Amateur (Ham) Radio BS and Callsign Thread!

What would you guys recommend for someone getting there first ham radio to put in the truck? I know for cb everyone usually recommend a uniden 520xl, is there any of those go to, great starter radios like this for ham?

 

Join your local HAM radio club, and somebody is bound to have a mobile unit for sale, or give you advice.

 

I like the Yeasu FT-7800 or 8800 are some of my favorites. They have tons of great features and very easy to use. Not a bad price either.

You could start with an HT, like the one I linked above. Still put a great antenna on the outside and just use an adapter to connect the HT to the antenna. That will hit most repeaters in a metro area and would be great for comms with others on a trail run. Then you can get a feel for what else you might want. The Kenwood d710GA is a great radio, has gps built in for APRS, but you are starting to get a little pricer.

What do the guys you will be talking to have? That can make a big difference in what you get, maybe special feature like d-star, or fusion to work with their equipment. Also, they will be better able to help you with programing and setup.

 

Nobody that I know has a ham. I was wanting it for fun really lol.

 

Go to youtube and start watching videos on the Yause 7800 and 8800.

 

I'm a beginner. Just got my HAM license. All I have is a small Baofeng portable, but I just saw these. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017MRQAK2...=UTF8&colid=AQPZ00YJJ6QQ&coliid=IUWI8OVY9VGG7

 

Also where is the best place to mount an antenna? is it the same as a cb?

 

The best place is subjective depending on your requirements. Best place in terms of RF performance is in the center of your roof.

 

I feel like that is a little more then I would want to spend to just learn on. Or do they not get any cheaper?

 

I figured that, not much of a fan for a roof mounted antenna. What about one off the end of the bed?

 

You can get a chinesse radio cheaper. They're decent radios to learn on, but can be a pain to program. There are a few single band radios that are cheaper. Having a dual band radio with dual receive is important to me. Maybe an FT-60 HT and connect it to an antenna would be a good way to get into it.

You got a bed bar? That's a decent place to mount one. Also CBI makes a hood mount and BAMF makes a tailgate mount.

You can also do a mag mount on the roof, if your issue is drilling a whole in the roof.

 

I see. And well i was looking at those mounts. I just don't like the look of the antenna on the roof, and it hits more stuff. What is better? a tailgate mount or hood?

 

Hood, on the tailgate its just going to get in the way

 

While the answer is correct, the reason is wrong. The hood mount will give you a better ground plain. I use both, no issues with the tailgate mount. Get a decent, high gain antenna and you will get decent signal with either.

 

How so? I would prefer to be as far away from the cab as possible. How is one corner of a hood any better than a corner of the bed?

 

I think it give you a better ground plane as in the hood acts as like a dish, better at reflecting radio waves back up....i think...

 

Exactly! Ground plane is huge when it comes to signal. The RF radiation exposure or blockage by the cab is minimal.

Some will argue that the edge of the bed as exposes the antenna to greater chance of getting caught on a tree or something, but that is really minimal.

An important factory to consider is you normal terrain and how it relates to you antenna being 1/4, 1/2, or 5/8 wave. I am not going to give you all the answers. Research the radiation patterns of each and how it relates to flat lands or mountain areas.

 

The tailgate mount does not get in the way. That being said I agree with gray223 and Chiskip the hood gives the antenna a better ground plane. Thats where I have my antenna mounted. I would mount it on the roof, if I wasn't in the woods a lot. Also the hood mount and tailgate mount are almost identical height wise so that is not an issue.

 

Because someone will ask in the future, and bluewater brought it up.

The BAMF Tailgate mount is 48" off the ground on my 1st gen.

The CBI hood mount is 51" otg on my truck

So a 3" difference, which really isn't much.

 

OK, having a HRO within a few miles from me is bad. I went in to check out the FTM-100DR and left with an antenna mount and an antenna on order. At least it wasn't a radio.