wa_desert_rat Posted February 1, 2015 Report Share Posted February 1, 2015 I've been looking at the MFJ-9296 QRP CW transceiver (with plugins for all the bands at $230). Anyone have any experience with these? Any ideas on antennas for a 36' motor home? WDR 1993 Foretravel U225 with Pacbrake and 5.9 Cummins with Banks 1999 Jeep Wrangler, 4" lift and 33" tires Raspberry Pi Coach Computer Ham Radio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
w4whh Posted February 1, 2015 Report Share Posted February 1, 2015 You might check for a product review on eham.net. For an antenna, options would include a screwdriver antenna, Hustler, or hamsticks. In past years I've used a Hustler antenna with 3 resonators to allow working on 3 bands. Warren & Sandy 2006 New Horizons 36 ft 5ver 2003 Freightliner FL60 - Mountain Master conversion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butch&fonda Posted February 1, 2015 Report Share Posted February 1, 2015 My only experience, is with what I'm running right now, a Tarheel 200HP, on a "Lift & Lay", motorized mount, and my experience with that has been very limited. I really like the convenience, our bus has no ladder and no practical way to install one, so access to the roof is not convenient, quick or easy. I can have the antenna deployed in just a couple of minutes as long as there is no overhead obstructions. I use a Turbo Tuner II, as an automatic antenna tuner/adjuster (a screwdriver doesn't need a tuner, this is just for my convenience). Completing my set up is a MFJ 600 watt, solid state amp, all headed up by an Icom IC7200. I also have my WiFi Ranger antenna, mounted off to the side of the base bracket, so it elevates with the mount, making it about 14 feet or so in the air. Not a real good picture, but here is my setup, when deployed for 40 meters. Butch W9MCI Butch & Fonda Williams, MCI MC9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wa_desert_rat Posted February 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2015 I've used (and still have) the Hustler screw-in antennas on previous RVs but never QRP CW; always 100 watt SSB. I still have the SSB rigs but the thrill has gone.... (LOL). I like CW and like QRP and I suppose one little rig is not too different from another (except, apparently, pricing). I don't want to just turn down the power on the Yaesu 747 since sitting outside under the awning racking up contacts is something I want to do. So many options now... I guess I could start with the Hustlers but finding a good mount spot is problematic on our motor home. Nice spot for the ranger, though. I have the Ubiquiti Titanium unit which seems to be nice but, really have not used it much except to connect a Rapberry Pi running a web server to my Stix'N'Brix system and let everyone see a picture of my RV from the server *IN* my RV. The thrill from that has pretty much faded, too. WDR 1993 Foretravel U225 with Pacbrake and 5.9 Cummins with Banks 1999 Jeep Wrangler, 4" lift and 33" tires Raspberry Pi Coach Computer Ham Radio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gypsy Traveler Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Hubby and I both have our Ham radios. He's looking to do a setup on the 5th wheel. Then we can chat! It's all fine and dandy until someone's marshmallow catches fire! 2015 Ford F-250 6.2L (She ain't diesel but she hauls ass!) 2012 Jayco Pinnacle 36KPTS Http://www.5thwheelgypsy.blogspot.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wa_desert_rat Posted February 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 Sue and I use 440 handhelds a lot; they seemed a bargain about 15 years ago at $80 but now you can get those 2m/440 Chinese versions for like $35 each. (Sigh.) Still, we've had a lot of use out of them. The MFJ unit I want is CW only but covers most (if not all) of the HF ham bands. I am pretty sure Sue has forgotten the code she learned when she got her license in 1982. WDR 1993 Foretravel U225 with Pacbrake and 5.9 Cummins with Banks 1999 Jeep Wrangler, 4" lift and 33" tires Raspberry Pi Coach Computer Ham Radio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.