[Mobile-Portable] Prepping My Chevy Astro Van For Ham radio

Mon, 18 Feb 2002 18:28:28 -0500

why go through so much trouble? a Comet antenna fr all bands, a  cheap
Alinco DX 77 and a EDS2 manula tuner, will do the job! No need for diferent
antennas, switches, batteries ect ect..
----- Original Message -----
From: "doc" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Lunes, 18 de Febrero de 2002 06:03 p.m.
Subject: [Mobile-Portable] Prepping My Chevy Astro Van For Ham radio


> I own a 1991 Chevy Astro van which I am modifying for
> Amateur Radio, especially emergency communications.
> here are some of the things I hope to do and for which
> I'd appreciate helpful advice.
>
> 1.  Change the short stock broadcast aerial to a longer one
> (screw on 1/8 female at the base of the whip), then insert
> an a/b switch prior to the broadcast radio and add a BNC
> jack on the dash.  This would allow use of that aerial for
> BC or a scanner ... and in an emergency for HF use via
> a tuner.  Anyone done this?  Advantages, disadvantages?
> (No space inside the fender to install a power antenna or
> even a AM-FM-CB/HF combo-type antenna.)
>
> 2.  Mounts for hamsticks on the left and right rear sides just
> before the rear bumper.  Install 75m and 20m sticks for
> most common use and switch as desired when other bands
> are desired.  Makes for an inexpensive, simple and rugged
> setup and 75m & 20m are the key HF bands for emergency
> work.
>
> 3.  I'd like to add a second large battery, preferably a
> deep cycle that I own, and put some sort of device in line
> so it remains fully charged but cannot be discharged due
> to a failure in the regular charging system.  Also want to
> be able to conveniently bypass that protection and start
> from it should the regular battery fail.  Any recommendations
> as to the physical placement of this battery and the
> charging protection device?
>
> 4.  I installed better quality spark plug wires that are supposed
> to help to kill some of the RFI (engine static) I hear on the
> AM-BC radio, little help.  Where is the next place I should look?
>
> That's all for now!  Thanks for the list and thanks in advance
> for any helpful hints!
>
> Thanks! & 73, doc KD4E  ARRL-WCF-SEC
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>
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