Merits of Ham radio wheeling

[nakman]

I looked up your setup and thats pretty cool! How about a thread in members only section for showing off what everyone has as far as radios and installs go so all can see what the "extreme dark side" of wheeling communications has to offer....

Hey we did that.. perhaps you were still river rafting in Egypt at the time, so you didn't see it?

look here http://www.risingsun4x4club.org/forum2/showthread.php?t=3129

and here http://www.risingsun4x4club.org/forum2/showthread.php?t=3375&highlight=install&page=3

and here http://www.risingsun4x4club.org/forum2/showthread.php?t=2465&highlight=install for starters..

 

[Uncle Ben]

Hey we did that.. perhaps you were still river rafting in Egypt at the time, so you didn't see it?

look here http://www.risingsun4x4club.org/forum2/showthread.php?t=3129

and here http://www.risingsun4x4club.org/forum2/showthread.php?t=3375&highlight=install&page=3

and here http://www.risingsun4x4club.org/forum2/showthread.php?t=2465&highlight=install for starters..

Sorry....all this geeky ham stuff is messing with my abilities to hit the search button......

 

[Red_Chili]

One of the reviews pointed out the advantages of the Kenwood over it. Oh dear, more stuff to know.

Would a handheld really be sufficient? Is that all I would need? No external antennae?
[be kind to a n00b here, or I'll just go back to my CB]

 

[Uncle Ben]

One of the reviews pointed out the advantages of the Kenwood over it. Oh dear, more stuff to know.

Would a handheld really be sufficient? Is that all I would need? No external antennae?
[be kind to a n00b here, or I'll just go back to my CB]

Your polished slinky will need a black slinky to play well with the others!

 

[Red_Chili]

 

[subzali]

I'm pretty sure you can use just a handheld and get decent close-range performance, but you'll need an antenna to get some of the longer-range stuff. Plus to have consistent wattage you'll need to be powered into your truck's electrical system, which a handheld isn't necessarily.

 

[Romer]

I'm pretty sure you can use just a handheld and get decent close-range performance, but you'll need an antenna to get some of the longer-range stuff. Plus to have consistent wattage you'll need to be powered into your truck's electrical system, which a handheld isn't necessarily.

hey Radar, not quite correct. Handhelds do not have the power as a mobile unit. They can do well with a good antenna, but not as good.

My mobile unit will do 50 watts i believe and I think the handhelds are limited to 5Watts.

Groucho or someone else will correct me if I am wrong.

 

[subzali]

I think we're saying the same thing. I was just trying to keep it less geeky because Bill was confused and now I am

hey Radar, not quite correct. Handhelds do not have the power as a mobile unit. They can do well with a good antenna, but not as good.

My mobile unit will do 50 watts i believe and I think the handhelds are limited to 5Watts.

Groucho or someone else will correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Red_Chili]

I'm sure you know Bill, there's 3 beefy captured nuts that hold the rear view mirror on, WAY overkill. If you mount a plate there, your radio can hang from the ceiling.

No, in fact I *didn't* know that was a good mount. Very slick. Did you just snake your power back to the dome light and down to the source? What about the antenna lead (which coax?)?

Gotta keep an install tight and clean. Wouldn't want to impact the Chili's mall rating.

I thought about an HT (he begins the slippery slide down the feared geek slope) because it might make a good emergency comm device while hunting etc, no?

 

[Groucho]

But it's all about the antenna. A good antenna with 5W will be much better than higher power with a poor antenna choice. There is whole subsection of hams who do everything at 5W, which is called operating 'QRP'. They are able to talk worldwide (without IRLP even) by using a good antenna (which is crucial for receiving signals, too).

As Bruce Miller said in the first HAM class, "Life's too short for QRP." This coming from the guy who just got done talking about using the converted CB rig running 10 Meters at 5 watts talking to Japan from the Cayman Islands.

Dave, who by the way I have never had the 'in person' pleasure of meeting, sums up one of the key points of the HAM class: The most important thing about radio transmissions is getting the signal into the air. In a sense, an antenna acts as a “transducer” to couple electromagnetic energy from the transmission line to radiation in space, and vice versa. The more effecient this is done, the better(and further ranging) the setup is.

I think we're saying the same thing. I was just trying to keep it less geeky because Bill was confused and now I am

HT's are great. They do need to be charged after an hour or two of constant transmit, like Dave says, so multiple batteries are a must for the heavy talker. HT's are perfect for anything that takes you out of your vehicle. Rubber Ducky antennas are not that great with limited line-of-sight, but still good. Telescoping antennas work the best, but are cumbersome if using while walking. HT's also have a meter to monitor battery life, as well as adjustable power output, some down to 1/2 a watt. This allows for extended use. Basically, they are worlds apart from the walkie-talkies we got as kids in the 70's.

hey Radar, not quite correct. Handhelds do not have the power as a mobile unit. They can do well with a good antenna, but not as good.

My mobile unit will do 50 watts i believe and I think the handhelds are limited to 5Watts.

Groucho or someone else will correct me if I am wrong.

Nice job, grasshopper! HTs usually don't come with more than 5 watts, but there are external amplifiers that can be added for maximum power.

 

[Bruce Miller]

Has anybody in the club become involved in ham radio other than 2m? Anybody on HF?

 

[Uncle Ben]

Has anybody in the club become involved in ham radio other than 2m? Anybody on HF?

Isn't CB technically HF?

 

[JadeRunner]

What's HT stand for? I sense in means a handheld radio.

I would also want a simple cb\ham setup to mount in my existing din. Then mount 2 antennas to one radio. I would kick down for that. I dread having to mount an extra radio in the cab somewhere. It's honestly the biggest problem I have with diving into this. Sounds like a marketing opportunity.

 

[Uncle Ben]

What's HT stand for? I sense in means a handheld radio.

I would also want a simple cb\ham setup to mount in my existing din. Then mount 2 antennas to one radio. I would kick down for that. I dread having to mount an extra radio in the cab somewhere. It's honestly the biggest problem I have with diving into this. Sounds like a marketing opportunity.

Handheld Transceiver. The removable faceplates and remote kits make for very easy mounting solutions! Really! Snoop around at the on-line vendors....pretty amazing stuff.

 

[corsair23]

Handheld Transceiver. The removable faceplates and remote kits make for very easy mounting solutions! Really! Snoop around at the on-line vendors....pretty amazing stuff.

And there you have it...So UB, when does your new Ham radio arrive and what one did you decide to go with?

 

[Uncle Ben]

And there you have it...So UB, when does your new Ham radio arrive and what one did you decide to go with?

I do not have any radio ordered at this time! I agree that Ham makes sense but I also do not need another hobby!

 

[Groucho]

CB & HAM in one Radio?

This doesn't exsist. You would need to buy both. CB is (as UB said) technically HF(High Freq). 2m Is what we use primarily in the vehicle which is VHF (Very High Freq).

Problem is, any radio built to work on CB(11 meter HF~) has to be approved by the FCC and cannot be manipulated to do anything else. Therefore, combining both 2M and CB is not feasable for many folks, HAM or not, without having two radios.

Common question. Is what most folks get turned off of the HAM thing for.
If for no other reason, the class IS GOOD for all radio using folks. Lots of good info.

What's HT stand for? I sense in means a handheld radio.

I would also want a simple cb\ham setup to mount in my existing din. Then mount 2 antennas to one radio. I would kick down for that. I dread having to mount an extra radio in the cab somewhere. It's honestly the biggest problem I have with diving into this. Sounds like a marketing opportunity.

 

[Uncle Ben]

CB is (as UB said) technically HF(High Freq).

I just stole the glory....Seldom Seen posted that tidbit earlier!


I am just on a learning curve....best way to defeat your enemies!

 

[Hulk]

I am just on a learning curve....best way to defeat your enemies!

Kinda sucks when your enemies have superior equipment, don't it? I mean, you got the supahchargah and all, with the longfields and 315s, but your radio is so 1975 it just screams for Evil Knievel, some Coors and a Trans Am. Of course, it screams, but no one can hear it because the range is about 4000 feet and your voice was just trod upon by a trucker in Texas speaking Spanish with an illegal amp and no qualms about obeying tha' rules.

Cheerio!

 

[Uncle Ben]

Kinda sucks when your enemies have superior equipment, don't it? I mean, you got the supahchargah and all, with the longfields and 315s, but your radio is so 1975 it just screams for Evil Knievel, some Coors and a Trans Am. Of course, it screams, but no one can hear it because the range is about 4000 feet and your voice was just trod upon by a trucker in Texas speaking Spanish with an illegal amp and no qualms about obeying tha' rules.

Cheerio!

35's not 315's (there is a differance) I like(d) Evil Knievel and Trans-Am's but Coors is for 's. My radio always gets out if you remember so 4500ft is an easy walk in the park! The people I use that radio for are also well in that range and the ones that aren't are probably outside the truck figuring out what broke and not listening to the airwaves anyway!