It Didn't Start Out as a Hobby
or, How we became interested in Amateur Radio
rev 02 Aug 2010 -- increased size of thumbnails, updated links
rev 11 Jul 2010 -- corrected nets info, added HS1800 shunt coil detail
note 22 May 2010 -- known error, pictures installed incorrectly -- working on it
rev 11 May 2010 -- revised content, reformatted, and added pictures
We are full-timing in our RV, traveling throughout North America and will sometimes be pretty far off the main track. Could we implement a better communications system than cell phones in case we have an emergency, need to report something, or want to assist in an emergency? We first became interested in amateur radio as back-up communications for our full-timing travels.
Countless times we experience loss of cell phone signal. CB radio is reliable up to as little as two to four miles. Ham radio has send and receive capability for everything from local to over six thousand miles distant. The amateur radio capability for requesting assistance or information, when other means fail, might be a good communications mode for a couple of full-timers.
After obtaining our Technician class licenses in 2006, a friend gave us an old Icom hand held radio. It needed repairs and we knew nothing about mini- or micro-electronics (we later repaired it with a little help from Deb's dad and still use it). Our first purchase was a Yaesu FT60R handie-talkie from Ham Radio Outlet for under $200.00 as well as a mag-mount one-quarter wave antenna (another $25?) for the car roof to connect the portable radio when in the car or truck. Okay, now who do we talk to?
Most communities have Amateur radio clubs and weekly two meter emergency nets. Local hams gather for a moderated net discussion and practice. Jim enjoyed the Charlotte, NC, W4BFB Club's helpful and friendly group of operators. The "formal" section of the net is not too formal but is affable and friendly (unfortunately this is not true of some amateur radio nets). Jim practices radio communication weekly when we're in town and enjoys attending the monthly club meetings. Amateur radio -- Now we're talking.
Jim became interested in longer range amateur radio. Two meter (VHF) amateur radio communications is basically limited to short range simplex use and local repeater range of approximately 25-50 miles radius. He studied and passed the General class exam to allow use of most of the HF bands. Okay, need another radio and more antenna than the UHF/VHF mag-mount. We bought a G5RVjr copper wire dipole antenna (very portabled), and an ultra-compact mobile Yaesu FT-857d, a very capable HF/VHF/UHF radio.
You might have read in our journal about transporting a friend's RV and truck from Bakersfield, California, to Belmont, NC? [see that story here]. Our amateur radios played a big part in safety and enjoyment of the trip. Debbie and Jim talked across the country with the amateur radios to each other as we drove over 2,500 miles in nine days. We already had the Yaesu 857d radio in our tow truck.
Jim installed another radio, a Kenwood TM-D710a, in Jerry's truck temporarily. This provided us much stronger radio capability than CB radio. We can talk miles apart and we can talk to other amateur radio operators as we cross their part of this great country.
Late in 2008 we relocated the Yaesu 857d radio into the RV and the Kenwood TM-D710a into the dash of our truck (see k0bg's helpful ham radio site for Safe Mobile Operation article). Jim also tried a 1/4 wave Larsen 270 antenna on the roof for 2m and 70cm bands, then changed it to a much longer Hustler LM270 for much stronger transmit and receive on UHF/VHF bands.
The little 18" 1/4 wave antennas are convenient and cute but just cannot compare to a well-tuned longer antenna. The 1/4 wave UHF/VHF on the truck's roof was also too weak. We changed to a Comet SBB7/nmo 58" dual-band UHF/VHF for the truck in 2009. We can often communicate simplex at fifteen (15) miles over flat ground. Much better!
Jim has mounted a motorized multi-band antenna from High Sierra onto the roof of our Airstream trailer. The High Sierra HS1800Pro antenna is attached to a Tarheel Lift n Lay motorized fold-over mount to store the antenna flat against the trailer's roof or raise it ninety degrees up. The whip extends to 20 feet above ground, high enough to see over nearby trailers, fifth wheels, and motor homes.
It took almost two years to hunt this down and resolve, but we finally figured out how to stretch our HS1800 antenna to 80 meters. It has always done great on the higher bands but couldn't provide a workable SWR for 80 until June 2010. What changed? One Sunday morning Jim was reading ARRL's Handbook, great and interesting reading for quiet times, and found a fine article on mobile HF antenna matching.
The ARRL Handbook article described the pitfalls associated with poor matching and the requirement to properly adjust the antenna's shunt coil. And it referenced a particular article by Alan K0BG. Inquisitive, time on his hands, and with nothing to lose, he checked out K0BG's article. Wow!
This article disclosed what Jim may have been missing all along. He had wondered why my otherwise excellent High Sierra antenna wouldn't transmit on 80 meters. A few minutes into K0BG's article Jim found a quick and easy test to perform. And sure enough, his antenna wasn't set up properly for 80 meters.
Fortunately, K0BG also provides detailed instructions on how to correct a matching problem. Jim followed his instructions and a few hours later he's in business. An added bonus, his much larger than oem home-made shunt coil looks superb up there. Cool!
We are able to communicate on 17, 20, 40, 60, and 80 meters with the High Sierra antenna. We are often able to communicate on the nation-wide RV Service Nets on 20 meters and 40 meters. The RV Service Net holds nets across the U.S. on 20 meter and 40 meter bands and is open to all RVers regardless of RV brand. Look it up here, it is a great club for anyone interested in RVing or amateur radio. We also check into MidCars and SATERN HF nets when we can.
Early 2010 we added a GPS18pc puck in the truck to tell the Kenwood radio our location. Our position is now updated when the truck is on the move, and you can see where we are according to our last reported position here.
We have found amateur radio operators to be much like RV owners – friendly and very helpful. We also found a fun group of hams within WBCCI, the WBCCI Amateur Radio Club members. We meet several times a year at various ralllies, helping one another with antenna or power or radio issues, catching up with one another, and comparing our newest equipment changes.
Jim has had two-way radio contacts with amateur radio operators in over twenty-five countries and many U.S. states from Hawaii to Maine, Washington to Florida. We've made good friends, many of whom we we've met in person, in different parts of the continent through amateur radio. Pretty cool! And we know we are capable, from anywhere in the world, of communicating with other amateur radio operators to give or receive assistance when needed.
When All Else Fails, Amateur Radio Works!
Amateur radio just seemed like a good idea to support our potential communications needs when traveling off the beaten path. We weren't looking for a hobby and didn't intend this to become one. But Jim has a lot of fun exploring the radio waves, meeting people all over the world on radio, and continuing to learn every day.
For more information about amateur radio and how you can get started, email us or go to ARRL's website here
73,
Jim N5RTG and
Debbie N4RTG
find us here: http://aprs.fi/?call=N5RTG-9&mt=m&z=12&timerange=21600
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