Amateur (Ham) Radio BS and Callsign Thread!

I’m looking for recommendations on a solid dual band mobile radio. Through my research so far I have found out that I really like the nearby repeater search capabilities of the ICOM 4100 and 5100, but I’m not sure I really need a digital capable radio? Are there any other more basic radios that have the repeater search function based on gps? The other thing I am interested in is aprs, but I’m thinking I’d like to run a dedicated rig for that. Probably a cheap HT with external antenna linked to a tablet running aprsdroid. The other thing I am curious about is whether a radio with dual receive (true dual vfo) is worth the extra cost? Thanks in advance for your help everybody!

 

Just installed this Radio in my truck, one thing to take into consideration is the headunit does NOT have a mic connection on it. Meaning the Mic has to be ran to the body. I wish I would've known this before I bought it but oh well, what can you do.

Other than that it's a great radio, I've just got to figure out how to use the damn thing.

 

Just saw this - yup I believe so - I used the mirror mount. It's hidden enough that I never take the face down

Also saw your other note about the mic cable

I've got the body under the pass seat and the mic cable is just long enough for me to use and allows the mic to sit nicely in the useless can cup holder

Eventual plan is to relocate the mic plug to one of the empty switch locations next to the aux in. Seen some clean install s that way. For now when I want to hide the mic I just drop it in between the seat next to the buck le

 

My Tram duel band antenna that I bought as a quick solution when I purchased my D710 just because it was an add on item for 10 bucks didn't hold up so well going through Death Valley this weekend. Lost the mast in between Saline Hot Springs and Big Pine. It was a cheap and inexpensive antenna that worked well so I'm going to purchase another one, unfortunately the price raised $1.20 making it $11.20. This time I will be adding a dab of thread lock to the set screws.

$25 TRAM 140MHz-170MHz + 430MHz-470MHz Dual Band NMO Antenna (1181)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IDTJ2KE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

'Glad I found this thread. Sub'd.

 

Why

You already know the folks on TW will help keep you bank account empty.......


And you are happy about This?


Asking for a friend.

 

Happy can be a rather subjective term. But, if I can get the right set-up for my rig, yes, I will be very happy. Currently, I'm struggling with antenna mount options. The roof won't work (too tall for garage and adding a Prinsu soon), I have a tonneau cover on the rear, and would prefer something that isn't mounted to hood. Research research...

Replying for a friend.

 

I (and it seems a few others) am using a Relentless Fabrication ditch light bracket to mount my antenna off my hood. I’ll be relocating it once I get my front bumper but for now it works fine.

Nevermind just read you DIDNT want it mounted to the hood hah. I need to wake up before I post. Sorry.

 

Tail gate mount?

I ran mine with a tonneau and now with a shell. A little tight between the gate and the bed. I wrapped some electrical tape around it as a precaution but no scratches yet. Ive got the BAMF on a 2nd gen. I think the 3rd gens are slightly different? but C4 Fab or Rago Fab make one?

 

If you have a pic, could you upload?

 

Here's a few

 

Seems like there have been quite a few new hams since I last looked at this thread. A bunch have been looking for radio recommendations and many have been leaning toward digital. I would recommend NOT getting a digital radio as a first rig. Right now, with DMR taking the amateur world by storm, there isn't a clear winner in the digital realm. D-star and Yeasu System Fusion have been around for a while but if local clubs haven't put up repeaters and more importantly, usage hasn't been adopted by other hams buying new gear, you are wasting your money. I would highly recommend getting a standard analog FM transceiver, the v71a is great, the 2730 is also a great radio. But I see no reason to get a digital radio if you don't know if there is anyone to talk to. Also, all the digital modes are independent of each other. So a Yeasu can't talk to a D-star and neither can talk to DMR. The hobby can get complicated QUICK, so keep reading, keep asking questions, and start saving money, it's a very expensive hobby.

 

Icom 4100 & 5100 are nice radios but I would not get them unless you really have a need for Dstar. I'm partial to the Kenwood TM-V71a. It's a true dual band radio.

 

The Kenwood does look like a nice radio and as I mentioned I am not convinced I need Dstar, but I cant get over the fact that the Kenwood doesnt have the option for a remote mounted face plate. Or at least that was my impression based on what I read. It looks to be reversable, but appears to need to be mounted to the radio.

 

Great to see so many new calls....

I've held N4GI since 1997.

Regrettably, I never did get into microphones or VHF/UHF. I've focused primarily on HF CW contesting for 20+ years, from a few DXpeditions to hosting multi-op efforts the last few years until recently. I do occasional mobile CW rover type HF contests, and until this year I had a 2004 taco. I haven't yet mounted my IC7000 in the new 2017 SR5. With all the plastic, I'm hoping to read up on some other's experiences. RFI was a challenge in the 04, no ignition noise, but feedback was always an issue at 100w. I had a ton of grounding straps in that truck. I've always just used hamsticks mounted on a hitch receiver setup I welded up.....

 

Unless you want built in APRS. -- although come to think of it I know these have gps ... but are they aprs built in?

I believe the v71a does have a removable face and can be flipped to put the knobs/buttons above or below. But you do need to buy all the brackets and extension cables... if I remember right.

As for digital... yea I have had mine in the truck for a while now, and just recently heard my first digital transition from a fusion repeater.

 

My antenna truck mount ended up costing a lot of money since I destroyed a 5/8" bit at work on a drill press. I saw chips so I thought it was cutting just fine. Raised it back up and found I had turned that 5/8" bit into a 1/2" bit, the chips were from the bit, not the mount! That is when I knew I had to soften it before attempting to drill it again. 5/8" bits are not cheap. I measured how high an antenna could go and still make it in the garage. Gave myself and inch of clearance and so far all is well. I thought I was fixing to lose my antenna one day when I looked up going through the pull through car wash and I had forgotten to remove it prior to pulling in there. It survived just fine, once. Same car wash ate my regular radio antenna one day. Snapped it off with half the threads still in the mount. I was able to back it out slowly and that mount now sports a stubby antenna that the car wash doesn't mess with.

 

https://youtu.be/Al3ZJipFq6k

Wanting a Magnetic Loop antenna now.... Hmm..

 

Updated my setup from an Icom 5100 to a Kenwood D710G, for easier APRS capabilities. Man, the Kenwood is a great setup - the native APRS works well, and integration with Mobilinkd+APRSDroid was pretty simple too (though not utilizing the native APRS).

Wrote it up over in my build thread for anyone interested:

Adding APRS to the Ham Radio Comms




.​

 

Great update! Read the link. Long story short the Kenwood is the way to go for 1 radio APRS and Comms. And is the most useful APRS of all.



I've been playing with the APRS on my Yeasu FTM100dr a little bit recently. Started doing the APRS --> email text message. Which worked fine, but the Yeasu doesnt allow for the "-" character in the too field so its only 1 way coms with a cell phone, and a bit cumbersome. Then I stumbled upon the "SMSGTE" option. This works great! allows two way conversation between your radio(APRS) and an SMS Text message. May or may not have been posted already but here is the best walk through link to it --

http://smsgte.wixsite.com/smsgte/userguide

This could be great for reaching out to someone if you need help or just want to pass a message along with out cell service-- still limited to digipeater availability but at least another option -- I can think of one beach in California where I used to frequent that had no cell service, but could easily access a number of repeaters where this would have been useful

--Note in the photo below the "?" are in the wrong location- these were put in to receive a received receipt that both the radio and the phone received the message. Going to retry again today