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Ham radio operators in Toyota MH land


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We are trying to see if we can scare up some Toyota Motor Home ham radio operators I know two, K6GPH Greg (turbo Greg) and my self N3LYT, Tim (White Crow) So if you are a ham please jump right in with your call sign maybe we can get some thing going. Maybe even a list of hams for the site thanks in advance 73’s Tim N3LYT

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We are trying to see if we can scare up some Toyota Motor Home ham radio operators I know two, K6GPH Greg (turbo Greg) and my self N3LYT, Tim (White Crow) So if you are a ham please jump right in with your call sign maybe we can get some thing going. Maybe even a list of hams for the site thanks in advance 73's Tim N3LYT

I'm an extra class ham and my wife is a tech class. But I don't throw out my call on forums due to privacy issues. Sorry.

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Xtra K6GPH - Located in the Santa Cruz Mountains amongst the redwoods. Have a home built fan dipole covering 80, 40, 20 and what ever I can manage to tune up with a LDG AT-200Pro Auto Tuner. It can be tricky with my radio though as the rad has a protection circuit which cuts pwr over 3:1 swr. Radio is a Kenwood ts-180s with all the filters and a memory board. Running several other radios also, a kenwood ts-120s which I bought on eBay. It died and I brought it back to life. Dropped some larger finales in it and it easily pumps out about 125 plus. Setting up a GMRS repeater system cause the better half refuses to get a license. Have a tower sitting in the yard and hope to have it in the air this summer or sooner. One of our high level repeaters W6WLS (www.w6wls.com) has an IRLP node - 3328, I am there often. Involved with ARES and Red Cross. ARES and Red Cross were both activated last summer due to 3 separate devastating fires in the area. It was a good test for us and we did do some good but we also find that the public agencies are relying on cell phones more. I look at the hospitals with a different eye these days because I see us as totally able to assist them but they are not training themselves to work with us efficiently. A major earthquake I feel will change that scenario. We have stations at all the major hospitals, fire departments, red cross and the county EOC where we have our own room adjacent to the war room.

Glad to be involved in the Hobby! Have only met nice people, can't say that about other hobbies.

There is a RV net on 40 meters every morning 7.268.5

Greg www.k6gph.org :shit:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well Greg we are not having much luck scaring up a bunch of hams. I tried you a few time on echolink over the weekend but did not happen. I am a 6 meter fan love to dx have a lot of Europeans and every state except Alaska and Hawaii. I’m using a long boom 5 element 6 meter beam I run both high power (200 watts) and qrp I worked Vancouver Island from here (FN43) on 1 watt! I use a Yaesu FT 736R for 2,6,and 70cm ssb and 200 watt bricks for all bands. We are fortunate enough to have a great team of experienced people several in the two business in our little group one of the two way guys owns a huge commercial tower (4 leg base and 250’ an old AT& T micro wave tower ) he is a ham also, that is were two of our repeaters are. Paul W1IMD (Mr intremod) is the tower owner and he thought it would be a good place for a full size cubical quad and we think it is the only working quad on 160 meters! It is huge! We hold the diamond shape with guy lines and it is held at the 200’ mark with pulleys. As you might guess it is killer into Europe to the north east and by virtue of design when we go up the band it reverses the direction so it becomes a south west beam. No problem to the west coast either! So here is hopping a few more hams will jump in 73’s N3LYT.

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  • 5 weeks later...
Well Greg we are not having much luck scaring up a bunch of hams. I tried you a few time on echolink over the weekend but did not happen. I am a 6 meter fan love to dx have a lot of Europeans and every state except Alaska and Hawaii. I’m using a long boom 5 element 6 meter beam I run both high power (200 watts) and qrp I worked Vancouver Island from here (FN43) on 1 watt! I use a Yaesu FT 736R for 2,6,and 70cm ssb and 200 watt bricks for all bands. We are fortunate enough to have a great team of experienced people several in the two business in our little group one of the two way guys owns a huge commercial tower (4 leg base and 250’ an old AT& T micro wave tower ) he is a ham also, that is were two of our repeaters are. Paul W1IMD (Mr intremod) is the tower owner and he thought it would be a good place for a full size cubical quad and we think it is the only working quad on 160 meters! It is huge! We hold the diamond shape with guy lines and it is held at the 200’ mark with pulleys. As you might guess it is killer into Europe to the north east and by virtue of design when we go up the band it reverses the direction so it becomes a south west beam. No problem to the west coast either! So here is hoping a few more hams will jump in 73’s N3LYT.

Hi Maineah - I occasionally check into the RV west coast service net on 7268.5Khz. Also have a vhf/uhf dual bander in the motorhome. What with Echolink and IRLP maybe we can find a way to come up with a Toyota motorhome net.

73's Bill WA7FBU

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Hi Maineah - I occasionally check into the RV west coast service net on 7268.5Khz. Also have a vhf/uhf dual bander in the motorhome. What with Echolink and IRLP maybe we can find a way to come up with a Toyota motorhome net.

73's Bill WA7FBU

That would be great Greg did try me one night on my echolink but at 9 eastern I'm asleep 5 AM comes way too early! My link is on a wide coverage repeater and when I'm at home relaxing I switch to 446.015 simplex so feel free to give me a try it would be cool to do a weekend sked some time there are at least 3 of us out there!

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  • 4 weeks later...

Good deal! I'm embarrassed to say this but I do not have a two way in my MH. Two in my car and one in my pickup and a twin band on my desk not being used how sad is that. I keep looking at it and saying that should be in the MH! What have you done for a ground plane mine is glass I might just put a half wave on it.

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Our new Conquest actually got a radio on its first trip when we drove it home from Reno Nevada. My friend Bruce AC6DN went up with me and so I brought along a dual bander and a magnetic mount antenna. He drove my pickup back and we had comms to each other.

I will be gettin' to the nitty gritty soon with some radio installs in the mH. I actually plan to have two radios installed, a yaesu ft-8800 which will have remote head capabilities in both the cab and at the dinette and through an access door (shore power cable door) outside. Its actually easy as the remote head can be run through a cat 5 cable. It only needs 6 wires which leaves 2 for the speaker. An additional radio, a Yaesu ft-100 will have a remote head at the dinnette and also the ability to be remoted outside like the 8800. I just got the ft-100 so I really don't have a plan for the cables. It will be a bit more difficult than the 8800 as it does not use the standard 6 pin telco plug.

I plan to build a light bar type device which will be across the back but mount on the sides so there will be no holes in the roof to mount antennas. The framing for the conquest is all aluminum and the roof is aluminum so as long as I have good grounding I should have a good ground plane. The FT-100 came with a yaesu auto tuning screwdriver type antenna covering 40m through 70cm. So it will be up when parked.

The 8800 will run through an antennex which has a spring built in to it.

The exterior access panel will give access to several connections that will terminate in the seat wall of the dinette. Actually it will all be under one seat. I will also be able to patch any of the top antennas out the access door if we want to run radios outside under the awning. The reverse will also be possible if we need to be indoors and bring a tree hung dipole to the dinnette.

We all use anderson power poles for our power connections, an ARES trait we try to practice out here.

All right time for you to get on it, radio(s), antenna(s). Just kidding. Emergency comms here are important so that's one of my goals. But making it easy to just hook something up is another goal.

I am also considering a CB in the cab as some of us TMH'ers have those. I think the good buddy days are past. GMRS is also another option too.

My better half just got home so I am outta here.

73

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OK, I think what I might do is us an aluminum plate on the rear luggage bar with a mount that can flip over if I run under some thing shorter then the antenna. Regular 6 wire flat phone cord works great for the Yeasu with RJ11 both ends. I have a FT 8900 (4 band FM) in the trunk and the head up front in my Jetta. The cable is straight thru not flipped so it's color for color with a cat 5 and as you say it will leave 2 for the speaker. I ran some #10 THHN to the rear to power it and the 220 (never seem to be able to use both at the same time all though I'm sure some have tried) I was skeptical about the flat phone wire but tried it any way no problem with RF and the audio so I 'm sure twisted pair will work fine. I saw a neat rig for HF antennas that fit around the duallies sort of "U" shaped with a post for a mast that worked pretty good very stable (I think he sort of ran over it) I helped a guy with his RV roof and there on the roof was a NMO antenna mount (with no antenna) through a Skill saw blade that was glued to the fiber glass quite the ground plane.

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I went to home depot to see what kind od alum stock they have. They have 1x1 square tubing but only had 3 inch wide flat stock. I would really like at least 2 inches on the inside for space.Not sure how I will fab the ends to mount on the sides. Not sure yet how I am going to bring in the cables. Maybe a 1" to 1 1/2" pipe shaped like an upside down J into the closet. I invision many antenna changes in the future so something that can accomidate that would be good.

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Could you run them down the tank vent? Maybe a "T" in the pipe you could plug once the wires were in place? A water tight strain relief? They seal up really nice they make them for SJ cord should be able to find one that would except some thing as large as RG 8

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I may have up to 5 or more cables so it would probably be better to have a dedicated entry point. Plus I just put on a new vent for the black water tank, and it is the vent that drops down the closet wall. It would be very difficult to break loose now. Two cables will run all the way to the cab, for CB and GMRS. And 2 will run to a cabinet next to the refer over the dinette for HF and a dual bander both with remote heads. The HF head will live near the dinette and the dual bander will live in the cab but will be able to be moved to the dinette. Both will also be able to move to an outside location just outside the dinette via an access panel. I picked up a shore power door and I am going to install it so that I can access cables which will be under one of the dinette seats. Those cable will be able to be patched to the antennas in the cabinet next to the refer where the HF and dual bander radios will be mounted. The outside access will also allow me to bring in feeds from dipoles etc to the dinette with out having to come in through a window or door.

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I went to home depot to see what kind od alum stock they have. They have 1x1 square tubing but only had 3 inch wide flat stock. I would really like at least 2 inches on the inside for space.Not sure how I will fab the ends to mount on the sides. Not sure yet how I am going to bring in the cables. Maybe a 1" to 1 1/2" pipe shaped like an upside down J into the closet. I invision many antenna changes in the future so something that can accomidate that would be good.

Greg - I ran into this company when I recently started a project to build a 2 way 50 ohm power splitter. They have a great selection of tubing (square and round, Alum, brass and bronze) and the prices are reasonable. www.mcmaster.com/.

73's

Bill WA7FBU

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  • 2 years later...

I carry a 2meter Yaesu on my trail bike and had a CB as well. Have not used nor mastered either one. Perhaps I will work harder. For the few of you that use such communication, is it more for 'recreation' than anything else? I also use a Spot unit, that I suspect would be much better in an emergency.. Gerry

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Maineah:

I put a luggage rack mount on the driver side rear and just ran the wire under the vent cover on roof. I put a pencil sized hole in the screen and ran the coax down through it then ran it to the radio and put a PL259 on the end of coax last. Mounted a 1/4 wave 2m MFJ Shorty on the mount. It came a storm and had NO LEAKS from the vent.

'homer'

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  • 7 months later...

KC9DTJ here

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KC9DTJ here

Great! The Conway NH repeater now has an Echolink system running under KB1EZJ-R I monitor that one pretty much every day. Mine is N3LYT-L give us a call if you have Echolink!

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Im embarrassed to say echolink was news to me! Just googled it, pretty cool. I gotta pull my rig out and download that software!

Great! The Conway NH repeater now has an Echolink system running under KB1EZJ-R I monitor that one pretty much every day. Mine is N3LYT-L give us a call if you have Echolink!

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Im embarrassed to say echolink was news to me! Just googled it, pretty cool. I gotta pull my rig out and download that software!

Looking forward to hearing from you!

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Go for it! You can start as a Tech class and use fairly cheap FM radios and when you get tired of that get your general ticket and spend lots of money! Really the tech ticket is the way to start it gives you a lot of privileges on the most popular bands and the radios are small. Long distance stuff is possible in the 6 meter band even with low power there are things called repeaters usually on mountain tops that can extend your range to 50 miles or more from the comforts of your MH. There is no longer a code test in any class so get a book and start reading! If you are a good student (I'm not) you can take tests back to back so take the tech class and the general the same day then you can do pretty much any ham band you like and the sky is the limit.

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no Morse code anymore?

Go for it! You can start as a Tech class and use fairly cheap FM radios and when you get tired of that get your general ticket and spend lots of money! Really the tech ticket is the way to start it gives you a lot of privileges on the most popular bands and the radios are small. Long distance stuff is possible in the 6 meter band even with low power there are things called repeaters usually on mountain tops that can extend your range to 50 miles or more from the comforts of your MH. There is no longer a code test in any class so get a book and start reading! If you are a good student (I'm not) you can take tests back to back so take the tech class and the general the same day then you can do pretty much any ham band you like and the sky is the limit.

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Nope no more code it's still used on the bands but not required old timers may call you a "no coder" but they get over it. Never made much sense to me I would rather hams had more tech knowledge then having to learn code.

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  • 1 month later...

no Morse code anymore?

You can always learn code after you get your ticket. I learned code 30 plus years ago but never pursued getting my license. Then 6 years ago a ham friend said what was I waiting for. Got my tech, then my general and then went for the extra. So I am a no-coder and it does not bother me a bit. But I think learning code is a good thing as it is a type of communication that really makes it through even with using very little power.

qrz.com has practice tests http://qrz.com/ht/ and I highly recommend getting a study manual https://ssl.qrz.com/bookstore and then take the practice tests. Before you know it you will be passing the tests and on your way to getting a license.

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  • 5 months later...

KI4NCO checking in. from east TN.

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Good another one! Usually I am on 40 meters at night and I work 40 in my truck generally in the mornings. PM me maybe we can work out a sked.

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  • 6 years later...

N2FI here I plan on putting a FT100 in the TMH with a lil tarheel maybe or the big one... I have both... and a 6mtr 1/4~ nmo on the hood for 6/2mtrs one radio 2 antennas 80/2 meters covered... 160  with a wire attached in a campsite maybe...I may attach the NMO mount to the roof rack for a bit of height.... I'll see when the time comes.... If your on echolink and can get to the n2kej-r link or on allstar node 27233 I frequent that machine here in southern NJ....

At home I Have  a 50' tower with a hazer.... hygain th5mkII 5 ele tribander with dipoles for 160,80,40,17. Verticals for 80/40 and an inverted L for 160.... A 2/440 vertical up 75'  for my allstar station when that is running and another 45' tilt over pole with a 6mtr dipole and a 6/2/440 vertical on it.... 

 

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I have a screw drive antenna on the truck and a portable one to use on the camper as long as there is a bit of an opening I have worked the world with them. I have about 50 countries I have worked mobile. If I'm camped somewhere I use a rotatable dipole on fiberglass poles good for 24'. I made it from the remains of a 10 meter beam by using the old elements and sliding them inside one another I can do 10,12,15 and 17 meters. Works amazingly well I do the gota station for our club on field day with them. When the several feet of snow is gone I'll finish the hex beam I started last summer. For 6 I have a long boom 6 element beam up at 50' an R7 vertical and wires for 40 and 80.

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  • 2 years later...

de KN4GXM

Extra Class operator. No mobile in the winnebago yet, I have an idea to do something with the old TV antenna location for a mobile antenna. I've got an extra Yaesu FT-7800 and Rpi3 aprs setup Ide like to install eventually.

Usually you could find me late evenings 40m. But my trusty ol 940S went deaf across all bands sigh....

Local repeater down here has echolink if anyone uses it. Im always sandbaggin on that machine.

N4RGJ 147.015 +123hz

Mobile, AL

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  • 2 weeks later...

Fold over flag pole rear rv bumper mount. I use fiber glass camouflage poles assemble the entire mess on the ground walk it up put

in the pin done! I have various configurations for the pole mounts from screw driver to full halfwave 12 meter! ( the half wave does get guyed it's pretty big!)

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