Any amateur radio or CB folks in Calis?

[MattBW]

Yeah great idea, I wonder what band would be suitable. I guess it depends where everyone is.

When the propogation is good I am getting into Moscow, Italy and Eastern Europe. Also been hitting germany and norway quite a bit too.

First ever contact last weekend was a chap just north of Hamburg.

 

[MattBW]

Up and running at home now, bands are poor but I’m getting out.

Had some contacts in Moscow today


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[MattBW]

Not sure if anyone uses Zello , which isn't technically radio (its network based) but it has huge numbers of HAM operators on there. You can use via a network radio or any ios or android device.

It even stores a number of previous overs so you can listen and catch up when joining. Or listen to messages previously left when no-one was around.

I made a channel for Cali owners if anyone is interested in the occasional chat.

http://zello.com/vwcaliforniaclub

 

[MattBW]

Recently upgraded my rig to a 7300, wow great piece of kit and put up a home made inverted L. I've been hitting USA and even Australia on digital modes so pretty interesting stuff and managed voice to Israel and Iceland.

I love the idea of a rig in my van, would probably be my Yaesu 857, now this would go beautifully with a Yaesu ATAS 120 but I can't really work out where to mount the thing. I have seen one guy with an interesting setup that lay down when not in use on the roof... could it work? Mga mounts are useless on a cali as the roof is aluminium.

 

[Nick Stubbs]

G1JJT, 857D, not put the rig in the Cali yet, used to have it in my landy, worked the Isle of Man from Spain's Atlantic coast, and Yorkshire from Iceland using an ATAS.

 

[MattBW]

Where did you mount the atas on the landy?

 

[Nick Stubbs]

Where did you mount the atas on the landy?

Swapped it about, (Landy was a disco 2) when on tour it was mounted front centre on a full length Aluminium roof rack, but daily running on a bracket fixed to the spare wheel carrier with dual band 7/8ths mounted from the roof rails.

 

[MattBW]

I am thinking on a Cali it may need to be on a tow bar mount? I understand the earth needs to be very good for it to work effectively. Not sure if that would hinder its performance.

 

[MattBW]

I've got hold of an ATAS at a decent price and just waiting on a hatchback mount to arrive. No idea how I am going to route the cables and where I will put the rig? Under drivers seat maybe.

 

[motacyclist]

Hi Matt, are you going to be using it mobile or just when you’re parked up? If just when parked up it gives you a lot more options, you could even sit in the back and run the coax through a window or the rear door.

Back in the day when I was active it was ok to use a microphone when driving but things have changed since then. Despite that, I used to have a mike mounted on a flexible stalk with a switch on the dashboard. You would need something like that and the rig would need to be within reach.

You might need to watch the onboard electronics when transmitting on high power. I had a few problems on our old Boxer, the dashboard lights used to flicker even when the ignition was switched off!

 

[MattBW]

I’m not massively sure yet but mobile would be good I think. We’ve been using the Cali to take part in some of the contests (UKAC ) with the 7300 on the table and a drive on stand. Works well but quite a faff. I like the idea of a semi permanent setup.

I’m only an m6 at the moment so 10w is my lot and even if I pass my intermediate soon it will only rise to 50w. I’m all about the low lower anyway




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[motacyclist]

I'll be interested to see how you get on with the ATAS. I never seem to have much luck with small antennas, I've tried G-Whip, Magic something or other, mag-loops etc; seem to listen OK and you hear people calling CQ but when you go back to them they just carry on calling CQ!

Different story with a simple dipole on a fishing pole. But as you say, a bit of a faff.

 

[MattBW]

I have a friend who has created a manual controller for the ATAS too (apparently its simply 12v one way and 8v the other).

I am aware that a good earth is crucial of course the aluminium roof means a mag mount is useless. So it a boot mount and a good sturdy earth to the body somewhere.

I have a wonder loop and its amazing for pickup but rather weak on transmit as you say. I also had a Watson multiranger but I moved that on as I never had much joy, too hard to tune accurately and it didnt adjust with the jumper as I expected.

 

[motacyclist]

I have a friend who has created a manual controller for the ATAS too (apparently its simply 12v one way and 8v the other).

I am aware that a good earth is crucial of course the aluminium roof means a mag mount is useless. So it a boot mount and a good sturdy earth to the body somewhere.

I have a wonder loop and its amazing for pickup but rather weak on transmit as you say. I also had a Watson multiranger but I moved that on as I never had much joy, too hard to tune accurately and it didnt adjust with the jumper as I expected.

What about some sort of bracket to clamp it into the roof rails?

 

[MattBW]

yeah I must admit using the rails would be good, just not sure if such a thing exists, ideally something I could drop down 90degrees when not in use would be good too.

 

[motacyclist]

yeah I must admit using the rails would be good, just not sure if such a thing exists, ideally something I could drop down 90degrees when not in use would be good too.

You could slide a couple of upside down bolts with a washer each side, tighten up a nut from the top and leave enough bolt thread sticking up to attach a bracket to, maybe. I'm not familiar with the fixings of the ATAS. You could run the coax along the channel and in through the grommet on the top nearside rear door opening.

BTW, if it makes cable routing easier you can use that thin (3mm?) coax, not sure what the designation is, RG158 seems to come to mind. Over the short run the losses would be negligible, I've been using it with the linked dipole no problem.

 

[Nick Stubbs]

I've got hold of an ATAS at a decent price and just waiting on a hatchback mount to arrive. No idea how I am going to route the cables and where I will put the rig? Under drivers seat maybe.

Just a thought, you woudnt be able to open the tail gate with the roof up and antena mounted.

 

[MattBW]

Yes I agree it will to be relatively low down unfortunately, unless I can work a way of putting it on the roof rail.


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[Martin]

How about a magmount on the side Matt

 

[MattBW]

Great idea martin, does it hold fast? Which model is it?

Cheers,
Matt.

 

[Hyvast]

Great idea martin, does it hold fast? Which model is it?

Cheers,
Matt.

HI Matt and all on thread, GM0CQV here in Aberdeen

I have been thinking about setting up in my Cali for some time now and the anttena location, was interesting reading you previous posts

I am about to Buy a yaesu 991A and was wondering about the ATAS but was not sure if it was the way to go
I intend only using the rig when parked up and am happy to set up at the time.

The Mag mount looked good and I guess for VHF/UHF it could be stuck on the cali anywhere when parked up
the Awning Rail looks good for a stury fixing but it is not grounded to the Cali and it seems to have a coating that is not conductive, tested it out with my continuity meter and got nothing.

there are Thumb Screw ites availible for the rail that a fitting could be mounted on indeed a pair of them could be positioned to support a vertical , still thinking about this !


Its good to see activity from the California

Do you have any update on how you have moved things along?

73 de Brendan GM0CQV

 

[Hyvast]

HI Matt and all on thread, GM0CQV here in Aberdeen

I have been thinking about setting up in my Cali for some time now and the anttena location, was interesting reading you previous posts

I am about to Buy a yaesu 991A and was wondering about the ATAS but was not sure if it was the way to go
I intend only using the rig when parked up and am happy to set up at the time.

The Mag mount looked good and I guess for VHF/UHF it could be stuck on the cali anywhere when parked up
the Awning Rail looks good for a stury fixing but it is not grounded to the Cali and it seems to have a coating that is not conductive, tested it out with my continuity meter and got nothing.

there are Thumb Screw ites availible for the rail that a fitting could be mounted on indeed a pair of them could be positioned to support a vertical , still thinking about this !


Its good to see activity from the California

Do you have any update on how you have moved things along?

73 de Brendan GM0CQV

PS I have an outback antenna for 80 to 10 never tried it Mobile

 

[Hyvast]

Rail clamp can be seen here
vw california awning rail

 

[MattBW]

I’ll be on 4m band this evening from my Cali listen out if you can ;-)


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[Hyvast]

I’ll be on 4m band this evening from my Cali listen out if you can ;-)


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Sorry I don’t have a home setup, hence buying the 991A to operate from the Cali