[Mobile-Portable] Ford Excursion

[N5WV]

Joe  ,   Thanks for the information.  If you still purchase Ford products I would stick with that dealer. Not many like that around anymore. I have only used the Excursion with HF mobile on one trip so far but was using a mag mount HF antenna at the time and thats probably the worst case antenna for noise. But now with this major project coming on I want to realy get on top of it. I will be using a Tarhill screwdriver antenna. I am lucky to have a huge supply of past World Radio magazines that have a great HF Mobile column in them with some good tips .  Anyway thanks for your reply , Randy N5WV 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: N1KHB at aol.com 
To: mobile-portable at mailman.qth.net 
Sent: Friday, September 18, 2009 9:14:05 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central 
Subject: Re: [Mobile-Portable] Ford Excursion 

Hi Randy, 
   At least some of your noise problems might be solved  easily at your 
local Ford dealer. My experience some years ago with my  Mercury Grand Marquis 
was exemplary when I went to the dealer with the same  problem. Though in 
the end the result was only mediocre, the dealer bent over  backwards to help 
me with HF noise to the extent that they even replaced the  engine computer 
with a known lower noise type for free under warranty. They  advised me that 
little more could be accomplished with further  bonding/grounding, etc. and 
I think that they were right. My dealer at the time  was Hammonasset Ford 
in southern Conn. Your mileage may vary. 
   My main focus then was directed toward a quality HF antenna   
installation concentrating on a good ground. I used a hitch mounted whip fed by  an 
autotuner which was located in the trunk. Afetr extensive reading, I  concluded 
that many faulty HF antenna installations were the result of a poor  ground 
at the feed point. The grounds may have started out good, but exposure to   
weather especially of the salty winter variety soon took their toll often   
without being noticed by the owner. I decided that the only good ground is 
one  that stays fresh and clean, and that the location for that ground 
attachment  would be INSIDE where it is protected rather than anywhere on the 
vehicle  exterior. 
   I enjoyed a number of years of HF mobile with this setup. And  though 
the vehicle noise was never completely solved, I knew that I at least  could 
have faith in the antenna system which went a long way toward reasonably   
successful ops without adding to or complicating the noise problems with a   
faulty ground. 
   Hope this helps. 
  
Best, 
Joe N1KHB 
_www.tinyurl.com/n1khb_ (http://www.tinyurl.com/n1khb) 
  
  
  
  
In a message dated 9/17/2009 1:45:50 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,   
n5wv at comcast.net writes: 

Hello  Group  ,   Im new to this group so bare with me.  I have a  2003 
Ford Excursion  6.0 diesel . I want to make a communications vehicle  out of it 
similar to the ones used by the Red Cross.  The only  modification that I 
have done so far is upgrading the alternator to a 250 amp  unit.  But this 
vehicle has noise problems at HF. With cooler WX coming I  want to get busy 
locating and taking care of the noise problems.  But  this is new for me.  The 
only noise prevention suppresion work that I  have ever done was install 
one of the cheap CB type of noise suppresion kits  years ago. But I do 
understand that good grounding and sheilding is the bottom  line.  But what I need 
to know are "the tricks of the trade" when it  comes to locating and 
sniffing for noise problems ?  Better yet   ,   Is there anyone on this list that 
has done suppresion work on a  Ford Excursion 6.0 diesel ?  Its a Eddie Bauer 
model so its loaded with  every electrical option available.  If anyone can 
assist me please email  me offline at    n5wv at comcast.net    .      Thanks 
,   73   de   Randy     N5WV   
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