For VHF & UHF that can't be beat, but I'm told that an aluminum bracket between the fender and the hood can come close. On my '11 F-250 I was frightened of the airbags so I had a commercial radio shop do the work. Next time I'd do it myself again.
As far as guying is concerned. I rarely need guying. I have a Buddie Pole that I've used in the past, but it takes up a lot more room than EndFEDZ. The Buddie Pole with the standard mast doesn't need to be guyed unless there's a lot of wind. Even with taller mast the tripod seems to hold it pretty well, winds can change that pretty fast.
The fiberglass poles I use for antenna supports are designed for wind things at top. With the 3' fence post and two bungie cords every thing stays put. I put a little tension on the antenna with causes a bit of a bend in top of the fiberglass pole. It's been up in some pretty strong winds at Padre Island and again in Death Valley. That's my experiences.
As far as performance the Buddie Pole has out performed the EndFEDZ. I've made some really long range contacts with Buddie Pole at the standard 12' above the ground. The problem is getting it tuned, even with a tuner it's best to get it close.
__________________
Byron & Anne enjoying the everyday Saturday thing.
For VHF & UHF that can't be beat, but I'm told that an aluminum bracket between the fender and the hood can come close. On my '11 F-250 I was frightened of the airbags so I had a commercial radio shop do the work. Next time I'd do it myself again.
For UHF VHF I just take the control head off my FT8800 and use the extension cable along with a remote speaker. I just have to watch the truck battery.
I would recommend using a separate battery for your hf radio.
__________________
Byron & Anne enjoying the everyday Saturday thing.
For UHF VHF I just take the control head off my FT8800 and use the extension cable along with a remote speaker. I just have to watch the truck battery.
I would recommend using a separate battery for your hf radio.
I think one or more of us has a misunderstanding. I don't think that the control head has the SO-239 to connect to the antenna.
Currently all I run in my truck is an FT1DR for APRS and it has an alarm for NOAA weather alerts. Folks on the east coast where I travel regularly don't understand why I use a Ľλ antenna. I live at an altitude of >6,000 feet above sea level and enough repeaters are ~8,000 feet higher. Gain would be an impediment. Next time I'm on the east coast I'll try to remember a gain antenna.
I think one or more of us has a misunderstanding. I don't think that the control head has the SO-239 to connect to the antenna.
Currently all I run in my truck is an FT1DR for APRS and it has an alarm for NOAA weather alerts. Folks on the east coast where I travel regularly don't understand why I use a Ľλ antenna. I live at an altitude of >6,000 feet above sea level and enough repeaters are ~8,000 feet higher. Gain would be an impediment. Next time I'm on the east coast I'll try to remember a gain antenna.
The antenna is mounted on the truck and connected to the radio. The control head is removable and with an extension kit and speaker you move outside and away from the truck. The control head works the same as if it were attached to the radio. The radio is still powered by the truck. I've done this a few times. However, I find that UHF and VHF are not very useful in most places I camp. Your radio wouldn't be of much use except in town. I can barely make contact with 50 Watts at times to any repeater. Five watts will work from my house, but when I head out for mountains or beaches not much good.
What's your call sign
Byron AK7EE
73
.
__________________
Byron & Anne enjoying the everyday Saturday thing.
I don't yet have a trailer and have no experience there. I do drive around some though. We have two repeaters nearby on what you might call an 8,000 foot granite tower. They provide pretty continuous coverage from the New Mexico line to the Wyoming line. Yes, if you go west of the front range things get iffy, but if you are up high the odds get lots better.
I am coming to this discussion from a different view than you guys. I am still interested in the technical side of the hobby but that is all. I occasionally work on my mobile APRS rig and it is on now but in the house while I make a new truck mount. Go to aprs.fi and look for n4lbl-7.
My last real participation was 'til ~20 years ago and that was maintaining repeaters and I worked with folks who knew a lot more than I so I was learning a lot. That ended when my commute went from trivial to 92 miles one way. My participation in public service ended when the skywarn folks fought about whether some particular hail was pea size or 5/16". I never could figure out how to enjoy a contest or DXing.
Trailer: 2015 Scamp (16 Std Layout 4) with '15 Toyota Sienna LE Tug
North Carolina
Posts: 5,155
Eggs at the Hamfest in Shelby, North Carolina, today.
The owner of the Parkliner is a member of fiverglassrv.com
Although I went by his flea-market tent twice, I never could find the owner of the Casita.
Edit, added this:
Well I picked up a pair of 20M Hamstick knockoffs (ProComm from Quicksilver) and the bracket to make a dipole. Did not find a fiberglass collapsible mast (under 30 feet) so I might, or I might not, try to hang the Hamstick dipole from a tree on my trip home from Backus with the new Scamp.
Also could not find any used Antenna Analyzers and could not bring myself to purchase a new MFJ one. (Still considering the RigExpert AA-170).
Then came home and worked Kuwait, Israel, and Morocco (and England and Colorado if they count) all with the 100 watts and half size G5RV temporary antenna. Even simple equipment can work the world - it will be interesting to see how the Scamp portable station works out.
For a fiberglass mast you might want to look in a hardware store. I've got a pole trimmer which has a collapsible fiberglass pole. I've got a collapsible pool cleaner pole although the one I have is aluminum. Both of there I think will extend out to 20 ft or so.
Trailer: 2015 Scamp (16 Std Layout 4) with '15 Toyota Sienna LE Tug
North Carolina
Posts: 5,155
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elizabeth EWA
For a fiberglass mast you might want to look in a hardware store. I've got a pole trimmer which has a collapsible fiberglass pole. I've got a collapsible pool cleaner pole although the one I have is aluminum. Both of there I think will extend out to 20 ft or so.
Great idea, and even greater because it reminded me that I already have a fiberglass pole in my garage. It has a tree limb cutting device, which I removed temporarily. Its only two piece so even collapsed it is a little unwieldy, and its only 11 feet 5 inches extended.
Here is the hamstick dipole on the mast, very temporally mounted on my deck.
I've tried my Alexloop on the roof accessing it through the skylight vent ...works FB! Did get a few inquiries as to "Hey, what kind of GPS antenna is that?"
I'm also now using my Scamp 16 as a winter time ham shack by leaving parked up on hill behind the house where it's under a 30' tree which supports a 40m delta-loop feed with twinlead tunes 80-10m maybe 160m if feed against ground
Just in case ...I've WiFi motion detector and IP webcamp to keep an on my stuff also the wife can check to see if I'm on the radio or snuck off to brew pub! Doh!
KD0BUK here. Have a radio and a power supply for my home. Any recommendations for a home antenna that is reasonably priced? I think I'd prefer something I can attach to my TV antenna mounted on the roof. Thank you.
So where are the SCAMP Field Day events held each year?!
I imagine there would have to at least be a Left Coast and a Right Coast event...
I operated Field Day 2015 from Oklahoma from my Casita. I had my 20 / 40 meter vertical and my 85' end fed Field Day Special set up and the radio was powered from a 150 watt solar panel charging two 100 AH AGM batteries.
A while back I suggested having a fiberglass trailer rally devoted to amateur radio. I thought a good name was Hams-N-Eggs.
I operated Field Day 2015 from Oklahoma from my Casita. I had my 20 / 40 meter vertical and my 85' end fed Field Day Special set up and the radio was powered from a 150 watt solar panel charging two 100 AH AGM batteries.
A while back I suggested having a fiberglass trailer rally devoted to amateur radio. I thought a good name was Hams-N-Eggs.
John WD5IKX
Casita-Freak
'great QSL card, John. And I like the Ham-n-Eggs idea.
I run a simple inverted "V" - two actually - and with appropriate connections I can work 40, 20, 15 and if I remember correctly 10..., though 10 hasn't really been opened since sometime last century.