I bought a 78 back in January and it has a spot where an antenna used to be. Rather than patch it up I think I figured out what mount used to be there (Firestik K-24). I need advice on what antenna, wire and basic/classic radio would be a good combination. Nothing fancy, just something that would be able to get me on the channel our club uses. I've got my license but I don't know what to buy or how to tune anything. Thank you
Basic HAM setup
- Thread starter BigRiggs
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That mount is a CB mount with 3/8-24 mount for an antenna like a firestick. You've got really 2 options with ham mobile antennas, an NMO base or a UHF base (SO239). I think you could get an adapter to go from 3/8 to UHF. Associated Radio sells a mount just like that, except unfortunately the hole pattern is rotated 90° for your holes you already have. They might have what you'd need to get adapted to UHF or NMO. I'd recommend a trip by Associated, he'll be able to get you set up with what you need. If you make a custom bracket with a 3/4" hole in the top you could go NMO pretty easy.
As for antenna, I just switched to the Comet SS680SBNMO (I use NMO mounts) from an SBB1. SBB1 was nice and compact, but sucked for any kind of distance. With the 680 my Tx/Rx is significantly better. Has a spring loaded base and isn't crazy tall, so it's a good compromise for off road. Jack and Rob both run them as well.
For radios, I'd reccomend a dual band. I ran a 2M only Yaesu 2900 in my crawler for years, great radio and built like a brick but isn't going to work on the Rubicon's 70cm repeater (or at all for that matter, it's dead), so I'm looking for an alternative.
Jack and Kelly just got the Yaesu FTM6000R, which is a dual band rig. It doesn't have dual receive, but I believe it has dual watch so that is probably good enough for what you need. For $10 more you can get the Icom 2730 which has dual receive and can do crossband repeat.
Another $150 on top of that and you can get a Yaesu FTM3000 that has Fusion digital and APRS, or for a little bit more you might find a used FTM4000 that adds touchscreen.
All those radios are top notch. My next radio is a potential crap shoot. But it's less coin and small (but no detachable face like the ones above). I just bought a Retevis RT95. For a $100 Chinese radio, the menus are easy to use, it's easy to program from the face, and it also came with a programming cable. Dual band with dual watch. Scanning is painfully slow, and there is no dedicated volume knob. I bought it for an APRS/comms manpack for Rubicon, and have gotten great Tx/Rx of APRS packets as well as good audio reports from repeaters. Seems to be a pretty solid little performer. Also only 25w, so less powerful than above radios. For your main/only radio, I wouldn't rely on it, but figured I'd throw it out there to balance out the pile of cash I suggested above.
As for antenna, I just switched to the Comet SS680SBNMO (I use NMO mounts) from an SBB1. SBB1 was nice and compact, but sucked for any kind of distance. With the 680 my Tx/Rx is significantly better. Has a spring loaded base and isn't crazy tall, so it's a good compromise for off road. Jack and Rob both run them as well.
For radios, I'd reccomend a dual band. I ran a 2M only Yaesu 2900 in my crawler for years, great radio and built like a brick but isn't going to work on the Rubicon's 70cm repeater (or at all for that matter, it's dead), so I'm looking for an alternative.
Jack and Kelly just got the Yaesu FTM6000R, which is a dual band rig. It doesn't have dual receive, but I believe it has dual watch so that is probably good enough for what you need. For $10 more you can get the Icom 2730 which has dual receive and can do crossband repeat.
Another $150 on top of that and you can get a Yaesu FTM3000 that has Fusion digital and APRS, or for a little bit more you might find a used FTM4000 that adds touchscreen.
All those radios are top notch. My next radio is a potential crap shoot. But it's less coin and small (but no detachable face like the ones above). I just bought a Retevis RT95. For a $100 Chinese radio, the menus are easy to use, it's easy to program from the face, and it also came with a programming cable. Dual band with dual watch. Scanning is painfully slow, and there is no dedicated volume knob. I bought it for an APRS/comms manpack for Rubicon, and have gotten great Tx/Rx of APRS packets as well as good audio reports from repeaters. Seems to be a pretty solid little performer. Also only 25w, so less powerful than above radios. For your main/only radio, I wouldn't rely on it, but figured I'd throw it out there to balance out the pile of cash I suggested above.
i have plans to order a couple of these if i can get the guy in canada to return any emails
forum.ih8mud.com
simple mount for a 40/45 if you have the hood tie downs like 76 and newer
best is center of the roof/hood but topless leaves less options. (topless rig not me)
TUning etc, just look at some of the ones the guys have.. radio mounting and mic location i believe is more important. Remote head or radio? are you using the slot in the dash where the stock radio went? if not that is a decent location for a non removable face ham radio.
Awl_TEQ Metal Parts etc.
Edit October 28, 2020 Hello all! If you are interested in any of the 40 series parts I make please contact Dan at 4WheelAuto and he will help you out. 4WheelAuto is now handling all of my parts essentially as a distributor. I make them and he ships them! Dan is trying to decide what and how...
forum.ih8mud.com
best is center of the roof/hood but topless leaves less options. (topless rig not me)
TUning etc, just look at some of the ones the guys have.. radio mounting and mic location i believe is more important. Remote head or radio? are you using the slot in the dash where the stock radio went? if not that is a decent location for a non removable face ham radio.
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2006
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- 40
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- 905
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- Greenwood, MO
- Website
- www.tornadoalleycruisers.org
@tornadoalleycruiser That is an awesome mount! Won't work for me, but I know what my next SendCutSend project will be. That would give a pretty good ground plane. Also, that's the SS680SBNMO antenna in his pictures that I mentioned above.
If you go with a good antenna like a Comet it likely wont' need tuning and some aren't even tuneable. Both of my Comet antennas have an SWR of less than 1.5:1 across both 2m and 70cm bands. My 680 is so flat and low on 2m it was unbelievable, with a damn near perfect SWR in the middle of the band (picture below). I have a cheap HYS 1/4 wave that is terrible compared to the Comet's.
If you go with a good antenna like a Comet it likely wont' need tuning and some aren't even tuneable. Both of my Comet antennas have an SWR of less than 1.5:1 across both 2m and 70cm bands. My 680 is so flat and low on 2m it was unbelievable, with a damn near perfect SWR in the middle of the band (picture below). I have a cheap HYS 1/4 wave that is terrible compared to the Comet's.