

73,

[Moder2]

Someone's been reading the blog! Thanks! It makes the chore of updating it worth it!

We are a ways off from getting the radio, I need to crack down and learn the code. Derek has been doing pretty well, but I just can't seem to make myself do it...

I agree, the ladder is most likely the best application, but the idea of running big coax all the way to the front is not all that apealing...

maybe sometime this winter we can hookup and brainstorm some ideas...

J

[NR4A]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">but the idea of running big coax all the way to the front is not all that apealing... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

John,
You dont need "big coax" if you are running under 250 watts. A good quality RG-58 or Mini-8 would do quite well. Listen to the HF bands if you have the capability - you can learn a lot. When you get the rig you will be familiar with the lingo. It is a bit different from the 2m protocol.

Yes - read your ramblings... very entertaining.

Spent a few hours at Campingworld in Seffner yesterday and bought some unneccesary junk that will make life easier in the RV. So the advertising says. Got my free lunch at Lazydays next door. Well, I think spending over $100k for a hotdog is a little extreme.

Back to ham radio.... are you VHF capable? I just installed a 2m/440 glass mount antenna in the front windshield. It works and is simple.

73,

[Moder2]

Yes, I do have 2m in my pickup. If I would have known Derek was going to get his ticket, I also have a Radio Shack 2m stuck at a friends in storage (Unfortuneatly in WI). Which is one reasons we "Might" get the 857D a bit early.

I have had my ticket for quite a few years, but really never done alot in HAM radio, other than swap fests, and a little bit on 2m. Frankly, 2m is not a whole lot more than formal CB.

So, our friend that stores some of our stuff for us, is also a ham, we have been kinda pushing each other to get back on the air (He doesn't have any ant's up, but has some REALLY awesome vintage gear (a couple J4's and similar).

I never did get into UHF since I was when I was liecenced, dual banders were very rare, and expensive, and really 2m was were it was at for Tech.

Someday!

It would be coool to sit back and listen to the nets in the coach.

I used to have a glass mount ant for 2m in an old blazer. I was acutally suprized how well it did work.

Now back to the AT120, as I understand the Winnie's construction, the cab area is basically a steel cage. What about installing the ant. just behind the driver through the fiberglass, into the steel? Wouldn't that make that entire "cage" under the fiberglass the ground plane?

J

[NR4A]

Ah - this same discussion has been around for quite a while, yes the steel frame would work.
I, for one, do not care to bore any holes in our coach.

It is tough enough driving a DP and keeping your eyes glued to the road and the guages, so operating HF while in motion doesnt appeal to me. I have done quite a bit of HF Mobile while in my car or trucks over the years. And when I had a plane, too - but thats another story.

Technically speaking, it should work. Finding the steel cage might be a bit tricky, but it is do-able.

I will stay with my configuration that Ive got. It works on the ladder.

I agree with you on the CB statement. I got on 2m in the late 60's / early 70's when it was actually FUN. Full of technical people and interesting conversations. It is now turned into a local intercom between husbands and wives as well as a blundering cache of useless banter on the airwaves. Better get off my soapbox.

If you need anymore tidbits of (useless) advice - drop me a line.

73,

[dirko]

Hi Ho: I am sorry to hear that ham radio has not been attracting young new members. When I was a teenager that was really interesting to me and provided a lot of fun. Oh, my call is W7KCC. I hold an extra class and have been active since about 1959, but haven't done much in the last few years. I have been active on lots of different bands and modes, though. Since I am an electrical engineer with lots of experience in wireless stuff, ham radio is not the challenge or diversion that it once was. We are currently in Germany for another 12 months, but maybe we will put some ham gear in the MH when we get back to the states. I would be interested to see how other have done that. If anyone has technical (theoretical) questions or wants to discuss wireless stuff, we would be interested.

[park_ridge_dave]

K9FZJ here (since circa 1958)

This thread is great!

I just got the new MH so I haven't put a lot in her yet. Got the CB in for traffic "advisories". Am thinking about a 2 Meter rig for driving in big cities (repeaters) and have several HF rigs (Elecraft etc.) that I am thinking about installing permanently.

I have seen some really good Ideas. I am packing a "Buddipole" and the Elecraft "wire beam" (Random length wire ) Everything sets up ala Field Day for now.

I am working on Sue to get some space for a "permanent" shack inside the MH.

Cell Phones, internet and other modern comm. modes are great, but when the chips are down a good HF rig can be the differnce between communicating and not. I have a KX1 that does CW and I have worked both coasts with a little wire at the picnic table. The rig is about the size of a paperback, and it is really a good rig. I hope I never need it (ham radio) for a real emergency, but it will be there if I do need it.

Read the posts from some of the backpacker hams to see how valuable an under 1 lb station can be in the boonies.

73s de K9FZJ

[FLYTYER]

WB2LOU here...

If you flip back through this thread you will find a lot of great info. To that I wish to add the following...

For 1/4 wave antennas mounted to the ladder, the ladder is not a good RF ground. THe ladder on Winnebagos are mechanically mounted to either a steel plate or internal frame pieces. THe frame in the wall is not bonded to the chassis !! I found this through inspection, tests and a discussion with a Winnebago engineer.

I run the Tarheel screwdriver antenna and it is difficult to tune unless you have a very good ground directly to the chassis. A friend in California actually uses a 2 radials off the back of the ladder to help with providing a reasonable ground plane.

I plan to ground mount the screwdriver with a radial pattern in Florida this winter. Tests here in PA show excellent results with this method.

Finally we really need to have seperate forum...eh ??

[NR4A]

For 1/4 wave antennas mounted to the ladder, the ladder is not a good RF ground. The ladder on Winnebagos are mechanically mounted to either a steel plate or internal frame pieces. THe frame in the wall is not bonded to the chassis !! I found this through inspection, tests and a discussion with a Winnebago engineer.

I have to agree with you.... the ladder is a poor 'ground', but you know, it's not a half-bad RADIAL (aka counterpoise) when you come to think of it. Mine works Very well on the Hamsticks unless Im attempting 40 meters and lower. 240/freq = feet (1/4 wavelength) or odd multiples (harmonic)

Case-in-point: put together a 1/2 wave horizontal dipole. Where's the ground?

Rotate that dipole 90 degrees and make it vertical. Where's the ground?

Counterpoise, radials, it is ALL about radiation reference. We generically call it "ground".

Years ago my college professor told our class when we were discussing antennas that you can walk on pavement with your bare feet. The pavement is your traction reference (ground) that enables you to move.

Try doing the same thing on a sidewalk covered with ice. You have no 'reference' (traction, aka "ground") and you will slip and slide with no movement.

Antenna systems require a traction, so to speak, or radiation reference- that we again, generically call Ground.

Ground mounted Verticals have a radiation reference, we call (again) ground, however, if the earth-ground is available, then why must some of the HF verticals require wire Radials? Radiation reference - radials - counterpoise - Ground.

Class dismissed.

[kd7akn]

Just changed over from a 5er to a Class C. I will be upgrading and installing an Hf/VHF rig this spring. I plan to use the MH as a shack part time anyway.