Mobile

After several years off the air, I discovered the time for ham radio was while driving to and from work. So, I purchased a Kenwood TS480SAT and a few hamsticks. From Dec 05 to Mar 06, I worked over 100 countries from my car. So, now I'm hooked on mobile operations because of time, antenna restrictioins and I have the ability to talk around the world from the car -- SSB and CW. Hope to see you on the air!

This is my new Toyota FJ Cruiser (2007).
Parked next to my experimental aircraft -- Van's RV-4.

FJ Cruiser with a 20m hamstick. Photo taken during Field Day 2006. I operated 1C Northern Florida (NFL).

with 20m hamstick.

Front view of the FJ Cruiser with the Little Tarheel II antenna at NA-142.

Rear view of the FJ Cruiser with the Little Tarheel II antenna. Location is NA-142 Santa Rosa/Okaloosa Is., FL

Kenwood TS480SAT -- 100watts with built-in antenna tuner. The speaker is located in the control head and sounds great. Kenwood did a great job with this radio for mobile operations. I've used the Yaesu 897D and the Icom 706 and the Kenwood beats those radios in all aspects for mobile operations.

I normally use "hamsticks" for my antennas but I've used the BuddiStick for non-mobile operations and it gives my signal a nice boost. When I'm having trouble breaking a pileup at home, I just go to the car and put my SuperBubbaBuddiStick on the mount and I break the pileup every time. This is the super BuddiStick on my old Honda Accord.

FJ Cruiser with homebrew (stationary) mobile antenna.
It consist of a 54" mast, 4x11" Buddistick sections, an 80m
Buddistick coil, 2x11" Buddistick sections, 4 section miltiary whip. Attached to a steel bracket on the roof rack.

FJ Cruiser in the mud in Flagstaff, AZ

Mobile CW can be a challenge sometimes...high speeds and/or in traffic. So, please be patient with me if this is the case. 10 wpm is a good speed to do mobile CW.

N4LS/M as of 1 Jan 2008

Aspen trees near Flagstaff, AZ

In Sedona, AZ. The FJ Cruiser can go anywhere and provide global communication.

N4LS/M - 2007 - Mobile CW during the ARRL International CW contest

Recommended book on ham radio mobile installations:

Arrl Amateur Radio on the Move

My new mobile QSL card as of Dec 2007

APRS reception with the International Space Station, Jan 2008.

N4LS/M stationary mobile antenna for 80 and 40m. Works ok with a single radial. I've WAC on 80 and 40 with this type antenna on the SUV but it's not easy especially when with so many houses in AZ.