Official ONSC HAM Thread

[Phares]

How are you guys getting your antenna feedline into the truck? With my anticipated antennas (Alpha antenna) they are fed by coax. I wanted to mount above the rear bumper and connect to the radio body inside the back. What is the best way to get the coax inside? Also, what brand mounts do y'all use for your antenna mounts? I could have sworn there was a vendor making mounts that replace existing hardware

 

[izzyandsue]

I have one fender antenna, the cable goes through the firewall grommet easy enough. The rear antenna mounts on the rear roof rack (and grounded), the cable goes through the rear lift gate, plenty of room in that gasket to not crush it.

 

[Phares]

I have one fender antenna, the cable goes through the firewall grommet easy enough. The rear antenna mounts on the rear roof rack (and grounded), the cable goes through the rear lift gate, plenty of room in that gasket to not crush it.

Izzy, is it coax?

 

[izzyandsue]

yessir, one of them goes to a PL259 the other an NMO antenna. This one is the NMO https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IDTJ1VY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 that I installed on the top bar at the rear of the roof rack. I dont use that location when in trails but it is good for highway and every day. For trails, anything on top of the truck was problematic so I added the fender mount one.

 

[forrest5000]

Taking my test on the 9th

 

[JohnVee]

@Phares Juan at @Payara Offroad is local and sells tailgate bracket mounts. YodaTEQ should offer them, too.

 

[izzyandsue]

Installed the Icom 5100 in the truck Today!

 

[Axe55]

I have a long way to go, picked up a BaoFeng F8HP after LR and love it. Added a whip antenna and my wife has to keep bugging me to turn of listening to the FD dispatch.

I will be working towards the test and a rig setup.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Finally went and configured APRS in my radio. Found a good guide online and figured it out! Super neat feature, was cool to be able to share my location with people while on the road. I think that data is stored for 24 hours, so it shows part of my trip back home after the barn party yesterday.

Google Maps APRS

Used this guide:

KD8KSN QRV: Configuring APRS on the Yaesu FTM-350AR

 

[izzyandsue]

I have been using it on my ID5100. The main to remember is to shift to the Albemarle tower while at Uwharrie, it does reach.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

I keep it set to 144.390 no matter where I am. Do you have to adjust the APRS TX frequency for the local tower? I thought it was consistent.

 

[izzyandsue]

Thats right. If the tower has APRS it will pick your ping. Otherwise you wont get picked up. Your radio will send the signal at every 5, 10 mins, etc (whichever you selected) but will get picked up only by a tower with APRS. I was thinking DPRS which is Icom's conversion with Dstar radios. I have been using both, work nicely until you get out of tower ranges.

 

[slceso]

One of my buddies and the local HAM club supported a bicycle race in Colletsville with APRS and a mobile repeater station to give race stats and comms. That area is a huge cell dead zone.

 

[Axe55]

Passed the Technician today, took a swing at the General but failed, worth a shot. Waiting on my call sign next week, talk to you all next run! Going to research mobile setups.

 

[Axe55]

KN4JAW, it is!

 

[Phares]

Anyone using Chameleon antennas? I've been following a guy named Nord on youtube and it seems like great car/man pack gear

 

[jimsmith1370]

Proud of my wife Linda, who passed the Technician's exam on Saturday. Time for me to start studying for mine.

 

[izzyandsue]

All right Linda!!

 

[BenMara]

Anyone using Chameleon antennas? I've been following a guy named Nord on youtube and it seems like great car/man pack gear

Where do you plan to do most of your talking? HF, Uhf/Vhf Mobile, portable, Home QTH?

Mobile HF is hard to set up. KØBG.COM is a great start to research.

Me, I just operate V/Uhf in the mobile, and go portable for HF. KX3 and a 20m SOTA vertical.
Home QTH is a different mess for me currently. K3 80m wire LL fed, HEX beam, and Multi Band Vertical Antenna.
But currently all antennas are on the ground since July 2016

 

[izzyandsue]

A few weeks ago I got the General license, and finally got a chance to mount an MFJ GRV5 dipole inner the waves of my house. Worked great! Got my first HF contact at a net with Indianapolis Motor Speedway last night. Radio is the Icom 7100, great little radio too.