Ed, I would love to know more about how you mounted that plate to get the coax feed throughs out of the cab of your Ford. I have a 2015 F-150.... The thing has so many electronic gadgets and power accessories that I'm leery of drilling holes just anywhere. I've been contemplating a similar mobile HF setup.... Have looked at several possibilities, but the KX3 and KXPA-100 are pretty intriguing. On Wed, Dec 14, 2016 at 6:58 PM Edward R Cole <kl...@acsalaska.net> wrote:
> Bill, > > Good ideas for mobiling. I am addressing some of that in this post: > > I like the KX3 because of the versatility of the radio and because > with addition of the 2M module I have 160m-2m all mode operation. I > originally bought a K3/10 since I was mainly going to run VHF and up > using transverters so high power on HF was a luxury to add later. As > it turned out the KXPA-100 serves both my K3 and KX3 equally well. > > In setting up my truck for extended travel, ham radio operation, I > installed a new dual-band FM mobile radio which separates control > panel from radio so it can be installed under the backseat (Ford > conveniently provides as a lockable storage area). I have the 50w FM > mobile, a 160w 2m linear, and the KXPA-100 installed there (I can > remove the KXPA-100 for use at home with my K3). > > The KX3 sits in a RAM bracket so it fairly easy to remove for use in > our trailer in a campground in the evening. After some thought, I > added two extra coax lines coming out of the cab which can either > connect to antenna or to coax extensions to the trailer so the amps > and antennas in the truck can be used by the KX3 sitting on dining > table in the trailer. I installed a metal plate for five coax > feedthru connectors for bringing out coax lines from a hole under the > cab floor. Three go to antennas on the cab roof and two are spare > for running to trailer or whatever. The HF antenna mounts in corner > of the bed and has its own coax run. > > Trailers all come with 12v wiring and outlets these days which is > sufficient for the KX3. Only issue that remains is whether I want to > add a separate battery for the radios as running down the truck > battery at night is not cool. Of course I could run the diesel > engine but not very efficient way to keep charge on the > battery. Trailer will have a generator so maybe hooking up a battery > charger is an option to separate battery? > > Headset with boom mic or just a boom mic for a ball cap as my hearing > aids have bluetooth. KX3 audio will go to sync. Some stuff to > figure out after using it a bit. I figure I will mostly operate from > right seat while my wife drives which should reduce some of the > issues. Driving with a 30-foot trailer is 100% job so distraction is > to be avoided. > > We will run 144.39-APRS so you can track us on the web whenever we > are in range of digipeaters and Igates. > > 73, Ed - KL7UW > > From: Bill Frantz <fra...@pwpconsult.com> > To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Mobile Radio Dreams & the KX2 > Message-ID: > > <r470Ps-10121i-D921C73FAB194E4B92FD5F548C37C703@Williams-MacBook-Pro.local > > > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed > > Wayne suggests the KX2 and KX3 as mobile rigs, and Jim pointed > to a really nice installation for use by the passenger. They are > both viable solutions. However, they do have some problems. > > I see mobile rigs being used in 3 ways: (1) Campground rigs for > use when the vehicle is stopped. Here you can add radials to the > antenns and a K3(s) would be wonderful. (2) Operated by a > passenger in motion, and (3) Operated by the driver in motion. > The driver distraction issues only apply to this last use case. > > By way of background, I have installed two mobil rigs. I have a > Yaesu FTM-30 in my Miata. It was chosen because it could replace > the stock AM/FM broadcast band radio, freeing up space to > install it. (There's not much space in a Miata.) It transmits on > 2M and 70cm, which covers local communications, but doesn't do > HF or 6M. Its UI is a fine example of what NOT to do in a mobile UI. > > The other rig was an Icom 706 in a Toyota 4Runner, which has > recently gone to the great crusher in the sky. We now have a > brand new Subaru Forester which needs a radio, so I am in the market. > > The KX2 is missing 6M and 2M which means I will need a second > radio for 2M (and 70cm). I could blow off operating on 6M, but I > got a lot of use out of 6M in the last VHF contest as a rover. > My KX3 has 6M and can be upgraded to have 2M, but it is a bit > big for the available space in the console. (The remote head for > the 706 fits reasonably well, but the receiver on the 706 isn't > super good. In any case, our local ARES/RACES group uses 70cm -- > it's the way to hit the local repeater from the hospital EOC > since 2M doesn't work -- so 70cm is almost a requirement. > > Good as these radios are, their UI is not ideal from a driver > distraction point of view. There are several button presses to > recall a frequency memory, and there is not an obvious "hands > free" solution for California drivers. > > All in all, I could see myself ending up with a KX2 and a > VHF/UHF radio to be named later. But I dream of a more > integrated solution. > > 73 Bill AE6JV > > > 73, Ed - KL7UW > http://www.kl7uw.com > Dubus-NA Business mail: > dubus...@gmail.com > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to dave.w...@gmail.com > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
