Amateur (Ham) Radio BS and Callsign Thread!

Thanks for the call-out. I wouldn't bother bracing it like that. It is EXTREMELY flexible, and I don't even have it on a spring (My SWR is better without it). I have used the radio with the antenna tied down and standing tall. It obviously performs far better not tied down. It does fly around a lot off road, but just make sure nobody is standing within 10' of your truck when you're on obstacles and you should be safe. Nobody should be that close to a vehicle on an obstacle anyway. The performance is tons better than my 3' FireStik I was using before. Here's a pic of me doing 70mph on the highway to show how much it leans back.

It will probably smack the back of that camper shell though. They call it a whip for a reason!

 

That's awesome!!

 

Yea that's another reason I was thinking of bracing it

 

You could always try it and just see what it does

 

Personally, I wouldn't brace it at all. The military uses a simple rope attached to the front bumper to hold the antenna over when flopping around is a concern. Otherwise you remove it.

I think you are over thinking this, don't you think?

A 102" whip is going to whip around and hit things, only way to prevent that is make it a 102" ridged and then, well, you have a whole new set of problems.

 

Finally got the proper license plates for my truck today.

 

Great tip Crom, thanks! Don't even have my radio yet but jumped on this before they're gone.

 

Yea, I think I will try it and see. Bracing it is the best way I can think of to protect it from contacting any metal from the shell. It's an aluminum shell, not fiberglass so it's possible it could touch anywhere from the mount to the top of the shell. I think it will still be flexible enough from the brace up to not break on contact with an obstacle.

I'll report back with findings.

 

Your SWR might not be so good with it right next to an aluminum shell. Do you have a plate bumper on the front you could mount it on?

 

When do we tell him he would be much happier with reception if he goes Ham?

 

Shhhhh....

DOn't scare him away. We want to "welcome" him, make him feel relaxed and comfortable. Then we start working on converting him.

 

@weldo @Chipskip Thanks guys for the encouragement.

I had to reposition my radio under the seat to make enough room for the auxiliary fuse block. Added it Friday. I didn't have to buy anything to do it, except 10-AWG primary wire, and damn, that shit is stiff! lol

Anyway here is some pics.

Built fuse block


Justified radio forward and to the left. Zip tied / velcro all connections to radio for strain relief


Installed on the floor. Velcro holds it down.


I hooked up the FTM-100DR to it this weekend with a 1/4 wave mag mount and it worked great!

Very happy with the outcome.

 

Box looks great! I like the use of plugs for connections.

 

I do have one. I'm just gonna buy the whip and experiment. Can you recommend an SWR meter? Was lookin at this one just cause it was inexpensive.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/222137752863?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

If you guys are talking about me, I've been wanting a Ham license for a while. Honestly the main hang up is that I actually have to physically go to a testing site. If I could do it online I'd probably have one by now! I've looked at a few practice questions but I haven't really studied yet.

Anyone recommend a practicing/studying resource?

 

buy ARRL or Gordon West's book. They are relatively cheap, they (who ever they are) says that Tech takes about 14 hrs of study time. Once you pass the exam, gift the book to someone else that you want to get switched over to HAM.

 

Do you have a book to gift me...?

lol just kidding, yea I've been to the ARRL website a few times. It seems like to best resource I've found so far. I'll look up the book, I find a print version easier to study. Once I'm on the computer there's way too many distractions possible.

 

Best resource I've found and used:

http://www.jsg.org/sandiegohamclasses/San_Diego_Amateur_Radio_Classes/Technician.html

 

Thanks, that seems like a great site!

 

You can also take practice tests on eham.net for free as many times as you'd like. Since the FCC publishes the test questions, you get to see actual questions every time you take a practice test.

 

That's how my wife did it, she just studied the test and aced it.