Ham radio - I'm W8BBS

[arizonatruck]

BC for british columbia and the number is the section that you are in?

 

[arizonatruck]

Does anyone have uhf/vhf antenna and radio suggestions for mobile operations? I am also looking for an antenna for camp use to get up high, but using a mast.

 

[Baloo]

Does anyone have uhf/vhf antenna and radio suggestions for mobile operations? I am also looking for an antenna for camp use to get up high, but using a mast.

I have a VHF setup in my Jeep, Icom 2300h hooked up to an firestik 2m-4 antenna. It is a 5/8 wave and works very well. I can drive anywhere in the local area and rag chew on the repeater all day long. Very happy with it. I may add a dual band later on in my ambo. For now I am just enjoying the 2m world...

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

. . .  I am also looking for an antenna for camp use to get up high, but using a mast.

You should check out this book . . .

http://www.amazon.com/ARRL-Portable...825&sr=1-1&keywords=portable+antenna+classics

Regards
John

 

[HarmonicaBruce]

Does anyone have uhf/vhf antenna and radio suggestions for mobile operations?  I am also looking for an antenna for camp use to get up high, but using a mast.

Last month I was in Anaheim Ca, driving down Euclid Ave and I passed a Ham Radio Outlet store.  I wasn't in a hurry, so I went in.  I figured I was telling myself for years that I was going to get a mobile radio, and what better time to do it.  There was a young kid, maybe a high school kid, nerdy type, and I asked him for a recommendation, and he sold me a Kenwood Tm281A.  It's a 65 watt 2 meter radio.  I also got a 5/8 magnet mount antenna and a cigar lighter power cable.  Total bill was about $200.  It's a great radio, seems really well made, military grade.  IMHO, you can't go wrong.  It doesn't have UHF, but I don't think I've ever found another UHF station, so for me it wasn't much of a draw-back.  If you called Ham Radio Outlet I'll bet they'd get you fixed up.

Note: I know my station isn't correct, but it works as is until I can get it installed correctly.

Let us know what you come up with.

 

[arizonatruck]

When anyone passes through phoenix, I will gladly chat otr a little.

Douglas
KI7LIK

 

[musicman]

I'm a licensed amateur radio operator, W8BBS is my call sign.  I haven't operated in a few years but will when I get a station installed in my new van.  Do we have any other hams here?  It's a great hobby.  You can meet people over the radio, and they tend to be classy and helpful.  It's nothing like CB radio, where everyone uses a fake name and no one knows anything about radio.  Anyone can look up my call sign on the FCC database and find out my real name and where I live (i.e., have my mail sent).  You have to pass a test to get your license, so hams are generally more knowledgeable than CB operators.    

One bad thing about ham radio from a (parked) vehicle is that it's easy to run down your battery, as amateur transceivers can draw a lot of power (especially while transmitting).  I've done that while sitting in my car in my parents driveway.

One of the reasons for amateur radio is to provide emergency communications.  It could prove useful if one had some kind of emergency on the road.

I'm  KC5ZQG, working on getting a trl to pull for a ham shack.

 

[White+Nerdy]

KJ1H here. Been licensed since 1989, and I’m a volunteer examiner for license tests. Ask me anything!