[Elecraft] Could this operate on a motorcycle?

Sun May 4 21:47:58 EDT 2014

I am pretty sure I never suggested using a 5W rig. Mobile VHF rigs are 50-75W.

The KX3 is limited to 10W (8W at 12m and above), so it would not give any more range than a 5W HT.

wunder
K6WRU

On May 4, 2014, at 6:39 PM, Russell Conner <rgconner at gmail.com> wrote:

> As I have stated many times. 5w is not cutting it. 
> Sorry, it is not. People saying it is all I need is not changing the facts. With a 5.1Db gain antenna, the local terrain is killing the signals in larger than 12 man groups, single file through the hills.
> 
> We need more in many cases. 
> 
> 
> On Sun, May 4, 2014 at 6:29 PM, Walter Underwood <wunder at wunderwood.org> wrote:
> You asked about a specific application, "co-ordinating rider leader/wingman/tailgunners actions during rides". A VHF mobile or VHF/UHF mobile is perfect for that. They are small, affordable, and the mobile antennas are efficient.
> 
> The issue is not Elecraft, it is using HF for this purpose. HF mobile antennas are inefficient, often losing 10dB compared to a full-sized antenna. That means you really need 100W. One reply suggested two 100W HF rigs, the IC-706 and IC-7000.
> 
> The Elecraft 100W amp would work for this, but it raises the cost to around $2500 per vehicle, which is 10X the cost of a 2m mobile radio. One of the reasons Elecraft gave for building the 100W amp was to make the KX3 usable mobile.
> 
> 6m or 10m do not have much advantage over 2m in this application, so there is no reason to spend more money to run on those bands. If you did want those bands, the IC-8900R covers 10m through 70cm with 50W for $400 (35W on 70cm) (http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/fm_txvrs/0890.html).
> 
> I'm a backpacker and I love my KX3. I go lots of places where cell phones don't work. But I would not recommend it for a motorcycle. I'm driving up to Oregon next week and I'll try to get on the noontime net with 10W mobile, but I don't really expect that to work.
> 
> wunder
> K6WRU
> http://observer.wunderwood.org/
> 
> On May 4, 2014, at 6:10 PM, rgconner <rgconner at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > Hmm. What I think the biggest issue is that I am both a motorcycle
> > enthusiast and a budding HAM enthusiast... although the shine is coming off
> > quickly.
> >
> > "Motor scooters" come in 600+ cc now, they are as big and fast as half the
> > motorcycles out there. BMW's C600 will cruise all day long, and you can get
> > up and 1000 miles again the next day if you want.
> >
> > This highlights the difficulty: lack of mine and others knowledge of both
> > spheres in equal depth. I know motorcycles. I don't know HAM as well. You
> > all know the HAM as well, but there seems to be not an overlap with
> > motorcycles so much.
> >
> > And, considering the spec this was designed for: "home, backpacking, and
> > travel." it sounds like another product: cell phones.
> >
> > And we motorcyclists mount our cellphones to the handlebars all the time,
> > even small tablets.
> >
> > So I am surprised those products fair better than the KX3 in the
> > overlapping "home, backpacking, and travel." environment.
> >
> > I have broken 3 phones packpacking, so I guess the KX3 is out altogether if
> > it is not as rugged as as say, a Galaxy S phone.
> >
> > My 2c worth.
> >
> > On Sun, May 4, 2014 at 5:59 PM, Jim Brown-10 [via Elecraft] <
> > ml-node+s365791n7588568h31 at n2.nabble.com> wrote:
> >
> >> On 5/4/2014 5:17 PM, Russell Conner wrote:
> >>> well, the naysayers have convinced me, the Elecraft is not the radio for
> >> me
> >>> for this application, and this is the application I need to solve first.
> >> A
> >>> home station is a year or two away, if ever.
> >>
> >> Hi Russell,
> >>
> >> Congratulations on getting your license. The experience and backgrounds
> >> of those who have offered advice is pretty widely varied -- everything
> >> from true expert to opinions only to hearsay. Most of us own Elecraft
> >> rigs, and most have owned lots of other rigs too, over the years. I've
> >> had nearly 20 in the 60 years I've been a ham. Many of us own and use 2M
> >> and 440 MHz rigs -- I certainly do -- and I mostly use them on the road.
> >>
> >> I agree with the advice that Elecraft does not make a product to do what
> >> you want on your motorcycle -- for the short distances involved, I'd be
> >> looking at either a 2M rig if all the guys in your group are hams, or an
> >> FRS radio if they are not, looking for something you can fit with a
> >> suitable headset.
> >>
> >> As others have noted, the KX3 is a great rig for home, backpacking, and
> >> travel. That's what it's designed for. When you are ready for a rig like
> >> that, it's head and shoulders above the rest. Sort of like the
> >> difference between a Harley and a motor scooter. :)
> >>
> >> 73, Jim K9YC
> >> ______________________________________________________________
> >> Elecraft mailing list
> >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> >> Post: mailto:[hidden email]<http://user/SendEmail.jtp?type=node&node=7588568&i=0>
> >>
> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> >> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> >> Message delivered to [hidden email]<http://user/SendEmail.jtp?type=node&node=7588568&i=1>
> >>
> >>
> >> ------------------------------
> >> If you reply to this email, your message will be added to the discussion
> >> below:
> >>
> >> http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Could-this-operate-on-a-motorcycle-tp7588505p7588568.html
> >> To unsubscribe from Could this operate on a motorcycle?, click here<http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/template/NamlServlet.jtp?macro=unsubscribe_by_code&node=7588505&code=cmdjb25uZXJAZ21haWwuY29tfDc1ODg1MDV8ODU2NDE2OTM=>
> >> .
> >> NAML<http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/template/NamlServlet.jtp?macro=macro_viewer&id=instant_html%21nabble%3Aemail.naml&base=nabble.naml.namespaces.BasicNamespace-nabble.view.web.template.NabbleNamespace-nabble.view.web.template.NodeNamespace&breadcrumbs=notify_subscribers%21nabble%3Aemail.naml-instant_emails%21nabble%3Aemail.naml-send_instant_email%21nabble%3Aemail.naml>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Could-this-operate-on-a-motorcycle-tp7588505p7588570.html
> > Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > Elecraft mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> >
> > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> > Message delivered to wunder at wunderwood.org
> 
> --
> Walter Underwood
> wunder at wunderwood.org
> 
> 
> 
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to rgconner at gmail.com
> 

--
Walter Underwood
wunder at wunderwood.org