In the midst of packing for my DXpedition / SCUBA dive trip to San Salvador Island, I felt the need to start a series on designing and building a portable ham radio station in a motorhome. Since mine was already done, We bought a new motorhome so I can start all over again. Also, wanna make a QSO with me on DXpedition? Watch this episode.
I like your idea, hope we get many good tips. Two big problems I have are limited space for my station and limited options for antennas.
I have a Tarheel on the roof of my motorhome with their 'Lift and Lay' remote mount, easy-peasy to get on the air - push a button. I put down three 2' by 3' aluminum sheets under the mount for a counterpoise.
Please see my motor home ham shack on link below. In my setup I only operate after the coach is parked. My 5 band trap vertical is mounted on a tarheel trailer hitch receiver mount and no radials. From out current location, I work South Pacific and many states in the US typically at S9 or better. Vertical antennas and RV parks are noisy so I use Web based SDR for receiving. Icom 718 runing 3 watts into a 200 watt solid state amplifer and a automatic tuner to touch up the SWR. All 5 bands with antenna is 1.8 SWR or less without tuner and no radials. 73 John https://www.qrz.com/db/KF5UMC
I have a setup in my toy hauler trailer. I either run a TS-2000 mobile and as a camp rig or an FT-857 . My antenna is a little Tarheel II and have 50 foot of RG8X and 50 foot of control cable and when I set up camp I transfer the rig to the trailer hook the cables to the truck and then I can change bands and tune the antenna from the trailer. The way its all set up I can run the rig from outside the trailer like on a table also I am currently working with setting up an Eagle One vertical to try while I am camping. I have a 3ft tv tripod and I added an extended foot to it so I can trap it with the tongue jack or one of the stabilizing jacks or even the truck tire at camp an keep it from tipping over. I still need to get an external tuner to tune the Eagle One but its early yet and I have time before the first outing. I like the idea of a dipole antenna but sometimes or a lot of times trying to hang one in a campground is a PIA. My other option for 75 meters for the nets is a couple ham sticks horizontal and I have the mount but only one ham stick at the moment. I will be following this post for more ideas . 73 Dave N8DC
Good bus. We say : "Radio is a sport for the rich." When you grow up - I will try that would I have been like this.
