CQ... is there anybody out there...?

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almac
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CQ... is there anybody out there...?

Post by almac »

i guess i've been away from the Ham game way too long...
i found this on a local kelowna website.
apparently there's a ham radio setup at our museum.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9rwV-3E ... r_embedded

special thanks to tardisdeli Jay and Christine for helping me get my rig "outta da box" and back into service. :-D
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146.620 is where you can find me in kelowna. 8-)
i still need to put on a few finishing touches, like painting the bracket, and replacing the dome light.

my AUX fuse block; Princess Auto special.
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please excuse the black wire running to power...
guess i need to label some wires, before i forget what they are! :?

peace all.
al

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Roads!? Who the hell needs roads!?,
al
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FalcoColumbarius
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Re: CQ... is there anybody out there...?

Post by FalcoColumbarius »

Nice set-up, Almac. I am thinking of doing something similar with the faceplate. Where will you hang your mike from?

73
Falco.
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almac
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Re: CQ... is there anybody out there...?

Post by almac »

FalcoColumbarius wrote:Nice set-up, Almac. I am thinking of doing something similar with the faceplate. Where will you hang your mike from?

73
Falco.
my mike cord is kinda short, but i managed to hang it here for now:
Image

sometimes i think the cord is a pain. i HATE hanging wires. this is why i added the AUX fuse block.
i have an idea for a mike "outlet". still working on where to place it. :?
Roads!? Who the hell needs roads!?,
al
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Re: CQ... is there anybody out there...?

Post by Green1 »

I've certainly considered a mounting above the rear view mirror... for now my radios are down low.
VHF and dual band mobiles in the centre console, with CB mounted on the side, APRS hidden behind the dash.


73 de VE6RAH
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Ursula
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Re: CQ... is there anybody out there...?

Post by Ursula »

You know, after years of hitchhiking, i found that truckers just don't use radios anymore... it's all cell phone and satelite...
but i keep seeing cb's in thrift shops, and i'm so tempted. something about using roger charley over, and 10-4 good buddy.
so people still use these things... and is new beter than used?
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Re: CQ... is there anybody out there...?

Post by Green1 »

Ursula wrote:You know, after years of hitchhiking, i found that truckers just don't use radios anymore... it's all cell phone and satelite...
but i keep seeing cb's in thrift shops, and i'm so tempted. something about using roger charley over, and 10-4 good buddy.
so people still use these things... and is new beter than used?
Truckers use radio all the time... they just don't use CB much anymore. Truckers use VHF commercial, I listen to them on my VHF amateur radio all the time.
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Re: CQ... is there anybody out there...?

Post by Vicbowling »

Green1 wrote:I've certainly considered a mounting above the rear view mirror... for now my radios are down low.
VHF and dual band mobiles in the centre console, with CB mounted on the side, APRS hidden behind the dash.
73 de VE6RAH
Yeah if you mount above the mirror no prob. I tried mounting to the back of the mirror and found myself adjusting the mirror everytime.. ;P

I like the ceiling mount you did, that's pretty cool and easy to read! My CB is sitting in a box collecting dust. Would be nice to see it useful again but I also wondered who uses them.

We're doing a trip out your way with a package from kelowna vacation rentals next month and if I have the time I'll wire up the CB and see who's chatty? ;)

PS: At least you have a fuse block.. My last truck was wired by a suicidal idiot and everything was running off the cig-lighter in a mess of un-fused wires.. :p
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Re: CQ... is there anybody out there...?

Post by Artacoma »

Just wondering how the no handheld devices law deals with cbs and others with mikes
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Re: CQ... is there anybody out there...?

Post by Green1 »

In BC 2way radios are still legal.

However right now is the time for any ham in Alberta to write to their MLA! the proposed Bill 16 (Distracted Driving legislation) in Alberta bans 2way radios in vehicles for personal use! (businesses and emergency services are exempt, but not hams!)
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dfnder
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Re: CQ... is there anybody out there...?

Post by dfnder »

I liked how you mounted your radio. I was thinking of mounting something up there myself. Your power for the radio, was it stolen from the light fixture or did you run a separate wire down one of the front columns?

cheers
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almac
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Re: CQ... is there anybody out there...?

Post by almac »

dfnder wrote:I liked how you mounted your radio. I was thinking of mounting something up there myself. Your power for the radio, was it stolen from the light fixture or did you run a separate wire down one of the front columns?

cheers
TardisJay helped me out with that one. :-)
We used a 'fish tape' and ran a wire under the headliner and down one of the B pillars straight to the battery through my new switched fused block.
it really wasnt that hard of a job at all. the head unit has a fibre optic connetion cable to the main unit that supplies power and data. Jay had a bit of 'fun' hooking up the fuse block to a switch i had on my dash.
i think the hardest part was removing all the trim around the door, and fabbing the bracket.
the only downside was that i lost the cover for the dome light. :shock: but that is ok. i want to upgrade the dome light to the larger dome light from the rear of a bus anyways. 8-) guess i should get off my arse and source parts for that.
now the only issue i have with my radio is a longer cord for my mike, and a bit of rf noise over my rado when i transmit. :?
guess i should trim down my antenna cable(i have coiled up about an extra meter); hopefully that might get rid of the noise.
do you guys have any thoughts on noise filters/suppressors?
Roads!? Who the hell needs roads!?,
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Re: CQ... is there anybody out there...?

Post by Green1 »

almac wrote:a bit of rf noise over my rado when i transmit. :?
guess i should trim down my antenna cable(i have coiled up about an extra meter); hopefully that might get rid of the noise.
do you guys have any thoughts on noise filters/suppressors?
the length of the coax is unlikely to affect much, however it's quality and proximity to other radios/antennas will. kinks in the coax are bad and cause issues like this.
Unfortunately though, when you transmit, your radio is putting out 50w of power within a few feet of your stereo's antenna... it doesn't matter much what you do, keying the mike will likely affect your stereo to some degree. some things that help:
- don't use high power when you don't need to. This is the big one, most of the time you can get by just fine on 5 watts, and it won't be as likely to leek in to your stereo. (Legally you also are supposed to use the lowest required power...)
- keep the antennas as far apart as possible, I have 2 antennas on my roof, and the rear one doesn't affect my stereo as much as the front one.
- make sure it actually is RF noise, frequently it's actually noise through the power side instead, make sure everything is well grounded, and try to isolate the power from the stereo and power to the radio to make sure they aren't interfering. also make sure you used heavy enough wiring for the radio, I wouldn't go any smaller than about 12 gauge wire (I personally use 10), anything less will generate more noise.

You can get filters, but for commercial electronics, they generally don't do all that much because the units themselves aren't well enough shielded (you put the filter on the antenna wire, and then the RF just goes straight through the case anyway...) it's an unfortunate side effect of affordable electronics.
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Re: CQ... is there anybody out there...?

Post by Erebus »

I really like where you mounted the head unit, never thought of putting it there. I plan on a new radio, intended to put the head in front of the altimeter/inclinometer/thermometer pod. It should fit there without blocking the pod. Now I have to think.

As for CB, quite a few off-roaders still use them, generally on channel 4 (surprise!). Mine normally sits at home, but in use hangs off back of passenger seat, plugs in to cig lighter (only 5w, so that's easy), and the antenna pops onto the stud mount and coax that is permanently attached. Same stud and coax also used for ham rig with colinear antenna when I need it.
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almac
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Re: CQ... is there anybody out there...?

Post by almac »

i have a cb at home.
will be installing it in the lower empty spot in the double din; after i decide which stereo to install. :?
im not looking for anything fancy, just something that plays cds, and has a usb aux input for under $100. :? :-)

i've also been eyeing the headliner space for a gauge installation. not sure how much space is up there in my high roof, but it should be an interesting project. :?
Roads!? Who the hell needs roads!?,
al
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91' Delica "Tessen", 5spd, RS9000XLs, camperized.
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