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My wife and I are newly licensed Hams :D (November 2009.) Several times a year we will make a trip to the coast with our fifth wheel. Usually we end up at Grayland Beach State Park (south of Westport) or Pacific Beach State Park (north of Ocean Shores.) We use dual band Yeasu FT-60R radios. I am wondering what type of outside antenna any of you may recommend to use on these trips. Also the type of cable you would recommend. I would probably mount the antenna on a couple of lengths of pvc to give it height.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Also, would you place the antenna next to the trailer or away from it.

Many thanks,

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Wayne
KF7FYL

Having spent many vacations at these same places maybe I can help with a few suggestions.

There are not too many repeaters in that area that you will be able to hit with
5 watt handheld even if you use an external antenna.

My suggestion would be to use a mobile antenna that you can mount on your vehicle or the 5Th wheel.

I have used a 50 watt mobile dual bander and had fair luck using an antenna mounted on my car.

I sent you a PM :D

73 Jim N7UAP

_________________
" SILENCE IS CONSENT "

Made to Government Specs:
1) Measured with a micrometer.
2) Marked with a chalk.
3) Cut with an axe.

Jim N7UAP - Bellingham, WA / InterceptRadio.com

Wayne,

Yeah I agree with Jim - it depends on whom you want to talk to... There are several repeaters in that area. If you're on the beach, then 5w with a rubber duck will probably be 'o.k.' Yes, you're definitely better off with a mobile radio - which can put out 35w-75w these days, dependong radio/band, etc.

For greater reach, a mobile antenna or even a base antenna is a good choice. Height is everything, so obviously, get it as high as possible. You can use virtually any kind of coax (from cheap to expensive) but the signal loss will hit you the higher in frequency you go. LMR-400 is a good choice. It's low-loss and will last you a long time. It can be a pain to work with but there's LMR-400-UF (Ultra Flex) which is much easier to play with. It's not quite as good as regular LMR-400 but it's far better than the lesser alternatives. It's about $1/foot.

Check out http://www.universal-radio.com/ for antenna ideas. You can buy from HRO - Portland (for usually same or better price) - and get items usually within 1-2 days.


-Nick, w7dss

copy the other posts, and add

Upgrade to General! then you can play with HF or just get a HF rig and listen to what you could do if you got your general.. out in the RF quiet area is when radio is lots of fun!

check out the camping thread on here as well.

upgrade your license!!!

also I would suggest getting a base/mobile unit that can do SSB lots more fun SSB on the coast, never know when you might hit some DX over the water.

With your current license you can also work down into the 50mhz etc. so I would look for 2 radios. 1 quad band which will allow you to work 6m(50mhz) and 1 that will allow SSB

Or I would recommend a IC-7000 with a tuner. It will allow you to do 'EVERYTHING'.


WELCOME to the hobby and have fun camping!! I personally cant wait for spring and am going camping next week with my radios.

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If I had an antenna, I would; but I can only transmit on 160 meters.
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DE K7MHI

I am studying online for the General already. I am looking into getting Gordon West's book as well. I would like to get it as soon as I can.

Thanks,

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Wayne
KF7FYL

awesome!

check this site out
http://www.hamtestonline.com/

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If I had an antenna, I would; but I can only transmit on 160 meters.
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DE K7MHI

Good luck with your upgrade!

Another good practice site is:
http://aa9pw.com/

A couple good things about this site:
Shows correct answer to those you have wrong.
Shows graph indicating pass percentage by test area - This helps you focus your study efforts where you need them most.

COMMERCIAL FCC practice exams as well.

73

RF quiet????? Maybe 5 miles from the nearest powerline...

Only time I have been in Ocean Shores area when the powerlines weren't simply trashing the hell out of 6 meters (and even Two!) was durning one of our monster windstorms and power was out for the whole region!

Salt air collects on ALL the insulators and arcs over... Wet or Dry!
Does a good job of corroding splices, etc. also.

To make matters worse, the local PUD fixes stuff only when it is completely broke... Just try getting a "new service hookup" down there. I have personally observed new cellsites that had to run on generator for months while waiting for the PUD to get around to hooking up the juice!

If you are parked on the beach just above the high-tide line, and use a directional antenna pointed over the water, away from civilization, then it gets right quiet!

Beginning in the later part of June Tropospheric Ducts can form up over the Eastern Pacific ocean and the VHF+ propagation is nothing short of phenominal. I have worked down past Coos Bay Oregon using a 5/8 wave vertical whip on 2 meters SSB, and when I put the Yagi up on the tower, worked down into Northern California.

A few years back stations on the coast were copying Tofino BC WX radio down into that same region, and the Kh6HME beacons in Hawaii were beginning to be heard so drove the Bus to the Beach and worked
Hawaii on 2 meters. Fun stuff!
Eric
KB7DQH

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That is how the people at DARPA think. they take things and use them in unconventional ways, to see what happens.