My Chase Vehicle Setup

Danny Neal

Danny Neal

EF5
Joined
May 31, 2004
Messages
1,895
Location
Paxton, IL
I know a couple of you have asked how I actually set up my chase car and I said when I got around to it I would post pictures and a detailed list to what I have.....well I finally had time this weekend. Will post a couple of pictures below, the rest can be found at http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o124/ILSvrWxTorChsr/Chase%20Car%20Set%20Up/

2 - Yaesu FT8800 VHF/UHF Mobiles
3 - Radio Shack Pro 2067 Scanners
1 - Midland 70-055C Low band 80 channel
1 - Midland 70-442XL VHF 80 channel
1 - Radio Shack Pro-2054
1 - Yaesu FT-1802 2M Radio
1 Cobra CB Radio, Havis Shields custom console W/ laptop mount
1 - Sony CCd - TRV46 Dash Video Camera

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Any questions or anything shoot me an IM.
 
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Very Impressive! I bet having that many mics around can get confusing in the dark! Say, with that many radios, what FCC license do you have? I'll be getting my tech license in a couple weeks. Not sure if I should go ahead and plan on the general or not.
 
D. Hayes said:
Very Impressive! I bet having that many mics around can get confusing in the dark! Say, with that many radios, what FCC license do you have? I'll be getting my tech license in a couple weeks. Not sure if I should go ahead and plan on the general or not.
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Thank you, and yes it took some time to get used too. Most of the time I use the radios just for monitoring. The genius behind the wiring and installation was my dad. He is a fire fighter and used to wire fire engines and install radios and lights into them, so this was a breeze. I mainly monitor police and fire on non storm days, but with all those radios I have NWS, Skywarn, fellow chasers, state police, fire departments, local police, and Emergency Operating Centers on alert when chasing. Very very convenient.

Basically all you need is your amateur radio license and you will be covered. I am involved with the fire service so I am covered all over the USA. In some states you need licenses/permits from the state, that are free of charge, or the police could confiscate your equipment. If you have your Amateur license though you should be okay, but if you know in the state of Kansas or Oklahoma or anywhere you need a permit than send in your information and in a couple of days you should be covered.
 
That's why I will upgrade to a new Caravan

The set-up is almost exactly as I would have it when it's time for me to retire the 1996 caravan and aim for the slightly new 2001 or newer version Caravan (or a Town and Country if I'm lucky). I'm glad to see it's fairly easy to mount a radio lower in the center upper console, since my current location has the heat vents right at the back of the ham radio head unit. Not so bad in the summer with the AC, but it's not too good right now with the heater getting used a lot.

There's ton's more photos on the Caravan page.
http://www.weatherwarrior.net/chaser/vehicle_caravan.html

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Straight up nar dog with that hail gard! Thats an awesome idea, just add more for the remaining windows. Good stuff.
 
The hail cage is definitely not my idea. Give that one To my friend RJ Evans. But most my encounters with hail over the years have have taken out the windshield and not the others. I also have sprayed my truck with bedliner gives it a rough look. I have started finally on the inside. Will post pics later.
 
That's a interesting setup Michael. I've been thinking of something along those lines as well for my truck. Guess I best jump under the hood and look for some good places to mount brackets. One thing I'm concerned about though is if there are laws about restricting vision. Something I was also thinking about is using some .5" heavy density foam padding like at toolfoam.com sells to strap across the hood and roof. Might dissipate the energy of larger hail stones.

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Michael, I have thought about something simular with the gaurd over the windshield, but I was wondering too have you got to experience any law inforcment with it. like have you gotten in trouble. My idea was just to have it entend out over the windshield and part of the hood. And also to try and create some that would hang off the sides of the doors covering the side windows.
 
Think about this there are plumbers who have racks that extend over there windshields, also not coping or trying to be like, but Sean Caseys TIV. I never heard of or known of him having negative attention. I will ask my OKC police friend and see what he says .
 
Michael Ratliff said:
Think about this there are plumbers who have racks that extend over there windshields, also not coping or trying to be like, but Sean Caseys TIV. I never heard of or known of him having negative attention. I will ask my OKC police friend and see what he says .
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Like you said it would probably be good to ask somebody in the jurisdiction about this. I know here it wouldn't fly since you're not allowed to have anything in the field of vision (even the reflection of a newspaper on the windscreen is technically illegal). Having it above the windscreen out of the field of vision would be okay.

Having said that, I'm sure if you're about to get smacked and you had it up for a short time I doubt you'd get in too much trouble.
 
Well before the 2009 chase season begins, I am going to get on this HAM licanse thing for the sake of the EM - that asked me to get one.
How would someone abbreviate the equipment purchase?
Danny N; One 2m radio and one good scanner?!?
 
Rob Wadsworth said:
Well before the 2009 chase season begins, I am going to get on this HAM licanse thing for the sake of the EM - that asked me to get one.
How would someone abbreviate the equipment purchase?
Danny N; One 2m radio and one good scanner?!?
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If you use your vehicle strictly for chasing then all you need is a 2m (Yaesu FT-1802 2M Radio is what I use) and I would recommend a scanner (Yaesu FT8800 VHF/UHF Mobile). One channel strictly for communication and then 2 for either streaming NWS repeaters/Skywarn communications and the other either a combination for police(state and local), fire, and ESDA/EMA. I use this car for work/chasing/everyday travel so I just like to keep one set programmed on the weather, one on police, and of course one on the fire band.


 
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