Ham Radio

[vsheetz]

I use:

Eagle One telescopic verticle for HF, mounted to rear ladder. Just a minute or two to extend/retract. ICOM 7100 with SGC tuner.

Arrow J Pole (2 piece) for fixed 2m/440. Mounted to rear ladder using a Flagpole Buddy mount and a 12' aluminum mast. Another couple minutes to setup/down.

Larsen mobile for 2M/440.

I don't do mobile HF. If I did would probably investigate a screwdriver type mobile antenna.

Not much activity on 10M, in my experience. Suggest to get a General ticket to expand HF opprotunities.

Vince
W6CD

[edatlanta]

Attachment 257234

Originally Posted by Gypsyjoe

Just passed my Tech exam and am wondering if any of the other Hams on this forum have any suggestions for a antenna on a 1994 Damon Challenger MH, would I be better off with a roof mount or would one mounted on the bumper be OK. Also any suggestions for a newbie to Ham who is also a full timer.

Congratulations on the new ticket. I recently installed an antenna on my fifth wheel that you might be interested in. It is actually just hanging on the rear ladder and is easily removable for travel. The antenna is a model DBJ-1 (look it up on ebay). A friend has not only the DBJ-1, but the DBJ-2 which is a roll up version and can be mounted virtually anywhere. I made the mounting pole out of a single 10' section of 3/4" pvc pipe. The antenna works fantastic.

[Roadbenny]

Tell me something guys are HAM radios really only for survival prepper nuts? (No offense)

[Tugboat]

I have been into 2 way radio way before I became a prepper. I just finished my new radio room

[HORNETD]

Originally Posted by Roadbenny

Tell me something guys are HAM radios really only for survival prepper nuts? (No offense)

If you never experience a loss of cell phone connectivity then I guess that might be a valid conclusion. Nearly every month the national magazine for Amateur Radio; named QST for the telegraphy shorthand for calling all radio amateurs; has a story about someone summoning help by Amateur Radio. The more RVing you do the more you should think about some way to obtain help in an emergency when there is no cellular telephone service. There are a number of ways to do that with varying costs. Amateur Radio is one of the least expensive ways of doing that.

Keep in mind that Personal Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons can only be used; without the possibility of various legal sanctions; for a condition which is immediately dangerous to human life. Satellite text messaging works but requires the payment of ongoing fees. Satellite telephone also requires ongoing fee payments which are not for those who have budgets. Those are nearly so expensive that the arrogant JP Morgan quote might apply. "If you have to ask you can't afford it.

[1bigmess]

Originally Posted by Roadbenny

Tell me something guys are HAM radios really only for survival prepper nuts? (No offense)

Not at all. Amateur radio has been a hobby for the scientifically curious since the very beginning. Nearly all of the radio technologies you enjoy today are a direct result of hobbyists experimenting and publishing their results for others to use and enjoy.

When I was a kid growing up in San Diego, dad was a commercial tuna fisherman in the South Pacific. Amateur radio was our link to be a family while he was out to sea for weeks or months at a time.

A casual conversation with friends a few miles away over a VHF frequency is a great way to use free time or experiment with the latest gadget or widget I brewed up.

APRS is one of the ways I can let people know where I am and what I'm doing.

Chasing rare locations to make contact with can be very exciting. Someday I'm gonna get my generators and radio gear, drag my trailer to a remote location with some altitude in Skamania county for a week and hand out contacts for radio county hunters, people that are challenging themselves to make contact with an amateur radio operator in every county and parish in the US, Canada, Mexico, and beyond.

For those inclined to enjoy it, it's a fun *hobby*. It also happens to be an extremely useful thing for emergency communications (EMCOMM) and the "prepper" community. Many people that bought cheap radios to use the amateur radio bands illegally as "preppers" go on to get licensed and use the hobby for fun.

Amateur radio operators volunteer for all kinds of public service events, from emergencies to events occurring over long distances and periods of time. The Oregon Hood to Coast marathon and the Reach the Beach bike rides are two that I have participated in.
Public Service

Amateur radio operators have even found old satellites that were thought to be long dead. Canadian Radio Amateur Finds Resurrected NASA Satellite

This hobby is HUGE. It's usable literally everywhere. There are so many different things to try that no one could do them all. And many of technological innovators are using, and in the future will continue to use amateur radio.

[GuyG]

Lots of great comments, info and links. Glad I stumbled across it. 73 everyone.

[Mark_K5LXP]

Originally Posted by 1bigmess

Posted by: 1bigmessThis hobby is HUGE. It's usable literally everywhere.

And, it literally is everywhere. That's what makes it somewhat relevant even in these times of nearly ubiquitous cell phone coverage. Ham radio is, and can work where cell phones don't and hams are distributed within the population. So when a tornado goes through a small town and wipes out the utilities, chances are there are hams there that can establish a link. And if there aren't any, ham equipment is very portable and can be brought in and set up much more quickly than service crews can get in and repair inoperable infrastructure. I heard about the shooting in El Paso from a ham near the mall before any of the major news networks broke the story.

That's not to say that ham radio is a direct equivalent to infrastructure, nor is much good for widespread disasters. Far from it. But it can be eyes at the scene and used to relay information that otherwise would not. Anymore, ham radio saving the day stories are few and far between but over the years I have myself called in for help when encountering a crash on the highway (including one of my own), and one time relaying communications to first responders to rescue a hurt horseback rider in the mountains. I take a ham radio any time I go hiking, especially alone, because even relatively close to civilization there may not be cell coverage but more often than not there's a repeater somewhere I can access. Directly related to RV'ing, my XYL (DW in ham radio terms) is a ham too and having that means of communication, whether is's within a campground or using a statewide network is a huge advantage, especially in many remote forests and campgrounds where cell coverage is spotty or nonexistent. Add in that making casual contacts whether local or remote is a lot of fun so you get the benefits of recreation and practical application from just a "hobby". It can be as technical or social as you'd like it to be and you can spend a little or a lot of money on it. It's not plug and play though, it takes a certain amount of study and practice to understand the capabilities and requirements to create a system that will achieve the desired result. But for that effort you can realize a capability that few others have.

Mark K5LXP
Albuquerque, NM

[GuyG]

Mark K5XLP
Love your response.
In addition to responding after a disaster, the Sky Warn program that is alive and well in the mid-section of the U.S. (OK, KS, TX, NM, et al) is indispensable and a very welcome assist to the National Weather Service offices who are able to confirm by boots on the ground what they are seeing on radar. I don't do much as far as getting out to "chase," but I do monitor an d on occasion have been able to relay info when needed.
I carry my 2-meter handheld and display my call sign and monitoring station in the rear window of our MH. I've had a few operators reach out and, on occasion, will reach out while I'm in a campground.
73
Guy KD5ALG

[Tugboat]

We just had a problem locally with unlicensed preppers using the local repeater. It was 4 campers from the Wilmington NC area getting away from the storm. They were using foul language and just trying up the repeater. When they were told that they were interfering with the net there answer was FU we can due what we want. When located at the local campground the one guy said he bought the radios on the internet and could do what he wanted no one can stop him. When the ham told him that he was on a frequency that he need a license to use and would show him what frequency he could use without a license. He got very angry and started yelling. He then was told that he was going to call the FCC and report him he then kicked in his car door and wanted to fight him.

It is buy any radio but on Ham band you need a license. And when and if the SHTF no one will care if you are licensed. My old neighbor growing up have me a game radio and I listened to it for almost 40 years before I got my ticket.

[1bigmess]

Originally Posted by Tugboat

When the ham told him that he was on a frequency that he need a license to use and would show him what frequency he could use without a license. He got very angry and started yelling. He then was told that he was going to call the FCC and report him he then kicked in his car door and wanted to fight him.

Don't call the FCC, call the police for that!

[Craig36]

Lots of good advice here, but frankly, if you want to work VHF/UHF repeaters, it is simpler to just buy one of those $30 Chinese HT's that run 5-8 watts. If you order the extended 19 inch antenna (another $4), you will double the range of these things.

Forget about operating any radio when driving a motorhome. It is far more dangerous than a car. Think parked!

Most of us will agree that 10 meters is going to be difficult to use until the sunspot cycle improves, but a cheap ham stick or hustler for 10 might be fun when it opens on occasion.

Any vertical antenna needs a groundplane, and if your coach has a ladder, it will work well on 10 meters, as well as 20, and OK on 40.

Here is the secret to a simple installation. Buy a mirror mount with the standard 3/8 thread. These are around $10, and install on top of your ladder. Then buy a quick disconnect to use with that mount. (about $20) You will then be able to quickly push and twist on your antennas, and quickly twist them off. Run a 25ft piece of RG-8x with a connector at each end. When you are parked, just snap on the antenna, screw on the PL-259 connector to the mount, and feed the other end of the coax to an available window. Yes, just let the coax lay on the ground.

I operate from my dinette with a Yaesu FT-450D and can set up everything in less than 5 minutes.

[Tugboat]

The police was also called and 4 campsites were available.

[Shutterbug57]

Originally Posted by Roadbenny

Tell me something guys are HAM radios really only for survival prepper nuts? (No offense)

If you are planning a trip to locations known to be outside cell phone range, a radio might be a good idea.