Mobile Ham Setup Planning (2M/70cm)

[gnihcraes]

Make a test light too, it makes sure you always Gang the connector correctly, and you can test them from a power source.



You can also make things like this, that work for whatever else you might want to run, cell phone, kids game console.




Make everything work off of a power pole, have power poles in all vehicles, no need for a rig runner in each one, quickly move the rig runner or just use a direct to battery cable. Or take your radio to the house or put it in another hams vehicle.

[streetglideok]

I'm told the main units are basically the same, just the heads are different, and the 710 has the TNC in it. They offer a pricey kit to convert the v71a, for $300, but I have to wonder if you can find just the display for less

[gnihcraes]

Nice. Will have to look into those. Wife asked me about Christmas and my birthday today(they fall within 6 days of each other). Boy that was a mistake. Mentioned an all mode radio, HF radio and a new dual bander or quad band 8900,hehe

Careful with the Quad Band radio. If it dies, you just lost three other radios with it. You'll also need duplexers, triplexers to run all the radios/bands on various antennas. Things to consider. I had a tri-band radio, the antenna was very long and didn't mount well on hoods and trunks. The radio died and wasn't repairable at a reasonable fee, company got out of making ham stuff. So much for that $900

[streetglideok]

Yeah that I've considered. I doubt I would mess with the 10m band, so if I did do the 8900, I would get a duplexer for my roof antenna and mount a 6m stick in back. I most likely will either get an 8800 or a v71a. What I like about the kenwood is the ability to remote control the radio via dtmf tones. The 8800 usually comes with the remote kit already, and with the rebates out, if you actually get the $100 back, it comes out less than a v71a. From there, I need either an all mode, or an hf rig. The 857 and 897 are on the list, as well as the kenwood 480 variants, ic7000 or a cheap used 706(doubtful these days). Not sure if I'd do mobile hf or if it will be portable/home, so may throw the icom 718, 7200, yaesu 450 variants, or maybe a cheap alnico sr8/sr9. If I go older, and can find a solid rig, theres the yaesu 757 and 890, and some of the icom models for good prices. I need someone with some experience with hf to see if my idea is feasible, getting a pair of hamsticks in a couple of different bands, ie 10m and 20m, and make a horizontal dipole.

[gnihcraes]

Yeah that I've considered. I doubt I would mess with the 10m band, so if I did do the 8900, I would get a duplexer for my roof antenna and mount a 6m stick in back. I most likely will either get an 8800 or a v71a. What I like about the kenwood is the ability to remote control the radio via dtmf tones. The 8800 usually comes with the remote kit already, and with the rebates out, if you actually get the $100 back, it comes out less than a v71a. From there, I need either an all mode, or an hf rig. The 857 and 897 are on the list, as well as the kenwood 480 variants, ic7000 or a cheap used 706(doubtful these days). Not sure if I'd do mobile hf or if it will be portable/home, so may throw the icom 718, 7200, yaesu 450 variants, or maybe a cheap alnico sr8/sr9. If I go older, and can find a solid rig, theres the yaesu 757 and 890, and some of the icom models for good prices. I need someone with some experience with hf to see if my idea is feasible, getting a pair of hamsticks in a couple of different bands, ie 10m and 20m, and make a horizontal dipole.

Welcome to the Hobby! :>

[rbeau30]

I'm told the main units are basically the same, just the heads are different, and the 710 has the TNC in it. They offer a pricey kit to convert the v71a, for $300, but I have to wonder if you can find just the display for less

Well. I am thinking that I could buy a TM-71 for the family vehicle, and If I need the functionality of the 710, I can just switch out head units but keep the 710 in my daily driver. Potentially save me a couple hundred dollars.

Going to be adding a CB real soon. Okay Okay, I know I am going backwards in technology, but thinking about putting a 148GTL (want to have the SSB capability) so I can listen to some 11M for preparedness purposes.

[gnihcraes]

Go 10 meter and you can listen to 11 meter cb and you'll have better hardware an only one antenna to mess with. :thumbup:

[rbeau30]

Go 10 meter and you can listen to 11 meter cb and you'll have better hardware an only one antenna to mess with. :thumbup:

True. I'm just torn... there is limited space for phone traffic on 10M? however I could use monitoring 10M in my mobile as practice for eventual CW learning?

I also am not ... supposed to rig that type of radio to transmit on Citizens Band? in SHTF all bets are off but if I hear an interesting conversation I might be tempted to chime in. or should I not worry about that?

[streetglideok]

Yeah, you aren't supposed to modify part 97 radios(ham) for 11m CB operation. You can listen, but not be able to transmit. Now truth be told, in a true emergency situation, knowing exactly how to unlock the 11m band may prove beneficial if you are setup for 10m operations already. Now on the flip side, if you can find a good unaltered 148 side mic, or the twin Uniden Grant side mic, those are considered some really decent ssb 11m radios.

[gnihcraes]

Listen to CB, all that jabbering from 100's of miles away isn't from just a cb radio. 10meter modified, or amplified cb (11mtr)

Out of band, a lot of folks drop just below the cb bands into 10 meter and talk. Modified cb's all over the place.