n8uw
Member
Howdy! I'm kinda new and very old. I learned CW from my rich Uncle (Sam) in the 70's, got out and got a couple electronics degrees, and started Ham Radio a few years ago. I intend to travel full time in a couple years. I already set the RV up for HF amateur operations (HS1800, TS480HX) but I'd like to learn enough to set something up for listening on VHF and UHF, I'm studying this forum and other places. Right now, I'm thinking a dedicated antenna for the VHF ham bands, an Austin ferret general listening, and a flagpole or something with an LDPA on it to be used only when necessary. Also hoping the LDPA can help me hit cell service from remote camps. BCD996XT for scanning and trunk tracking, a VHF tri-band with wide receive for Ham and monitoring suppliment, and the RV should be set? My current Kenwood F6A for handheld Ham VHF, and maybe a handheld scanner for times where I want to hike out somewhere and set up a tent camp watching the ships go by or whatever. I use an Elecraft K1 and a wire in a tree for backwoods CW.
Should I wait a couple years, will the scanner technology advance rapidly to make this gear (specifically, the BCD996XT) obsolete by the time I get a lot of time with it? Better suggestions, especially for antennas? RV is a 27 foot Class C. The HF stuff works great, I use the RV chassis and the frames of my solar panels to give me a good ground.
Looks like a fun new world to explore, I will be reading a lot on here and this weekend I hope to fire up the shack in the house and the F6A and start to play. And listen to ya'll tell me how this 200W HF rig will melt the scanner first time I key down...and how to send CW left handed while motorcycle mobile...
Should I wait a couple years, will the scanner technology advance rapidly to make this gear (specifically, the BCD996XT) obsolete by the time I get a lot of time with it? Better suggestions, especially for antennas? RV is a 27 foot Class C. The HF stuff works great, I use the RV chassis and the frames of my solar panels to give me a good ground.
Looks like a fun new world to explore, I will be reading a lot on here and this weekend I hope to fire up the shack in the house and the F6A and start to play. And listen to ya'll tell me how this 200W HF rig will melt the scanner first time I key down...and how to send CW left handed while motorcycle mobile...