[Elecraft] OT: Mobile operation "bible"

[Edward R Cole]

My only attempt at HF in a mobile was on my old 78 Scout Traveler 
(diesel).  Before heading to AK I had a welder install a big front 
bumper with space for a winch and brush guard for front grill and 
head lights.  Alas, I never bought the winch so had a tool box 
installed in its place.  OK I used the 1-inch steel tubing as a clamp 
support for a Hustler 4BTX which I had the 80m whip option.  It stuck 
up there a ways so was only installed when I was parked.  Worked 
K4USA (I think the call was) from Eagle, AK to the Antarctic via 20m 
and 100w.  The scout was a heavy rig 4500-lbs. and had a nice steel 
frame which probably helped.

Now if you want a challenge install a 4-MHz HF Marine SSB station on 
a fishing boat (typ. 25-35 foot).  The one's with fiberglass hulls 
can be a challenge.  Most Marine HF used either 21-foot or 35-foot 
whips and had a manual tuner (In the old days vs auto-tuner now days) 
attached to something metallic right at the base of the 
antenna.  Usually had a 1-inch mesh ground strap to ground and RG-8 
to the radio.  The manual tuners had a motorized switch to select 
taps in the loading coil and jumpers for the bank of fixed tuning 
caps.  Fortunately only about six to eight channels were programmed 
as one could spend a hour easily trying to find the best combo of tap 
position and capacity.  2182-KHz was the mandatory emergency watch 
frequency and getting a good match was awful. 4125-KHz (4A) was the 
standard in AK for all the fisherman and one could hear them some 
times out to 800 mi at night.  100-125w was standard.

On my last job I installed a Harris 1kW linear to serve as Marine HF 
Base on 4125 and strung a dipole at 40-foot between two Rohn-25 
towers (nice to be a rich oil company!).  They sold them as Satellite 
telephone has largely replaced HF for commercial marine.  Boats still 
have them but little used.

Sorry about reminiscing - the topic reminded me of those days in early 1980's.

73, Ed - KL7UW
http://www.kl7uw.com
     "Kits made by KL7UW"
Dubus Mag business:
     dubususa at gmail.com