Any ham radio guys here? AC8ZL

Dan, W7TNU here. Got my Novice in Sept 1970, then Tech, then Advanced 5 months later.
Was very active in the Hobby and local Club (Lewiston, ID - Clarkston, WA ARC) for many years. Was active in the ID State Army MARS during the Vietnam War, handled traffic for troops. Served as ID Army MARS Director in the early 1980's. Really got into Teletype, had Model 15, 19, 28, 28ASR, and 33ASR. Wish I wouldve kept that 28ASR, it was great! Way to heavy for the many house moves that followed though...
Ham Radio took a back seat for several years when kids came along, and my growing business took time too.
Kept my License active, and have enjoyed getting more active as I got closer to retirement.
I "cut my teeth" on a Hallicrafters H38-C and a surplus Collins R-390 that was way out of tune. The R-390 worked great once I adjusted the Gear & Dial drives.
I moved to all Heathkit gear for several years, built an SB-301 and SB-401, and I still have my SB-200 Amp.
I've been into Icom ever since. I still own my first Icom IC-02AT, my IC-04AT, IC-32AT, and currently use my IC-51A Plus Handhelds.
I still have my IC-746 and IC 751 HF Rigs. I have an IC-7100 that I have stored in my RV, planning to use it with the Screwdriver and VHF/UHF antennas on my Momentum 328M as soon as I modify the Mobile mounts that I took off my 2013 Avalanche. I use an ID-5100A in my 2020 3500HD High Country tow rig.
I run an IC-7600 at my Idaho Vacation Home, connected to my Ameritron Amp, my 6 element HF Beam, an Off Center Fed HF Dipole, a 2M beam, and a VHF/UHF Vertical all at 6-ft on a tilt-telescoping tower. I run LSB, USB, AM, and FT-8 on HF, and enjoy some FM on VHF & UHF. Hope to catch you "on the air".
73,
 
Last edited:
New GD owner... and new to HAM... KJ7GWD

I plan on getting some (new) HAM equipment soon. I should be up and transmitting from the trailer in a month or so.
 
N6GB
We have been using our 22RBE for a year now. We have almost 7000 miles on it with 24 separate setups as we traveled from Oregon to southern California. I use a simple 33 foot telescoping flag pole on the ladder to run a 72 foot random wire thru a 9:1 balum to another pole attached to the tongue. I am using an ICOM IC-7300 with a separate tuner. I make the Noontime net and other contacts almost every day.
I also have a VHF/UHF vertical for 2 meters and 440.
73
Ron...........
 
K8AN
We just picked up our 26RL and I haven't even thought about how I could set it up. Maybe this coming year! I run HF/VFH/UHF in the truck and have operated with a random wire for HF in the last unit we had.
When we did a drive through of a local state park's CG I had someone ask me if we were doing Parks on the Air. That's not a bad idea!
If my schedule permits, I'd like to take the RV to the Orlando Hamcation this February. Maybe that'll get me motivated to set it up.
-Mike
 
An update to my previous post. Just acquired a new (to me) FT-891.. woot! Thanks to XYL for understanding the need. She does say she has only one word…jewelry!
 
An update to my previous post. Just acquired a new (to me) FT-891.. woot! Thanks to XYL for understanding the need. She does say she has only one word…jewelry!

Fantastic radio! It's what I have in the truck and also what I will be setting up in the GD (when I get to it!)
Spend some time going over the menu settings. That will help you get a better feeling for what it can do.
 
I recently sold my Fleetwood Discovery and now looking for a lightly used GD 310GK. I used an ICOM IC-7000 and SGC-231 ATU in my Discovery for years - with a whip or long wire antenna depending on my RV parking environment.

If and when find a 310GK I plan to switch to a Flex-6300 or 6500 and mount it (and a Router) below near the batteries. And to eliminate the need for interior wiring, use a Maestro or iPad for wireless control in and around the trailer.

KF4HR
 
Last edited:
Loving the "Edit" function... ;)

I am W2TXB, and the only hamming I do on the road (at least so far) is VHF/UHF. The other couple with whom we travel and camp are also hams; we communicate on UHF-FM simplex between vehicles while on the road. Just configured and used a ZumSpot for D-STAR during last weekend's trip, and it worked really well. Checked into a net on XRF757A and the topic was "hobbies other than ham radio"... my brief transmission included camping. :)

I was on a list (#5 of 5) to buy a slightly used ICOM IC-7300, which would have been a good addition to my camping/traveling activities, but #1 of 5 came through and bought it. :( I may do something later, but with a lower power (i.e., KX3 or similar) transceiver. I am not in a big hurry because we have been so busy with other stuff while camping, that I would have had little or no time for ham radio. Maybe someday... ;)

Update: As of last year, I purchased an ICOM IC-705 and Chameleon F-loop (aka, the "Floop"), a Wolf River Coils vertical, a 9:1 LDG unun, and a tuner (LDG Z-11Pro II for use with end-fed wire antennas and the 9:1 unun). All work very well and the Bioenno 12-aH battery goes forever between recharges. The only thing I need now is one of Doug/W2GT's antenna launcher... may build one of those sometime.

 
kb0zke here. Just saw this thread after communicating with someone else about ham radio in a trailer. We bought our Reflection 315RLTS travel trailer in January and are full-timers. My original idea was to have a shack in the trailer, and then I decided that operating outdoors would be better. My son is upgrading his hf radio, so I'm getting his current one and a battery when we get to his area next month. Since I have to replace the converter with one that will play nice with the two lithium batteries anyway, the current converter will be repurposed to charge the radio battery (mounted in the pass-thru space on the door side). The battery can then be moved to the picnic table whenever I want to play radio. I have a painter's pole that I can mount a pair of hamsticks on for a dipole antenna, so soon I should be able to be on the air.
 
Hi, David! We need to keep this thread alive. I know there has to be a lot of ham radio operators who have GD campers.

I just attended the Dayton Hamvention and got energized about participating in the Parks on the Air program (POTA). Pretty easy to do and doesn't need a lot of time commitment unless you want to. It does seem like a good way to combine camping and ham radio, mess with some equipment and maybe bring some awareness to some of the less known parks out there. I'm more of a 120v guy myself although I do have a QRP CW set that I don't hardly use. Need to brush up (a lot) on my code though!

-Mike
 
Hi, N4LEW here, we just purchased Solitude 280RK and I'm having a problem with routing coax into the rig. I've had 2 other 5th wheels and I've been able to route coax into the slideout by following the cables in from under the slide. Then opening the cover at the floor inside and pulling it in. On this RV though, I see where the cables are going up into the slide and I have a cover inside on the floor there but I seem to running into something about 1/2 inch when trying to push it up into the slide. Any thoughts? Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
 
I've been off the air for many, many years. What are some of the current options for vertical antennas that could be used on a trailer?

I'm also amazed at the lack of entry level, basic HF rigs available today. Other than QRP rigs, there's not much out there if one just wants something for CW. Sure wish I'd kept all my old stuff!
 
KE8MLN

I got my Technician in 2019 so I could talk to local SkyWarn. When we bought a camper last year, my wife demanded that we couldn't go off grid. So I passed the general exam and started buying radios only to figure out that a Garmin inReach was good enough. Now I have an inReach and radios.

I carry everything I need for UHF/VHF and HF with me when we travel. I haven't done anything with the HF yet.
 
KE8MLN

I got my Technician in 2019 so I could talk to local SkyWarn. When we bought a camper last year, my wife demanded that we couldn't go off grid. So I passed the general exam and started buying radios only to figure out that a Garmin inReach was good enough. Now I have an inReach and radios.

I carry everything I need for UHF/VHF and HF with me when we travel. I haven't done anything with the HF yet.

Welcome!!

I carry an Inreach and have a ham radio in my SxS as we ride trails all over Colorado. As soon as ATT gets their phone to satellite communications running I will shut off the Inreach
https://www.pcmag.com/news/att-ast-spacemobile-claim-first-smartphone-to-satellite-phone-call
 
Hi Fellow Hams,
Jan-K4QD here. After owning a 2021 Grand Design 2500RL for over two years I finally joined the user group. I operate ham radio a lot from the trailer and portable while traveling. We just finished 12 weeks on the road though 19 states. I have been doing POTA and WWFF activations the last couple years and did over 40 activations (5272 contacts) in 14 states this summer. I have an IC -7100 in the truck and an IC-7300 in the RV. I have used multiple antennas, but recently have mostly used a 40M EFHW with a 33 ft MFJ fiberglass mast. I have added two solar panels and two 100AH Lithium batteries to the RV, and use two 20AH Bioenno Lithium batteries portable. I have some photos on my QRZ page. Feel free to give me a shout if you have any questions about my portable operations here or direct. 73, Jan K4QD
 
New Member Intro and Ham Radio 73s

Hi there! I see that there hasn't been anything on this thread for 5 months now, but since I'm a new member of this forum, and I'm supposed to introduce myself anyway, this seems like a good place to do it.

I'm Skip K4EAK. Been RV'ing for, um, a few decades (like since the late 1970s), and have owned numerous RVs over that period. Just sold our motor home and bought an Imagine XLS 23LDE since we're downsizing and won't be doing the 10,000+ mile trips every year.

I've also been a ham for several decades. The ham shack is an IC-7300 but since I live in an HOA-restricted neighborhood, all I have is a 71-foot random wire antenna thrown up in a tree. Even still, it works well enough and I get on the radio regularly. After passing my 13-wpm test way back when, I never sent a single dit until just recently when I got into CW and now it's my preferred operating mode.

In my truck I have an FT-891 running to an ATAS-120. Obviously, that's not as good as what one can do at home (or even in the RV), but it works surprisingly well. I'll jump on HF sometimes when I'm driving, but mostly use it when I'm parked somewhere and doing a POTA activation or just killing time.

For the RV, I have another IC-7300 that I'll set up somehow (maybe on the dinette) (would appreciate suggestions), maybe running out to an EFHW thrown up in a tree or perhaps a hamstick dipole, both of which I used a lot in the motor home with good success. Most of my operating will probably be POTA activations. I've activated over 100 parks so far, hunted over 1000, and have well over 7000 contacts total. I have a KX2 that I love setting up on a picnic bench and running an activations from state or federal parks, which is where we most like to camp.

So there we are. I'm looking forward to traveling in our new RV and exchanging ideas with people here.

73 Skip K4EAK
 
I've been off the air for many, many years. What are some of the current options for vertical antennas that could be used on a trailer?

I'm also amazed at the lack of entry level, basic HF rigs available today. Other than QRP rigs, there's not much out there if one just wants something for CW. Sure wish I'd kept all my old stuff!

Hi Dryfly,
Well, I suppose not exactly entry level, but I've recently switched my setup to an FT-817 and a Tokyo HyPower HL-50B (50 watts) amp. I have it bolted to the cabinet top next to the bed - small, compact and convenient in my 17MKE. As for an antenna, if you don't mind switching coils, it's hard to beat a Hustler mast and coil combination. I have mine mounted permenently to the tongue jack. it gives you 6 meters plus whatever coil you chose. Just yesterday, while packing for an upcoming trip, I connected with Barbados, Brazil, California and Texas between loads. Lots of fun. Good luck!. Gary W9CPY
 
I noticed several comments on the use of long wire and EFHW wire antennas. There is lots of info on the internet on both types, but also lots of confusion on which might be the easiest or most effective.

I'd like to know which you prefer, and if you are using an external antenna tuner, etc.

It dawned on me that residential lots are a lot smaller than they used to be, and that lots of folks live in HOA regulated areas now as opposed to the past. I can see why these wire antennas are so useful. They just seem to be a lot more complicated than a traditional HW dipole.
 

Try RV LIFE Pro Free for 7 Days

  • New Ad-Free experience on this RV LIFE Community.
  • Plan the best RV Safe travel with RV LIFE Trip Wizard.
  • Navigate with our RV Safe GPS mobile app.
  • and much more...
Try RV LIFE Pro Today
Back
Top Bottom