Going mobile
I was talking about getting active mobile again, that's opertating cw HF from the car by my definition. I put the ATAS 120 back on the Chevy Equinox, and unfortunately, it seems to have died. I've run the Yaesu FT-857/ATAS 120 combo for a quite a few years and really like it, but the antennas don't seem to last that long. This is my second one that has died, so I don't think I'll buy a third.
So I'm at a quandry -- what do I use for an antenna. I ran Hamsticks for years, and may go back to that. They are simple, cheap, and you don't feel bad when a $18 antenna fails. I'm also debating what radio and what car to do this in. I spend most of my road time in a Mini Cooper, but I spent a few hours trying to figure out how to shoehorn a HF rig into that car last weekend, an didn't come up with a solution.
I presently have a Yaesu FTM-10 in the Mini, which is perfect for a limited-space installation of a 2 meter/440 radio. The microphone and speaker are housed in the control head, so the control head is the only thing in the front of the car -- the rest is in the boot (Mini-speak for trunk.) But 2 meters and 440 are boring in my opinion -- at least in the area I'm commuting. So there's no news on my mobile installation.
The good news is the bands have been better, and been having nice contacts each weekend on 40 meter cw. Look for me there.
So I'm at a quandry -- what do I use for an antenna. I ran Hamsticks for years, and may go back to that. They are simple, cheap, and you don't feel bad when a $18 antenna fails. I'm also debating what radio and what car to do this in. I spend most of my road time in a Mini Cooper, but I spent a few hours trying to figure out how to shoehorn a HF rig into that car last weekend, an didn't come up with a solution.
I presently have a Yaesu FTM-10 in the Mini, which is perfect for a limited-space installation of a 2 meter/440 radio. The microphone and speaker are housed in the control head, so the control head is the only thing in the front of the car -- the rest is in the boot (Mini-speak for trunk.) But 2 meters and 440 are boring in my opinion -- at least in the area I'm commuting. So there's no news on my mobile installation.
The good news is the bands have been better, and been having nice contacts each weekend on 40 meter cw. Look for me there.
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