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Old 03-02-2008, 03:34 PM   #30
emu
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Posts: 3
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Until I retire and move back to America, I only have a Hawaiian-style RV. That's a small Japanese pickup truck with a cooler full of beer in the back. Only the antennas and a cheap used dual-band rig stay in the truck permanently because of theft issues. Truck has two 80 amp/hour deep-cycle batteries, both for starting the engine and running the radios parked, fed to the radios through a RigRunner DC distribution panel. Rig is an IC-706IIG or IC-7000, feeding Iron Horse sticks mag-mounted on the truck roof or an Outbacker Outreach 500 mounted there or on a tripod. For digital modes, there's a Jotto Desk on the passenger side to hold a laptop and interface box. HF rig is placed between the seats, mounted on a plastic cutting board, with control head facing up. All HF operation is while parked within 30 feet of seawater. This is the standard M.O. here for many hams because of widespread restrictions on antennas at homes. The big blue ground plane allows worldwide QSOs from inadequate antennas and 50 to 100 watts. Internet access (for callsign lookups and DX spots) is from a ClearWire modem on the truck roof with a folded beach towel over it for protection from the sun. Funky way to operate, but it gets me on the air.
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