Trail Communication (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter bhmmapping
- Start date
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ClankBang
Internet Excogitator
Fixed that for you!
Yes, I went for the cheap and easy route, as I have no plans to hit up the "Single and ready to mingle" Ham parties on Friday nights...
However, I saw how great the range is, which is clutch in areas with sketchy cell coverage. I also like gadgets and Keith is a dangerous influence to have around if he knows this.
Anyways, I went with a $40 Larsen antenna (per Keith's rec) with NMO mount on the bumper and a Kenwood TM-281A. It's a basic 2m setup that works fine. Bonus - pretty humorous (depending on your sense of humor) geek-chatter during the weekly commute on local repeater frequencies. Antenna can also be taken off and the NMO mount covered with a little threaded cap, which is nice.
However, I saw how great the range is, which is clutch in areas with sketchy cell coverage. I also like gadgets and Keith is a dangerous influence to have around if he knows this.
Anyways, I went with a $40 Larsen antenna (per Keith's rec) with NMO mount on the bumper and a Kenwood TM-281A. It's a basic 2m setup that works fine. Bonus - pretty humorous (depending on your sense of humor) geek-chatter during the weekly commute on local repeater frequencies. Antenna can also be taken off and the NMO mount covered with a little threaded cap, which is nice.
Hal used a "Deans plug" on his cb to make it easily removable. They're hobby rc parts and rated for plenty of current. I would look that direction for wiring solutions. Whatever plug you do I would make sure you're rated at (least) 20a just to be safe. As for moving the antenna, Larsen plus weather cap would be fine. I wouldn't move a mount, but rather have a mount on each vehicle.
If you want the same thing all the ham geeks use then get Anderson power pole connectors.
If you want the same thing all the ham geeks use then get Anderson power pole connectors.
Ok, for those of you thinking about it, here's a quick list of the stuff you'll need for a budget (budget, as in basic features, but still a good name brand radio) 2M ham rig that'll get you talking all around the b'ham metro area, and if you're in the right spot you can more than likely get to Tuscaloosa's repeater.
Radio ($140):
https://www.hamcity.com/store/pc/TM-281A-p2627.htm
Antenna Mounting Bracket (Hood Channel) ($9):
https://www.hamcity.com/store/pc/TMB34B-p1949.htm
Antenna (must cut to 39" to tune for 2m) ($40):
http://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=739
Coax and Mount ($20):
https://www.hamcity.com/store/pc/NMO-K-p770.htm
Weather Cap ($6):
https://www.hamcity.com/store/pc/NMOCAPB-p1547.htm
And I'd get a couple more ends b/c you'll flub at least once soldering it ($3):
http://www.dxengineering.com/parts/dxe-pl259
And you'll need the reducing bushing for the ends as well ($1):
http://www.dxengineering.com/parts/dxe-ug176s
All of that, and you're in for $223 before shipping, assuming you get two extra solder on connectors and bushings. That's pretty much the identical thing we installed in Hal's truck a few weeks ago.
Radio ($140):
https://www.hamcity.com/store/pc/TM-281A-p2627.htm
Antenna Mounting Bracket (Hood Channel) ($9):
https://www.hamcity.com/store/pc/TMB34B-p1949.htm
Antenna (must cut to 39" to tune for 2m) ($40):
http://www.theantennafarm.com/catalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=739
Coax and Mount ($20):
https://www.hamcity.com/store/pc/NMO-K-p770.htm
Weather Cap ($6):
https://www.hamcity.com/store/pc/NMOCAPB-p1547.htm
And I'd get a couple more ends b/c you'll flub at least once soldering it ($3):
http://www.dxengineering.com/parts/dxe-pl259
And you'll need the reducing bushing for the ends as well ($1):
http://www.dxengineering.com/parts/dxe-ug176s
All of that, and you're in for $223 before shipping, assuming you get two extra solder on connectors and bushings. That's pretty much the identical thing we installed in Hal's truck a few weeks ago.
ClankBang
Internet Excogitator
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007H4VT7A/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1363131716&sr=8-1&pi=SL75
This is the one Matt has..
He says that it works pretty well though he has not tried to transmit with it yet.
But for 40$ I'm sure it will work on the trails.
This is the one Matt has..
He says that it works pretty well though he has not tried to transmit with it yet.
But for 40$ I'm sure it will work on the trails.
Yeah... I shoulda thrown out a caveat... what I posted above is a basic mobile rig. By no means the cheapest way to get into ham though.
For HT's (Handi-Talkie) the Baofeng or Wouxun ones are the cheap way to get into it.
Big difference is 65w output from that mobile radio, vs 4-5w output from a HT. I usually recommend to new folks that they get a mobile radio, only because the user experience is usually a lot more pleasant when you've got power to spare. It just makes it a lot easier to make contacts, where sometimes a HT can be frustrating b/c the person on the other end can't make out exactly what you're saying. Both are fine radios though, tools for a job. All depends on what you want to do with them.
- Thread starter
- #89
Nice!
I was going to laugh if he got KK4POS... looks like he dodged that bullet though
ClankBang
Internet Excogitator
KK4POZ
- Thread starter
- #93
I have been intermittently, I will start leaving it on when I am commuting. I get a LOT of interference on that freq though for some reason. Music, Weather broadcasts...everything.
Bizarre, you near any commercial radio broadcast stations, or towers?
Could be that the selectivity and adjacent freq interference rejection is a weak point of that particular radio.
Here's a good thread on the Baofeng radios:
http://www.risingsun4x4club.org/forum2/showthread.php?t=19099
In other news, got my junk back in the truck. I'm on 146.880 and 146.460 most of the time. I'll leave the b-side of the radio on 146.460 though for sure. It's temp mounted for now, but hoping to get it permanently installed this weekend.
http://www.risingsun4x4club.org/forum2/showthread.php?t=19099
In other news, got my junk back in the truck. I'm on 146.880 and 146.460 most of the time. I'll leave the b-side of the radio on 146.460 though for sure. It's temp mounted for now, but hoping to get it permanently installed this weekend.
- Thread starter
- #96
seems to match my experience. For 40 bucks I don't see how you could beat it, it was hands down better than the CB on the mardi krawl rides.
The Chirp software is incredible. I plugged it in, programmed 146.460 in channel 0 as "OFF ROAD" - so that will show on the screen and then I just pulled down the rest of the channels from the preprogrammed options in the software. I loaded 2M and 70M call frequencies, all the Jefferson county, Lauderdale and Colbert repeaters from repeaterbook(you just choose the database you want to use and the state and county and it loads them automatically), all of the GMRS/FRS frequencies(on low power of course) and all of the NOAA frequencies.
Cool! I'm pumped to have a few more folks on the ham bandwagon. People always think I'm overselling it when I say how much better it is than CB, but it's night and day once you get past line of sight.
Glad to hear it's working out well
Now Matthew needs to step up and get his ticket ;p
- Thread starter
- #98
It wasn't even a question of better or worse on this last ride - CB didn't work and ham was clear as day. I am going to eventually upgrade to a mobile rig but the cheap handheld option really takes away the excuses.
Yeah I am gonna have to take the test and invest in at least a hand held
Sent from my iPhone using magic
Sent from my iPhone using magic
Is there like an intro site anywhere? I know nothing about these things and need for my ride out west.
