Community Forums

NJ5N · 05-31-2012, 07:54 PM

I have been a ham radio operator for over 30 years but have never had a motorhome, my wife and I are picking up our new Newmar Canyon Star 3920 this weekend. I hope to use the garage area of the toy-hauler to carry my Harley as well as provide me a mobile ham-shack.
I am not sure what I will do for antennas etc. but will be looking for ideas from others here on the forum. I have a couple of HF rigs and a VHF/UHF rig so just need to get everything laid out. One of the unique things about the toy-hauler is the back end is a ramp so mounting to a ladder is not really an option, unless I mounted to the ladder on top of the roof.
The tripod mount may be the best option for me, I am not really interested in operating HF while mobile but would like to have VHF/UHF while mobile. I operate barefoot (100 watts) and use cw 99%of the time.
I have read about RV nets on HF but have never caught one, thought that would also be a good place to get ideas so if you know of a time and freq please let me know.

Thanks
Chris
ARS NJ5N

87Rockwood · 06-01-2012, 03:06 PM

For HF I use a old military Vertical that comes in sections so it stores easily. But even a simple wire ant will work well. And a good easy to remove ground rod next to the MH.
AA1OH and N1RPN here and WELCOME to the group. Remember the days of Eastcars and Westcars nets? On 40 if I remember right.

NJ5N · 06-01-2012, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 87Rockwood

For HF I use a old military Vertical that comes in sections so it stores easily. But even a simple wire ant will work well. And a good easy to remove ground rod next to the MH.
AA1OH and N1RPN here and WELCOME to the group. Remember the days of Eastcars and Westcars nets? On 40 if I remember right.

Thanks 87Rockwood, I was thinking about a vertical on a tripod, I will figure it out as I go forward.
73

Chris
NJ5N

Patrol 65 · 06-01-2012, 07:55 PM

Welcome to the forum. KF4GYL here!

73

wb7auk · 06-01-2012, 08:00 PM

Chris: I use a Larson dual band for UHF and VHF and for HF I use the Little Tarheel II
that covers 3.7 to 54 MHZ.
At 54 MHZ it is 48 inches tall and at 3.7 MHZ it is 54 inches tall. Needs to be mounted as high as possible with some sort of ground plane.(not much needed)
You can replace the whip with a wire wound fiber glass and that will increase your
signal a little but over all I get out standing reports from the antenna.

rocknrun · 06-01-2012, 08:01 PM

Welcome & 73! W4KTL

NJ5N · 06-01-2012, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wb7auk

Chris: I use a Larson dual band for UHF and VHF and for HF I use the Little Tarheel II
that covers 3.7 to 54 MHZ.
At 54 MHZ it is 48 inches tall and at 3.7 MHZ it is 54 inches tall. Needs to be mounted as high as possible with some sort of ground plane.(not much needed)
You can replace the whip with a wire wound fiber glass and that will increase your
signal a little but over all I get out standing reports from the antenna.

Wb7auk

Thanks for the info, how did you mount the screwdriver, I have never used a screwdriver but have seen many at hamfests, in fact I hope to go to Ham Com the big hamfests here in North Texas in a couple of weeks to get some ideas.

Thanks again for your response,

Chris

NJ5N

wb7auk · 06-02-2012, 06:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NJ5N

Wb7auk

Thanks for the info, how did you mount the screwdriver, I have never used a screwdriver but have seen many at hamfests, in fact I hope to go to Ham Com the big hamfests here in North Texas in a couple of weeks to get some ideas.

Thanks again for your response,

Chris

NJ5N

I mount both antennas with a L bracket one for a NMO the other for a 8/24 stud but do not use the provided screws but replaced them so I can put nuts on the other side.
I thought about a full size screwdriver on the ladder but due to height and
effects of the ladder on the antenna I went with the Little Tarheel II.
( I am 12-6 so any antenna has to fig that problem in)

TXiceman · 06-02-2012, 07:44 AM

So fat I have been using a copy of the Comet CHA-250B antenna on the ladder on my 5er. I mounted a 10' section of 1-1/14" EMT off the ladder and have an additional 5' section to attach the antenna to. Put it all together and set the antenna and 5' section on top with a EMT coupling. This puts the base of the antenna close to 18' above grade.

While if it is not the best antenna, it does work on 10m through 40m pretty good, and will work on 80m.

I am using a Kenwood TS-480 HX and an LDG AT200Pro tuner.

Next project is to rig a lay-down mount for my Little Tarheel II if I don;t put it on the truck.

73
Ken
KE5DFR

NJ5N · 06-03-2012, 10:57 AM

Thanks to everyone who replied to my post, good to see there are several active hams on the forum. I will update as I figure out how to get my gear setup, and hopefully we can exchange some ideas/reports.

73,

Chris

NJ5N

vsheetz · 06-10-2012, 12:18 AM

Fiberglass telescoping mast here, mounted to the ladder, usually with an end fed zepp wire antenna. My usual requirements are must be contained within the footprint of the motorhome. Radials and cables can creat trip hazards. Most campground don't allow use of their trees or other items to tie or mount to. And often where we go there are few trees anyway (southwest desert areas).

I have my radios in a case that is quickly and easily set up on the dash in front of the passenger chair. So the front passenger area becomes my ham shack.

Vince
W6CD

Chaffeekid · 06-10-2012, 04:59 AM

Hey Chris, welcome to the forum, as has been stated I used a screwdriver when running HF in a Pace Arrow that I owned. Worked very well along with an ICOM 746.
A ham and a Harley rider, owned a 2004 Ultra Classic until a few months ago, but balance has become a slight problem, so had to sell it. Thought about a trike but will just put the money in the travel jar

Again Welcome to the forum, and on the air I am known as N0LZS and formerly KA6DNF
73's and Happy Trails
Yep used to check into westcars and eastcars.
Jim

wa8yxm · 06-10-2012, 06:05 PM

The best subbestion I can give you antenna wise is to have options. Get a good Long wire auto-tuner (i like marine type, they are water resistant) and mount it, That way you can use a long wire tossed over a tree like I do, also a Screwdriver or Tarheal,

Perhaps even a set of buddy poles.

And by all means visit the open roads Radio forums.

NJ5N · 06-11-2012, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chaffeekid

Hey Chris, welcome to the forum, as has been stated I used a screwdriver when running HF in a Pace Arrow that I owned. Worked very well along with an ICOM 746.
A ham and a Harley rider, owned a 2004 Ultra Classic until a few months ago, but balance has become a slight problem, so had to sell it. Thought about a trike but will just put the money in the travel jar

Again Welcome to the forum, and on the air I am known as N0LZS and formerly KA6DNF
73's and Happy Trails
Yep used to check into westcars and eastcars.
Jim

Jim thanks for the info and again thanks to everyone who replied, I did make it to Ham-Com this past week in Plano, Tx. There were many manufacturers there so I looked at many options from the buddie pole to the Tarheel screwdriver.
I did not make an antenna purchase by but did spend some time talking and getting ideas.

Will update when I make a move,

73

NJ5N

Chris