CQ CQ DE K4TWM PSE K or “calling any HAMpers”

[MAWilsonPE]

Any HAM radio operators going HAMping in their Montana’s??

I am interested in any tips you may have for pulling coax and power lines through your rig. Where do you set up your shack? Permanent or portable? Direct 12V power? 12V with a booster? Or 110VAC + power supply? Grounding issues? Lightning protection? Issues with the neighbors/hosts?

When camping I like to shoot a 40m half wavelength dipole into a nearby tree as an inverted “V” for HF to my ICOM IC-7300 and MFJ tuner. I put a dual band UHF/VHF base antenna on a 20’ mast which mounts in the bumper hitch (Which also mounts twin high gain 800MHz Yagi’s for true MIMO boost to my Verizon Jetpack). I built my own Raspberry Pi controlled satellite tracking antenna on a tripod for AMSAT transceiving. I use my Yaesu FT-2DR handheld for UHF/VHF but I am looking at an IC-9700. Lastly, I have a new disc/cone all-band antenna that I will mount on the roof to try with my SDR receiver.

We will soon have our new 3120RL and I am thinking of building a box as a portable HAM shack that I can sit on the table inside or take outside to a picnic table. I want to pull some power/coax inside and strategically place some connection boxes to be as unobtrusive as possible and minimize my connections. I don’t think I can pull any wires up an outside wall, under belly and inside walls only. Thoughts?

I would like to hear about your setup and experience.

73’s (that’s “thanks”) Mike K4TWM

 

[MAWilsonPE]

I see now there is a whole section for this under Hobby Central...sorry, newbie. Can I move this post?

 

[Carl n Susan]

I see now there is a whole section for this under Hobby Central...sorry, newbie. Can I move this post?

I moved it for you.

 

[KO4A]

My station

Mike,
I had a desk in my 07 Montana so I put a AGM battery there and a charger/ac power supply. This let me work boondocking and on commercial power. I put a Tar Heel screwdriver on the ladder with a PVC frame that allowed me to raise and lower in a couple minutes. I had a IC 706. Before the screwdriver I use the Icom AH4 long wire turner and a wire in the trees or on a couple poles and a ground plane around the Rv.
hope this helps.
John KO4A

 

[MAWilsonPE]

Hello John,

Thank you for your reply. We just completed our maiden voyage so I did not have too much time to set up any HAM equipment. We were too busy just figuring out all the gadgets in the new unit! Hope to spend more time on this in the near future.