Self Contained Mobile Unit Recomendations

[Dunbreezy505]

Hey everyone! I'm looking to buy or build a mobile unit that I can keep in a bag or tough box and take hiking and camping, I'm a new HAM so any recommendations for any of the components are more than welcome! I have the Baofeng that everyone else gets started on so I am looking for a non-handheld unit. Thanks for your help!

 

[AK9R]

I'm not sure I understand what you're looking for. There are lots of amateur radios on the market made for mobile applications.

Who are you planning to talk to? How far away are they? Is there any fixed infrastructure (repeaters, Internet) that you can use? What do you plan to do for an antenna? The answers to these questions will lead to a decision about what bands you plan to use which can narrow down your selection of mobile radios.

 

[nd5y]

Some people mount radios, batteries and power supplies in ammo boxes or Pelican type cases.

 

[bharvey2]

As noted above, your question is a bit too broad to give a worthwhile answer. You noted that you already owned a Baofeng. Are you asking for a 2M/70cm radio recommendation? As AK9R mentioned, you'll need to provide a bit more information as to your intended use to help others provide you with any useful advice.

(I noticed you are new member and that this is your first post: Welcome Dunbreezy)

 

[Dunbreezy505]

Some people mount radios, batteries and power supplies in ammo boxes or Pelican type cases.

Thats kind of what I'm thinking, I might try and find a soft shell backpack i can mount everything in and have a small amount of protection but still able to wear it on my back

 

[Dunbreezy505]

I'm not sure I understand what you're looking for. There are lots of amateur radios on the market made for mobile applications.

Who are you planning to talk to? How far away are they? Is there any fixed infrastructure (repeaters, Internet) that you can use? What do you plan to do for an antenna? The answers to these questions will lead to a decision about what bands you plan to use which can narrow down your selection of mobile radios.

So, I think I might not be knowledgeable enough to make my point. If it can do one thing I want to be able to bounce a signal off the atmosphere to get a signal to the other side of a mountain in case if the repeater goes out. I started this hobby just as another means of communication but am having so much fun I want to learn as much as possible, so if there is another option that would be better for a beginner like myself that is ok as well. The biggest thing other than what I mentioned is I want to be able to put everything in a bag and take it hiking or camping as well. Does that help?

 

[Dunbreezy505]

As noted above, your question is a bit too broad to give a worthwhile answer. You noted that you already owned a Baofeng. Are you asking for a 2M/70cm radio recommendation? As AK9R mentioned, you'll need to provide a bit more information as to your intended use to help others provide you with any useful advice.

(I noticed you are new member and that this is your first post: Welcome Dunbreezy)

Thanks for your response and welcoming me! I put a bit more detail in my response to AK9R if that helps!

 

[nd5y]

I want to be able to bounce a signal off the atmosphere to get a signal to the other side of a mountain in case if the repeater goes out.

That's not possible on VHF or UHF.

 

[Dunbreezy505]

That's not possible on VHF or UHF.

Would you recommend i still stay with VHF/UHF for now or should I go ahead and start getting my feet wet with HF

 

[AK9R]

What class of amateur radio license do you have?

 

[W8KIC]

Take a look at a low band (3-30MHz) rig but prior to obtaining one, RE-READ the chapter(s) of your license study material as it pertains to radio wave propagation. That should've been covered from the very beginning of your license manual.

 

[Dunbreezy505]

What class of amateur radio license do you have?

I just have my technician right now, but waiting on my book to study for the general

 

[Dunbreezy505]

Take a look at a low band (3-30MHz) rig but prior to obtaining one, RE-READ the chapter(s) of your license study material as it pertains to radio wave propagation. That should've been covered from the very beginning of your license manual.

Yeah I found that part very interesting but also confusing, I need to read up more on propagation because it sounds pretty cool to me.

 

[bharvey2]

It would be good for you to get a handle the propagation and typical uses (some includes parts of the day) for each band.

On a different note, you might investigate SOTA (Summit On The Air) activity. It might fit into your current hiking/camping activity. I t involves folks climbing to the tops of local hills/mountains and testing how far they can communicate with other ham operators. I don't do it but I do speak to those who do (via radio0 quite often to help them achieve their goals. Some stick to handhelds while others have portable setups as discussed in your first inquiry.

Back to that: I'd recommend a 2M/70cm mobile radio, a dual band 2M/70cm, 1/4wave antenna with a ground plane mount and a suitable length of coax LMR240 flex would be a decent compromise for portability/low loss. It could attach to a tripod or be hauled up into a tree if available. You'll need a 12V power source too. Sealed lead acid batteries would work but they'd be heavy. A rechargeable Li-Ion battery would be more travel friendly. A plain FM only radio would be a fine starting point. Kenwood made great ones but I don't hink they have any current offerings. I believe Yaesu and Icom still make basic models. There are some smaller form factor Chinese radios avaiable but none that I'd recommend as I have no experience with them. There are some all band radios that include HF as well as VHF/UHF bands but those will cost quite a bit more. While it's tempting to try to go full throttle and buy the biggest, baddest do everything radio when you first start out, I recommend tempering your enthusiam and gain some experience to find our what you do and don't want to do in the hobby.

 

[KD7RJC]

If you're sticking with 2m and 70cm there's a ~25W mobile that was constructed with no controls on the radio body, just controls on the handmic. Others have put these into fanny packs with moderate-sized batteries so they can operate similarly to having an oversized-HT like an FT-817, but with more power and obviously only 144/440MHz.

It's a QYT, the KT-9900 if memory serves. It's also branded as a few other part numbers.

Something to bear in mind, hams end up changing up their kit pretty often, as hams tend to be tinkerers. What you come up with for the short-term might well only be for the short-term, particularly once you get experience with what you've built.

Obviously the QYT offering is a fairly simple radio, no digital operating modes, so if that's a concern of yours then that could be a factor in your decision. I'm not aware of any other amateur radios that put the controls on the handmic, so you'd need access to the faceplate for everything else.

 

[Dunbreezy505]

If you're sticking with 2m and 70cm there's a ~25W mobile that was constructed with no controls on the radio body, just controls on the handmic. Others have put these into fanny packs with moderate-sized batteries so they can operate similarly to having an oversized-HT like an FT-817, but with more power and obviously only 144/440MHz.

It's a QYT, the KT-9900 if memory serves. It's also branded as a few other part numbers.

Something to bear in mind, hams end up changing up their kit pretty often, as hams tend to be tinkerers. What you come up with for the short-term might well only be for the short-term, particularly once you get experience with what you've built.

Obviously the QYT offering is a fairly simple radio, no digital operating modes, so if that's a concern of yours then that could be a factor in your decision. I'm not aware of any other amateur radios that put the controls on the handmic, so you'd need access to the faceplate for everything else.

Yeah I already have a problem with wanting everything haha, for now I went with the TYT TH-9800D Plus it seems to be a really good option for bands I can transmit on at the present with a lot of potential. I also ordered a small tough box that I can cut the foam out for the transciever and the battery, I already have so many ideas as to what to do haha

Thank you for your help everyone! Any tips for a newbie if you think of them are more than welcome!

​

 

[Dunbreezy505]

It would be good for you to get a handle the propagation and typical uses (some includes parts of the day) for each band.

On a different note, you might investigate SOTA (Summit On The Air) activity. It might fit into your current hiking/camping activity. I t involves folks climbing to the tops of local hills/mountains and testing how far they can communicate with other ham operators. I don't do it but I do speak to those who do (via radio0 quite often to help them achieve their goals. Some stick to handhelds while others have portable setups as discussed in your first inquiry.

Back to that: I'd recommend a 2M/70cm mobile radio, a dual band 2M/70cm, 1/4wave antenna with a ground plane mount and a suitable length of coax LMR240 flex would be a decent compromise for portability/low loss. It could attach to a tripod or be hauled up into a tree if available. You'll need a 12V power source too. Sealed lead acid batteries would work but they'd be heavy. A rechargeable Li-Ion battery would be more travel friendly. A plain FM only radio would be a fine starting point. Kenwood made great ones but I don't hink they have any current offerings. I believe Yaesu and Icom still make basic models. There are some smaller form factor Chinese radios avaiable but none that I'd recommend as I have no experience with them. There are some all band radios that include HF as well as VHF/UHF bands but those will cost quite a bit more. While it's tempting to try to go full throttle and buy the biggest, baddest do everything radio when you first start out, I recommend tempering your enthusiam and gain some experience to find our what you do and don't want to do in the hobby.

Yeah I definitely went with a 20ah Lifepo4, I'm definitely not lugging LA around haha, check my last response if you want to see the radio I ordered!

 

[doc62]

I set up an old Yaesu FT-7800 in a metal ammo can with a Lifepo4 battery. The can provides a ground plane for UHF ( most common band used). For 2m operation I have a collapsible 2m half wave antenna. All stored in the can. The connector on the can is a SO-239 so that I can connect to a mag mount antenna if needed. Been using it for years.

 

[mmckenna]

So, I think I might not be knowledgeable enough to make my point. If it can do one thing I want to be able to bounce a signal off the atmosphere to get a signal to the other side of a mountain in case if the repeater goes out. I started this hobby just as another means of communication but am having so much fun I want to learn as much as possible, so if there is another option that would be better for a beginner like myself that is ok as well.

Near Vertical Incident Skywave. NVIS.
You should do some searching on that term. That will do what you want, but it requires an HF radio, and 80 or 40 meters. We use that at work for some in-state stuff, and it works pretty well, but you need specific antennas.

You are looking at a lot of money and an antenna that is requires some setup time. So consider carefully how often you expect the repeaters goes out. A well built repeater shouldn't go down often, and usually with amateur radio, there would be more than one to choose from.

A better approach would be to use 2 meter or 70 centimeter bands and just figure out what repeaters you can access from both locations. Program them into both radios and make sure that all users understand that they may need to select another repeater if one isn't working.

The biggest thing other than what I mentioned is I want to be able to put everything in a bag and take it hiking or camping as well. Does that help?

That's what the military often called a "manpack" radio. Nice setup, but usually a good hand held portable radio and a good antenna will do what you want. More RF power rarely solves VHF/UHF coverage issues, and usually just drains batteries faster.

Get a good 2 meter/70 centimeter portable radio. Get/build a foldable Yagi antenna. A better antenna, like the Yagi, will do more for your coverage than throwing more RF power will.

If you really want to lug around a mobile radio and a battery, it can certainly be done. Lots of info on how to build those in the internet. Just keep RF power low if the antenna is going to be next to your skull on a backpack.

 

[k6cpo]

I built a kit with a 2m/70cm mobile radio that packs into a small sling bag. It originally had a Yaesu FT-7900R radio in it, but now holds an Yaesu FTM-100DR Fusion radio. The entire kit contains the radio, microphone, battery (6Ah LiFePo from Bioenno) coaxial cable and roll-up dual band antenna. The battery charge is separate, but the battery can be charged with a small, folding solar panel and controller.

This kit is not designed to be used while moving, but from a stationary location.

Manpack Go-Kit - John Wright

A portable man packable radio station

thewrightstuff.smugmug.com