Flex your chase rig!

[Steve Frederick]

2012 Ford Escape Limited, a Panasonic HC-V770 secured to the dash with hook & loop velcro, & Samsung Galaxy A21
Picture was taken approximately 4 years ago & now has minor hail damage.

 

[Kyle Soldani]

This used to be my setup, 2015 GMC Sierra well kitted out. I had VHF/UHF/800 P25 communications options, APRS w/ GPS display, 4G cell booster, laptop mount, inverter, solar, etc.


After a move we sold the truck and I steal the wife's Honda Passport now. I thought it'd be a good idea to play with old Land Rovers for my vehicles and they don't make very good chase rigs! But, for the rest of the year they make a better off-road and camping rig.

Passport offers better mileage, more safety features, setup is a bit simpler but I have the essentials. Everything other than my Yaesu FTM400 is temporary and comes in/out for a chase.

 

[Derek Weston]

I'm pretty basic currently. Cell phone, DSLR and Tundra truck...

 

[Drew Terril]

This used to be my setup, 2015 GMC Sierra well kitted out. I had VHF/UHF/800 P25 communications options, APRS w/ GPS display, 4G cell booster, laptop mount, inverter, solar, etc.
View attachment 25142

After a move we sold the truck and I steal the wife's Honda Passport now. I thought it'd be a good idea to play with old Land Rovers for my vehicles and they don't make very good chase rigs! But, for the rest of the year they make a better off-road and camping rig.

Passport offers better mileage, more safety features, setup is a bit simpler but I have the essentials. Everything other than my Yaesu FTM400 is temporary and comes in/out for a chase.
View attachment 25143

I have an FTM-400 as well. Great radio, although I primarily use it for APRS, simplex, and YSF, while I rely more on my TK-7180 and XPR-4550 for reporting as I have everything organized in those radios by zones, with each zone corresponding to a CWA.


Friend of mine has a Discovery II, and they're quite capable off road, once you get past the electrical gremlins. The V8 in those is actually an evolution of the same Buick V8 that is the same parent motor for the Buick V6 (that eventually became the 3800), and they're pretty simple to work on. Just gotta remember the ZZDP additive in the oil since it still utilizes a flat tappet camshaft. My 15 Titan is just as much an overland rig and farm truck as it is a chase rig, so I get trying to make one vehicle work for multiple purposes.

 

[Kyle Soldani]

I have an FTM-400 as well. Great radio, although I primarily use it for APRS, simplex, and YSF, while I rely more on my TK-7180 and XPR-4550 for reporting as I have everything organized in those radios by zones, with each zone corresponding to a CWA.


Friend of mine has a Discovery II, and they're quite capable off road, once you get past the electrical gremlins. The V8 in those is actually an evolution of the same Buick V8 that is the same parent motor for the Buick V6 (that eventually became the 3800), and they're pretty simple to work on. Just gotta remember the ZZDP additive in the oil since it still utilizes a flat tappet camshaft. My 15 Titan is just as much an overland rig and farm truck as it is a chase rig, so I get trying to make one vehicle work for multiple purposes.

I've come to love the FTM-400 as well, pairing it with RT systems is a great setup and easy to pre-program a route. I have a fleet of those radios now and can just bounce an SD card from rig to rig and update programming. Much easier than what I used to do! Very nice on the commercial gear. I have a couple high-power XTL 2500's and an MCS 2000. Myself and a few others have used these in the past on 146.55 and they work great, sure hard to beat the commercial gear. I'm a radio nerd and work on Motorola gear at work so I enjoy using some of the old retired kit for HAM.

I do love the things, it's a love hate relationship. Currently working an engine swap on my lifted one but have a stock Disco II that I use for grocery getting. I've debated consolidating and grabbing something newer, just not sure I can come to grips with interest these days. These old things are paid for and easy to work on when they need stuff, which is hard to beat. They aren't perfect but fine for exploring, camping and around town. We take my wife's Passport on trips so I feel redundant getting something else at the moment. It's a nice ride to chase in with 20-25MPG, adaptive cruise, lane keep, etc. just some extra safety features I like. Yep, I run ZDDP additive and Rotella in mine. Seems to keep them happy and quiet, I've also completed the in-line thermostat mod for a 180 to help save my head gaskets. My lifted Disco is receiving a new'ish bullet-proofed (studded) 4.0 and getting that thing squared away.