New HAM, now what?

[KrazyKooter]

So, yesterday I passed my Technician test, as well as the General test. I'm looking to hook up a HAM radio (vhf/uhf) to the bike. I currently have an Autocomm Pro, but I'm not married to using it. I'm a bit indifferent toward it, really, mainly because of the headsets. I use the Autocomm for rider-passenger communication and listening to iPod. I don't really care to hook the GPS (StreetPilot 2820) to it.

So, what would be a good setup to go with? One guy mentioned that Yeasu had a model that had bluetooth. I assume he meant the VX-8R. I like the idea of an HT due to size, but just curious of what others are setup with.

For those experienced in this area, what setup do you currently have, what would you do differently, and what would you go with if starting from scratch? Anything different if you wanted to do CB as well?

 

[bstran]

You could try looking here. http://koczarski.com/ST1300/YaesuFTM-10R/Pics.htm for ideas.

 

[KrazyKooter]

I found this thread on ADVrider. Looks like an interesting setup.

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=739735

 

[KrazyKooter]

Thanks. I was really surprised I passed the General test. I had taken only one practice test and read page 1 of a 70+ page study guide. But, since I passed the Technician's test, they let me take the General test for free. I thought, what the heck? They also let me take the Extra test for free, since I passed the General test. I got 27 out of 50 right. Not bad for not ever taking any practice tests or anything. Guess I will have to study extra hard if I want to pass the Extra test.

 

[pixguy]

I have a Yaesu FTM-10R. The radio is cabled to a Sen SR10 Hub and I use a Scala Q2Pro headset for blue tooth operation. A PTT button is attached to my left handle bar and plugs into the SR10.I got a lot of info from http://koczarski.com/ST1300/YaesuFTM-10R/pics.htm and used his guidelines for an inline noise filter, antenna, and radio placement. There was also a lower powered model but neither radio is currently in production. With the detached waterproof head mounted on the left handle bar with a RAM mount setup and the transmitter under the rear seat, I thought the set up ideal. There are two Yahoo groups dedicated to the radio with one of them much more active than the other with all sorts of files about how to hook up the radio in different configurations. The radio has VHF/UHF/FM/AM, though a proper antenna for VHF/UHF is almost totally useless on AM. FM works great and I use that a lot locally. It's capable of up to 50W output, but having that much transmitting 3 feet from my right ear doesn't exactly grab me so I run at 10W output.

What would I do differently? I'd stick with my original hardwired setup with a J&M headset. With my GPS plugged into the radio input I had everything I needed. Now, I have to charge the headset and hub every night when I'm touring. I went to the Scala after a 1,000 mile trip I took with my brother and my cousin. My brother had a CB set up and my cousin also had one but it wasn't working so no communication which would have come in handy more than a few times. They both had Scala units the following Spring so I go one and added the hub to retain my VHF/UHF capability. I used the Scala for interbike comm with my brother last year on a trip out East, but I think it's limited in usefulness. Both of them have since gone back to CB!

 

[ST Gui]

Congratulations on getting your ticket(s). If you're going mo-bile make sure you get a good antenna.

​

 

[jonjonboo]

What would I do differently? I'd stick with my original hardwired setup with a J&M headset. With my GPS plugged into the radio input I had everything I needed. Now, I have to charge the headset and hub every night when I'm touring. I went to the Scala after a 1,000 mile trip I took with my brother and my cousin. My brother had a CB set up and my cousin also had one but it wasn't working so no communication which would have come in handy more than a few times. They both had Scala units the following Spring so I go one and added the hub to retain my VHF/UHF capability. I used the Scala for interbike comm with my brother last year on a trip out East, but I think it's limited in usefulness. Both of them have since gone back to CB

Wise move with the J&M--- I enjoy having mine. When set up correctly with a good stainless steel antenna these work great. I enjoy having the benifit of talking with truck drivers concerning road conditions and accidents when approaching flashing lights---avoided many stalls and tickets with my J&M. I hear many here complain how they would never "chat" with an idiot truck driver, well I never chat but good info is something most truck drivers pass on to anyone. I wish more of my riding buddies would invest in a good CB.

 

[pixguy]

Wise move with the J&M--- I enjoy having mine. When set up correctly with a good stainless steel antenna these work great. I enjoy having the benifit of talking with truck drivers concerning road conditions and accidents when approaching flashing lights---avoided many stalls and tickets with my J&M. I hear many here complain how they would never "chat" with an idiot truck driver, well I never chat but good info is something most truck drivers pass on to anyone. I wish more of my riding buddies would invest in a good CB.

I had the J&M headset but not their CB. I fashioned a 5 pin DIN connector in a box wired to the Yaesu extension cable for the FTM-10R; that gave me a hard wired connection. KrazyKooter could do the same with his Autocomm. I really don't understand why more riders don't have a tech license and use VHF/UHF for communication. It's far superior to anything else in terms of range and clarity. The tech license is no big deal; a couple of nights reading the license manual should be enough to pass the test. Most of it is rules, regs, and operating procedures. The test questions come from a set pool of questions and the test is multiple choice. Most of the correct answers are obvious.

 

[jonjonboo]

I really don't understand why more riders don't have a tech license and use VHF/UHF for communication. It's far superior to anything else in terms of range and clarity.

Well----if I got VHF/UHF for communication then I could talk to the only person on the road I know that would have it----me. CB radio is meant for what I use, (I ride a motorcycle--not a boat or airplane) and when I need comm with other drivers/riders I prefer what others actually use where I live. Good luck with yours, I do get what you are saying, just not practical for me.

 

[KrazyKooter]

Most of they guys I ride with use CB. But, then again, I don't ride in a group that often.

 

[Louie Louie]

Congrats on obtaining your license! 73's

Louie
NB6L

 

[KrazyKooter]

I got my call sign on Friday (KG5ADZ). On the second Saturday of the month, there's a HAM Saturday at Sci-Tech (http://www.mindstretchingfun.org/) near my house. I volunteered there so I could play with their nice HF radio before I shell out some money for one. Got to make my first long distant (DX) contact, all the way to Northern Ireland! A 4,000+ mile first DX isn't too shabby.

Now, to hook up a 10 meter wave antenna to the ST...

 

[RandyIdaho]

I got my call sign on Friday (KG5ADZ). On the second Saturday of the month, there's a HAM Saturday at Sci-Tech (http://www.mindstretchingfun.org/) near my house. I volunteered there so I could play with their nice HF radio before I shell out some money for one. Got to make my first long distant (DX) contact, all the way to Northern Ireland! A 4,000+ mile first DX isn't too shabby.
Now, to hook up a 10 meter wave antenna to the ST...

Congrat's on your General. Unless you are a practicing RF (or serious-type work everyday) electrical engineer, the Amateur Extra Exam will require some study time. Just plan on it. If you have serious DX intersts, AE is worth having since you are not partial-band limited. If VHF/UHF comms is your thing, AE is probably not worth the effort. My opinion, anyway. I passed the AE in October.

I just throw the HT and a roll-up J-pole in the bags. Purpose - mainly emergency contact if out of cell coverage. Not inter-bike comms. CB or FRS/GMRS radios might be a better choice for those uses.

PM me if you want to set up a sked on HF. My rig is temporarily off air due to pulling new coax in through the crawl space. Started on it, then got sidetracked with other priority activities. Should be back in ops in a week or three.

Randy
KG7DPQ
Idaho Falls

 

[skyboybry]

John, I think you knew what to do all along... call the mothership.

 

[KrazyKooter]

John, I think you knew what to do all along... call the mothership.

I've been trying. They keep ignoring the call...

 

[Tom Mac 04a]

I really don't understand why more riders don't have a tech license and use VHF/UHF for communication. It's far superior to anything
else in terms of range and clarity.

First congrats on yr lic.....and first DX. I have an extra class here ( with 20wpm code ).

But the answer to above is that in all my travels using 2m with an Autocom unit, I never used it enough to make it worthwhile. There is almost no one on the 2m calling freqs... and repeaters so-so.
What I found is that it seems most either use CB or FRS on bikes. I use the FRS band because my group of friends do.

So find out what yr friends or the majority are running and go with that...

Tom

 

[ITArkyTek]

Congrats on your General license. I did the same thing at the end of May, passed my Tech and General in the same sitting. I am currently using my Baofeng HT on my Steed with a headset I found on eBay. Works ok but not great. I have been considering a Yeasu FT7900r or similar removable face style dual band, wondering if the main radio would fit under the seat or if it would get too hot there.

Anyway congrats,

Al Haraway
'KG5CLE'
Little Rock, AR

 

[ST_Jim]

Congratulations to both of you!

I used to do bike-to-bike communications with a UHF HT (with VOX) stuffed in a fanny pack, and a J&M headset. With having HAM friends who rode it was a no brainer, and worked very well. Well except that everyone could tell when I really got into the throttle on my FJ1200 'cuz my vox would key the radio - hi hi...

They've moved out of the area, so I don't have local ham riding buddies anymore.

More recently I tried using a Yaesu VX-7R on my ST1300 to contact repeaters when on the road, but never really debugged the setup before leaving on a trip. Between the relatively low power, alternator whine (was charging the radio on-bike without a filter), and the fact that in the boonies there isn't very good HT repeater coverage, it didn't work well. I needed to work out an amplirider or mix-it or autocom to mix the audio with my GPS, and just decided not to take it to the level I wanted for it to work well. Farkle budgets and all that - I just rely on my cellphone for emergency comms now, and hope I'm in range.

If you can find a used FTM-10 mobile I think that would be a good choice compared to an HT - larger controls for gloved operation, higher power, and supposedly waterproof. You'll have to keep a plastic bag handy for rain with an FT7900R.

Many California guys are now using GPRS/FRS HT's for bike-to-bike com also, so they don't have to be hams. You might consider a headset switchbox and a second GMRS radio (or cheat and program your ham rig to go out-of-band. Not a legal idea, but...)

I took both the advanced and extra tests in one day in one sitting - it didn't even occur to me to ask my score. But then I am a practicing EE, with a little RF experience. It would have been embarrassing not to pass, so I made sure that wasn't an option before I went to the exam session.

73 de K6JH K

 

[bcnu]

congrats on your new license. N7MYR here I have been a ham for many years and have met a lot of great people along the way
you might take a look here
http://www.ba-marc.org

I would look into a dual bander, cost is not much different than just a vhf radio. a lot of the problem will be alternator wine and who do you want to talk to? most of your riding buddies will not have the license
I would hook it to your autocom at first because the cost will only be a cable
and the radio of course. but that way you will get to check out that world and see is it my cup of tea. if so then you can go as wild as you want but at first I would take small bites and see if I really like it.