Ham radio questions

All,

I just got the ham license and I'm probably going to get a Yaesu FT-8900R for my truck. I'm waffling between the Comet and Diamond antennas at this time but I'd like to know what sort of coaxial cable to get. Some of the mounts available for the Comet/Diamond antennas come with a coax already, but I'd just like to be sure.

Any advice from ham operators who have radios in their trucks would be great!

Thanks
Ian

 

I have a Kenwood TMV 708a head unit and a comet SBB7 antenna. I dont use it as a Ham radio being that i havent taken the test. I use it for the Fire Deparment. I can get you some pic's of how i have it set up im my truck if you want. Just let me know.

 

No knowledge on your question, but what did you use to study for the test? How long did you study? Am thinking about jumping into a test this Saturday morning...

 

www.hamtestonline.com its $25, but you can sit down with this for 3 hours the night before and pass.

Most just use RG58, which is what comes with most the mounts. If you want to get all technical about it and get something with less loss you can go with RG-8X.

 

Cool, that's the one I was looking at. I'll sign up. Thanks!

 

LOL, I totally forgot that I posted this thread.

Anyway, my ham install is totally ghetto but it works:



Yaesu FT-8800R with cheap magnet mount VHF/UHF antenna. Cigarette lighter power supply. Works brilliantly.

 

DO NOT RUN FULL POWER ON A CIGARETTE ADAPTER. your radio does a lot more power than a CB and really needs a proper connection directly to the battery. I very highly suggest you do not transmit 50W with your current setup.

 

Don't worry; since all the local repeaters are close, I keep the power setting at LOW at all times.

I'm off this weekend so the radio is going to get wired to the battery for sure.

 

Check link in my sig for a different ft8900 mount option.

 

I just don't have the technical proficiency to mount my radio like bjmoose! Cigarette lighter and mag mount works for me (at least for now)!

 

I am getting ready to drill a hole in the roof and run the coax down the door post and connect it to the radio body that will be mounted under the seat or behind the back seat. My radio head is going to be mounted directly above my center vents, just need to figure out how to take that black plastic molding off that goes around the am/fm radio, a/c. I will make an "L" bracket to mount my radio head to, the bracket will go behind and above the two vents and screw it to something under the dash. I may have to get creative and make a "U" cut in the plastic molding for the data cable that goes to the radio head. If I have room, I am going to install my 706 MRKIIG, it will have to go behind the rear seat back rest or under the back seat, it will have to be conntected to the tuner. I plan on mounting a piece of tube steel on the right rear corner of the bed and make an easy on and off HF antenna mounting post. Still shopping for the right screwdriver antenna, but the dualband antenna is going to be a breakover comet.

Ronnie, KE5NSM

 

http://www.houstonamateurradiosupply.com/home/index.html

The link is a Ham Radio shop in Houston. I am sure that they can help you get the mount that will work best for you.

I run a Yaesu 8900r and a Comet UHV-4 antenna. I have also used a Diamond SMG-911 (till I broke it) . Both work very well for the quad band radio.

Most antennas don't come with the coax because of all the different mounting options. I have my antenna mounted to the side of my toolbox. I ran the coax through the bed floor (near the cab in the corner of the bed) then along the frame through a plug on the cab floor. I have my radios ( I have two) mounted on a post bracket (like in a police car) that uses the front passenger seat bolts to hold the mount.

 

Get rid of that wiring before you hurt your radio. Cigarette lighter does not have sufficient amperes. It would be best to run a relay with a fuse from the battery. Don't wire into ignition. Mine is wired into ACC. For now only run 5w. That's all you need to reach repeaters if you have a good antenna.

 

Does ham and a Cb have anything in common? Can A CB talk to Ham an a Ham to A cb? Ham is more powerful, that I know, and you need a Ham license, but please list some differences. Thanks

 

Ham can transmit on CB channels. CBs are limited to frequencies from 27-28mhz which is within the HF spectrum.
A ham operator and a CB operator could talk back and forth, but it would be limited to a few miles at most due to a cbs lack of power.


There are some exceptions. I've been able to converse about 20 miles range with a CB op from our aircraft, but being in the air gets pretty cluttered with other traffic quickly.

 

I know ham can bounce off the atmosphere and get all kinds of range but what is the reason for hams in trucks? Oher than the obvious, natural disaster, police/firefighter/emt. I guess if you plan to be 100 miles from nowhere and cell phones don't work then a Ham will save your butt. I'm not being a smart ass but I was so unhappy with the CB I bought and only had local guys who only wanted to talk OVER people rather than listen and talk. I use it on road trips but listening to truckers talk and only having a limited range gets old really quick. Need more info, thanks.

 

The reasons for hams in trucks is so people ahead can call out road conditions to others behind. Last mohave trip I did, there were times when I was over 5 miles behind as they had lt and im running ome. I could radio ahead to get directions and the reception was crystal clear. Another time we were offroad in two groups and the one group was miles ahead and a guy in our group broke his rear diff. Cb reception was crap but the guys could hear me just fine. I was able to tell them not to wait up and they could head home cuz we had to get the truck running. The ham is probably my favorite thing I've done to the truck, next to the lift.

 

Qrz.com has free practice tests with the actual questions. If any if you want, pm me with your email address and ill send you a file with all of the questions and answers that they use to form the test.

 

I took my 3rd brake light lens and base off, used a file to make a groove in the base, and ran my cable into the cab that way. Sealed it with black RTV and a wet finger. No holes in the roof. Was a PITA pulling the interior panels off to run it behind them, but you can't see the cable at all until it comes out under the dash.

 

For those saying Fire Force is hurting something using his cigarette lighter socket to power his rig, isn't that socket fused? Wouldn't the fuse blow if the rig tried to pull too much?