6m or 10m

[acyddrop]

You do not want the Atas antenna, ever. If you want a nice mobile antenna get the Little Tarheel II for a start. The Atas antennas are dummy loads, absolutely terrible antennas. As for coax, you can use RG-8x or something along those lines. I use RG-8X in the Range Rover if I ever upgrade to an amp in the mobile I'll upgrade to RG-213 but the 8X is fairly nice stuff a good source is DX Engineering.

Originally Posted by rubicon05

ok ive spent the last hour + drooling over the ft-857d operater manual, so im thinking this radio with the atas 120a antenna and a diamond k400 mount, so what would be a good coax to use, talking no more than 25 feet in mobile application? im thinking this is a good starting set up, now i got to pss the exams,lol

[rubicon05]

this is going to be my first radio period, i have no expierence with ham, havent even passed exams yet, but i see thier points, why not just buy 1 radio and be done right? my original thought was buying 2 radios, start with a 2m/70cm and then getting a 10m or 6m, but combining the price of 2 radios plus antennas for both compared to buying ft-857d with the atas 120a and k400 is only a $400 difference, so the only thing i will need to supply in the future is time to learn, @ least thats my thinking

[rubicon05]

so it says the turbo tuner is plug and play, so if i order the tuner and tarheel 2, is there anything else i would need? still using k400 mount

[acyddrop]

I can only speak as to the turbo tuner and the IC-7000, but if they are similar you shouldn't need anything else.

Sent from my HTC Rezound using Tapatalk 2

[kb2vxa]

The 706 Mk2G is perfectly safe to operate in the mobile, it IS a mobile rig. That's what memory slots are for, each can be programmed for a specific use so all you have to do is switch between them using the microphone buttons. Additionally, the faceplate may be mounted remotely on the dash where the driver can see what he needs to at a glance. Then common sense dictates pulling over for any complicated maneuvers that require more than a glance. A friend has one in his car and I have seen him operate, very simple and safe.

[mmckenna]

I'll second that. I've got a co worker that has one of these in his Mini-Cooper with a screwdriver antenna mounted where the am/fm antenna used to be. While it's quite a sight, it works well in a mobile environment. I've been riding with him while he's worked Japan, Austrailia and New Zealand.
Good ground plane is important, as it is with any antenna.

[gunmasternd]

My vote is for 6m ssb 500watts with a ho loop. 10m just isnt that fun its open pretty much all day. But 6m is a challenge only openings will provide you the enjoyment. Ive seen my dad work europe from ND with 100watts and a mobile whip. That was a lucky day to say the least.

[davedaver1]

Originally Posted by mmckenna

We run a couple of Polaris and Yamaha side x sides out on the trails up near Mt. Shasta. We outfitted all our rides with 2 meter radios.

Not to hijack this thread, but what do you use for antennas on your SxS?

[Fuzy_GSXR1000]

Good luck with your exams!!!!

[mmckenna]

Originally Posted by davedaver1

Not to hijack this thread, but what do you use for antennas on your SxS?

Larsen NMO 150. It's a 5/8's wave VHF antenna, NMO base.
I have a thick plastic rooftop. I mounted a large piece of sheet metal up there flat on the top of the roof and held down with long pop rivets and washers. The NMO mount goes through the roof top and the sheet metal. Coaxial cable runs along the back of the roll cage, down the back left side of the roll cage, along under the machine (well protected!) and up to the dashboard area to the radio. It was the only way I could find to get a suitable ground plane under the antenna. My brother and dad both have Rzr's and they just used a Larsen "L" bracket screwed to the center of the cross bar on the top of the roll cage.

[kb2vxa]

Uh oh, possible fly in the ointment. Besides ugly on top of the roof the metal may not be grounded to the mount and coax because of the O ring insulating it. Better to put the metal under the roof where the mount electrically contacts it and reinforces the plastic so the tabs don't pull loose. A dab of silicone rubber before you put the rivets in will waterproof the holes and a dab of Rustoleum paint the same color as the roof will disguise them.

[mmckenna]

Way ahead of you there. A larger hole was drilled in the plastic so the entire NMO mount is mounted to the sheet metal. Based on the contoured design of the roof, putting the sheet metal underneath would not have worked. Water leakage isn't a problem since its a completely open cab, no doors, no windows, no windshield, it's just the plastic roof mounted on top of the roll cage. Sealing up the pop rivet holes would have been pointless.

This isn't my first install, by far.

[rubicon05]

so im thinking the tarheel 2, wil i miss much not having the 160m, the ability to cover 6 thru 80m seems really good, at the sacrifice of one band, and if any can say, how well do they hold up as far as vibration, dirt roads and such, is a spring needed for the occansional sneeky low tree limbs?

[k3td]

Originally Posted by rubicon05

i plan on a 2m/70cm radio already, but with getting a general ticket i was curious which band was more popular

Ten is definitely more popular, but six is gaining in popularity because almost every new HF radio now has six meters included. One of the things that makes both bands so much fun is the different propagation modes you will find there. We are entering the winter E-skip season which brings random openings of 400-800 miles (double that for double hop E-skip). You will also find long distance openings via F2 skip, openings to South Amarica via trans-equitorial propagation. You will even see some propagation via tropo scatter and Aurora from time to time.

Both bands are a LOT of fun. If you have access to a 10 meter rig or a shortwave receiver, listen on 10 during the weekend of December 8/9. That's the ARRL 10 meter contest. Ten meter propagation has been excellent recently so expect to hear stations from all over North America and the rest of the world.

Good luck getting your ticket, and 73!