We
will sometimes be pretty far off the main track. Will cellular phone service reach everywhere? Could we implement a better communications system in case we have an emergency or need to report something? Jim became interested in amateur radio as back-up communications for our full-timing travels. CB radio is only reliable up to as little as
three to four miles. Ham radio, depending upon the equipment and site altitude has send and receive capability for everything from hundreds of feet to thousands of miles. The capability for requesting assistance or information when
other means of communication fail might be a good idea for a couple of
full-timers.
Things so often are
different than you thought they may be. (often better, thankfully) We
bought an Airstream travel trailer in 2004, thinking it would be a good base of
operations for backpacking trips. Yes, the camper will work as a rolling home from which we can stage section hikes of some of our Nation’s great trails. We
were totally unprepared for other benefits of Airstream ownership. Did you know the largest single-brand RV owners’ association is Wally Byam Caravan Club International, the Airstream Owners’ Association? We found a totally unexpected and delightful dimension to having an Airstream travel trailer. So it has been with the amateur radio.
We studied information about amateur radio and learned about the licensing
requirements. We obtained the study book
for Technician class through amazon dot com and used the exam content tests online at qrz dotcom. We were fortunate to pass our exams on the first try and starting shopping for a radio. Since we were without experience and had not yet joined or had exposure to a amateur radio club or operators we weren’t sure what to invest in this potential interest.
We bought a Yaesu FT60R handie-talkie from hro dot com (ham radio outlet) for
under $200.00. Later we added a Comet sma-24 one-quarter wave whip antenna for the portable as well as a mag-mount one-quarter wave antenna for the car roof to connect the portable radio when in the car or truck.
You’re supposed to talk on these things? We found out about the Mecklenburg Amateur Radio Club and weekly two meter emergency net on Tuesday nights at 2100 hrs, where local hams gather for a moderated net discussion and practice. Jim enjoyed this very friendly group of operators. The “formal” section of the net is not too formal but is affable and friendly (unfortunately this has not been true of some amateur radio nets). Jim practices radio communication weekly when we’re in town and enjoys attending the monthly club meetings. Now we’re talking.
Two meter amateur radio communications is basically limited to local
repeater range of approximately 25-50 miles radius and even less between radios
with 5 watt handie-talkie transmit power.
Jim wanted to investigate higher power lower frequency amateur radios for
greater range. He studied and passed
the General class exam to allow use of most of the HF bands. Now we have an ultra-compact mobile Yaesu FT-857d with removable control head.
Jim enjoyed installing this in the truck but found an interesting paradox. While the mobile radio has more connections than a laptop, the radio lacks a docking station to provide mobility. The radio, once installed in the truck, loses its portability. This is unfortunate because the radio is so very small and would be nice to sometimes place on a picnic table or in the trailer. The radio bolts into the bracket on the floor with four machine screws and has connectors to two antennas, the remote faceplate, the microphone, the speaker, the power, and two din plugs. Eight connectors exceeds the five or six, at most, we might have for the laptop. Wouldn't a docking station be wonderful for the radio? The radio installation looks good in the lower dash of our Silverado (bottom of picture). The radio works well on 2 meters and .70 meters but wasn't working well enough on the low bands.
Jim could hear pretty well on the 40 meter band with a 40 meter Hamstick but couldn't transmit enough power for anyone to hear him. 
He worked a number of consulting days after our Vancouver trip to pay for a motorized multi-band antenna from High Sierra. (high sierra antennas) This is one of those sorta fat antennas you see on some cars and trucks, you know, with the tall whip on top. Jim bought this with High Sierra's universal mounting bracket.
He mounted the bracket to a side extension of the trailer hitch by the truck fender and the whip extends to 12.5 feet above ground. Tuning of the antenna requires raising and lowering the whip to reduce the standing wave ration (swr) to the lowest point. Fortunately there is an attractive, inexpensive and very compatible swr meter (LDG meter) for this particular radio. The LDG meter for the 857 and 897 doesn't require connection to the antenna coaxial cable (which is in the back of the cab, away from the faceplate) but connects with a 22 gauge wire plugged into a port under the radio faceplate at the truck's dash.
We have found the amateur radio operators to be much like the Airstream owners – open, friendly, and very helpful. We also found a fun group of people within WBCCI, the WBCCI Amateur Radio Club members. We meet several times a year at various ralllies and enjoy catching up with one another and comparing our newest equipment changes. WBCCI Amateur Radio Club operates RV Service Net (WBCCIARC) on 20 meter and 40 meter bands, and is open to all RVers.
Jim has had two-way communication from the truck to the Ireland and many U.S. states east of the Rockies. We've made friends, some of whom we haven’t met yet, in different parts of the country through amateur radio. Pretty cool!
By the way, N5RTG is Jim’s callsign; Deb’s is KI4OKI.
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