Get Your HAM License

Larson makes a good roof mounted antenna right? That is the route I am gonna go with. Yaesu 7900 with a roof mount antenna.

I am gonna keep the CB because alot of guys on the trails still use them for inter-vehicle comms.

 

If you do your job... they will convert!!! I have converted my fair share

 

Indeed.

 

Paul!!! This is the same day as the MORE race

 

Oh well, you can find a test nearly every week here...

http://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/search

 

Thanks. Maybe I will take one this Saturday. You going to the race?

 

So Since I couldn't make this meet I decided to sign up for a local test yesterday. I felt out of place since I'm 23 and the next youngest person was in their 50's. But that's ok! I got a perfect score. It was very easy. I did not even study that much. Want my secret?

I went to the website that has all ~360 questions from the pool. Read each question. The answer, a, b, or, c, is displayed next to the question. Don't even bother reading the other answers. Just the correct answer. So read the question, then the answer. It took me about an hour and a half to get thorugh all of them. Then take about 5-10 practice tests. If you are still missing more than 9, which is the most your allowed to miss, go through and read the question and answers one more time.

Here is the link to the question pool:
http://www.ncvec.org/
In the left column click element 2 technician, then scroll down.

For the practice tests:
http://aa9pw.com/
On the left click take exam.

Hope this helps. I finished the 35 question test in 5 minutes. And here is the cool thing. When you only read the answers and not the wrong ones, you can actually take the test without even reading the question. I was doing that for some of the problems.

 

Good pointers JD, I'll take the test when I get mine. I think im gonna go with your choice of radio instead of the Yaesu 2900 with a roof mount antenna instead though.

 

That's why I'm gonna run both too!
BTW welcome back to Cali, our trucks have both transformed alot since I last wheeled with you and the good TN days.

 

I'm actually thinking about getting a permanent mount as well. But the mag mount will do for now.

 

There you go!!! It's just like wheeling in a 2WD - If JD can do it, ANYONE CAN!!!

 

You are a hard man to get a hold of Mr. Murphy. Calls, texts, letters, morse. I gave up.

 

I hope you're feeling better!!!

 

Yea we will have to get together and do a main divide run.

 

Or Rubicon!!!

 

Yeah ha, or the sierras. I feel a little better everyday. Now I have to come up with a way to pay for my 2m radio.

 

Yeah we should, nice chill run with a view, we should run it soon, I haven't wheeled in a while! Nice runner btw!

 

Actually, I'm an RF technician as well as ham (VE7JID) and I've done many roof mounts and fender mounts, as well as a couple bumper mounts.

Most dual (2m/70cm) antennas are in the 40 inch range, though they get as high as 60. A 3-4 foot antenna on your roof SUCKS for parking garages, drive troughs, etc all kinds of stuff where clearance is an issue. The more lift and bigger tires and it becomes even more of an issue.

Another issue is the common (NMO) mount is a large hole in your roof that is very tough to patch and you will at least need a sealed cap there. Also a lot higher likelihood of leaking into your headliner some day.

We overwhelmingly install fender mount NMO brackets. Tiny holes in your fender for screws vs big ones in your roof. We've found the performance to be almost identical anyways. RF bounces all over the damn place so even behind you there is very little loss in performance.

A company here in town makes custom brackets for 05-11 Tacoma fenders which are a great fit.

http://www.westcrystal.com/products/hardware/at12.htm

If you need a larson type hole in there instead of a big NMO they might even be able to help you.

Anyways that's my input such as it is, I def recommend a front fender mount on the other side from your AM/FM antenna rather than huge holes in the paint of your truck.

I DON'T recommend a mag mount as they don't quite perform as well, and scratch the shit out of your paint. They also fall off all the damn time when you go thru branches, even small ones. We had one customer have the NMO mag-mount fall off his roof, swing on its own coax, and smash one of his windows. Unlikely but obviously it can happen haha.

BTW my radio is the Yaesu 350AR, and its fantastic. I use it with APRS and my Nuvi 350 displays my position along with the position of all my APRS enabled buddies on nice topographic maps.

 

Thanks for the info. I bought a "heavy duty" mag mount and have yet to test it. It seems very strong though. How big of a hole are we talking for a permanent?

 

Yeah, that's why I use a 19" 1/4 wave.