Official Colorado HAM and cheese thread

Mobile antenna farm is accurate! holy hell!

 

My crops are bountiful this year.

From front to back in that photo.

• AM/FM Stereo Receiver
• 2M 1/4 wave - Kenwood TM-D700
• 70cm 1/4 wave - Kenwood TM-D700
• 2M 1/4 wave - Byonics APRS
• 2' Firestick - CB
• 2M/70cm Comet SBB-1 Clone - Icom IC-706 MKIIG
• HF Bands Wolf River Silver Bullet 1000 - Icom IC-706MKIIG

 

What antenna would you recommend for me just getting into it? I am really lost on what I should begin with. I AM going to get a HT as well, but I want something mounted in my truck. what are the important factors I should be looking for?

 

Assuming you're going to have a dual band radio. And assuming you're going to go wheeling. And Finally assuming you sometimes find yourself driving in trees/bushes.

An expensive way to get started, that's non-intrusive is to get a good Trunk Edge / Hatch back style mount, Hook it to the driver's side of the hood, and run something like a Comet SBB-1 dual band, flexible whip antenna.

Antenna -

$47 Comet SBB-1 2M/70cm Dual Band Flexible Mobile Antenna (PL259)

http://www.amazon.com/Comet-SBB-1-F...51&sr=8-29&keywords=2m/70cm+dual+band+antenna

Antenna Mount W/Coax -

$82 Diamond Original K412S Trunk Lip Mount

http://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Origi...61547180&sr=8-7&keywords=Trunk+Edge+UHF+mount

Will look something like this when installed: (this is a Comet SBB-2 antenna, on Comet's version of the Diamond mount above.)

 

assumptions are correct. think I'm going to mount it to my rack though. (at roof height)

 

Replace the "edge mount" with something that bolts in place.
and order at least one extra dual band antenna to keep in the truck just in case you break the base on the one you're using.

(I've broken at least 6 Comet and/or Diamond antennas in 10 years.)

 

So, I may have pulled a fast one, and as a result @teamhypoxia and @chenbro are both going to receive BF-F8+ HTs. @chenbro is also going to receive a USB programming cable since @teamhypoxia already has one and I only have one spare coming.

Congrats to both of you! Sometime in the future pay it forward to the next generation. I wouldn't be where I am now if not for the various Elmers I've had over the last 10 years.

 

I thought APRS went over same antenna as radio, you need a separate antenna for this?

I need work, just 20 correct answers on first practice test (no studying).

 

I'll keep this going and send a handheld radio to the next person to post their CSCE for a new license dated April 25, 2016 or later!

 

check this out... not a bad deal 5 8/4/2watt handsets for $162
http://www.amazon.com/UV-5RTP-Tri-P...arehouse-deals&ie=UTF8&qid=1461606091&sr=1-69

 

On the topic of Ham Radio & Trails.

Did you know APRS stations are under "Automatic Control"
and as a result you can drive a vehicle with an APRS station onboard, without having a ham radio license yourself?

"What does this mean Lars?", y'all ask. Well, if someone were to pick up that 5 pack above. And the buy or build five EasyDigi interfaces (http://www.ebay.com/itm/EASY-DIGI-UV-5R-INTERFACE-for-IPhone-IPad-IPod-Touch-/321221531105). And connect them to 5 retired Android phones. (no service necessary)

You could put APRS trackers in up to 4 of your friends trucks, and all 5 of you would be able to see where the others were in realtime, on the map on the phones.... For Bonus points it's not necessary to use the FM APRS calling frequency of 144.390mhz, so you could be on a semi-unique frequency and have your trip be less likely to be inserted into the APRS-IS. Finally, you don't have to broadcast your callsign as the SSID, you could broadcast: "Lars, Ebbs15, ChenBro, etc." and then make sure the Message includes the licensed ham responsible for the gear.

(Food for thought....)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-9_8HVkvgc

 

Yup... LOVE this idea...

first things first... I test on the 5th! LOL

 

As for Moab, I'm still hoping to go. It'd be easier if someone would buy the radio I've got for sale.

 

what are you selling?

 

Kenwood TS-480 Sat. (mobile HF+6M)

 

@teamhypoxia @chenbro did yall get a call sign issued yet?

 

Don't think so.

I don't remember how I'm supposed to know but I gave them an email address.

 

that's one of the questions on the test! lol... when it's posted on the FCC website.



I test in 6 days, anxious... (not nervous)... been testing myself about 5 -6 times a day, on a 20 pass streak. sitting around 80-90% average. still finding questions I haven't seen though lol.... so just trying to get it so I've seen them all before the test.

 

Not yet. The guy at the test said the fastest he's seen would have call signs issued today, but it could take up to two weeks or more.

I ran through a bunch of practice tests and still had a question or two on the exam that I hadn't seen before.