Chase Vehicle Setup

[David Goines]

My 1999 Honda Accord

Not a very good picture from the inside but it'll work I guess.

Ram mount
HP laptop (glossy screen...I need to do something about it)
yaesu ft-2800m
handheld scanner
TomTom GPS not pictured
Sony Handycam for streaming
Verizon broadband
BU-353 gps for tracking
more pictures on my website

 

[Wes Carter]

Who else has to clean out their car before taking a current picture...

I want to show my interior set-up, but I'm a little embarrassed to take the picture right now.

No one else has to do that Jason. What are you talking about? Pig!

 

[David Drummond]

Guess I'll go ahead and add mine to the thread. The whole write-up and more photos are here: http://daviddrummond.com/storm-chase-vehicles/current-unit-1.html

 

[Jason Foster]

Guess I'll go ahead and add mine to the thread.

David...I suspect you'll be a lot happier with the Chrysler van than any the others you've had in the past. Not just because it's new, but they are built so much better.

Did you consider the VW version at all? It is a little more stylish, but is the same van underneath the cosmetics.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

Mine is low profile. I have two skywarn magnets and one storm chaser magnets I stick on when in spotter/chaser mode. My light-bar are my hazards, good enough for me I have considered getting an arrow-stick for when I am on the side of the road but I'd rather not make my truck into a disco ball with light-bars, flashers and spotlights LOL

Inside I carry a laptop connected to my blackberry, hand-held anemometer (Krestrel 1000) and a video camera. Weather radio and scanner.

Truck is a 2001 Dodge Dakota, 4x4 (four door) 318 V-8, dual glass-pack exhaust, rhino liner bed lining and great tires. I have yet to get stuck when in 4 wheel drive.

 

[Ryanne Jobsian]

Your setups need more light bars!

Here is my future set up for this year that I am working on:

300 Trillion candle horizontally mounted illumination device...how very..yahoo..of you

To answer the scanner question. They are nice to have but it is not as easy as just running up to Radio Shack and buying whatever. There are many types that are all dependent on what you want to monitor and where you live. A lot of FD/PD's are broadcasting at the 800mhz range which is not supported by lower end scanners. Also, you may have to have a digital scanner to listen to these transmissions and that alone will cost you about 300-400 dollars. Some states have laws regarding scanner use in a vehicle. My advice is to take a look around online and there are many resources that can point you in the right direction.

 

[Ben Engle]

Here are some pics from my chase vehicle,2003 Jeep Liberty.Asus laptop with external screen to run GPS and radar at the same time.External screen swivels in case the driver or backseat passanger wants to see.

For not having a ton of gear, you sure managed to find a way to string/hang/tangle/wrap wires all over the place! Clean that mess up, it's dangerous.

 

[Josh Durkee]

This looks like my setup!

 

[Jeff Hardy]

This looks like my setup!

What movie is that from?

 

[Gordon Spencer]

Looks like the truck from - Tango and Cash

What movie is that from?

 

[Josh Durkee]

Looks like the truck from - Tango and Cash

Tango and Cash is correct!

 

[Dylan Morgan]

I'm more of a spotter but here's my setup. Lightbar has recently been removed. I pay very close attention to windspeed and direction don't you know.

Kenwood 5.1 DVD/TV touch screen Navigation System
Dell 1530 XPS Laptop
Ram Mount Laptop mount
Lilliput 7" 1024x768 touch screen LCD monitor
Canon HD30 Camcorder on Sticky Pod police mount
Cobra Voice Laser Radar Detector
Delorme Earthmate GPS
Verizon Motorola Droid (rooted) on unlimited Alltel plan
Radio Shack PRO-60 Scanner
Cobra 29 WX NW ST CB with 3' Firestick
Yaesu 8900R Amateur 2-Way Radio
Microsoft HD roof cam
Canon HD30 for dash cam
Inspeed Vortex Anemometer
GRLevel2A & GRL3 providing Allison House live weather data
USB tethered internet connection provided by Verizon
Yakima Roof Rack System
Skywarn Storm Spotter signs by jkstorm.com
Golight remote control spotlight
Boondock Bumpers Custom Design
Mile Marker 9.5k Electric Winch
Sunforce 5w Solar Trickle Charger
Odyssey Main Battery with Optima's for aux power

i am literally in love with that bumper, i see who built it but how on earth do ya find them? im either pathetic at googleing or theyre not on the web... might contact them after i pick up my diesel this summer.

 

[Ryan McGinnis]

Verizon Motorola Droid (rooted) on unlimited Alltel plan

Hey, how'd you manage that? Do they allow you to purchase a Droid at full cost and then hook it to a legacy Alltel plan? Or do you live in one of the few places on the earth where Alltel still exists? I've been sticking with my old WinMo phone because I can tether it to a Cradlepoint and I don't want to switch to the Verizon 5 gig limit.

 

[Brian Kluck]

i am literally in love with that bumper, i see who built it but how on earth do ya find them? im either pathetic at googleing or theyre not on the web... might contact them after i pick up my diesel this summer.

BoonDock went out of business as far as I know. The bumper on D. Hayes truck is a modified version of one of BoonDock's bumpers. There are pics in the link below of what it looked like normally:

http://www.intheknud.com/newtruck/

A company called Iron Cross purchased the design rights as I recall but they do not make anything similar to this currently. Web site PDF link is below;

http://www.ironcrossautomotive.com/installs/bumpers.pdf

**edit for link**

Here is another company that makes a similar bumper;

http://ironbullbumpers.com/blackopsbumpers/ford.html

 

[Dylan Morgan]

Thans brian, i was seein if there were any out there like that one, or as sturdy as a ranch hand. Most are made for the new body styles, and for a ford, that means a 6.0l diesel, i fancy the 7.3l Turbo Diesel, so that limits me to *i think* a 99 for that smoothed body style...