Semi-Truck Setup

[TailGator911]

After seeing all the cool setups on this forum, decided to add my mobile to the lineup. Home shack currently under construction, just moved, will post when completed. Enjoy!

Current setup in my Freightliner Century - I drive 48 state national contract, and am licensed ham, SkyWarn member, and Highway Watch volunteer. The 330T is an invaluable tool when driving the interstates. Pull into a truckstop and login to AR330 and download local area freqs from RR website directly into scanner. Soon to add 396 digital scanner and Icom 706 MkII to this setup. For antennas I run rubber duck (radio shack 800mhz model) to scanner from window mount, 2m Cushcraft 18" vertical from mirror mount, Wilson oil-cooled 36" dual whips. XM mushroom mount.



Equipment:

Yaesu VX-7R Quadband HT
Uniden Bearcat 330T Scanner w/Hand speaker
Motorola i580 cell phone/walkie talkie
Motorola Company Satphone / GPS
HP 4000 Series Laptop (running ARC330, DeLorme Atlas 2007, GPS Navigator, VX7R)
XM Satellite Radio Delphi II
Blue Parrot Bluetooth Headset
AR2 Digital headphones

(not pictured)
Cobra 29 XL CB Radio
Galaxy DX 929 CB/10 Meter Radio

John
kf4anc

 

[matthewtomek]

Nice setup you got there!

 

[rhicks6000]

looks very good

 

[TooLate]

Geeze! What a great setup. Never lost, I bet.
Exterior antenna pix sometime?

 

[n8emr]

Any issues with DOT due to tall the equipment?

 

[TailGator911]

DOT issues

I have had a couple of conversations with DOT officers concerning equipment in my truck. Most notably in VA and upstate NY, and KY. I carry a copy of basic scanner law for all states (pretty much same wording, amateur radio operators exempted) and hang a copy of FCC license right by radios. Most of them are ok with it when they see the license and the Highway Watch membership card. KY State Highway Patrol red-lighted me at Elizabethtown scales once and inspected truck and radios, when I produced my licensed he grinned and offered his hand and said 'WD4BSR, good to meet you'. He informed me that if not licensed in KY, a scanner in vehicle can be confiscated and it's a $1,000 fine. For the most part I don't get hassled about it very much. Most just want to see FCC license. I know what's going on every time I get red-lighted at scale house and I weigh under 25k

 

[lesh12]

Nice setup

 

[ve3fnd]

that is one SWEEEEET setup you got there safe driveing and hope to work you if the hf band ever stay open lol

 

[spiritwolfpr]

Hello Friend:

Very interesting!!!

 

[N8DRC]

nice set up..

 

[N4GKS]

I hear that many truckers are feebanding on 10 meters. Do you ever hear any there or do they still stay on 27.185, (Ch. 19).

 

[KB8UYC]

I hear that many truckers are feebanding on 10 meters. Do you ever hear any there or do they still stay on 27.185, (Ch. 19).

In my area, there are quite a few of the sidebanders on 27.385 that go up to 10 meters. They dont have licenses, and they talk about it all the time about not having a license......not to fret, the FCC will eventually get the people that are operating illegally.


BTW...nice setup in that Rig......I wish there were more out there that took pride in their trucks and their hobby.....

 

[N4GKS]

not to fret, the FCC will eventually get the people that are operating illegally.


Don't hold your breath.

 

[N4JNW]

Hate to pop your bubble, but the Galaxy 929 you mentioned is not a 10 meter radio. I own one. It's strictly CB.

 

[TailGator911]

Galaxies

You are correct, and my bubble is un-poppable thanks I meant to put both Galaxies on there - have the 929 CB and the DX 99 10-meter - neither pictured, DX99 is not in truck at this time, the other two are in cubbyhole above drivers seat. Thanks for catching that. I took it out due to the band being somewhat dead out there, might put it back in one day soon just to see if I can get out on 10 meters while mobile. Nothing heard most of the time...

 

[TailGator911]

I hear that many truckers are feebanding on 10 meters. Do you ever hear any there or do they still stay on 27.185, (Ch. 19).

yeah freebanding a lot, but hardly ever make contacts on 10-meter straight out there. Freebanders are all over the place.

 

[mkh]

That's one slick setup.

My dad was a truck driver and I just spent 15 years working for a trucking company. There is a special place in my heart for truckers.

 

[kjfswkr]

Looks good. What is the AR330 ?

kevin aka KB2CYK

 

[KM4WLV]

Like the setup. Is that Delorme GPS software you're running?

 

[TailGator911]

Looks good. What is the AR330 ?

kevin aka KB2CYK

Think you might be referring to the ARC330 software I am running on the laptop? Radio control software for the Bearcat 330T scanner.