2 meter set up

I?m in the planning phase of installing a 2 meter radio in my RV.  Currently, looking at which radio to purchase ... looking hard at the iCom 2300H.  Any ideas, plans, or pictures would be great.

Is there a Ham sub-board here on RV Forum?  I?m a brand new Technician level Ham and expect to ask too many questions at this level of the forum.

Doc
KC3IDS

For fixed operating or while driving?

For fixed operation, I have a dual-band ground plane attached to a 25 foot aluminum flagpole which doubles as a wire antenna support for HF.

I wouldn?t limit yourself to 2 meters. As you travel, you?ll find many 70 cm repeaters out there as well. You can find a good used dual-band radio for about the same money as a new 2 meter rig. I recently picked up quad-band Yaesu on QRZ for $250.

Any of the big three should meet your needs: Yaesu, Kenwood, Icom (not iCom) all make good radios. I?d avoid the cheap Chinese knock-offs.

Thanks ... mobile is the intent ... agree on the cheap Chinese made radios ... initially I had a Baofung and it was not a good alternative ... confusing with limited documentation ... too new to sort it out successfully.  Ultimately, I plan to put the same set up in the towed.

Do you have a recommendation on a source for used or refurbished radios? QZR?  70cm (UHF) sounds like a good addition ...

Doc
KC3IDS

As Happy says, any of the big three, though a few other brands (not cheap Chinese) that can do well. I'd suggest you get something that will fit well, probably using an extension kit to mount only the control head on the dash with the rest of the radio being more out of the way. I'd also, if possible (maybe an HRO or such nearby), try out using the front panel, changing freqs, saving and accessing memories, and seeing how comfortable the various functions are for you to do.

In other words, some things on some radios are awkward for me, but perhaps work well for other folks.

Oh, yes, I'd also recommend a dual bander -- many's the time I've used both bands when traveling. It increases your chance of mobile QSOs, too.

You read my mind Larry.  I?m planning to stop by a local HRO this week.  I need some face to face advice and put hands on the equipment. 

Doc
KC3IDS

I?ve bought things from hams on QRZ.com, hamfests and local guys. The deals are out there, just keep your eyes open.

I recommend new hams hook up with a local club. There?s a wealth of knowledge out there and Elmers willing to share it.

Doc Roads. I am surprised the hams didn't answer the part abou there being a ham section on the forum. Yes there is . On the main page scroll down to "on the airways".

ChasA said:

Doc Roads. I am surprised the hams didn't answer the part abou there being a ham section on the forum. Yes there is . On the main page scroll down to "on the airways".

Click to expand...

Oops -- sorry, Chas. When I started  my post I intended to provide that answer, but by the time I finished, that slipped my mind. Thanks for filling in the senior moments.

I originally had a Kenewood. then a Yesau hand held with amp than another kenwood and not an Icom ID-5100
All 4 were dual band (2 meter 70cM) but only the Id-5100 gets 70cm use. More on that"

I find that Repeater use is not like it was in the 90's.. I often drive for hours (I have an ID-880H in my car and an ID-51A+2 hand held)  But there is still some.

Now the reason for the collection I have. they do D-Star and though there is some discussion of the best way to set up a D-Star radio .. (I can tell you two ways to do your hotspot as I use two methods depending on the radio)

Some advantages of the 5100 class"
This rado has two modes. DR and "Normal".. in DR mode  you use a SD card or data cable to download a Repeater list (DR is Digital Repeater by the way).

For the 51/5100 this listing includes the geo-tag for the repeater's tower (the ID880H does not do this so more on it in a bit)

Then if you are driving say from Michigan to South Carolina next month  I touch Scan. choose NEAR REPATER ALL and the radio uses the GEO tags to look for repeaters within about oh  say 60 miles (not sure the radius).

So I do not need to program in.. Oh I can also choose NEAR DV (D-Star) and NEAR FM.

In "Regular" mode I can program and do Banks. then scan the bank
So I have a bank for Flint/St. Clarir MI
I have One for Detroit
one for South Ohio (Xenia area)
one for Upstate South Carolina

And if I'm not in one of those.. Odds are I'm driving the motor home

NOTE the radio you cited should be able to do that type of bank-scan for FM only.

Finally... D-Star has many ways it works (So does FM if you now how)
Radio to radio.. Same as FM but clear no noise
Radio to repeater to radio  Likewise
Radio to Repeater to LINKED repeater (For FM look up IRLP or Win-Link)
Radio to Repeater to REFLECTOR to a whole bunch of repeaters (Again IRLP/Win-Link for FM)

But.. The "repeater #1" (the repeater you talk to

Just over my head is a 100 box. it's about 3 cubic inches and needs a USB power cable. Inside the box is a Raspberry Pi-Zero W . Memory card with Pi-Star 3.x on it. and a MMDVM board with radio. about 30 mW.. Simplex (but it's programmed in to my radios as a digital voice repeater with zero offset.)

Right now the 5100 is listening to a repeater about 20 miles away

But the ID-51 is listening to the MMDVM hotspot.

The other night a bit after 3 AM I was lying in bed (I usually sleep with the radio save for just now due to other things).  and was talking with some Scouts at a Scouting event where it was a little after 3 PM.. that's right half way around the world.

With a hand held radio.

I have a home brew dual band J-pole made from 1/2? copper tubing. It is half wave on 440 and 5/8 wave on 2 meters so no ground plane needed. Just clamp it to the ladder after you park.

Thanks so much for the pointers ... really appreciate the response ... I stopped by a local HRO and spent about an hour fleshing out my challenges to installing a radio in my RV.  Thank you ChasA!  I will check in there shortly ...

-doc
KC3IDS

So what did you walk out of HRO with?  Icom, Yesau, Kenwood.. Other.. Model?

THere are lots of decent radios out there and a few I'd not recommend.

I can help with general programming if you remember to get the data cables

Well, I didn?t walk out with anything (this time) .... I had a conversation with a HRO salesman and walked out with homework ... I moved this line of thought over to the ?on the airwaves? sub forum.

Doc
KC3IDS

Good spot for it (this sub forum)

LIke I said. Consider the D-Star.. I chat with folks all over the earth on REF030C (Your D-Star Manual will explain that) takes a bit of programming but HRO may be able to do most of it right in the store if you ask. If not I can help and there is one other that .. Well compared to him I'm an idiot.  But I got my first D-Star working without him.. 2nd one had a typo I could not find to save my life.  He found it

I?m looking at the Yaesu FTM-400XDR ... this radio allows for text and email capability which is a great augmentation to our full time travel habits!  We are frequently out of cell range.  It also supports TX and monitor on two frequencies at the same time.  It supports APRS too.  That said, I?m still in the research phase on the radio.

Any suggestions?

Doc
KC3IDS

We run a Kenwood D710 for APRS when we travel. Keep in mind that APRS isn't 100% coverage, any more that the cell providers are.