Homestead Communications

[k0ua]

You may or may not notice the "whip" of the HF antenna has a fold over device that allows it to be folded over the bed to clear 7 foot garage door openings.

Cheaper single band non motorized antennas are available for HF mobile in the $40 range, but they are not near as convenient as the motorized all HF (and 6 meters too) band antenna. I would be happy to try to answer any other questions you have about Amateur Radio, and all of its many facets.

I would not give up on operation from you home, as I too live in a valley and I can talk with voice operation to one of my friends in Stuttgart Germany with ease in the night time here and his dawn on 7 Mhz. The skywave signals are coming in at an angle of 15 to 30 degrees so may be able to clear your obstacles.

 

[Moxie 15]

Wow! Just WOW!
Not sure I have ever had anything to say that was important enough to have all that tech around

 

[Grumpycat]

I have not gotten into amateur radio because I am in a steep, narrow canyon in basalt hills with a high iron content. There is little outside RF - no cell service, only two broadcast radio stations, no broadcast TV. I do have a CB handset that picks up skip from Australia when the sunspots cooperate.

Remote operation is quite easy these days. With an internet connection there are services which will rent use of their HF station and antenna(s). Or you could put one up yourself. Put a remote on top of your canyon.

Just because 1.9 GHz cellphones don’t work in your canyon doesn’t mean other things will be the same. You say CB “skip” arrives on 27 MH. Amateur HF ranges from 1.8 to 30 MHz. Depending on time and sunspot cycle there is “skip” somewhere in there.

James pretty well covered the mobile end. New radios are pretty small and excellent value. A Yaesu 80W 2m for $150? Radios Amps And Repeaters GigaParts.com

Dual band and those with digital and analog cost more.

 

[Grumpycat]

If you do intend to get into Amateur Radio, especially mobile, you will need to decide if your interest is local communications with VHF/UHF gear in your vehicle or into long range communication's with HF gear in your vehicle. I have both in my truck, and VHF only in the wifes minivan. As for the size of the gear, the good news is that all types of gear has been greatly reduced in size over the years.

I don’t think one initially “needs to decide” so much as one needs to choose something of interest, or use, and have a go at it. Then expand as interest develops.

If you start out trying to replicate Jame’s truck you will be overwhelmed, frustrated, and give up.

Pretty important to find an “Elmer” to foster you into amateur Radio. Who will invite you into his shack, answer questions, and let you operate under supervision. Who will help you select good gear, know where the used bargains are to be had.

David, N4HHE

 

[k0ua]

If you start out trying to replicate Jame’s truck you will be overwhelmed, frustrated, and give up.

Yes, there is more I didn't cover like all the bonding and grounding you have to do to the truck parts, and the ferrite snap on chokes you have to put on things in the engine bay. Like I said, HF mobile is far most costly in money and time than VHF/UHF mobile, which can be pretty easy.

 

[oosik]

K0UA - I checked - the Kenwoods were $600 for the pair. I DO like your Little Tarheal. I had an Icon HF mounted in my Chevy van. Wife drive - I work the radio. My external antennae had exchangeable top loaded tips - one for each band. I just could not figure how to reach out the side window - bend the antennae mast over and change the top tip while on the go. The Tarheal is the "cats meow".

 

[k0ua]

K0UA - I checked - the Kenwoods were $600 for the pair. I DO like your Little Tarheal. I had an Icon HF mounted in my Chevy van. Wife drive - I work the radio. My external antennae had exchangeable top loaded tips - one for each band. I just could not figure how to reach out the side window - bend the antennae mast over and change the top tip while on the go. The Tarheal is the "cats meow".

It truly is. I ran a single band (20 meter) MFJ, of a copy of the old "hamstick" by Lakeview, for a while, and don't get me wrong it worked (actually everything "works" it is just a matter of how well) and while I made a few DX contacts with it and of course a good number of in country contacts with the antenna, it is far from ideal. It has much lower efficiency. Here is one way to tell. Just sit and talk for about 5 minutes on it while parked so that there is no wind blowing across the coil. Then go touch the coil with you hand and you will note that it is quite hot. Now do the same test with the Tarheel and it will be as cool as a cucumber. So much more of your energy is being radiated instead of being converted to heat in a tiny low efficiency coil.

I think the MFJ was twenty something bucks, the Tarheel was $400 not counting any automatic controller. Of course the Tarheel comes with a manual up/down rocker switch for you to make adjustments manually. It works fine, just not as convenient as the controller.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

I don’t think one initially “needs to decide” so much as one needs to choose something of interest, or use, and have a go at it. Then expand as interest develops.

If you start out trying to replicate Jame’s truck you will be overwhelmed, frustrated, and give up.

Pretty important to find an “Elmer” to foster you into amateur Radio. Who will invite you into his shack, answer questions, and let you operate under supervision. Who will help you select good gear, know where the used bargains are to be had.

David, N4HHE

I'm still in the YouTube and reading phase of planning, but 50-100 mile range sounds pretty good. It would give me communications during natural disasters. I'm trained in the Incident Command System. I'm too old to be humping equipment, but could help with communications. I have a friend in Costa Rica who does long range stuff, but he's way over my head, using SW digital communication protocols. Thanks for the gear suggestions. I'll be back on that when I actually start shopping. Meanwhile, my first investment will be knowledge. Are there recommended web sites, YouTube channels or magazines?

 

[oosik]

I suggest the ARRL web site. They have many good articles, links to Amateur Radio knowledge.

 

[k0ua]

This guy is from California, but he isn't too bad He is a fairly new ham, but he has learned a lot and most of his videos contain useful information. Start with some of his earlier and simpler videos or just skip around to what ever interests you.

https://www.youtube.com/user/hoshnasi