Ham Nation - Updating Your Shack & How To Run Ham Sticks

Join Gordon, Don, Amanda, Randy and Josh on the first Ham Nation on the Ham Radio Crash Course channel!
Tonight Gordon shares his knowledge on the ubiquitous ham stick. We catch up with Ham Radio Newsline, Randy shares his recent shack changes and Amanda rounds out the show taking your questions from the chat.

 

sincerely greeting vy73 DJOAJ ekrem

 

josh greeting amazing antenas system HRCC. vy73 DJOAJ ekrem

 

Please don't think for a minute you can run HF mobile with the advice given here. Just go to the Mobile forum here instead. It's a Crash course alright.

 

Why, what's wrong with the advice?

 

Just try it and see how well it works. Mobile or at least half way decent mobile require a lot in the install. Just read the mobile thread to understand why. This above is just promoting sales, giving new hams a false impression of how simple it is.
They will try it and fail then come to the forums and be told its a lot more than just mounting an antenna on your trunk lid. Then most often they give up.

 

What were they selling? I only listened to the first portion with Gordon before I had to go onto other things, but it sounded to me like a discussion on how to get on the air quickly without a huge investment, not "what is the best installation". They specifically talked about using this with rental vehicles (where you won't be able to do the "proper" install).

My take away was "just get on the air, here's how you can get started". No, it's not the best way, but it's a "toe in the water" approach with minimal outlay of cash and effort.

I'm half tempted to try it with my KX2 just for giggles during our next long trip. If I can get my wife to drive, I can play on the radio (while my kids mock me from the back seat).

Chris

 

Feel free to try. The mount shown requires a bond to work. And in a rental with a poor antenna setup and install you can mess with the onboard electronics.

 

I have great success running a 20m and 10m hamstick. The key to success is bonding the mount and adding a choke balun to the coax.

Conversely 40m hamstick is just OK, 80m is not very good

 

Also, great to see Ham Nation land on the HRCC Chanel. Great job Josh Nass KI6NAZ!

 

I just want to say that from time to time I slap a 20 or 40 meter hamstick on my car with a trunk mount using a yaesu ft 891 and have some fun....it works....its not the BEST setup but you will be able to make contacts....just the other morning I was chatting with my buddies from florida, Wisconsin, and Arizona on 20 meters and they all heard me fine. Hey try it out ...what have you got to lose?

 

Not all mobile isntalls. But the point is valid, some installs need bonding and better mounting to get the best performance. Although, we need to appreciate, most HF mobile antennas are compromised due to antenna length.

We mentioned some brands for ham sticks and mounts, but we're not affiliated with those brands. Gordo was just talking about what worked for him. Likely, hams have some sticks lying around and some simple mounts to give it a shot. Further, ham sticks and mounts are cheap. flat grounding strap if you need to dond a trunk to the chassis is cheap. No reason not to try.

Thanks for reminding me to link my indepth mobile install videos to the episode. Cheers.

 

Thank God the show's venue has changed. It had become boring and unlistenable over the last few years on TWIT, just a bunch of rich guys talking about expensive radios and their huge antennas. It was elitist.

Not everyone can afford $2,000 radios like that ICOM shill gushed over. Talk about beginner radios. Talk about Yaesu, Alinco and yes, even discuss, Baofeng. Talk about people like me in condo hell and how I can get on the air. Talk about the League more. Make it less deadly dull.

 

djoaj ekrem

 

Do they sell a stick for 11m, got a set of boots and looking to get some time in the slot.