Zzzzz That's what I got UV-5RA works good - have external antenna on 182 . Local repeater picks up on rubber ducky ant from 20-30 miles out. Have magnet mount on truck . Mini sma connector is on radio I got a BNC adaptor ( 2 bucks) to adaptor to external antenna . Good buy for the money

I got a license a couple years ago to use APRS. Works great in the airplane in most places (unfortunately, not up the Cassiar Highway in NW BC but...) and allows anyone to track me and get an ETA. Similar to SPOT in that way, but depends on ground repeaters. Big advantage is it's free. I carry a PLB for the emergencies.

Greg

KD0EEH in Nebraska

KD2EYG in NY here.

K1FQY here,

Been a Ham since 1962 and a pilot since 1964 and still active in both.

I have a BoeFeng 2/440 rig and don't much like it. Like all of the small walkie/talkie's they are complicated to program and operate. The Chinese are the worst at user interfaces.

When I started I built my own transmitters and remember in those days phone calls were expensive so Ham radio was a wonderful way to communicate across the state, country or world. I have talked to many a ham while crossing the Atlantic and Pacific during my career.

It was a great hobby but has lost a lot of its lure do to cell phones and the internet and worst of all instant gratification. Nobody wants to spend the time to build something and learn from it now, and I guess I don't blame them. I do feel so fortunate to be part of the area when we did.

Tom

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Ham here too. I have not been active in ages. Was able to score on a nice 1 by 2 call from 6 land years ago. I used to be active and mainly into morse code (CW) using low power ( QRP ). Tentec 509 Argonauts did it for me. I have always wanted to try aeronautical mobile on 15 meters or so using CW and a knee mounted keyer.

Anyone ever gone aeronautical mobile using CW? Of course with my luck I'd key the damn thing, fry all the aircraft electronics, and be limping home on magnetos, and my back up handheld. . As Confucious never said: ..." real men know code. "

I'm planning to put a 20-watt HF rig in my home-built PA-12. At least it's made it to the "to-do" list!

The radio will be an SG-2020 with an SG-211 antenna tuner and a wire from the cabin top to the vertical stab then to the left wing tip.

I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who has done something similar.

Most pilots who have any experience at all with HF radio were probably glad when they became extinct in favour of satellite 'phones. But those of us who are hams think HF radio is kinda fun. Go figure ....

I bought a Yaesu FT857D with the idea of putting it in my FD CTSW when I do the panel upgrade, maybe later in the year.

My intent is to put a dipole from the vertical stab to each wing tip. Details to be worked out. I'll have to put in an antenna tuner. Not sure on that, either.

.
So...

What frequencies ( bands) are folks going to try with aeronautical mobile operation?

I thought about 2 meter simplex so as to not bring up all the repeaters even hose with tones.
A short dipole from the vert stab forwards, maybe with small ..really small..loading coils ? for say 10 15 or 20 meters ?

I have these horrible thoughts of that dipole coming loose and wrapping itself somehow around the tail and preventing rudder and/or elevator movement. Ugh. Bad day.


Also..maybe a short screwdriver style antenna inside a fabric plane might be ok?? The metal fuse cage would ?? have an effect no doubt.

2m to 20m is probably about it in my case.

KE7RKL near Seaside, OR.
I haven't given much though to aerial amateur radio operation; I'm still a pretty "green" pilot and feel like I need to focus on flying the airplane

When I built my S7S i installed an antenna in the vertical stabilizer for use with APRS. The antenna analyzer indicates good match but I have yet to set up a radio. I'm thinking of using a Byonics RTG ( http://www.byonics.com/mt-rtg), or maybe the TinyTrack3 and a Baofeng UV5R ( I have 5 of these radios).

Here is a Bearhawk with an ICOM 706 installed in the panel. Not sure how it worked out or what was used for an antenna, the aircraft was still under construction. It looks like a clean installation though.
Pete

This aircraft is registered in Phoenix, AZ, but the Robert Furlongs I find on QRZ are nowhere near.

Any idea which Robert Furlong it is? I'd like to contact him about the installation. One is in N4NHQ in NY and one is WA8ODM in PA.

TIA

I believe the radio was removed by the new owner.

WL7GS, formally WD6DFO. Was very active maritime mobile, both on large ships and sailboat.

My GF and I are both general class.. I have a small HF radio and a mag loop antenna I take in the plane. Gives me coms anywhere I land. Antenna is an Alex Loop antenna and the rig is an elecraft KX3. We also do the VHF/UHF stuff because most of Utah is covered by repeaters. I can be a Mexican Mtn and call home with a 5 watt HT that is the size or 2 packs of smokes through the linked repeater system. I also have done some aeronautical mobile which is fun. Cool to be at 14k and and everyone wants to talk to you. I have also flown the RV from Vegas to N Utah and talked to the GF all the way home via the linked system. Use to have an 8900 vhf/uhf installed in the plane...

Have Fun!

Jason

K4NEW

Kemper28 wrote:

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I also have done some aeronautical mobile which is fun.

While flying, do you use the Elecraft KX3 on any HF bands? I think it a superb HF transceiver. Also made in America...Yeah !!!

I do not... I do use it with the alex loop antenna when I get where I am going... Aeronautical mobile just seems like to much to do and fly the plane...

I agree,

I always thought doing HF while in a moving car was dangerous. Most of the time we found a good high, clear spot to park and did our HFing then. Thats kinda hard in an airplane and doing it on the fly is a bad idea.

Tom
K1FQY