Mobile Hamming

I just could not wait to get the ATAS-120A installed on the bed of the pick up truck. I had purchased a Diamond K400 mount, as well as 16.5? of coax in order to connect it to the -857D. Instead of doing at home, in my driveway I pulled over in downtown Oakland, with tools in hand and ran the coax to the rig.

I was surprised it was easier than I expected, but I did need to unscrew a portion of the toolbox in order to run the coax to the front of the bed before running it down toward the ground and then into the same grommet hole that the power cables through. All the excess cable was tied off and placed in the same unused speaker housing.

I turned on the FT-857D and set up the rig to use the ATAS-120A for HF+50. I first went to 6M, but did not expect to hear much at all. I tuned 50.125 and waited for about 5 minutes, but not a peep. I then switch to 20M tuning 14.255. Success! I was able to hear two hams in Colorado in a QSO. I then moved down the band to 14.252 and decided to try calling CQ. Unfortunately there were no takers, I didn’t expect any. Following my call I tuned down a bit more and hear a QSO in Louisiana.

I have been reading about the bonding for the truck over at K0BG.com. As it stands now I am planning on about 14 different straps. I will use 4 for the truck bed to the frame, 2 for the cab to the frame, 2 more for the doors to the frame, 2 from the engine mounts to the frame, 2 for the hood to the frame and then 2 for the exhaust system. I might add a total of 4 straps to the exhaust, we will have to see when I get under the truck.

So slowly things are happening on the mobile scene. I will plan on checking 40M on the drive home, who knows maybe I will make my first mobile QSO. If not at least I am almost mobile capable. I am now considering some additional antennas to home brew to use for 6M. I am looking at a moxon as well as a log periodic. They would need to be easy to assemble and disassemble as I would play on leaving them in the toolbox. Any ideas, let me know!