Mobile Phone Recreational Broadcast Facility K5DH/M
My commute to and from work each time is a 64 mile round-trip. My travel time averages a full hour each means, and even longer in the event that weather’s bad or there is any sort of accident on the highway. I spend on the road would otherwise be wasted if I didn’t have a mobile station, the time. Therefore, as opposed to stewing in regards to the traffic or playing depressing news reports regarding the broadcast radio, we gladly tune the bands l king for contact with the world that is outside! It’s really a great cure for „road rage“. The majority of my mobile operation occurs on HF, while the VHF/UHF radio are at the ready when the need arises. On road trips, we monitor 146.52 MHz, paying attention for possible calls from other motoring hams who’ve spotted my license plates or antennas. THIS PHOTO shows a general view of the position that is operating as seen from the driver’s attention.
My vehicle is just a 2013 Ford Escape. It is the Titanium version with all the 2.0 litre EcoB st turbocharged engine and four wheel drive. The colour is known as „Deep Impact Blue“
My HF radio of preference is Icom’s fabulous IC-7000 transceiver. The radio’s control panel is bolted to shagle a do-it-yourself metal bracket that will be affixed to the dash utilizing 3M trim adhesive that is autmotive. THIS PICTURE, shot from above, and also THIS PHOTO, shot from the right, show the mounting arrangement. Radio stations’s main framework is set up under the driver’s chair. It really is mounted on a baseplate made from 3.5″ wide 16 gauge aluminum stock that is sandwiched between your chair mounting dishes as well as the automobile fl r and held set up by the chair bolts. The dish is bent to accommodate the contours regarding the fl r. All the wiring is concealed underneath the lower lip associated with center console. THIS PHOTO shows the way the radio is set up. The digital camera is resting on the vehicle’s braking system pedal, searching aft that is straight. You could observe that I drilled some holes that are new the IC-7000’s mounting bracket to be able to lower the radio down as near the fl ring as possible. There isn’t much r m under that chair! ( but there’s sufficient)
A compact LDG Electronics model AT7000 automatic antenna tuner sits on to the fl r under the driver’s seat, since seen in THIS PHOTO. It isn’t bolted into spot, it simply sits there. A ground wire manufactured from 14 AWG stranded wire is connected between your tuner’s ground terminal and another associated with the chair bolts that are mounting supplying a ground link with the vehicle human anatomy. This tuner had been designed particularly as a mate for the IC-7000. It really is no further available brand new, but LDG now provides their model IT100 which can be built to be plug-and-play with modern Icom radios, including the IC-7000.
My external speaker is really a Radio Shack 4″ -type unit that’s connected to the the surface of the dash using 3M car trim adhesive, as noticed in THIS PHOTO. Despite exactly how it l ks, offered the digital camera angle, the speaker will not block my view.
My HF antenna is an Outbacker Perth. This can be a center-loaded antenna with a 4 f t primary area containing the band taps topped by a f t whip stinger that is 3-1/2. I’ve owned this Outbacker considering that the mid 1990s while having tried it on four different cars. Although it was not cheap, this antenna can be tough as they come, plus it works very well for me personally. I’ve the stinger set at point where i will merely select a band faucet from 40 through 10 meters and never have to adjust the stinger. I am not just a fan of 75 meters, therefore I have not bothered to set the antenna up for that band. The antenna is attached to the remaining side of this vehicle’s liftgate using a Diamond model K400 mount. This arrangement permits me personally to easily achieve the band taps, while the antenna will not strike the car as s n as the liftgate is open. Listed here are two photos showing the antenna with the liftgate closed and opened . Here are some step-by-step images associated with mounting arrangement. The bottom wire observed in the photos allows the antenna’s built-in matching transformer, that we find provides a better match than running without it, specially regarding the reduced bands. The springtime is just a 1950s Antenna Specialists product which I acquired via an ebay auction. There is nothing special about this, other than being a genuine classic part that is olde-tyme. The coaxial cable (Mil-grade RG-58C/U) is routed along the inside side of the liftgate, down the body, under the car, or more by way of a plastic human anatomy plug to the interior, then routed along the remaining part of the vehicle. Its entirely hidden from view in the passenger compartment.
