towpro
Compass PA
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Joined: 02/08/2011
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Removed, kohldad covered what I was going to say.
2022 Ford F150
Sold: 2016 Arctic Fox 990, 2018 Ram 3500, 2011 Open Range
Sold Forest River Forester 2401R Mercedes Benz. when campsites went from $90 to $190 per night.
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jimh406
Western MT
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Joined: 06/11/2006
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Thanks, that’s helpful information for someone like myself who would dabble in my vehicle. A guy who worked for me said I had an ideal place to put a very long loop antenna on my ranch, so who knows ...
'10 Ford F-450, 6.4, 4.30, 4x4, 14,500 GVWR, '06 Host Rainer 950 DS, Torklift Talon tiedowns, Glow Steps, and Fastguns. Bilstein 4600s, Firestone Bags, Toyo M655 Gs, Curt front hitch, Energy Suspension bump stops.
NRA Life Member, CCA Life Member
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Cannon George
Ojai, CA
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Joined: 07/28/2004
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Thanks for all the replies! The local group set up a temporary portable repeater (2M) earlier this week, and early today we put it to good use providing communications in support of a large Autism 5K/10K fun run event. I deployed with the TC and brought along two new young hams and let them work the radios for me. The 4:00 wake-up call meant the TC also became the breakfast wagon once we were on station. The TC also provides a reliable (and solar backed) source of 12VDC power for operating higher power (50W) mobile radios in situations where handhelds (5W) won't work.
Acampingwewillgo, Jimh425, etc. Gordon West is still around and busy as ever, full of energy, I ran into him at the ARRL HamFest in Quartzite earlier this year.
I have found memories of Heathkit (as well as mags Popular Electronics, Electronics Illustrated, etching my own PC boards and lots of solder burns but the truth is nowadays not many kids have even seen a soldering iron. Times are a changing....
For those of you interested in taking the FCC exam it really is pretty easy, a site like "Hamstudy.org" to build custom practice tests around what you don't know. Gordon West and ARRL offer excellent study materials.
Morse Code (CW) is no longer required for your license but many, many people still use (and are learning) it. Ham Radio has exploded in the past decade into several different directions - I like using APRS (Automatic Position Reporting Systems) to transmit coordinates and short messages to other cell phones despite me being out of cell phone range. I'm also learning how to use FLDIGI to transmit digital files. Other people swear by using DMR (Digital Mobile Radio) modes of transmission which may also include bridges to Dstar and Fusion systems. Finally, a number of cross-internet platforms out there where you can use computer or even cell phone to access a powerful radio station somewhere else in the world and re-broadcast your voice through a simple headset connection!
Lots to learn, and learning keeps me young!
The two young (age 12) kids that helped me this morning want to build something out of Arduino and Raspberry Pis cobbled together, can't wait to see what it is!
'73,
KC6LPE
Cannon George
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Geewizard
WA
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Joined: 08/25/2004
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* This post was
edited 05/01/19 07:21am by Geewizard *
2021 Winnebago Micro Minnie 1708FB
2014 Toyota Tundra Double Cab
300W solar, MPPT controller, LED lights
Xantrex Freedom X Inverter 3000W
2 Fullriver 105AH AGM batteries
Air Lift WirelessAIR and air bags
Hankook Dynapro ATM 10-ply tires
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mountainkowboy
Socal/NE Oregon
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Joined: 09/20/2004
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Geewizard wrote:I'm in the process of setting up a portable amateur radio satellite system for my TC.
W7OTJ
Nice!
Our rig has a Yeasu FTM-350 and we can broadcast with or without the TC, from the cab or the camper as long as the TC is on the truck. I built a mount that attaches to the front bed rail that uses the same antenna mount that's on the ladder of the TC, and just disconnect the TC's cable from the truck and move the antenna. It works surprisingly well and have use it all over the PNW in our travels.
Chuck & Ruth with 4-legged Molly
2007 Tiffin Allegro 30DA
2011 Ford Ranger
1987 HD FLHTP
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Cannon George
Ojai, CA
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Joined: 07/28/2004
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I just finished supporting the Bishop 100K Ultra event; in addition to HTs (which worked fine) I also used an FTM-400 for coms.
Unlike most years, we had snow/sleet/rain and I had a warm space to crawl into to upload data.
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towpro
Compass PA
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Joined: 02/08/2011
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sljohnson1938 wrote:WHAT -no morse code for a license????
gee wiz - what is next?
Chinese walkie talkies on Amazon for UHF/VHF starting at around $30 bucks? (and they work well)
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d3500ram
Colorado
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Joined: 07/31/2006
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Would have loved to have set up a portable station when I had my TC.
Sold the camper due to the fixer-upper house needing weekend attention...
...maybe when it is in a further state of repair I can get the home shack up and running more.
73s,
W2OKJ
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