HF ham radio in a Minnie 2529RG TT

[epnh]

Do any of you operate ham radio on HF out of your Winnebago towables? How did you go about accessing +12V to run the radio? How did you route the coax (one or more) to connect to the antenna(s)? Are there places where it's safe to drill holes in the floor (like behind a cabinet or under the dinette) to run coax?

Thanks...

Eric in NH (aka Rick WA1RKT - catch me on 14300 Intercon / MMSN most days)

 

[John From Detroit]

Do any of you operate ham radio on HF out of your Winnebago towables? How did you go about accessing +12V to run the radio? How did you route the coax (one or more) to connect to the antenna(s)? Are there places where it's safe to drill holes in the floor (like behind a cabinet or under the dinette) to run coax?

Thanks...

Eric in NH (aka Rick WA1RKT - catch me on 14300 Intercon / MMSN most days)

In my case it was a Damon not a Winni but most RV's are much alike.
12 volt.. Where I mounted the radio was basically right behind the main fuse panel. Radio (Kenwood TS-2000) needs at most 20 amps (Fused 25) and the Converter was an 80 amp so I had lots of power (and 200+ Ah hours of battery)

Routing coax and tuner cables (more on that) Since the water pipes were near and run UNDER the RV from side to side. (In a compartment) I used the same hole in the floor that the pipes came through. then compartment to compartment till I dropped down to the frame and up to where I mounted the KAT-1 (Kenwood Automatic Tuner, Marine grade) on the rear.. then 100' 14 ga over nearby trees.

You could also use a screwdriver some use an Eagle. Only drilled holes were the mounts for the KAT.

Another popular antenna is the Eagle. Basically a LONG segmented fiberglass pole with a wire inside and something like my KAT at the bottom (Icom makes one Yesau makes one ___(company of your radio choice) makes one more than likely) .

 

[epnh]

Routing coax and tuner cables (more on that) Since the water pipes were near and run UNDER the RV from side to side. (In a compartment) I used the same hole in the floor that the pipes came through.

Thanks, John. My trailer has a heated and enclosed underbelly with all of the plumbing enclosed and inaccessible without major surgery, otherwise yeah, that would be ideal.

Rick WA1RKT

 

[John Canfield]

Hi Rick, W5TWO here. I'm an NCS for the Maritime net on 14.300. Running any kind of wire/cable in any kind of RV is a huge challenge and you can't always hide it. I've run wire and coax all over the Horizon, some underneath, some in the ceiling (and HVAC ducts), some along a corner in the aft cabin in conduit and some in a corner in the main salon which I covered with trim molding.

Depending on how deeply you want to get involved, an option is to remove cabinetry, grills or whatever for possibilities.

I had an Elecraft K3S in the RV and used a Tarheel with their Lift and Lay motorized mount on the roof. Used a few sheets of aluminum for the counterpoise - worked quite well on all bands (for a vertical .)

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Is the goal to operate from a "pretty" station inside the RV or just operate while travelling/camping? I know if I were to set up a permanent HF station in the RV the XYL would lose her mind, and frankly even if I could it's not how I would prefer to operate. I have V/U installed in the dash for utility communication (XYL is a ham and we use that for campsite/travel communication) but for HF I set up and operate outside where I have plenty of room to spread out my junk and put up antennas. In the event of bad weather I have a powerpole connection from the house batteries and a pass through cable coming up by the passenger seat that I can hook up to for outside antennas and power, and use whatever rig I care to from inside (RV rig is an Icom 7000, also have sundry QRP rigs). So I guess where I'm going with this is don't let perfection be the enemy of good enough. I took the time to route and dress cabling for the dash install since that indeed was "permanent" and I don't want it looking half arsed. But I wouldn't spend too much time tearing into the RV routing cables when for most practical purposes there's no prize for custom - pass through some cables from outside storage into a cabinet, closet, behind a chair or what have you, then pull it out when you want it and put it back in when you don't. Antennas are another story, common mode and EMI/RFI in RV's is a huge challenge (another reason it's easier from outside) but I've known folks to pull it off if you don't mind going through all the hardware and bonding throes. For stationary operating though I think an RV mounted antenna would be a waste of time, as most anything else you'd set up at the site would be easier, cheaper and more effective.

W5TWO, FB on MM NCS. Been on this forum for years and didn't know you were a ham.

Mark K5LXP
Albuquerque, NM

 

[epnh]

Routing coax and tuner cables (more on that) Since the water pipes were near and run UNDER the RV from side to side. (In a compartment) I used the same hole in the floor that the pipes came through.

Thanks, John. My trailer has a heated and enclosed underbelly with all of the plumbing enclosed and inaccessible without major surgery, otherwise yeah, that would be ideal.

Rick WA1RKT

Hi Rick, W5TWO here. I'm an NCS for the Maritime net on 14.300.

Sure, John, I know you. Imagine meeting you here.

I'm also a (relief) NCS on MMSN and on Intercon, though I haven't been able to get on the air much the past few months or the next couple of months, just monitor 14300 when I'm doing other stuff. But I'll be at the helm Monday at noon eastern time, taking over for Jeff.

I don't want to go overboard with this. In my Minnie 2529RG the dinette is next to the rear entry door and not on a slideout. I'd be happy if I could find a safe place to drill a hole through the floor under the dinette seat and run two lengths of RG-8X and a power wire, then mount the body of the IC-706MKIIG under the dinette where the power and coaxes come it, and the control panel up above.

The trick is to find a place to drill the hole that's not within the enclosed and heated underbelly and not occupied by some critical wires that are hidden from view.

Rick WA1RKT

 

[John From Detroit]

Thanks, John. My trailer has a heated and enclosed underbelly with all of the plumbing enclosed and inaccessible without major surgery, otherwise yeah, that would be ideal.

You might be surprised. Of course part of it is "Where am I installing the Radio" In my case,,, Well you perhaps have heard of Joe Walsh> Guitarist.. And ham.. He has a shack with Plumbing so if he is awaiting his turn on the net.... And feels the need to be seated on a specific seat He is. Well that's the same as my "Shack" room. it had plumbing.

So the portals to the under side were easy to find . The are sealed with something like 'Great Stuff" Expanding foam so you need to push through.. but that's easy to do.

Once down into the "Wet bay" (Waste tanks Drivers side Fres... on other side) (actually all 3 ran full across) It was easy to follow the wireing channel till I exited the compartments.

When I E-mailed Joe about how I had that in my shack too. We both got a laugh.

 

[John Canfield]

Mark - I'll put my call sign in the signature, I know there's quite a few hamsters here.
Rick - I do remember check-ins from NH, I'll listen for you.

You can also just keep a tub with the radio, coax, antenna, etc and setup when the jacks go down. One of my buddies has an Airstream and he does quite a bit of hamming on the road, he's using an Icom 705 and a Buddypole. I think he also uses an Elecraft when camping, don't remember the particular model. He checked in with me on the Maritime net a few months ago when camping running 10 watts. He was very light copy but enough to get him in the logger.