HAM Radio Camper Info!
Mike Decossas, KB5OZE
General Class
Official Emergency station Southeast Louisiana
Assistant DEC Southeast Louisiana
When we go camping, I usually bring my Yaesu FT-847 radio. this gives me all of HF (10 to 160M), 6 Meters, 2 Meters and 440Mhz, all mode. It is an overall excellent radio and performs very well. I use an old Comet 2M/440Mhz mobile antenna for vhf/uhf. I use a SGC230 antenna coupler for 10-160M driving a 50' piece of stranded 14 AWG wire (that I throw in a tree). The coupler and vhf/uhf antenna are mounted to a 5 ' piece of 1" aluminum pipe that I strap to a support mast of the pop-up. It is easy to put up and take down. So far I usually get S9 or better on the MMN on 14.300Mhz and I can usually get into any repeater within about 30 miles.
Here are a few pictures of the house setup. The FT-847, DR-605TQ, IC-38A as well as the meters, rotor control , antenna selector, power supply and tuner.
In the first antenna picture, you see (from the bottom up) the HF antenna (a random wire on a SGC-230 coupler), then the 6 meter beam, the 2 meter beam, the 440Mhz beam and the 220Mhz beam on top. The tower (at the top of the cone) is 48 feet. The second picture is of the AR-270B 2M/440 antenna that I use for local repeater work. It sites on top of 24' hy-gain tower. All of the antennas are fed with either 9913, RG-213 or RG-214 (220Mhz). This set up works fairly well.
Hurricane Katrina didn't like the Rohn 25 tower and took it down.
I have acquired a Hy-Gain 52' crank up tower. As that is installed, I will post new Pictures here! We are rebuilding this station bigger and better!
I am going to install the following antennas (this is not 100% firm yet, i may change my mind on the HF beams):
HF: XP505 40M, 20M, 15M, 10M, 6M Beam
80M/40M homemade vetical my daughter and I made over New Years Weekend.
2M: Hy-Gain VB-214FM
220Mhz & 440Mhz have been repaired and are ready for installation.
I am also a Heathkit HL-2200 HF amp.
Please let me know if there is any needed information that is not here. I will be happy to send the "how I did it" info anytime.
Thanks,
mike_@_decossas.com