'Tis true that 2-meter and 440 are both "line of sight." But as I
understand it, 6-meter can trope skip when conditions are right, so for
a no-code technician, I'm thinking that a tri-band rig w/ 6-meter might
offer a chance of reaching out of the mountains. So -- anyone got
suggestions on a tri-band mobile FM rig? Older workhouse models commonly
found at ham swap meets would be great-- I don't need nuttin' fancy.

--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
84 Westphalia: "Mellow Yellow (The Electrical Banana)"
KG6RCR

-=-=-
If at first you don't succeed, redefine success.

David Marshall wrote:

>I'm not an Elmer - heck I'm 'only' 32 years old, but I think thing the
>permanently installed VHF / UHF radios are over rated.  I mount my Icom W2A
>dual band hand held on a mobile phone holder next to the speedo pod.  At the
>holder is a 12V plug for it and I have a speaker/mic plug for it so I don't
>have to pick the whole radio up to talk, just the mic, mount the speaker
>some place nice.  I do not have an external antenna and for the most part I
>don't need it.  I have external HF and 6m antenna though (see pics of my
>TriStar).  VHF / UHF is basically line of sight and the communications to a
>repeater generally don't need a whole lot of punch - at least in mountain
>country.  If you want more punch, an external high gain antenna will work -
>6bB gain is like taking the 5W radio and making it 20W - then you can just
>plug that antenna into the top of the hand held radio via a BNC plug.  The
>nice thing about this is it takes 2 seconds to remove the radio from the
>holder so when you are gone from the vehicle you have a radio you can talk
>on and someone else won't tempted to take your radio.
>
>David Marshall
>
>Fast Forward Automotive Inc.
>4356 Quesnel-Hixon Road
>Quesnel BC Canada  V2J 6Z3
>
>http://www.fastforward.ca    mailto:sales@fastforward.ca
>Phone: (250) 992 7775        FAX: (250) 992 1160
>
>- Vanagon Accessories and Engine Conversions
>- Vanagon, Transporter and Iltis Sales and Importation
>- European Lighting for most Volkswagen models
>
>
>Due to the large volume of email  we  receive,  PLEASE  include  previous
>emails when responding.  This will allow us to read the complete dialogue
>in one message and will result in quicker and more  accurate  responses.
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
>Of Rocket J Squirrel
>Sent: October 30, 2004 7:27 AM
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>Subject: A good ham setup
>
>
>This is veering away from pure Vanagon content into ham radio geekery,
>but younger hams with Vanagons may benefit from the collective wisdom of
>the "Elmers" (hams with know-how) on this subject.
>
>My question: I'd like to put a small VHF/UHF mobile rig into Mellow
>Yellow, but have no knowledge of the affordable rigs, nor which would
>mount easily. So I'd like some advice on this. The good, easy-to-find
>used models? Where you fit 'em (I have my CD changer mounted on the
>ceiling above the rear view mirror, and under my butt is the aux
>battery), a good affordable roof-mount antenna (Mellow Yellow is a
>Westy), and any Handy Hintz to help me get set up ragchewing while on
>the road in an inexpensive manner.
>
>--
>Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
>71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
>84 Westphalia: "Mellow Yellow (The Electrical Banana)"
>KG6RCR
>-=-=-
>... "A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well."
>                                                        -- Unknown
>
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