Is this a good budget 2M radio?

[Fast Eddy]

According to repeaterbook.com, there are 233 repeaters within a 25 mile radius of 95037. There will always be dead spots depending on terrain and frequency

Exactly. They're all down in the valley with some good ones on the high peaks to the west. The one that I know of on the east side has a direction antenna that, you guessed it, points down to the valley.

Now look up the terrain. The state park is to the east. It starts at 2600' and descends from there. It's 100000 acres of ridiculously steep terrain. I can hit repeaters from all the peaks and none of the valleys. On an average 4 hour ride I never see another soul.

If I happen to get bit by a rattlesnake or get a compound fracture on a peak, I'd be able to call in the cavalry. In a valley, I'd be dead.

HF on a mountain bike? Nope.

855.4875 Mhz is my friend, CA state parks "green". It's still not 100%, but about 90%.

It's my long-term goal to develop a map of places in the park where I can hit a repeater with an HT with a good antenna. I usually have a bunch of other things to do when I'm out there so it falls off the priority list.

 

[Mad Matt]

I went down to the local Ham Radio Outlet and picked up a Kenwood TM-821A, Diamond K400 mount, extension cable and M285 antenna

I plan on putting the mount on the back hatch, what are my options for running the cable out the back? Seems like others have suggested around the taillight, would there be any issue following the trailer harness wiring out the rear passenger side? Are there other options?

In terms of running the wiring from the dash to the rear hatch, is one side better than the other? Seems like I remember reading that the factor wiring is already running down one side channel already, but I cannot remember which.

Never mind, got everything installed today minus hooking it up the battery.

 

[FJ40Jim]

Lots of good info in this thread.
Background: I have several of the Puxing 777 HT's on 2M band with the small SMA type antenna connector (instead of BNC). They've worked surprisingly well for a few years now. The little mag mount antenna centered on the roof of the truck works great (until a tree knocks it over).

Question: Looking for suggestions for a "base station" antenna that could be zip-tied to the EZ-up framework. Need something that will work without the ground plane of a 5000# Cruiser underneath it. Any cheap ebay solution? Assume I know nothing about this stuff ('cause I don't).

 

[Kofoed]

^^^ 1/2 wave vertical or Google radials

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Jim-You'll need to source the conectors, but any 1/2 wave 2m antenna will work great. The antenna does not depend on ground plane for performance and uses the coax as it's counterpoise. It works surprisingly well. I don't know what you want to attach to, but zip tied to something may slightly alter the characteristics of the antenna.

In the right circumstances, you could use a j-pole antenna that you can buy or build yourself. Look on ebay at the ones made by N9TAX. These are great antennas.

Edit: It's a J-pole antenna and many ways to make these. N9TAX's are just great and already made. Easy to roll up to tuck away in the truck too. He may be able to help with the connectors to help you adapt. J-poles are great to hang from trees too if you wanted height and were not moving.

http://www.n9tax.com/Slim Jim Info.html

Here is a N9TAX antenna in use in Utah. Notice the pure jankyness of the whole thing. Fishing rod to hold the antenna jammed into the tire carrier, Beno's ressurected old radio on the tailgate, dangling wires back to the battery, there's even a zip-tie! But I was talking over 100miles to a guy in Arizona from a place you normally can't get a radio signal.

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[FJ40Jim]

Thanks guys. one for each of you.

Cheap jankiness is just my style.
1/2wave vertical antenna and adapter cable ordered from N9tax webstore.

 

[Mad Matt]

Obligatory post install pic:

Toys by blindranger, on Flickr

 

[FloridaFJ80]

Hey guys,

awesome information on Ham radios. I am about to get on the HAM train. I have read the whole thread and it has been said that above roof antenna mounts have the best groundplane. I have a roof rack on my rig, if I mount on the roof rack itself, will it affect performance or if I drill my roof and at an antenna will the roof rack affect any performance on it.

Thanks in advance guys!!

cheers

 

[Mrtwooooo]

Last weekend I was traveling back home to Birmingham from Florida and was picking up the repeater close to my house in Helena while I was 100 miles south of the repeater. My 5/8 wave antenna mounted in the middle of the roof could pick it up but my 1/2 wave mounted on the bumper could not. My radio is a kenwood 710. I could hear them but all I could do was break the squelch when I transmitted to the repeater at 50watts