# Its only Amateur Radio



## Diru

Why not , CQ CQ CQ Chad. Its just the other thread.


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## chad

No QRM here, Got you at a 5 and 9.

Chad


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## Abaddon

Abaddon is confused.


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## chad

Abaddon said:


> Abaddon is confused.


Some of us here (not many) are amatuer radio ops (Ham Radio) CQ is the term for "calling," QRM is Man Made Noise, 5 and 9 is a signal report 5 is perfectly readable and 9 is an extremely strong signal.

These abreviations are carried over from the days of morse code and it ws done to save time, imagine keying out "Man Made Noise as opposed" to "QRM"

73 

Chad


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## Abaddon

Abaddon is still confused.


Edit: Wait.. ok ya... gotcha... *cough* geeks *cough*

lol.. I'm no better myself.


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## Diru

Sound good to me, lol. 

So I figure what the hell. Maybe the others that are Hams might like to shoot the **** in here while we are at it. 

If not a Ham become one. Don't ask me why. Just do it. OK ok ok. Cause the hobby is slowly dieing.

So yeah *Chad* I did get my 1/4 waves on that fiberglass roof with great results even.

I do have a 3/8-24 threaded Penatrator III CB ant from RF Limited [got that big open air load coil] thats going to go on the minivan also. Just hope its worth the effort.

Then I need 6 meters damnit, and more antennas

Then send my FT-ONE to Al for service, then scratch a few bucks and get a 440 module for my FT-726r then life will be good. 

Until I see something else that I want or do.


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## chad

Abaddon said:


> Edit: Wait.. ok ya... gotcha... *cough* geeks *cough*



No different than sitting here yacking on Al Gore's invention over car stereos... neither will get you laid and there are a lot of sharp cookies out there, in fact one is sending me a fan control circuit to try for my amp rack 

Many pro audio guys are hams as are Broadcast Engineers of which I do and have done both. It comes with the territory. But while your'e siting in traffic behind an accident I will be smooth sailing on an alternate route   

It's not as geeky as it appears, it's just like anything else, you gotta find the right folks. Diru and I won't steer you wrong, a couple more may pop up too


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## Diru

chad said:


> Diru and I won't steer you wrong, a couple more may pop up too



LMAO I thought it said "poop up too"


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## chad

Diru said:


> Sound good to me, lol.
> 
> So I figure what the hell. Maybe the others that are Hams might like to shoot the **** in here while we are at it.
> 
> If not a Ham become one. Don't ask me why. Just do it. OK ok ok. Cause the hobby is slowly dieing.
> 
> So yeah *Chad* I did get my 1/4 waves on that fiberglass roof with great results even.
> 
> I do have a 3/8-24 threaded Penatrator III CB ant from RF Limited [got that big open air load coil] thats going to go on the minivan also. Just hope its worth the effort.
> 
> Then I need 6 meters damnit, and more antennas
> 
> Then send my FT-ONE to Al for service, then scratch a few bucks and get a 440 module for my FT-726r then life will be good.
> 
> Until I see something else that I want or do.


I have a guy with a proper NMO mount contact me, he's also a member here, it has no pigtail (I have to attach RG174) and is ready to mount, I have to enlarge my mount a tad. Then I have a diamond antanna picked out. that should help tons!

How wide banded is the penetrator? Will it get up to 10M OK? What are you mounting the penetrator to? That's a hell of a wind load!


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## Diru

chad said:


> I have a guy with a proper NMO mount contact me, he's also a member here, it has no pigtail (I have to attach RG174) and is ready to mount, I have to enlarge my mount a tad. Then I have a diamond antanna picked out. that should help tons!
> 
> How wide banded is the penetrator? Will it get up to 10M OK? What are you mounting the penetrator to? That's a hell of a wind load!



Not to bad a wind load really, the coil on this thing is about 2 1/2 dia x ~7 length, is uses the same stinger size of the Wilson 1000.

The bandwidth ummm yeah well, not sure. I have seen spec of 2 mhz ~ width, less then a 2:1 swr. The neat thing is the stinger slides down the mount a good 2 inches. So it a no matter deal I hope. If I needed to I can just adjust the stinger.

I can care less about the power it can handle, I just want a good ant for 10m.

I could take the coil off of it and mod the shaft. Then I could make my own coils. Take down to 20m and maybe 40m if I'm lucky on a tuner. Have to see.



NMO what are you doing ?


Hey your into proaudio yes? What do You know about these?

I found one working without meters for $99. ehh ehh............ $1950 for a new model http://www.bgw.com/amplifiers/professional/750.asp

Wow crapper, there is a following of this amp. Finding them all over the place. What you think, should make for one large stereo guitar amp.


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## chad

Diru said:


> Not to bad a wind load really, the coil on this thing is about 2 1/2 dia x ~7 length, is uses the same stinger size of the Wilson 1000.
> 
> The bandwidth ummm yeah well, not sure. I have seen spec of 2 mhz ~ width, less then a 2:1 swr. The neat thing is the stinger slides down the mount a good 2 inches. So it a no matter deal I hope. If I needed to I can just adjust the stinger.
> 
> I can care less about the power it can handle, I just want a good ant for 10m.
> 
> I could take the coil off of it and mod the shaft. Then I could make my own coils. Take down to 20m and maybe 40m if I'm lucky on a tuner. Have to see.
> 
> 
> 
> NMO what are you doing ?
> 
> 
> Hey your into proaudio yes? What do You know about these?
> 
> I found one working without meters for $99. ehh ehh............ $1950 for a new model http://www.bgw.com/amplifiers/professional/750.asp
> 
> Wow crapper, there is a following of this amp. Finding them all over the place. What you think, should make for one large stereo guitar amp.


I'm actually rocking a HF mount with a UHF/VHF antenna on it. I'm doing a proper UHF/VHF mount. Hoping it will help my range a tad 

The BGW750's are solid, when they go they go ugly though, they also have a HELL of an inrush and tend to crack breakers upon power up, they have HUGE storage caps to charge and no soft-start.

Many I see are well beaten, in it's heyday it was an ungodly powerful amplifier that can run at the verge of clipping for weeks and merely laugh at the load... and heat the room. Common failures was with the fan and if I remember right it used a thermal clicker for the fan control, when this failed it would run away due to heat, because of it's massive storage capabilities it was not uncommon for it to actually weld it's speaker protect relays closed. You want to make sure the quenching magnet is still present on all the relays the glue tended to break down and the magnets would fall off. FYI a quenching magnet on a relay helps to break an arc when it opens. 

The ones without the meters buit with a couple clip lights are more common, I'l like to get ahold of one with the meters. Crest had the 3001's (I believe) with a dot meter option and it looked truly badass..... especially when you had a stack of them hammering. I worked in a club that had them on the dance floor behind glass so you cound watch the light show. I should check up on those amps... I bet they are not being used and would make a killer monitor rig! Or maybe even a modulator for a mondo RF amp 

Chad


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## Diru

chad said:


> I'm actually rocking a HF mount with a UHF/VHF antenna on it. I'm doing a proper UHF/VHF mount. Hoping it will help my range a tad
> 
> The BGW750's are solid, when they go they go ugly though, they also have a HELL of an inrush and tend to crack breakers upon power up, they have HUGE storage caps to charge and no soft-start.
> 
> Many I see are well beaten, in it's heyday it was an ungodly powerful amplifier that can run at the verge of clipping for weeks and merely laugh at the load... and heat the room. Common failures was with the fan and if I remember right it used a thermal clicker for the fan control, when this failed it would run away due to heat, because of it's massive storage capabilities it was not uncommon for it to actually weld it's speaker protect relays closed. You want to make sure the quenching magnet is still present on all the relays the glue tended to break down and the magnets would fall off. FYI a quenching magnet on a relay helps to break an arc when it opens.
> 
> The ones without the meters buit with a couple clip lights are more common, I'l like to get ahold of one with the meters. Crest had the 3001's (I believe) with a dot meter option and it looked truly badass..... especially when you had a stack of them hammering. I worked in a club that had them on the dance floor behind glass so you cound watch the light show. I should check up on those amps... I bet they are not being used and would make a killer monitor rig! Or maybe even a modulator for a mondo RF amp
> 
> Chad



Yeah I started noteing that , run run run , but when you pop it , it goes hard. 

But, in the same breath , if you got one that is working to start with , you can take care of the trouble spots. Then beat the hell out of it some more. 

I'm still looking at it as a big assed guitar power amp , with its age I'm am hoping for big power with industrial fuzzy. 

I just looks like it has a sound of its own. 

For $99 I just I will have to try it.


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## chad

Diru said:


> Yeah I started noteing that , run run run , but when you pop it , it goes hard.
> 
> But, in the same breath , if you got one that is working to start with , you can take care of the trouble spots. Then beat the hell out of it some more.
> 
> I'm still looking at it as a big assed guitar power amp , with its age I'm am hoping for big power with industrial fuzzy.
> 
> I just looks like it has a sound of its own.
> 
> For $99 I just I will have to try it.


I'd do it if it was is in decent shape. I built a 720W guitar amp for kicks one time, it was louder than hell. It was a tube front end with 6V6's driving half of a crown power amp that a customer did not want repaired. i sold it, far, far away as to never have to deal with it on stage.


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## Diru

Finaly found a pic of that damned 10/11 open load coil, one difference , ok a couple I don't have the magnet mount and my has about 6 inches of mast before the coil. 

But hey it looks like this


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## Diru

Wow this thread died.

Yeah so what are you going to do about it.

Start a project.........

Picked up a couple of recievers for the mini hitch, soon I should have that 1 inch steel pipe welded on there and then what? Not should yet.

Most likely stuff the 10 meter up there for now.

Shooting for a tip height of 13 feet. 

Pipe will be about 7 feet, so about 2 feet above the roof so I could even mount me some halo`s if I feel like it. Could even mount a yagi, but that would be silly unless maybe I make the 3/8ths 24 mount removable. Yeah thats it, removable , then I could add more height on feild day. 

Rotors and yagi`s oh yeah. Go heigh enough would make a great place to put up hf di-pole.

Ok never mind picutures to follow........


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## chad

Diru said:


> Wow this thread died.
> 
> Yeah so what are you going to do about it.
> 
> Start a project.........
> 
> Picked up a couple of recievers for the mini hitch, soon I should have that 1 inch steel pipe welded on there and then what? Not should yet.
> 
> Most likely stuff the 10 meter up there for now.
> 
> Shooting for a tip height of 13 feet.
> 
> Pipe will be about 7 feet, so about 2 feet above the roof so I could even mount me some halo`s if I feel like it. Could even mount a yagi, but that would be silly unless maybe I make the 3/8ths 24 mount removable. Yeah thats it, removable , then I could add more height on feild day.
> 
> Rotors and yagi`s oh yeah. Go heigh enough would make a great place to put up hf di-pole.
> 
> Ok never mind picutures to follow........


You must not have any low bridges in your area 

You ned a Dave-Made sticker if you are going to put up a contraption like that 

Will I be hearing the watergate on CH6?


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## Diru

I think I will be good at 13 feet. I know of one bridge that is at 13'4" so yeah and stuff






Hey look I found Chad`s mobile pictures


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## chad

Diru said:


> I think I will be good at 13 feet. I know of one bridge that is at 13'4" so yeah and stuff
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hey look I found Chad`s mobile pictures


No mine's the red one.. I'll have to find it.......

Actually my install is on that forum in the install section :blush:


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## durwood

Diru said:


> I think I will be good at 13 feet. I know of one bridge that is at 13'4" so yeah and stuff
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hey look I found Chad`s mobile pictures


Ok now that is seriously someone who doesn't get enough attention at home and has to go find it elsewhere, even it means driving and talking at the same time


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## chad

durwood said:


> Ok now that is seriously someone who doesn't get enough attention at home and has to go find it elsewhere, even it means driving and talking at the same time


It takes all types and unfortunately that hobby brings them out. 

[cough]Furries[cough]

Still a bunch of smart Mo-Fo's there so it's worth it in that respect 

Chad


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## Diru

Hey Chad get aload of this little jem

http://cgi.ebay.com/Comcraft-CST-50...oryZ4674QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


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## Diru

What WWV will sound like if it were to be sold to Clear Channel Communications and given the tag name of "The Tick"... 

http://repeater-builder.com/humor/wwv-the-tick.mp3



Chad you know I had to do this......












You might be a ham if...

1) you've argued with the waiter over a 0.25 overcharge 
2) you've picked up a computer on the side of the road while on a date 
3) you're significant other sits in the back and radios ride in the front 
4) birds call your car the grim reaper because of all the antennas 
5) you own a few weather stations 
6) you own more HT's than hands 
7) you shop for a piece of land to hold an antenna tower that coincidently has a house on it 
8) you're neighbors think you're a fed 
9) the cops pull you over because they want to see the inside of the car 
10) you order drive through before getting to the sign 
11) you get excited over bad weather 
12) you have a skywarn sticker on your back window 
13) you keep track of solar cycles on a calendar 
14) you go to a tailgate and there isn't a football fan in sight 
15) free fleas are a good thing 
16) talking about a radiating element makes your buddies giggle 
17) you got upset when the guy in "frequency" transmitted via his receiver.


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## Diru

HEY CHAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CQ BRAKE and stuff


Like I am working on a Comet antenna[the big omni]

GP-9 (with SO-239 Conn) 
DualBand 146/446MHz
Gain & Wave: 
146MHz 8.5dBi 
5⁄8 wave x 3
446MHz 11.9dBi 
5⁄8 wave x 8
VSWR: 1.5:1 or less
Max Power: 200 watts
Length: 16' 9"
Weight: 5 lbs. 11 oz.
Mounting to Mast Size: 
11⁄4-21⁄2"
Connector: 
SO-239 or Female N-type
Construction: 
Heavy-duty fiberglass, 3 sections

http://www.cometantenna.com/products.php?CatID=1&famID=5&childID=4


and on 2 the match is ph'ed [had 200 to 300 watts FM pumped into it] and on 440 its perfect.


So apart it comes to find there is some ceramic disc caps in there

2 - 3pf / 500v in serise = 1.5pf / 1000v
1 - 11pf / 500v

Tapped on the mickyfrickin load coil <of all things> 

Now here comes my idea, so get out the fire extinguisher!!!!!

Going to replace them with silver mica caps like in this manor

3 - 5pf / 500v in serise = 1.66^pf / 1500v
2 - 22pf / 500v in serise = 11 pf / 1000v


Now the diff between the 1.5 and 1.6 pico`s is within 20% as with most ceramic discies yes?

So am I nutz<don't answer that> or this ought to work just fine if not a little better. Including in the power handling department, not like I'm looking for a gallon, but more like full 250 to 300watts.

Oh yeah there is nothing wrong mechanically as far as the rest of the antenna is concerned.


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## chad

Should work fine but the odd thing is that my 2 always matches but 440 gets jacked with by the 10/11M, I can watch the wind swing it (the Imax) on the SWR meter(of the UHF/VHF)!

8-9dB of gain (f it is) with 200W at the feedpoint is going to give you a HUGE ERP! Repeaters cannot even run that legally  Have you checked the amp for harmonics? What amp you running? lke 9dB gives you 1600W ERP, you are gonna cook your boyz!

I love that pic! I missed it earlier. I actually do belong to a club :blush: VCARA

Chad


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## Diru

chad said:


> Should work fine but the odd thing is that my 2 always matches but 440 gets jacked with by the 10/11M, I can watch the wind swing it (the Imax) on the SWR meter(of the UHF/VHF)!
> 
> 8-9dB of gain (f it is) with 200W at the feedpoint is going to give you a HUGE ERP! Repeaters cannot even run that legally  Have you checked the amp for harmonics? What amp you running? lke 9dB gives you 1600W ERP, you are gonna cook your boyz!
> 
> I love that pic! I missed it earlier. I actually do belong to a club :blush: VCARA
> 
> Chad


Had one of these on it,,

http://www.mirageamp.com/products.php?prodid=B-5030-G

Wait now, you saying you got a dual band and the movement of the 10/11 in the breeze makes that dual band have swr issues on 440 when the wind blows?

Is it a comet dual? 

You could have a cap proplem to, maybe, maybe not.

How close are the antennas to each other? 

Hows the feed line?

Is the swr meter in fine working order? [my sx400 had a bad connection on one the S0-239 on the pickup board,fried my 3016(2 meter amp) when that happened,was working uhf at the time]

I'm sure you thought this **** out but it never hurts.

By the way, if you look at that picture closely. Your name is on the tag


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## chad

Diru said:


> Had one of these on it,,
> 
> http://www.mirageamp.com/products.php?prodid=B-5030-G


Wow, I had a little Mirage 50watter for a while, it did very well! What the hell are you trying to hit with that much power? Are you that far out in the sticks? This almost warrants an induction to the Hillbilly Mafia! I'd check for harmonics. Those are known to have a weird current pull when running hard, if the voltage drops you may be stressing it and causing it to scatter. Does the antenna match with the 50W coming out of the radio but not with the amp?



Diru said:


> Wait now, you saying you got a dual band and the movement of the 10/11 in the breeze makes that dual band have swr issues on 440 when the wind blows?


Yep, and I could see it in tree branch movement too when it was lower



Diru said:


> Is it a comet dual?


No, Jetstream JTB-2, a Diamond copy



Diru said:


> You could have a cap proplem to, maybe, maybe not.


No matching network, shield to groundplane, internal wire to center, stupid simple design 



Diru said:


> How close are the antennas to each other?


About 3-4 Feet



Diru said:


> Hows the feed line?


New RG213 on HF and new Davis RF Buryflex on the UHF/VHF (similar properties to LMR400)



Diru said:


> Is the swr meter in fine working order? [my sx400 had a bad connection on one the S0-239 on the pickup board,fried my 3016(2 meter amp) when that happened,was working uhf at the time]


SWR meter is the one inthe radio (FT-857D) using an external LDG movement (analog) Shows the same thing on my diamond meter, and even on a friends MFJ anaylizer. It's not bad, I can live with it, it never gets dangerous.



Diru said:


> I'm sure you thought this **** out but it never hurts.


Oh, yeah, it drove me nuts for a while, it did it even worse with the J-Pole up there! Now I just ignore it, if it ain't broke.......



Diru said:


> By the way, if you look at that picture closely. Your name is on the tag



YEah I saw that, I saw No Club and thought I'd admit guilt :blush:


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## Diru

chad said:


> Wow, I had a little Mirage 50watter for a while, it did very well! What the hell are you trying to hit with that much power? Are you that far out in the sticks? This almost warrants an induction to the Hillbilly Mafia! I'd check for harmonics. Those are known to have a weird current pull when running hard, if the voltage drops you may be stressing it and causing it to scatter. Does the antenna match with the 50W coming out of the radio but not with the amp?


Thats the thing , that amp [5030] worked mint. The SWR was good from 5 to 300 watts. Then one day 2 meters went to ****, thinking might have fried them there ceramic caps. This station was/is 40 miles away, behind a hill, in a groove of trees.lol. So the antenna was put up in a pine tree some 60ft to the feed point. so yeah , it was like if there wasn't any condition we could make are own.


> No, Jetstream JTB-2, a Diamond copy


Nice, that is the brand that went up in the tree there also. Phicken thing is like 22 ft long, made of heavier parts. This will take the juice.


> About 3-4 Feet


     
You might have to move them apart even more then that. Being you got the 10/11 you might want to seperate them out to 1/4~ of 11meters, or at least 8 feet. I have seen coupling happen between antennas that were to close before.


> New RG213 on HF and new Davis RF Buryflex on the UHF/VHF (similar properties to LMR400)


nothing wrong with that


> SWR meter is the one inthe radio (FT-857D) using an external LDG movement (analog) Shows the same thing on my diamond meter, and even on a friends MFJ anaylizer. It's not bad, I can live with it, it never gets dangerous.


Awwww man, here I was thinking you had troubles  



Oh yeah, the other thing to about antennas coupling from being to close. You can/will/should loose radiating performence of the effected band.

Some times you can raise say the 2/440 antenna feed above the low band antenna, but then you might have trouble with coupling on the low band[10/11][the mast its self].

Awww, just move them apart more. JUST DO IT>>>>


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## chad

I may raise the 10/11M and see what happens with another section, Dunno if it's the antenna or sheer proximity to something else, I tend to believe proximity as trees jack with it too.

We put Repeater antenna's on the side of broadcast towers all the time with a stand off, I have reason to believe it's a wave component of 70CM rather than a component od 10/11M..... it's not like the jetstream knows the antenna wiggling next to it is 10/11M  But like I said, it never ever goes above 2:1 and usually goes from like 1:1 to 1.5-1.7:1, it's just a good indication of how windy it is, if it's really moving I find it intriuging to go watch the Imax dance in the wind, I can't believe it takes what it does!










Big zoom in:










My kid made that stand-off after he just turned 6, he marked it all out, figured out the parts list, used a punch to mark the holes and pulled the lever on the drill press 

Chad


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## Diru

chad said:


> I may raise the 10/11M and see what happens with another section, Dunno if it's the antenna or sheer proximity to something else, I tend to believe proximity as trees jack with it too.
> 
> We put Repeater antenna's on the side of broadcast towers all the time with a stand off, I have reason to believe it's a wave component of 70CM rather than a component od 10/11M..... it's not like the jetstream knows the antenna wiggling next to it is 10/11M  But like I said, it never ever goes above 2:1 and usually goes from like 1:1 to 1.5-1.7:1, it's just a good indication of how windy it is, if it's really moving I find it intriuging to go watch the Imax dance in the wind, I can't believe it takes what it does!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Big zoom in:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> My kid made that stand-off after he just turned 6, he marked it all out, figured out the parts list, used a punch to mark the holes and pulled the lever on the drill press
> 
> Chad




Hummmm. Move the 10/11 out on the arm. Put the 2/440 on the tower above the 10/11. Height is might.

Up to 1.5-1.7, thats nothing and not to bad.


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## chad

Diru said:


> Hummmm. Move the 10/11 out on the arm. Put the 2/440 on the tower above the 10/11. Height is might.
> 
> Up to 1.5-1.7, thats nothing and not to bad.


That was another thought because the wavelengths of the 10/11M are long enough that it just won't care, till it starts smacking into the side of the tower  It ain't no A99, it's like a 22.5' wet noodle up there, I've seen the wind lay the top section flat over!

Yeah I'm happy with the reflected power, the J-Pole was more sensitive to it and wold get spooky because I fill in as the Newsline broadcast feed for a local UHF repeater (25 miles away) Whereas the VHF repeater I do Rain Report weekly is about 7 miles away and hit it with 5W with no issues. Running a high-ish reflected power for 20-30 min solid on FM can get the radio a bit warm 

Chad


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## chad

I has a NMO mount now in my fat paws, a new antenna on the way, the Comet SSB-2NMO. Now I gotta drill thru 1/8" Stainless to affix the mount, I may be less digit come Monday  (if the antenna gets here)

I get to replace the rigged up one! Dunno why though, it actually werks  and I don't know why


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## Diru

Huh? stainless? hole? 

Ok what is it your drilling.

Is that the 2 meter?


ahhhh dual bander, I like they call it a SSB antenna, you would very a much better chance mobile on 2 with a halo fro SSB.


Oh yeah got my hitch and 6 feet of pipe weld on it , schwing


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## chad

Diru said:


> Huh? stainless? hole?
> 
> Ok what is it your drilling.
> 
> Is that the 2 meter?
> 
> 
> ahhhh dual bander, I like they call it a SSB antenna, you would very a much better chance mobile on 2 with a halo fro SSB.
> 
> 
> Oh yeah got my hitch and 6 feet of pipe weld on it , schwing


Drilling a Firestik HF mount...read: CB, I love it for a hatch mount! Bulletproof and very adjustable. My current dual bander actually is a HF mount. But I go into the bottom of the mount with a PL259 with a reducer to further reduce it via heatshrink to RG174 because nothing else will fit thru the window/body clearance, that makes it into the sill where it goes to buryflex. It don't look the greatest and I'd like to have more antenna options for road-trippin (I have a VERY low clearance at work to my garage)

Confused? Here:





























I meant to ask my buddy Dave about his hitch mount, it's a stationary thing for his RV, we used it for field day and it worked well But I'm sure that if it was not as tall as it was it would be fine for travel. how are you reinforcing the weld point?


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## Diru

Hummm ok , why don't you drill a hole in the body? 


There isn't going to be any support for the 6 foot pipe. Hell this stuff is a inch ID. I don't think I'll even have anything bigger then a 10/11 meter ham stick on there.

Cool thing though, for contest, I did leave the threads on the top of the pipe so I can add more pipe for height,.


I need to find my digi camera


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## chad

Diru said:


> Hummm ok , why don't you drill a hole in the body?


1. I'm a *****
2. I don't want a hole up there
3. After I talked myself into going into the roof I found it to be VERY flimsy and even on that low car it will still hit in the parking garage 

This mount is MUCH more solid than going into the roof.

Field day in a big ass motor home was a BLAST, especially considering the weather we had. This year I think I may tent it. I have a big ass tent with cable pass-thru's 

Chad


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## Diru

chad said:


> 1. I'm a *****
> 2. I don't want a hole up there
> 3. After I talked myself into going into the roof I found it to be VERY flimsy and even on that low car it will still hit in the parking garage
> 
> This mount is MUCH more solid than going into the roof.
> 
> Field day in a big ass motor home was a BLAST, especially considering the weather we had. This year I think I may tent it. I have a big ass tent with cable pass-thru's
> 
> Chad


you know if you with simple 1/4 waves on the roof you should clear most anything.
besides more better gooder


----------



## chad

Diru said:


> you know if you with simple 1/4 waves on the roof you should clear most anything.
> besides more better gooder


Yeah, it can always happen later but the issue is if I put a biggun on there and jack up the tinfoil they call a roof. I want a biggun also to pop on there for simplex stuff


----------



## Diru

chad said:


> Yeah, it can always happen later but the issue is if I put a biggun on there and jack up the tinfoil they call a roof. I want a biggun also to pop on there for simplex stuff



1/4er's rule, unless your doing SSB then a halo is your friend.

wtf is a big gun


----------



## chad

Sorry Forgot you were that far up north..... Big One 

I'm thinking one of the 38" common 2M antannas/dual band will have too much of a wind load on the roof metal, I'd washer it with up to a circular saw blade but it's a mad compound curve.

the hole can always happen later if I decide, it'd be a ***** to repair if I **** it up at 80MPH into a headwind with a big antenna on it. I can damn near pull the car with the current mount so I'll rock it first to see how it does.

I'm fixing to drill on the truck pretty soon though 

Chad


----------



## Diru

uggghhhhhh on the dual bander

http://www.radialllarsen.com/

mono band for every band, if you got to go 5/8waves then thats the way ahh huh ahh huh I like it ahh huh 

I have little ohhh faith in dual band or mutil any band unless trapped di pole.

I wouldn't think you would fly two kites. would you?


http://www.larsen-antennas.com/docfiles/ASB8/SalesSheets/Amateur.pdf


----------



## chad

No fuggin way I'm running two, 2/70 is not a bad dual band thing, they do well in my studies. Anything over 2M though, tapped dipole or seperate. or a damn long wire


----------



## chad

Past 2 nights 10M has been hammering reliably and I'm burn out and don't feel like being in the shop. W-T-F.....


----------



## Diru

chad said:


> No fuggin way I'm running two, 2/70 is not a bad dual band thing, they do well in my studies. Anything over 2M though, tapped dipole or seperate. or a damn long wire


Whaaaaaaa 

More better goodest[mobile], I got 2m and 70cm up there now. I want 6m. I got the mount for 10/11m. got to make halos for 6m and 2m.



chad said:


> Past 2 nights 10M has been hammering reliably and I'm burn out and don't feel like being in the shop. W-T-F.....


All I have been running is 2m and 70cm mobile for the time being. If I'd get off my duf and drill a micky fricken hole I could have 10/11m done. I miss the fun around 27mhz


----------



## chad

Not much 2m SSB around here, we have a nightly 2M AM "boat-anchor net" the mobile is mostly for commute chat, when I'm running SSB, HF, anything but local chit chat I just prefer to be seated and able to pay attention to the other operator.


----------



## Diru

chad said:


> Not much 2m SSB around here, we have a nightly 2M AM "boat-anchor net" the mobile is mostly for commute chat, when I'm running SSB, HF, anything but local chit chat I just prefer to be seated and able to pay attention to the other operator.


AM 2m schweet, people looking in this thread are going whats happening at 2:00AM?

Well if I get the chit set up the way I want in the mobile ill have all mode on 10 11 6 and 2 unless i find a rig for 70cm but unlikely


----------



## chad

Diru said:


> AM 2m schweet, people looking in this thread are going whats happening at 2:00AM?
> 
> Well if I get the chit set up the way I want in the mobile ill have all mode on 10 11 6 and 2 unless i find a rig for 70cm but unlikely


Buy a ****ing 857D and call it a day  I LOVE mine.

I'm one of the few running a rice burner on 2M AM Most of the rest are running tube type. I kinda got my eye on a Klegg 22'er and amp  just restored


----------



## Diru

chad said:


> Buy a ****ing 857D and call it a day  I LOVE mine.
> 
> I'm one of the few running a rice burner on 2M AM Most of the rest are running tube type. I kinda got my eye on a Klegg 22'er and amp  just restored


No Fricking way 857D, kids toy . I want a BIG RACK, shhhh don't tell anyone what the code means 

I wouldn't mind one though , is a nice rig, whats the next one up, 0TDD has one of those. tempting


----------



## chad

897? Same board but larger case and knobs with a couple different options. TCXO stock, and battery docking.

It's (857) been a great little rig, no remourse at all, Controlls dem lin-years well too  although I have not tried, audio very nice, has DSP, makes it's advetised 100W with ease and never really gets warm.


----------



## Diru

chad said:


> 897? Same board but larger case and knobs with a couple different options. TCXO stock, and battery docking.
> 
> It's (857) been a great little rig, no remourse at all, Controlls dem lin-years well too  although I have not tried, audio very nice, has DSP, makes it's advetised 100W with ease and never really gets warm.



yeah 897, like the bigger things about it. The first time Matt talked on it I had to ***** , the audio sucked bad. So I gave him a ratshack hiball mic and wired that fring up to it and the it was , ohhh so close to sounding not like a 897 lol, still needs a vocal processor on it, thinking of slapping a behringer uni t in line see what happens.

nappy time for this clown


----------



## chad

Diru said:


> yeah 897, like the bigger things about it. The first time Matt talked on it I had to ***** , the audio sucked bad. So I gave him a ratshack hiball mic and wired that fring up to it and the it was , ohhh so close to sounding not like a 897 lol, still needs a vocal processor on it, thinking of slapping a behringer uni t in line see what happens.
> 
> nappy time for this clown


It has a processor  use it  I DO plam to do a side address mic and a pre/eq/comp combo for grins, Behringer makes a baller unit that is not sold here 

The stock mic is HORRIBLE! I use the MH59 remote mic with the aperature opened up a bit. I ordered it with the rig and hooked the stockie up for all of 5 minutes..... It even sonds like ass on FM!

nitey nite, I'm down too

73 chad


----------



## chad

Got Gain?

http://www.kkn.net/dayton2006/K9LTN.pdf


----------



## Diru

chad said:


> Got Gain?
> 
> http://www.kkn.net/dayton2006/K9LTN.pdf



All for 20 meters, somebody is a little nutz and loaded with the money to play like that[fades away into amateur radio day dream]


----------



## chad

10M is open again and the KP index dont look too shabby it's not all over the place so maybe some long QSO's tonight?

Got the mount drilled out and the new antenna on, I was wrong on the model, it's a Comet SBB-2NMO, got SSB on the brain. Regardless it works well, it's stiff so it does not flutter int he fringe areas as bad.

Size comparison between NMO and HF style:










Assembly after drilling, which incidentally drilling was no fun!





































Tested, fits, wire it up!











Pics installed:





































Chad


----------



## Diru

Now that looks sexy, I don't think its too big to roof it. 

You sealed up the bottom of that NMO, of course you did.

lol 10s open, I stil have'nt mounted my 10/11. Have to see what tommorow bring.


----------



## chad

Well, I DID measure it on the roof and it will hit at work. It looked pretty damn cool up there, not a gaudy as I would have thought. So yeah, I DID try again... Just for you 

I sealed the **** out of the bottom of that mount, in fact removing it would probably destroy it.

10 was quiet last night, 2M was hopping though for some reason.

Chad


----------



## Diru

chad said:


> Well, I DID measure it on the roof and it will hit at work. It looked pretty damn cool up there, not a gaudy as I would have thought. So yeah, I DID try again... Just for you
> 
> I sealed the **** out of the bottom of that mount, in fact removing it would probably destroy it.
> 
> 10 was quiet last night, 2M was hopping though for some reason.
> 
> Chad



Awwww that gives me a warm spot that you cared about roof mounting.

Yeah 2 was kicking up around here during the invertion, lots a fog you know. 

You run simplex, if not you should. Find me on 147.570 FM

So where would I be finding you if I had to.


I see "Thenetrocker" sandbaggen


----------



## chad

Diru said:


> You run simplex, if not you should. Find me on 147.570 FM
> 
> So where would I be finding you if I had to.


I ritted that down. 

Local simplex here is 146.500, it's programmed so it's pretty much always monitored.


----------



## Diru

chad said:


> I ritted that down.
> 
> Local simplex here is 146.500, it's programmed so it's pretty much always monitored.



146.500??????? I wouldn't here the end of it from the old timers around here , that is the live ones.

Isn't 146.520 the nat simp, up here we run on the 30 khz step and 15 khz splinter. So you see my trouble with 146.500, are you chitting me?


----------



## chad

Diru said:


> 146.500??????? I wouldn't here the end of it from the old timers around here , that is the live ones.
> 
> Isn't 146.520 the nat simp, up here we run on the 30 khz step and 15 khz splinter. So you see my trouble with 146.500, are you chitting me?


Not Chitting you, that's where they roll here, OF's and all. I thought it was weird too but when in rome?


----------



## Diru

CQ CQ CQ 

 

Yeah I got nothing right now either


----------



## chad

Diru said:


> CQ CQ CQ
> 
> 
> 
> Yeah I got nothing right now either


Quiet here for a while, could kick up tomorrow I hear.

Helped get a new area repeater up and running this past weekend, still not happy with it's sound but it's going without glitches. May kick the deviation up a bit, it needs to be a bit thicker. It's an old motorola and may need new caps in the audio section too 

Chad


----------



## Diru

chad said:


> Quiet here for a while, could kick up tomorrow I hear.
> 
> Helped get a new area repeater up and running this past weekend, still not happy with it's sound but it's going without glitches. May kick the deviation up a bit, it needs to be a bit thicker. It's an old motorola and may need new caps in the audio section too
> 
> Chad



Oh yeah moto, I'll bet the audio is band passed in there. Yeppers on the changen the up the filters or ever thought of placeing a EQ in line and push it through the internal filter.

I did that with ratshack high ball mic and a DOD 15 band EQ into a Kenwood. 

Or are you saying the moto RX audio is thin as a potato chip and you got to go in




and who the hell is that in your avy??????????


----------



## chad

Diru said:


> Oh yeah moto, I'll bet the audio is band passed in there. Yeppers on the changen the up the filters or ever thought of placeing a EQ in line and push it through the internal filter.
> 
> I did that with ratshack high ball mic and a DOD 15 band EQ into a Kenwood.
> 
> Or are you saying the moto RX audio is thin as a potato chip and you got to go in
> 
> 
> 
> 
> and who the hell is that in your avy??????????


Sounds good coming in, and doesn't sound bad coming out, just not as full as I want it. It's more of a home rag-chew repeater as opposed to a drive time repeater. I could are less about voicing on a drive-time one, as long as it's loud as hell. The band pass is normally what I would use and I even checked that to make sure it was not modded (it's a Dayton Special) 

I'm wanting to use a Side address LF condenser mic and one of these:
http://www.behringer.com/VX2496/index.cfm?lang=eng
At home 

Chick in teh avy is one from a recent thread:
http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27725

Chad


----------



## Diru

chad said:


> Sounds good coming in, and doesn't sound bad coming out, just not as full as I want it. It's more of a home rag-chew repeater as opposed to a drive time repeater. I could are less about voicing on a drive-time one, as long as it's loud as hell. The band pass is normally what I would use and I even checked that to make sure it was not modded (it's a Dayton Special)
> 
> I'm wanting to use a Side address LF condenser mic and one of these:
> http://www.behringer.com/VX2496/index.cfm?lang=eng
> At home
> 
> Chick in teh avy is one from a recent thread:
> http://www.diymobileaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27725
> 
> Chad



That avy is scary.

That behringer works pretty good, got on haven't used it on the radio yet.

So you are still keeping me cornfused on the repeter thing, we talking about 3 things now 


Side note :we need bigger avys...........


----------



## Diru

WOW there goes the used 6 meter radio market on ebay , its gone mad.


----------



## chad

Diru said:


> WOW there goes the used 6 meter radio market on ebay , its gone mad.


I need to build a 6M loop


----------



## Diru

chad said:


> I need to build a 6M loop



might not be a bad idea, but I'm thinking a mobile loop. run the ft-726r


----------



## chad

SSTV FTMFW!

That's some cool chit! Instead of trying to explain something you go, "hang on, here comes a pic!" Just like the intrawebz!

Got my receive interface done last week and spent 3 hours Sunday Nite (off work yesterday) getting ripped with a couple other cats throwing pics back and forth, then it became a photochop volley 

Chad


----------



## Diru

chad said:


> SSTV FTMFW!
> 
> That's some cool chit! Instead of trying to explain something you go, "hang on, here comes a pic!" Just like the intrawebz!
> 
> Got my receive interface done last week and spent 3 hours Sunday Nite (off work yesterday) getting ripped with a couple other cats throwing pics back and forth, then it became a photochop volley
> 
> Chad


Cool,

Never did get into sstv or any of the atv modes. I take you were messing with your sstv on 10 then. And no I don't think I will put a sstv in the van.

Jim up here, headed up atv fast scan and built a repeter for it. The things got crappy because of the repeter consuel wanted more band space then they needed. 

So now Jim sits up on 1.2gig with his bud on fstv. lol, kind of creepy.


----------



## chad

2M local nets on SSTV 145.500 (Nat simplex freq now), I need to go get my general pretty bad eh?

it can be a blast, especially in a late nite alcohol fueled pic volley


----------



## Diru

chad said:


> 2M local nets on SSTV 145.500 (Nat simplex freq now), I need to go get my general pretty bad eh?
> 
> it can be a blast, especially in a late nite alcohol fueled pic volley



When the weiners fly its time to turn off the monitor.


145.500 is the new NAT?????????



144.00-144.05 EME (CW) 
144.05-144.10 General CW and weak signals 
144.10-144.20 EME and weak-signal SSB 
144.200 National calling frequency 
144.200-144.275 General SSB operation 
144.275-144.300 Propagation beacons 
144.30-144.50 New OSCAR subband 
144.50-144.60 Linear translator inputs 
144.60-144.90 FM repeater inputs 
144.90-145.10 Weak signal and FM simplex (145.01,03,05,07,09 are widely used for packet) 
145.10-145.20 Linear translator outputs 
145.20-145.50 FM repeater outputs 
145.50-145.80 Miscellaneous and experimental modes 
145.80-146.00 OSCAR subband 
146.01-146.37 Repeater inputs 
146.40-146.58 Simplex 
146.52 National Simplex Calling Frequency 
146.61-146.97 Repeater outputs 
147.00-147.39 Repeater outputs 
147.42-147.57 Simplex 
147.60-147.99 Repeater inputs


----------



## chad

Diru said:


> When the weiners fly its time to turn off the monitor.
> 
> 
> 145.500 is the new NAT?????????


No weiners with this bunch 

I did not save it because I was influenced but one guy sent me a beautiful pic of a blue heron he took locally, I have a heron family living behind the house and they are amazing birds!

145.500 for simplex SSTV
145.550 for RTTY/PSK/Yadda I believe


----------



## Diru

Oh yeah for the hell of it , i posted this some wheres else and its down at the moment. but looky looky

Am I nutz to think that this could work. Maybe , maybe not........besides I can't die before solar maximum


----------



## chad

Yeah I shot one back at cha 

Do you have a beam?

Did you get that omni going like you wanted?

and yeah.....



Diru said:


> 144.00-144.05 EME (CW)
> 144.05-144.10 General CW and weak signals
> 144.10-144.20 EME and weak-signal SSB
> 144.200 National calling frequency
> 144.200-144.275 General SSB operation
> 144.275-144.300 Propagation beacons
> 144.30-144.50 New OSCAR subband
> 144.50-144.60 Linear translator inputs
> 144.60-144.90 FM repeater inputs
> 144.90-145.10 Weak signal and FM simplex (145.01,03,05,07,09 are widely used for packet)
> 145.10-145.20 Linear translator outputs
> 145.20-145.50 FM repeater outputs
> 145.50-145.80 Miscellaneous and experimental modes
> 145.80-146.00 OSCAR subband
> 146.01-146.37 Repeater inputs
> 146.40-146.58 Simplex
> 146.52 National Simplex Calling Frequency
> 146.61-146.97 Repeater outputs
> 147.00-147.39 Repeater outputs
> 147.42-147.57 Simplex
> 147.60-147.99 Repeater inputs


----------



## Diru

chad said:


> Yeah I shot one back at cha
> 
> Do you have a beam?
> 
> Did you get that omni going like you wanted?
> 
> and yeah.....


Damn I.m dence , 145.500 not 146.500. DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!

FM? or USB?

shot what at my who haaaaa?

No on the omni, hell i get a new 17B2 it the phicken box


----------



## chad

FM, It's a tone so even at USB you would be hammering at 100% mod, That would test out the 'ol finals 

When I do it on HF I think a SB220 would be in order  Keep the radio loafing 

Did you notice the ad in the thread?


----------



## Diru

chad said:


> FM, It's a tone so even at USB you would be hammering at 100% mod, That would test out the 'ol finals
> 
> When I do it on HF I think a SB220 would be in order  Keep the radio loafing
> 
> Did you notice the ad in the thread?




Love the ring tones , I wonder what it sounds like


----------



## chad

Diru said:


> Love the ring tones , I wonder what it sounds like


Convoy


----------



## Diru

chad said:


> FM, It's a tone so even at USB you would be hammering at 100% mod, That would test out the 'ol finals
> 
> When I do it on HF I think a SB220 would be in order  Keep the radio loafing
> 
> Did you notice the ad in the thread?





Diru said:


> Love the ring tones , I wonder what it sounds like





chad said:


> Convoy




I think I feel insulted


----------



## chad

Diru said:


> I think I feel insulted


nah, when I posted that I was looking for this thing I have from Beavis and Butthead that I snagged and was dubbed "A clearcom conversation between FOH and Monitor World" which if you have never heard one... it's not exactly G rated. But damned if I can't find it!

I do however feel that I would just love to have an SB220, they are easy to mod up for the modern internal keyers, simple to work on, and you can still get parts. And DAMN is modern CLEAN power expensive, a bit proud of the product eh?


----------



## Diru

Get sprung, LM3886 $3.00 each new


----------



## chad

I swear I remember Fender using those in their amps... maybe it was Line6?

I damn near pulled the trigger on a switching power supply.... a big one.... But I pussied out. Stil got a 500 watter in mind, thay are only like 65 bucks. The one I posted here earlier went for like $165 and was 125 or 150 amp!


----------



## Diru

chad said:


> I swear I remember Fender using those in their amps... maybe it was Line6?
> 
> I damn near pulled the trigger on a switching power supply.... a big one.... But I pussied out. Stil got a 500 watter in mind, thay are only like 65 bucks. The one I posted here earlier went for like $165 and was 125 or 150 amp!


Yeah I seen that mofo, pretty sweet for a switcher. But I'm still old school, I like my iron and TO3's 

ohhh yeah 
its now 

60 @ 8 

120 @ 4 

475 @ 1

on 8 devices running Vcc Vee of 35

should be labled as

50 @ 8 

100 @ 4

200 @ 2

400 @ 1


----------



## chad

Diru said:


> Yeah I seen that mofo, pretty sweet for a switcher. But I'm still old school, I like my iron and TO3's
> 
> ohhh yeah
> its now
> 
> 60 @ 8
> 
> 120 @ 4
> 
> 475 @ 1
> 
> on 8 devices running Vcc Vee of 35
> 
> should be labled as
> 
> 50 @ 8
> 
> 100 @ 4
> 
> 200 @ 2
> 
> 400 @ 1


I'm slowly converting from iron due to expense, raw materials cost is driving the prices up and for between $1.50 and $2.00 per amp you can have a pretty nice switcher. I'm still linear in the shop but this may change things if I like it IF i buy it  I want it to power the car but I plan to try it with a lin-year and see how it does. You got me thinking about a big 2M amp  It takes a lot of iron and TO3's to power a good linear.

You know I had an epiphany on yer amp design. Why **** with a 2 or 1 channel amp? You like line arrays correct? and you know that a PROPER line array uses EQ shading and maybe some hints of delay here and there to steer and generate high frequuency focus correct? Soooo, why not articulate a home line array and use a device peer driver or group of drivers to power each element seperate and incorporate some bitching DSP?  

Chad


----------



## Diru

chad said:


> I'm slowly converting from iron due to expense, raw materials cost is driving the prices up and for between $1.50 and $2.00 per amp you can have a pretty nice switcher. I'm still linear in the shop but this may change things if I like it IF i buy it  I want it to power the car but I plan to try it with a lin-year and see how it does. You got me thinking about a big 2M amp  It takes a lot of iron and TO3's to power a good linear.


Yeah it does kind of suck on prices today, its not like going to the surplus store anymore and getting what you need for cheap.



chad said:


> You know I had an epiphany on yer amp design. Why **** with a 2 or 1 channel amp? You like line arrays correct? and you know that a PROPER line array uses EQ shading and maybe some hints of delay here and there to steer and generate high frequuency focus correct? Soooo, why not articulate a home line array and use a device peer driver or group of drivers to power each element seperate and incorporate some bitching DSP?
> 
> Chad


Now your talking total utter nonsense 


I was thinking of that crap already, but not DSPing so much. HUmmmm


----------



## chad

Diru said:


> Yeah it does kind of suck on prices today, its not like going to the surplus store anymore and getting what you need for cheap.


Surplus store! WTF is that? I thought surplus stores now only sold brand new camping gear and clothes for tree-huggers?


----------



## Diru

chad said:


> Surplus store! WTF is that? I thought surplus stores now only sold brand new camping gear and clothes for tree-huggers?




I thought that was a ARRL event


----------



## chad

Diru said:


> I thought that was a ARRL event


Nah, they sell orange vests, HT's, and memberships


----------



## Diru

chad said:


> Nah, they sell orange vests, HT's, and memberships



You should are trunk slammers around here, its sad. Would you like some popcorn and how about some nice sandels, WTF get out.

Or the tshirt. urrrghhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I MISS THE OLD DAYS HERE>>>>>>>>


----------



## chad




----------



## Diru

Any links to some diy halo's or loop's for 6 2 and 70


----------



## chad

Diru said:


> Any links to some diy halo's or loop's for 6 2 and 70


I got a page that has links to ****loads of antenna projects, but not on this machine 

Ordering big baller lightning suppression this week, check out the I.C.E stuff!

It's between that and PolyPhasor. Alpha Delta is out of the game as of now.


----------



## Diru

damnit I'm not going to pay M2 for those loops, Time to get out the analizer and make some. enough info out there to pull it off I think


----------



## MARS

mandatory reply message here to make sure I am not some sort of hacker or Lord only knows what... I am a ham and am wanting to get my mobile installation done but need some help. most of the problems for mobile audio and transceiving are the same except for excessive/obsessive attention to grounding to prevent ground loops which will of course, cause fold back.
the truck is a 2005 Ford Excursion Diesel with the usual twin batteries under the hood. I am wanting to route power back along the right side frame rail using monster cable PROBABLY to the terminals of the right side battery.
But Isolator to balance draw? is there a real need to do the big 3? 
and much more in a later message.
73
chas k5dam


----------



## chad

Bump till I get back from lunch


----------



## chad

So, you currently have a diesel with dual startign batteries, are you asking about running ANOTHER battery in the rear or just using the two present ones. Honestly I think the present ones will do fine. As for wiring, don't overlook welding cable and welding lugs. It's tough stuff and cheap. in the past I HAVE had OK luck using a cap with a SSB rig but with the 500 watter it's gonna have to be one damn big cap and with a dual battery setup I doubt you would need it. The cap worked with a wussy power supply. I'd try to keep the amp as close to the antenna as possible to prevent gobs of RF radiation from messing with the vehicles computer controlled "appliances" Things can get ugly quick in modern vehicles and you certainly have to power to scare up the gremlins  Lots of braid and rings from body to frame to whatever, that seems to help. 

Is the diesel motorcraft fuel pump as noisy as the gas one? Have you heard of issues, I know the Ford gas fuel pumps will tear up your receive on HF....


----------



## Diru

Be mindful the some car audio amps are little dirty transmitters in the HF bands.

The opposite holds true also. 

That is if you have both things going on.

And, yeah what Chad said.

Years ago a unnamed call used to play with a 10 meter mobile driving a Texas star 667V, drive up along side people and key down. It would shut most ECUs off until he let go of the mic. Good fun.


----------



## MARS

I think that I am now finally able to post messages and threads.
I wrote the following with the intention of creating a new thread but pish!
so much for that idea. Then I posted this about 1400 CDT today...
pish! anyway, I think that this answers a lot of yall's questions
thanks
chas



2005 Ford Diesel Excursion - two batteries under the hood
with nothing done, system is quietest mobile host I have every heard.

Pulling power for HF radio/amp, etc to right rear of truck
using monster cable intertwined with snap around toroids from right side battery terminals

Use yellow top AGM third battery being fed with the monster cables
use as a noise sink and a "capacitor" for the rig.

The "Milk Crate" holds a TS480HX, SGC500 amp and so on which feeds to a screwdriver antenna mounted off the receiver hitch. This rig will also serve as a base station Digital mode rig when attached to a TNC, a Tigertronics USB sound card and a PC. Thus, I want to be able to detach the "crate" and move it to the base QTH when not on the road or portable for field day or a MARS deployment.

Use one inch tinned copper braid to ground EVERYTHING to EVERYTHING.
Use copper sheet as necessary to shield and ground under the hood.

The AGM feeds the MilkCrate/rig thru a buss bar in dielectric resin or ? instead of Anderson Powerpoles as Welcome to KØBG's Web Site has stated this system is inherently noisy. All feed lines are fused out of the buss bar.

Everything gets toroids (initial purchase of 50) to prevent ground loops especially with increased RF from the amp.

set of lines will run from the rig crate to the driver position to feed the screwdriver control, the faceplate for the HF txcvr, the SGC amp bandswitch/bypass, the microphone/headset and a SWR/Wattmeter. And the attachment cables from the PC to the TNC and Sound Card in the crate.
All will require toroids, etc. and will be shielded/grounded with copper foil as a bundle.

Questions: 
where do I find a (two sided) buss bar? is such a thing available in the Mobile Audio world? I want to SCREW down the attaching points for the various power cables.
Connections for the monster cables for Quick Detach? To base station.
(There is something similar in the battery compartments of my Airstream TT but the cable size is smaller)
Do I need an isolator between the two batteries on the truck?
Do I need an isolator between the right battery and the AGM?
(I do NOT EVER want to pull down the front batteries or I will never get the truck started!!)
Do I need Monster Cable for the 25 to 30' run to the rear of the truck?

I am forgetting a lot of stuff but I have read your and others comments on the importance of the Alternator, increasing the sizes of the cables between the Alternator and the battery(s) and between the Alternator and the ground.
I have read a LOT of stuff including Don Johnson's several books on mobileering (he essentially invented the screwdriver antenna). They state that 90% of a good install is grounding and I assume it is somewhat true for the mobile audiophile also.

anyway, comments and suggestions and sources will be appreciated.
73
chas k5dam


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## PSYKO_Inc

Wow I can't believe I never saw this thread. Interesting stuff here, I need to get myself back into the hobby. I've been off the air for a couple months now, just not enough hours in the day...


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## chad

PSYKO_Inc said:


> Wow I can't believe I never saw this thread. Interesting stuff here, I need to get myself back into the hobby. I've been off the air for a couple months now, just not enough hours in the day...


HOLY **** MAN!

How have you been?


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## PSYKO_Inc

Not too bad, been pretty busy lately. Got deployed a couple times, and the wife and I just bought a house a couple months ago so I've been doing the home improvement thing. Came back to DIYMA a few weeks ago on a whim, and ended up buying new midbass speakers and a pair of the PG subs in the hot deals section :laugh:


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## chad

Basass! Congrats on the new home, that's always a "fun time."

I still owe you some beer for this NMO mount, which, incidentally is rocking! You saw the pics earlier right?


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## Diru

On that Ford you could just use a Ford starter solenoid to connect the AMG to the front batteries when the engine is running so you don't loose voltage to the diodes forward drop.

You could even rigg it so if you had to, you could energize that solenoid with the engine off. 

Fuse both ends on that cable to the rear battery.


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## MARS

chad said:


> So, you currently have a diesel with dual startign batteries, are you asking about running ANOTHER battery in the rear or just using the two present ones. Honestly I think the present ones will do fine. 1.As for wiring, don't overlook welding cable and welding lugs. It's tough stuff and cheap. in the past I HAVE had OK luck using a cap with a SSB rig but with the 500 watter it's gonna have to be one damn big cap and with a dual battery setup I doubt you would need it. The cap worked with a wussy power supply.
> 2. I'd try to keep the amp as close to the antenna as possible to prevent gobs of RF radiation from messing with the vehicles computer controlled "appliances" Things can get ugly quick in modern vehicles and you certainly have to power to scare up the gremlins  Lots of braid and rings from body to frame to whatever, that seems to help.
> 3.Is the diesel motorcraft fuel pump as noisy as the gas one? Have you heard of issues, I know the Ford gas fuel pumps will tear up your receive on HF....


Chad
thanks for your reply
1. I had considered stinger or other as it will easily carry 100a with little loss but it is so stiff when trying to thread it thru the fender well back into right rear corner that I just gave up on it. HOWEVER, the attachments for the power lead ends are something I had not considered. thank you
2. yes, that is why the "crate" will go next to the AGM with less than 2' of power leads and yes, all leads will be fused at both ends especially the monster cable. as stated, to reduce parasitics, I will twist the red and black power cables around each other as they are carried to the rear of the truck.
There will be no more than 3 feet of LMR 400 going from the amp to the antenna. everything gets toroids depending on the diameter of the cable/coax/wires. Grounding will be using the 1" tinned copper braid and copper sheeting (faraday caging<G>) at all points which are determined to be noise makers OR capable of developing ground loops. I WILL upgrade the ground wire from the batteries and the alternator under the hood. welding lead might be preferable for these upgrades unless there is another suggestion.
3. So far, with almost nothing done, I hear no RFI of any sort in this truck while tooling down the road at idle or 80mph. again, this is the "quietest" vehicle I have ever tried to install comm or audio into in my 65 yrs of life.

thanks again
chas


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## MARS

Diru said:


> On that Ford you could just use a Ford starter solenoid to connect the AMG to the front batteries when the engine is running so you don't loose voltage to the diodes forward drop.
> You could even rigg it so if you had to, you could energize that solenoid with the engine off.
> Fuse both ends on that cable to the rear battery.



DIRU
Your comments are quite intriguing... I had never considered the use of a solenoid to keep the AGM charging while not pulling juice from the batteries up front. This is why I have been considering an isolator for three batteries so that the alternator feeds all three but does not allow the AGM to draw down the starting batteries.
I would really like to learn more about this as it is obvious that a three battery isolator is going to be a considerable expense and if I could accomplish the same effect without it, I would be all ears.
I just don't quite understand how the solenoid would be hooked up 
would it go between the right battery posts and the monster cable? if so, how does that prevent draw down? only way I can see to do this is to hook the monster cable directly to the alternator. 
There is still another problem... two batteries are wet cell while the 3d as an AGM has different charge rates... how do you regulate the charging for the third? damn, more questions the more you dig...
thanks
chas


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## MARS

chad said:


> nah,
> I do however feel that I would just love to have an SB220, they are easy to mod up for the modern internal keyers, simple to work on, and you can still get parts. And DAMN is modern CLEAN power expensive, a bit proud of the product eh?



I use one of these every day... fully modded with a Peter Dahl power supply.
trouble is, the previous owner hooked up the power leads wrong or, the iron is over sized... any way, I can only use the weaker side or CW/TUNE... that gets me about 1200 out at 75 meters. the hi power side of the switch gets me buzzing and pegged meters. I have considered changing out the 8 pack of caps with a 10 pack but then I have to recalibrate, divide everything in half, yada.

any questions on the HK SB-220, let me know. I love it but it just won't go where the tanks are not set... ie, our many 60m frequencies as just one example. but for 20/40/80-90m it works great. my antenna is a 50' high Cobra Sr. and it will tune anywhere my 480hx wants to go.
I use a IC736 by preference... love it. bought the 480 to go and to do digital with. 
73
chas


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## PSYKO_Inc

chad said:


> Basass! Congrats on the new home, that's always a "fun time."
> 
> I still owe you some beer for this NMO mount, which, incidentally is rocking! You saw the pics earlier right?


Thanks man, it's definitely an adventure. Learned a few important lessons, like "did this guy even own a tape measure?", and "if the HVAC system was made in 1976, it'll probably break soon" lol. Glad that NMO mount worked out for you, the install looks good. I really need to get around to putting a mobile rig in my S10. I've been planning on it for quite some time, just never enough time, money, and enthusiasm all at the same time :laugh:. If I ever end up around your neck of the woods, we'll definitely need to have a couple cold ones and shoot the **** for a while.


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## Diru

For the Ford guy. A little inspiration..

Not sure the current capacity of the Ford relay, but I have seen these things being used on plow hydraulic motor systems.


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## PSYKO_Inc

Stinger makes a 200A relay that's rated for continuous duty, which would be perfect for this application. They usually go for about $80 or so. The problem with a starter solenoid is that it's only designed to be used for seconds at a time. Once you start leaving it energized for potentially hours at a time it might not hold up too well.


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## MARS

thanks for the diagram DIRU but can we make Ford happy by running the AGM negative back to one of the starting batteries' Neg terminals?
They are most insistent upon NOT grounding to the chassis. so is K0BG and so far, not doing so is causing my 480HX to shut down at 105W. It just will not put out 200W... it is ground looping apparently.
73

chas


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## Diru

PSYKO_Inc said:


> Stinger makes a 200A relay that's rated for continuous duty, which would be perfect for this application. They usually go for about $80 or so. The problem with a starter solenoid is that it's only designed to be used for seconds at a time. Once you start leaving it energized for potentially hours at a time it might not hold up too well.


Good call on the Ford relay. I wasn't sure of its long use either.

What you suggest is most likely the better choice.


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## Diru

MARS said:


> thanks for the diagram DIRU but can we make Ford happy by running the AGM negative back to one of the starting batteries' Neg terminals?
> They are most insistent upon NOT grounding to the chassis. so is K0BG and so far, not doing so is causing my 480HX to shut down at 105W. It just will not put out 200W... it is ground looping apparently.
> 73
> 
> chas




Are you measuring the voltages at the back of the radio / amp to see if there is a big voltage drop.

Sure, tie the AMG Batt neg to the main Batts neg.

You could be getting RF coming back into radio from just about anything connected to it. DC power wire , mic cord , ext speaker , CW key , any audio patch to any other device to decode PSK or RTTY. RF getting into anything can make stuff act crazy, ie shutting down or off.


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## MARS

Diru said:


> Are you measuring the voltages at the back of the radio / amp to see if there is a big voltage drop.
> 
> Sure, tie the AMG Batt neg to the main Batts neg.
> 
> You could be getting RF coming back into radio from just about anything connected to it. DC power wire , mic cord , ext speaker , CW key , any audio patch to any other device to decode PSK or RTTY. RF getting into anything can make stuff act crazy, ie shutting down or off.



yeah, that is why I bought so many toroids and I figure that 50 is still not going to be enough. but before I start with that, I want to get the junction boxes or buss bars on hand so that I can get all the power leads in place.
I think that 100A is going to be enough, the radio will want about 15A to drive the SGC500 and IT will want about 75A but since I will be running SSB almost entirely with the amp. that would be quite intermittent. iow, I tune with about 100W out at max which is only about 40A for both radio and amp using FM. Digital will be about 100W out to a max of 150W so the PC plus the txcvr will be about 50A max. Just cannot imagine needing more than 100A. so, I need to look up the dimension of the monster cable - will I need 2AWG or will 4AWG be sufficient... I might need !/0 but I don't see that.
My one inch tinned copper braided will handle 100A so that will be quite enough for grounding components of the vehicle to each other and the antenna to the chassis, etc.

If my guessing is wrong, please straighten me out ... I am still readiing and looking stuff up. I really do appreciate the Stinger 200A relay. That makes more sense than the solenoid. I want to get this nitpicked and everything bought before I put the truck on a lift and start installing cable supports, etc.
Also, locating the distro blocks is pretty much straight up but I need to know what AWG i need for 100A power over a 25' length.

thanks again, you all are really being a big help here.
Glad I found this thread on this board.
73
chas k5dam


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## PSYKO_Inc

For 100A, 4 gauge should be fine. You might even be okay with a Stinger 80A relay, which is quite a bit cheaper, since the battery will most likely never see that much current from the alternator.


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## Diru

Give these a click, copper is getting spendy these days. Like Chadels said welding cables, can be cheaper and better.

The disto and fuse disto 4 ga input side I have heard will take 2 ga wire, if not one sure could take out the set screw and drill it up a size.

You can find a ANL fuse in there some wheres.

As far as 100 amps of draw on a 100 amp ANL type fuse you should be able to the full 100 all day long. I'm not sure on this part but if the rating system for ANL and AGC fast blow are the same then a 100 amp ANL will pass 200 amps for a second. Hell I might be thinking slo-blow fuses.


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