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goodzyz
Guest
I was confused by the concept of portable radio and mobile radio recently?what the difference betweent them? thank you !! :roll:
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Portable you carry on your hip, mobile is fixed in the car..
mlevin
Member
Hi guys,
"Portable you carry on your hip, mobile is fixed in the car."
Well, that's half right, a "mobile" is permanently affixed as part of a motor vehicle by FCC definition. "Portable" on the other hand meets much broader criteria, simply stated it's any easily moved gear usually part of a transportable Amateur or other transmitting station. If you want to be pedantic, "a portable" usually means a hand held unit, the difference is merely the letter A. (That's what he meant by "carry on your hip", I'm simply elaborating.) Often you'll hear an Amateur station append "portable (district number)" or "mobile (district number)" to his callsign to indicate he's operating from outside his callsign district. In CW it's sent as callsign/figure to indicate it. You'll also often hear something more specific like marine mobile (/MM) or aeronautical mobile (/AM). During operation outside the country he appends the appropriate country prefix when operating on land.
BTW, sometimes just to confuse them I sign "KB2VXA mobile two and a half" while crossing the river into Pennsylvania. (;->)
"Portable you carry on your hip, mobile is fixed in the car."
Well, that's half right, a "mobile" is permanently affixed as part of a motor vehicle by FCC definition. "Portable" on the other hand meets much broader criteria, simply stated it's any easily moved gear usually part of a transportable Amateur or other transmitting station. If you want to be pedantic, "a portable" usually means a hand held unit, the difference is merely the letter A. (That's what he meant by "carry on your hip", I'm simply elaborating.) Often you'll hear an Amateur station append "portable (district number)" or "mobile (district number)" to his callsign to indicate he's operating from outside his callsign district. In CW it's sent as callsign/figure to indicate it. You'll also often hear something more specific like marine mobile (/MM) or aeronautical mobile (/AM). During operation outside the country he appends the appropriate country prefix when operating on land.
BTW, sometimes just to confuse them I sign "KB2VXA mobile two and a half" while crossing the river into Pennsylvania. (;->)
K5MAR
Member
The difference between a portable and a mobile is the size of the carrying case! :lol:
Mark S.
Mark S.
jhooten
Member
This is a broad generalization and there are exceptions:
A portable radio has a built in power source be a battery or an atomic reactor and has limited output power.
A mobile is connected to an external power source and can run much higher power output levels.
A portable can be used mobile with relative ease. A mobile can be used as a portable IF you want to lug around a battery big enough to run it.
Now to my fellow hams, Mobile is operation of a station that is capable of be operated while in motion. It doesn't matter if the vehicle is a pair of sneakers or a mach 3 aircraft. Portable operation is any fixed operation away from the location listed on the primary station liscense. The rules have changed over the years and we no longer have to ID or log station operation as portable/mobile or if we are out of our "normal" zone.
A portable radio has a built in power source be a battery or an atomic reactor and has limited output power.
A mobile is connected to an external power source and can run much higher power output levels.
A portable can be used mobile with relative ease. A mobile can be used as a portable IF you want to lug around a battery big enough to run it.
Now to my fellow hams, Mobile is operation of a station that is capable of be operated while in motion. It doesn't matter if the vehicle is a pair of sneakers or a mach 3 aircraft. Portable operation is any fixed operation away from the location listed on the primary station liscense. The rules have changed over the years and we no longer have to ID or log station operation as portable/mobile or if we are out of our "normal" zone.
Al42
Member
Because the "primary station location" is now considered anywhere the FCC has jurisdiction, so if you're under their rules you're not portable.jhooten said:
Hi again,
"The rules have changed over the years and we no longer have to ID or log station operation as portable/mobile or if we are out of our "normal" zone."
Yeah, when it comes to callsigns we're in the Twilight Zone, can't tell where anyone is anymore. I just like to add to the confusion, re: KB2VXA mobile two and a half. (*;->)
"The rules have changed over the years and we no longer have to ID or log station operation as portable/mobile or if we are out of our "normal" zone."
Yeah, when it comes to callsigns we're in the Twilight Zone, can't tell where anyone is anymore. I just like to add to the confusion, re: KB2VXA mobile two and a half. (*;->)
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