New ham seeks advice

[Jody Radzik]

Hello all.

I passed my Technician element yesterday. Now I'm left trying to figure out what rig to get for my truck. I was hoping for some suggestions as to what radios and antennas I should be considering. Is digital the way to go, or should I stick with analog. How about roof vs. bumper mounted antennas?

Also, are there any particular bands and/or channels I should be listening on when chasing?

Thanks to all who are willing to help me out with this.

 

[Jim Hunt]

Jody - welcome to being a HAM radio operator.

First the easy answer - you just need an analog radio. Digital doesn’t have a large install base and is also rather expensive. A simple 2 meter single band mobile is very inexpensive and will likely be your first choice.

You could opt to go with a handheld but they are usually 5 watts with a couple of them at 7 watts and that might be enough when combined with a mag mount antenna to hit repeaters 10 to 15 miles away but that isn’t going to work reliably for simplex work when chasing or when you are further away from a repeater.

My favorite 2 meter radio is the ICOM 2200H - http://www.icomamerica.com/products/amateur/2200h/ It has plenty of power at 65 watts. The controls are pretty basic so you shouldn’t be overwhelmed with it. You don’t want something with too many options which can result in some setting/menu you cannot get out of and end up with an unusable radio when you really need it.

(I did program (screw up) something on another one of my radios and after several days of trying to correct it, I just did a factory reset and programmed it again. Not something you want to do when chasing.)


ICOM also makes other good ones plus Yaesu and Kenwood have great choices too. I think you cannot go too far wrong with any brands listed if you don’t buy too much radio and buy new. New comes with manuals and support where a cheap old radio from another ham may not.

Now I did mention a single band radio. Most nets for storm spotting and most chasers use 2 meters. You could get a dual band radio which usually has 70cm but you won’t find that as useful and it will cost more. However, some dual band radios are also dual receive. This will allow you to monitor 2 frequencies at once.

I use this type of radio in my truck. I can monitor the Skywarn repeater net for my local county plus the Skywarn statewide net ran by the Indianapolis NWS office or rag chew with other spotters on simplex while not tying up the repeater.

As for an antenna, magnet (MAG) mounts are good and don’t cause you to drill holes in your car/truck. For some, holes are no big deal and for others, they are. If you don’t mind holes, you can mount one dead center of the roof to get the best performance. However, there are other options too such as trunk/lip mount if you are not in a truck and even through the glass which can be OK.

Any antenna can work but look for one with 3 DB of gain or more for better performance. Just don’t forget if you get a dual band radio to get a dual band antenna.

For a deal on a radio, see if there is a nearby hamfest you can visit that has new dealers. I picked up several radios cheaper than any online store.

Online, I like to shop here - http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/index2.html

As for a generally accepted storm chaser frequency, it is 146.550MHz.

Here is my install...

 

[John Erwin]

Hello all.

I passed my Technician element yesterday. Now I'm left trying to figure out what rig to get for my truck. I was hoping for some suggestions as to what radios and antennas I should be considering. Is digital the way to go, or should I stick with analog. How about roof vs. bumper mounted antennas?

Also, are there any particular bands and/or channels I should be listening on when chasing?

Congrats Jody! Glad to see that people are getting their licenses out there. I'll take a stab at your questions, although there will be some varying opinions out there so you should hear all that everyone has to say before making up you mind on anything.

Radio - Obviously your budget will ultimately influence what you purchase. Out on the plains you will encounter other chasers talking from car to car, and those using repeaters. 2 meters is the most common, however there's a fair number of 70cm repeaters out there too. Accordingly, a dual-band unit would be beneficial in the long run but a single band 2m radio would do the job very well too. All the big companies such as Kenwood, Yaesu and ICOM produce quality units. Check out online retailers such as Universal Radio to find out what new prices are; you can also go to e-ham for reviews on specific models. Of course ebay might be an option to get a deal (usual cautions apply). As far as digital goes, by and far the majority of conversations on VHF are using analog voice, so no need to worry about that. There are some digital type operations occuring though in terms of data such as APRS, but that can pretty well be added to any radio with some extra equipment.

Antenna mounts - This is subject to a lot of opinions. A lot depends on your vehicle and what you are willing to do to it. I do not recommend using your bumpers for any VHF stuff because it would likely place the antenna too low on the vehicle for efficient operation. I personally favour using NMO mounts that require a hole to be drilled in the roof; this places the antenna in the optimal location. There's other "semi-permanent" type mounts though that would include fender mounts, lip mounts, stake-hole mounts (for pickups) etc that can work quite well. The ever-popular mag-mount can also be used, however I don't care for them. Be aware that those can blow off at high speeds and cause damage to paint from scratching and water retention. I don't recommend glass-mount antennas at all, however some folks have used them when they've had no other options available.

Antennas - again there's a lot of opinions out there on what to use. Naturally if you are using a dual-band radio you will need a dual-band antenna, however you can also use the dual-band antenna with a single-bander radio too. Considerations such as your mounting location, garage ceiling etc. will have an impact here. Generally speaking longer antennas will outperform shorter ones, however not in all cases. Some antennas can "fold over" which is a nice feature if you need it. Good brand names include Comet (my personal favourite), Diamond and Larsen, although there's a few others too.

Frequencies - both simplex and repeater frequencies are used during chasing. The "unofficial" simplex chasing call frequency is 146.55, although you might find some chatter on the national call freq of 146.52 or 446 too. Be aware that you should move any extended talk off to another simplex frequency so that others can use the freq too. I suggest checking the ARRL website for band plan information. Repeater frequencies can vary quite a bit along with other info such as tones used to unlock the repeater. I recommend using kBrews frequency list (http://www.caps.ou.edu/~kbrews/spotfreq/index.html) which is sorted by state for a good listing of those. Be aware that some repeaters are "restricted" though during severe weather; always listen first before trying to use any repeater first.

Cheers!

 

[Cris Schroeder]

Congratulations on passing the exam!

I've been using an older Yaesu FT-2400 for the last few years, but the power amp blew (again) so I'm shopping for a new one. My small chase vehicle (Chevy Aveo) forces me to pick a radio with a front-firing speaker. I'm currently looking at the TM-271A by Kenwood.

For an antenna, I use a Comet CP-5M lip-mount unit. It attaches to the trunk lip and can adjust in three directions to keep the antenna vertical. I used the same unit previously on my S-10 pickup by mounting it on the lip of the hood. I have a shorter antenna for local use that clears the garage door, and I swap for a longer, high-gain antenna on the road. The mount and antennas are pricier than the basic Hustler mag-mount setup, but I get great performance from the setup.

Good luck.

-Cris (KA5TWD)

 

[John Diel]

Cris,

Take a look at the Yaesu FT-1500M. More memory and smaller than the FT-2400. Plenty loud as far as the speaker goes. I never had any trouble hearing it over the singing of off-road/snow/mud tires, hail strikes, wind noise on my old Ranger. I think I picked mine up a couple of years ago on E-Bay for like $95.00.

The only think I really dislike about it, it that it tends to lose it's memory. If you have lots of freq's coded in (It scans the PS band), they can take some time to reprogram back in.

For a VHF Mobile that no bigger than a PB&J Sandwich. You can't go wrong with it in a small vehicle.

http://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cm...rodID=qsXcgG/Xel8=&DivisionID=65&isArchived=1

-- John

 

[Jim Southard]

Congrats on passing your exam, Jody! Have you gotten your call sign yet?

Although it's going to cost more, I really would recommend a dual band (2 m/70 cm) FM rig. The frequencies used for Skywarn nets vary between regions, and although I believe 2 m is prevalent there are some areas that use 70 cm extensively. For example, in eastern OK and northwest AR, there is a network of linked repeaters on 70 cm that provide coverage to virtually all of NWS Tulsa's warning area, making for a wide-area weather net. 70 cm is also used in parts of northern OK and the TX panhandle. I'm sure there are other regions that make use of 70 cm for Skywarn/weather nets. So, if you plan on traveling/chasing into different areas, it might be safer to get the dual bander; that way you'll have 70 cm capability if you find that you need it.

I currently use a Kenwood TMG707A dual band. It is a nice little radio... but if I could do it over again I'd get something that has dual band, dual receive. That way I could listen to two frequencies at once... it really is like having two radios in one.

Hope this helps and best of luck!

 

[Jody Radzik]

Thanks, everyone.

I went with the Icom IC-208H and Comet M-24M. I may get another antenna down the road, but this should get me started. I'll look forward to copying you all on the air while following ground-scraping monsters across the southern high plains.

 

[Cris Schroeder]

Thanks, John.

The only place I can locate the radio is in the little junk slot below the stereo. I can't get too crazy as it's also the backup family vehicle. Smaller is better.

I've had good luck with Yaesu overall. Maybe I'll just run an external speaker under the dash if needed.

 

[Cameron Redwine]

Congratulations on getting your license!

I used a Yeasu FT-1500 with a mag mount antenna for a few years and really enjoyed it. In February, I purchased a Yeasu FT-8800 dual band and I'm thrilled. I have a Jetta and I didn't want a big antenna on the roof, so I got a Diamond trunk lid mount and antenna. I love my set up and could not be happier. I think a lot of chasers use the FT-8800 because of the dual receive capability. I highly recommend Yeasu, but I suppose that's just my preference. Another nice thing abut the FT-8800 is that it has a detachable face, which is nice if you're limited on space. You can mount the radio under the dash or under the seat and mount the face on your dash. Ham Radio Outlet gave me a free remote kit the purchase of the radio, so you may want to see if they still have that deal.

Good luck!

Oh, well I guess I should have finished reading the posts. You've already made your decision. Good luck.

 

[Jesse Risley]

Lots of good advice...I would recommend a higher power rig for storm chasing, especially in very remote areas. I would recommend any antenna with at least 3 DB gain or more and seriously consider any radio with 65-75 watts of output power. If you are going to operate in strictly urban areas, a simple 1/4 wave antenna with unity gain works best. I'm partial to Yaesu and Kenwood radios, but Icom has some sweet units too. I've tried many different antenna configurations in 9 years of hamming and I can tell you that permanent mount NMO antennas give me the best overall performance...don't be afraid to get ballsy and drill holes in the roof!

 

[Chris Nuttall]

The Yaesu FT-8800..or 8900 if you plan on upgrading your license and want to do a little HF work. I have the 8800 and it has everything I will ever need. It costs upward of $400, but if you look you might fight a good deal. I did a lot of research before buying it, and it consistently got the best reviews. In my experience, the dual-band receive/operation (U/U, U/V, V/U, V/V) has been the most valuable feature of this radio.

If that's too much money, I would also consider starting off with a dual-band handheld. My first radio was a Yaesu VX-5R, and I loved it. I would still use it, but I think a crystal went out because it won't transmit anymore and only receives static.

I also have a Yaesu FT-51R HT in my room that I use in the house. I have it hooked up to a roll-up J-pole that I bought online about 5 years ago. I live around a lot of repeaters, so it works fine. It's basically a handheld version (although older) of the 8800. It's too bad they discontinued the 51R. It's a gem.

 

[Glenn Dixon]

KE5NUV

Is that you?

 

[Jody Radzik]

Yes, Glenn. That's me. I'll be out and about in west Texas this Saturday, trying to figure out how to use my radio.

 

[Brandon Sullivan]

Congrats on joining the world of ham radio!! I personally like the Yaesu FT 2800.. It has a nice weather alert feature, with 65 watts of output, with lower levels such as 5/10/25.. Also has lots of "heatsink" so it will take lots of heat, from both sun radiating through the windows, and transmitting heat... With 220 memory channels, and very ruggedly built, I like it for chasing..

As for antenna's, I love Antennex. Many of them drill right into your roof, or wherever you mount, but they do have other options. They are high quality, and able take wind, and power..

Although I am partial to yaesu, i do know ICOM has some nice rigs.. Especially if you want to go digital.. But I know yaesu's are tough..!

 

[Matt Robertson]

According to the ULS the grant is dated yesterday, 4/18/2007. Congratulations on your accomplishment. Maybe the bug will bite and you will move on to General where there is a lot more fun to discover. It only requires another 35 question test and no morse code. Hope you get everything setup and working as you like.