Well, gang...I am closer to realizing a dream that I have had for years. If you remember, in the past I had mentioned that I would love to operate mobile or portable from 80 meters through 70 cm in multiple modes. Next weekend I will have taken a major step toward making that a reality.
Next weekend I will be travelling to Magnolia, Texas to visit my long-time friend Randy Friesenhahn, KA5IIA. He has a bunch of stuff for me as a belated Christmas present that we will be installing in the car, including a trunk lip mount that will go with the two I have purchased in Austin last weekend. I still have my Comet SBB-7 dual-band antenna that I am currently using as a scanner antenna (it works great, by the way!) but will switch its usage over to 2m/70cm for my Yaesu FT-8800R permenently. When I have a few more bucks in place, especially when my income tax refund comes in, I will purchase another dual-band antenna, a good mobile scanner antenna, and a wide series of hamstick antennas that will range from 6 meters all the way down to 75/80 meters. In time I will look for loop antennas like the M2 series and set those up in a mobile configuration but this will happen just yet. But also, Randy and I have been friends for 32 years and it's going to be great visiting him over the weekend. I'm really looking forward to this trip.
After that is done, I will begin to look for Yagi or quad antennas for the following bands: 6, 2, and 70 cm. This will be for any possible activity that might come up later on. For 2 and 70 cm, I will need at least 5-7 elements for each band. For 6, 2-3 elements should do fine.
Another thing I will be working on (and only AFTER the mobile installation is complete) is selling my ICOM T90A tri-band HT along with the batteries, rapid charger and cigarette lighter charger I have to go with the radio. The box and manual will go with the gear. The only thing wrong with the radio AT ALL is where a screw attaches a clip mount to a belt loop. The screw got lost and I tried to put another one on it but the hole has now gotten a bit larger and no screw stays in place now. This is a cosmetic issue only (and only in one very small spot on the back of the radio) and the functionality of the HT itself is great!
Why am I selling the T90A? I want to buy the new Yaesu VX-8R HT. It's a very cool radio that has a bunch of features and will do lots for me in the field. The VX-8R is a quad band radio with the following bands: 6m, 2m, 440, and 222. It will run 5 watts on 6, 2, and 440 FM, 1.5 watts on 222 FM, and 1 watt on 6m AM. That's right; I said 6m AM. Just another opportunity to operate where others don't usually go and to have more capability to operate where and when needed.
This major upgrade in equipment is really needed so I can continue to do what I love and that is ham radio. I can provide a major public service capability that a lot of others can't or won't do, and I can operate in ways that I have always wanted to try. Awards for example include handing out counties for USA-CA. There are several counties close by that aren't usually activated. I can do this on the County Hunters Net or during the Texas QSO Party or just about anywhere. WAS and DXCC can be had a little easier because there is more of a tendency for DX stations or far-flung states to answer you if you give your call and say that you're mobile or portable.
Once it's all said and done, I will be able to operate using SSB, FM, and AM on a wide variety of bands. I even plan to but a cheap straight key and add velcro straps to it and connect it to my thigh and operate CW mobile as I drive to and from work each day (44 miles from Valley Mills to Temple), or elsewhere.
Storm spotting will be better for me as well, since I will have a dual-band radio in the car and I will also have my police scanner going to I can keep up with what is happening wherever I'm at.
All in all, I will have the (almost) complete mobile package in place. By the end of March I should be able to have everything together and on the air. I can't wait!!!
Stay tuned...
WR1TX
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Personal Radio Communications Update
Right off here's a shout out to KD5NJR for commenting on one of my earlier blog entries. Thanks, and do comment often. The rest of you that read this blog, by ALL means feel free to comment here; I'd love to hear from you. You can also email me direct at wr1tx@wr1tx.net
if you choose; I'll be glad to hear from one and all.
Well, here's the latest update on my personal radio communications upgrading:
I have just installed my Comet SBB-7 2m/70cm antenna to use as my mobile Radio Shack scanner antenna for now. No ham gear in the car yet but at least I can monitor things. The mount is a magnetic mount that is pretty sturdy and will work well until the ham gear goes in. After that I will work on getting a permanent mount for the scanner and continue to monitor the public service stuff like I have always tried to do.
I am also updating what I will be monitoring. I'll keep my Bell County stuff in place, but I will be moving just about everything else I have stored, as well as adding things. Once it's all said and done, I should be able to monitor reasonably well the following counties wherever I go: Bell, Bosque, Coryell, Falls, Hamilton, Lampasas, Somervell, Erath, Hill, Limestone, McLennan, and Johnson. The jury is still out on adding Comanche, Hood and Mills counties. In addition to the Bell County EDACS system that I have already in memory, I will add the Waco/McLennan trunked system and the part of the ETBC ambulance system that covers McLennan County and the immediate area. I will also have to move things around on my scanner but I had already planned to do that anyhow. Things that will get moved include the ham frequencies (but I will also add some), the railroads (also adding a few frequencies), the FRS and the MURS stuff.
As far as the mobile ham gear is concerned, all is a go for now to get the gear installed later this month. I drove to Austin yesterday to pick up two trunk lip mounts, one with an NMO base and the other a 3/8 x 24 base. While I was there I took a really good look at the hamstick antennas that were there. I didn't see the ones from the Lakeview Company but I did look at the Hustler series with the resonators and such. They look to add a bit of weight and load to the trunk mounts ultimately so I have decided to seriously consider the Workman single band sticks. They are reasonably priced, about $20 each per band for 6 meters down through 40 except for 75 meters which is near $25. Quick disconnect tools are available at a reasonable price also. I noticed that these antennas seem to sell pretty quickly, so I figure there must be something to them. I do plan to buy an MFJ mobile HF tuner (I already have a 6 meter tuner I can use if I need to) to go with this setup once I buy the antennas.
With all of this done in my 2001 Chevy Malibu I will have the mobile operating capability I will need and I will finally fulfill a dream to be able to operate in this manner. I can continue my storm spotting and do it the way I want to. Furthermore, the station will be set up for a quick disconnect if needed so I can operate portable in a matter of minutes. Of course I will eventually set up a base station like I used to have but with my personal living situation the way it is it just isn't possible.
And of course, now I need to order some new QSL cards that will show me operating portable or mobile. I haven't given out anything from Bosque County yet but it looks like that beginning in March I will be able to do that.
Stay tuned...
WR1TX
if you choose; I'll be glad to hear from one and all.
Well, here's the latest update on my personal radio communications upgrading:
I have just installed my Comet SBB-7 2m/70cm antenna to use as my mobile Radio Shack scanner antenna for now. No ham gear in the car yet but at least I can monitor things. The mount is a magnetic mount that is pretty sturdy and will work well until the ham gear goes in. After that I will work on getting a permanent mount for the scanner and continue to monitor the public service stuff like I have always tried to do.
I am also updating what I will be monitoring. I'll keep my Bell County stuff in place, but I will be moving just about everything else I have stored, as well as adding things. Once it's all said and done, I should be able to monitor reasonably well the following counties wherever I go: Bell, Bosque, Coryell, Falls, Hamilton, Lampasas, Somervell, Erath, Hill, Limestone, McLennan, and Johnson. The jury is still out on adding Comanche, Hood and Mills counties. In addition to the Bell County EDACS system that I have already in memory, I will add the Waco/McLennan trunked system and the part of the ETBC ambulance system that covers McLennan County and the immediate area. I will also have to move things around on my scanner but I had already planned to do that anyhow. Things that will get moved include the ham frequencies (but I will also add some), the railroads (also adding a few frequencies), the FRS and the MURS stuff.
As far as the mobile ham gear is concerned, all is a go for now to get the gear installed later this month. I drove to Austin yesterday to pick up two trunk lip mounts, one with an NMO base and the other a 3/8 x 24 base. While I was there I took a really good look at the hamstick antennas that were there. I didn't see the ones from the Lakeview Company but I did look at the Hustler series with the resonators and such. They look to add a bit of weight and load to the trunk mounts ultimately so I have decided to seriously consider the Workman single band sticks. They are reasonably priced, about $20 each per band for 6 meters down through 40 except for 75 meters which is near $25. Quick disconnect tools are available at a reasonable price also. I noticed that these antennas seem to sell pretty quickly, so I figure there must be something to them. I do plan to buy an MFJ mobile HF tuner (I already have a 6 meter tuner I can use if I need to) to go with this setup once I buy the antennas.
With all of this done in my 2001 Chevy Malibu I will have the mobile operating capability I will need and I will finally fulfill a dream to be able to operate in this manner. I can continue my storm spotting and do it the way I want to. Furthermore, the station will be set up for a quick disconnect if needed so I can operate portable in a matter of minutes. Of course I will eventually set up a base station like I used to have but with my personal living situation the way it is it just isn't possible.
And of course, now I need to order some new QSL cards that will show me operating portable or mobile. I haven't given out anything from Bosque County yet but it looks like that beginning in March I will be able to do that.
Stay tuned...
WR1TX
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