My Amateur Radio Install

[mrnecsteve]

Originally Posted by kf6kmx

If the repeater is on a hiltop, its MUCH farther!

One of our local repeaters here in Central Ca. is at about 7000ft.. You can talk into if from the Grapevine on the south all the way to the Pacheco Pass on the North. Roughly 175 miles. Another repeater we have is on the Coastal mountain range, you can stand on the pier at Cayucus (north of Pismo Beach) and talk into Fresno (central valley) , 109mi.

Those are direct links thru a single repeater, but then there is the IRLP (Internet Radio Linking Project), which links repeaters thru the internet, and you can talk literally anywhere...

Oh yeah...the distance is pretty cool..but here on the east coast ,overlaps of repeater coverage have to be addressed tho...a 100+ mile radius could include 5-6 major cities!!!

[twhouse]

the 145.29 repeater here reaches from north of Portland to Eugene and some spots further north and south with a couple hot spots on the coast.
On vhf mostly needed is a good antenna system rather than power.
Power limits on vhf / uhf are high, would have to look it up in part 97 but I think it is about 1kw cw on vhf, some restrictions on uhf.
Have been a "ham" since 1953, mobile operation in all manor of cars.
Exams are now given by volunteers at ve testing sessions and local classes are often available for tek and general class licensing.

[RCPro87]

Ive been a HAM since 2000, passed my technician test when i was 12. I was the youngest amatuer radio operator in my area for a long time. Ive lost interest lately but am looking into getting my General license and some Morse code practice. Just havent had the time.

[kf6kmx]

Originally Posted by RCPro87

Ive been a HAM since 2000, passed my technician test when i was 12. I was the youngest amatuer radio operator in my area for a long time. Ive lost interest lately but am looking into getting my General license and some Morse code practice. Just havent had the time.

I just went for the General last year. Been a Tech since about 97..
Havent been active on the radio much lately, but trying to get back on more... I have an APRS tracker running in the F350...
F350 Tracker

[19558077]

looks good man

[jimd1050]

I HAD a Kenwood D700 and a TS-480 in my 2007 Ranger but since getting the Super Duty, everything is in my basement. I haven't had the time to think about where to put everything. Here's a link to my Mobile page with some good pics of the Ranger installation.

N1IV's Ham Radio Page

de N1IV

[kf6kmx]

Originally Posted by jimd1050

I HAD a Kenwood D700 and a TS-480 in my 2007 Ranger but since getting the Super Duty, everything is in my basement. I haven't had the time to think about where to put everything. Here's a link to my Mobile page with some good pics of the Ranger installation.

N1IV's Ham Radio Page

de N1IV

Thats a really nice looking setup.
I'll have to take photos of mine and post some...

I have the D700 radio mounted under the dash right now with plans to move it under the center (non moving) section of the front seat.
I have a JottoDesk laptop stand mounted, with the radio head connected to the stand-pole using RAM mounts (I have the RAM mount for a motorcycle handlebar on it, its the perfect size to go around the laptop support).
I usually use the radio as stand-alone, but on longer trips and such when I want to run the laptop, I mount the top portion of the JottoDesk on the pole and it swing over the top of the control head.

Feeding the D700 its NMEA data (and me a map ) is a Garmin GPSMap 478, also on a RAM ount, this one a dual-ball on the dashboard, with the 2nd ball holding my XM radio.

[rdkl]

On my crew cab I dropped 3 nmo mounts near the back of the cab. I was able to drop the headliner just enough in the back and by the sides to see in there to make sure I wasn't going to hit a support and went for it.

I'd love to drop 1-2 more but I have the sunroof on mine so I couldn't go any further forward. I have put radios under the front seats but mine are all mounted under the rear pass side seat now in the crew cab.

[Griz 44]

I recently passed the General exam , I currenly have Yaesu FT-8900r mounted in the truck. I mounted the face plate on top of the dash with a bug mount and have the radio behind the rear seat.

Good luck
73,
KB3POQ

Griz

Attached Images

P8110650.JPG (78.0 KB, 26 views)

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Last edited by Griz 44 : 05-20-2009 at 12:48 PM. Reason: forgot another picture

[n4hhe]

Originally Posted by chris454bb

This is an amatuer radio? What kind of range do you get out of it? How is it in the bush compared to a VHF?

Is both VHF and UHF. Power output is 50W on VHF. Range is to the Space Shuttle and/or ISS, or depending on where the other station is located 50 to 100 miles is common but can not always be counted upon.

I usually run it at 5W which produces full quieting into the local repeaters for about 25 miles.