Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
Open Roads Radio forum for Ham, Amateur Radio and RV camping


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 10-14-2014, 10:30 PM   #1
K7FL
K7FL
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Battle Ground, WA
Posts: 1
Default New RVer - old ham

My XYL and I are making plans for life on the road in a class A RV sometime in the next two years. This looks like a great forum for learning what others are doing to keep their ham radio interests alive on the road. Looking forward to learning more about the topic in preparation for our own adventure.
Dennis, K7FL
Battle Ground, WA
K7FL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-15-2014, 02:15 AM   #2
W7JZE
RV in 2016
 
W7JZE's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Patterson, CA (CA central Valley east of SF)
Posts: 92
Smile Me too :-)

Hi Dennis,

Like you I am not yet an RV owner, but being age 63, with retirement on the near horizon, I see it coming... FAST .

Wife and I can't hardly wait!!

I have only been on this board some 8 months or so (I forget) and I have found helpful, friendly answers to all of my naïve, newbie questions, every time I have asked. Lots of information in the archives too.

Nice place. I think you'll like it here. Welcome .
__________________
73,

Bill - W7JZE
"Dar" - XYL
(And our little Bichon Frisé "Sparkle")
W7JZE is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-15-2014, 05:47 PM   #3
Radio
Administrator
 
Radio's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Fayetteville, GA, USA
Posts: 3,017
Default

That's the route I took, was a ham LONG before the 5th wheel arrived back in 2008.

And ham radio played a big part in selection of the rig we finally bought. There simply HAD to be a place to put the radios!

__________________

KU4OJ "Wade" Ships Captain, CFO, Chief Engineer
KG4DQQ "Kathy" 1st Officer, Navigator, Best Friend
2007 F-150 SuperCab - 2009 Rockwood 8280SS
Lot's of mostly Kenwood stuff

Radio is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-26-2014, 02:07 AM   #4
w5mjm
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 2
Default

Long time HAM, just purchased a 5th wheel. looking forward to many adventures.

Mike w5mjm
w5mjm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-26-2014, 10:06 AM   #5
Radio
Administrator
 
Radio's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Fayetteville, GA, USA
Posts: 3,017
Default

Welcome aboard and have fun! We chose our 5th wheel because (among other things, including very light weight) it has a floorplan that will accommodate a ham radio station quite well!
__________________

KU4OJ "Wade" Ships Captain, CFO, Chief Engineer
KG4DQQ "Kathy" 1st Officer, Navigator, Best Friend
2007 F-150 SuperCab - 2009 Rockwood 8280SS
Lot's of mostly Kenwood stuff

Radio is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-26-2014, 09:15 PM   #6
KF5BET
Senior Member
 
KF5BET's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Lafayette, LA
Posts: 507
Default

Welcome aboard Dennis!

Looking forward to hearing all about your escapades!
__________________
Galen - KF5BET
Crysti - "the CHIEF"
Abbi - KF5BEW dd
Kendra - KF5FYS dd
Maggie - Cat chaser
2005 F250, 1996 Nomad
KF5BET is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-27-2014, 01:33 AM   #7
wa8yxm
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Mobile, on the road
Posts: 1,139
Send a message via AIM to wa8yxm Send a message via Yahoo to wa8yxm Send a message via Skype™ to wa8yxm
Default

For VHF/UHF height is might so a flagpole with antenna brackets can help.

For HF, many go the screwdriver route.. I have seen a few put up specially made towers that attach (usually to the rear) of the RV with a compact multi-band beam.

I use a long wire, currently 50 feet, KAT-1 Tuner on one end, up a fish pole (Telescoping ple from Bass Pro Shop) then to another on the side of the rig, then to a flag pole at the front of the rig just now,, Works well for 40, fair for 80, have not tried shorter wavelengths lately.

Normally I use a longer wire (80+ feet) tossed over tree limbs, but no trees where I broke down.

I plan on a 10 meter dipole some day.
wa8yxm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-07-2015, 07:38 PM   #8
ChuckW5KAV
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Rochester WA
Posts: 23
Send a message via Skype™ to ChuckW5KAV
Default

Dennis

I use a High Sierra screwdriver attached to my F350 dually and
a dual band Diamond mounted on the side of my hood. I run
35ft of RG213 from my truck to the 5th wheel or a table on the
camp site.
__________________
73 Chuck & Hildi
2006 Coachmen Chaparral 277ds

73 Chuck W5KAV
ChuckW5KAV is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2015, 10:44 AM   #9
wa8yxm
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Mobile, on the road
Posts: 1,139
Send a message via AIM to wa8yxm Send a message via Yahoo to wa8yxm Send a message via Skype™ to wa8yxm
Default

If you have not already made your purchase.... May I suggest a bath and a half floor plan?

Yes, I really could use the extra room....but when my wife and I were alive there were many,many times I was real happy having 2holes..No waiting.
wa8yxm is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-08-2015, 12:21 PM   #10
NN5I
Carl, nn5i
 
NN5I's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posts: 1,441
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by wa8yxm View Post
there were many,many times I was real happy having 2 holes
When I was in my late teens we had a two-holer behind the house. It took up lots less space than two one-holers.
__________________
-- Carl
NN5I is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:28 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
×