I am running two rigs in the motor home.
The first install was a Yaesu FT-857D, which I installed next to my left knee in the driving position. It was my first HF rig, and decided to go with an uneducated guess of using Yaesu's ATAS120 with it, which I mounted on a modified mirror type mount which was screwed through the wall into the driver's Seat Belt Pillar, which ground to the entire steel subframe of the Motor home. The Install works as it should, though the Yaesu screwdriver is a very small screwdriver, and is very much so a compromise. All that said, it matches well, and talks OK for what it is.
After several months of use, I decided that it wasn't the best situation for operation while parked, which as full-timers we are parked for long periods. One of our first mods to the coach was the removal of a Jlounge and install of a full size desk, which is where one of us spends most of our time. This turned out to be the optimum spot for a "Portable Base" station. My first attempt at this station was building up a complete FT-757GXII with auto tuner and matching PS/Speaker. This was a "Lower dollar" way to prove that we liked the radio there, and then decided we wanted a tad more modern radio, so we acquired an FT-897D. I wanted portability also, so I did get the batts, and decided to use it on an Astron AS35M Power Supply. I knew I wanted a tuner and at the time the best idea seemed like the LDG AT897. It is currently hooked to our Macbook with both a Cat cable and the SignaLink USB. I use a Diamond SX-600 Watt/SWR meter also.
For antennas, currently I am running coax through the floor, and on the ground to the rear ladder, which I have 2 lengths of Chain Link Fence "Top Rail" bolted together (11 ft section of 1 3/8" steel tube) and then hose clamped to my rear ladder. On top for HF I am using a Solarcon A99, which matches 20-6 well, and does work on 40. It isn't the most efficient on 20, and well, it jsut works on 40, but it does work well as I have made a ton of PSK and SSB contacts with it, really I think it's advantage is it being 40 ft high (22 ft of mast and 18 ft of antenna). For V/UHF I am using a dual band base antenna on a similar mast on the opposite side of the ladder, which works super well.
Negatives are take down and setup, and the inefficiency of the HF antenna. I used what I had or could get cheap, and it works, but not optimal. I think my next step is going to be mounting a Dual Band Mobile u/VHF antenna on the Passenger side seat belt pillar similar to how I mounted the ATAS, and the HF I am leaning toward spending the money on an SGC or similar auto matcher and either doing a marine SSB whip on a tip over mount or a Whip on a ball mount that I could attach additional wire too if I wanted. My ideal situation would be little to no setup/tear down in making the transition from Mobile to Portable, but yet the flexibility to pull the radio quickly and take a portable antenna anywhere I want.
I haven't done this yet mostly from lack of funds, and if I were to start again this what I would have done to start with. I would like to see a setup like this before I did it, but haven't run into anyone that has done it yet, as I do have some questions as to where to mount the auto coupler and such.
John