On the road again

[Jackmaster]

New to semi-full time RVing with HF/VHF rig in TT and a VHF in the 2010 Chevy 4x4 TV. Mounted a screwdriver antenna to the back of the TT with the adjustable section just above the roof line. Lots of static which I now understand may be from the 110 converter/charging system. I'm thinking of running a separate line from the TT's 12VDC battery. Any suggestions.

Last summer we spent 2 months traveling from NC to Washington state and back. Right now we are in South Florida (80+ days). Our summer plans are to leave NC in May traveling across the lower 48, up through Nevada, CA, OR, and WA before spending a month in Montana (July). August will see us crossing over the upper 48 to Maine for the first snow before returning home in Oct. We'll have covered all of US except for Alaska. We flew to HI last summer for our 40th anniversay. We'll make Alaska some day.

73's

Neal
W4JNH

[wa8yxm]

Some suggestions before you start making changes.

First: What converter do you have? (just want to know, don't make any difference to what I will say)

now, Trun on radio, note static level. Find breaker that feeds converter. OFF it. See what radio does.

NOTE: do things like kill firdge, water heater, Inverter (If you have one) and other stuf.. one switch at a time.

Post results (Just the ones that matter).

[Radio]

and welcome aboard

[N3LYT]

Yes some converter/chargers are quite noisy on the HF bands. The newer ones are switching supplies and they just generate noise so even if you wire direct to the battery the noise will still be there. I replaced the original one in my TT and in my case if it's off the only thing it will effect is the charger so it's on it's own breaker. I run a pair of batteries so I can ham it up for a good while before I need to recharge. You'll have fun with mobile HF I really enjoy the one in the truck and when I'm parked it gets switched to the TT.

[wa8yxm]

I keep hearing how the new switching converters make a lot of noise.

Damon installed a Progressive Dynamics 9180 with wizard on this house back in 2005 when they bult it. I have often done tests with my TS-2000 which is hooked to the main 12 volt distribution panel which is a bit closer to the PDI 9180 than it is the Interstate U-2200s

I do not hear any noise from the 9180.

Others have said they are very noisy. I can not confirm.

The converter secton of my prosine also does not show up on the TS-2000 (nor does the inverter) though usually when I turn on the Prosine's converter the TS-2000 notices.. big time.. Here is why.

From time to time, usually around 3-3:30 Am, with the radio acting very strange, I figure out the problme is I've snagged the cord on the 9180 and pulled the plug out of the socket (it's a plug in model) and the batteries are getting critically low.

I flip the converter switch on the Prosine panel, enabling it, and .. Everything suddenly works PROPERLY. That is a very good notice.

I have, however, heard other rigs, Refrigerators (Gordon West has a MP3 of a fridge he can play for you, He played it on Ham Nation (http://twit.tv.hn)

and many other noise sources.

[TXiceman]

Had a Progressive Dynamics converter in the previous trailer and it was a noise machine. About S7 across the whole spectrum. Their solution was for me to build a Faraday cage arounf their converter. This was operating directly off the batteries. Solution was to turn off the converter and no noise while operating.

Ken

[One Country Boy]

Hi Neal,

Welcome to ORR. I've not been on the forum in awhile so afraid I'll get scolded by some of my long time friends here.

I operate mainly 40 and 80 meters. In most of the past RV's we have had, I've experienced a lot of noise on 75/80 meters. As someone else was saying, it's not always the RV's PS/Charger. I found on one occasion that the surround sound system that came in the 5th wheel was the culprit. I've never put an HF rig in our motor home. I plan to do that soon. I bought a Kenwood TS480SAT and need to get it in place. I'm anxious to see what the noise level will be like. The motor home has 2 deep cycle 6 volt batteries in it, and my plans are to connect direct to them.

Glad you found the ORR Forum Neal. Lot of good guys on here with plenty of knowledge. Happy New Year.