Ham Radio and antenna mounting.

[turnturtle]

Hi all.

I'm Ian, new forumite.

I've just discovered Bongos and I think they are great.

I'm also an amateur radio (HAM) operator and am wondering if anyone can advise on the ease/difficulty/practicality of fitting antennas/mounts on the Bongos please (and running cables etc for power)

I'm contemplating a mobile ham shack / man cave conversion ! Looking at two mounts, one for permanent 2m/70cm small antenna, one for mounting ATAS120 HF when parked.

I assume the tin top is the best option allowing drilling for mounts. Am I also correct i assuming all bongos have rails along the rood sides?

Thanks for any thoughts.
(also looking for ideas on non camping based conversions, see my other thread http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... 47&t=55084)

Ian
aka M0AAP

[Velocette]

Worth watcing ebay for a cabin heater. Webasto Airtop 2000 is recognised as the desired article. I have one and only use it occasionally but it is welcome when needed. You could sit and modulate on the coldest nights.

[turnturtle]

Worth watcing ebay for a cabin heater. Webasto Airtop 2000 is recognised as the desired article. I have one and only use it occasionally but it is welcome when needed. You could sit and modulate on the coldest nights.

Thanks, yes, of course heating whilst parked up would be essential on colder days. Thanks for the tip.

[g8dhe]

Hi Ian, welcome to the group.
Yes fitting radio's is not too bad, just the usual precautions on power cable sizes depending where you fit the units, my 2m/70cms rig is shown here;
The head unit is hinged inside the central cubby hole in the dash, just in front of the gear lever, so it can be tucked away when not in use, its also my Rear and Forward view camera display;

The main unit is mounted to the top of one of the storage cupboards in the side conversion next to the Zig power unit, that way I can always plug the Mic in there directly when sitting in the back! The aerial mount is a standard boot mount type on the rear door, with the cable run inside;


Having an AFT makes fitting an HF aerial on the top a little impractical, but if I were to fit one then I'd probably go for towbar mount or on the Thule carrier, if its Tintop then a different matter!

[turnturtle]

Geoff,

Thanks for your reply.

That's a nice set up you have there, exactly the kind of thing I was thinking of being usable both mobile and static from the rear area. I hadn't contemplated mounting on the door or indeed on a Thule fixing / roof rack solution.

I do like your rear camera on the display too !

Anyway, I'm pleased I didnt get a "ooh no Bongos are terrible for Ham radio, RFI, mounting" etc type reply
I think I'll start some proper hunting.

If I make the move I'll report back with pics too.

73s for now de M0AAP

[g8dhe]

The Thule carrier 901 fits on the Towbar, and you can swap what goes on the carrier around, but it has a very nice rear support unit which is quite strong, which also swivels downwards to make life easy, click for larger images on the photo's!

[turnturtle]

Thanks again Geoff, yes that could be an option for the HF we're I to not have a tin top. Cheers.

[Diplomat]

Hello Ian and welcome to Bongo based radio operating.

Bongos are far too nice to go drilling holes in but fortunately they have good old fashioned gutters that take the usual mounts.

I normally have one just to the rear of the offside hinged window with the coax coming in sandwiched between the rubber and the glass. This carries a quarter wave for 2 metres made of soft stainless steel which just about clears multi story car parks, with only the occasional clonk. This aerial also tunes ok on 70cm for short range work.

Sometimes I also use a rather badly resonant window clip aerial (looks like a world cup flagpole only grey) on the middle offside window. This works fine for receiving at airshows etc. I use the offside for permanent aerials to lessen the risk of getting caught up in overhanging hedgerows etc. and to reduce the temptation to pavement based vandals. Being a good boy who has got used to parking in the direction of travel in other countries, I seldom face the wrong way.

Mine is a tin top so it it also easy to plonk a mag mount onto the roof above the side door when I'm parked up somewhere and having a tune around on HF sitting in the middle of the van or outside. For this I have a fibreglass whip with a helical winding mounted on a miniature tuning unit originally meant for Australian HF manpacks.

My current project is based around an ex military die cast box with a tank aerial base mounted on it. This wiil contain a roller coaster inductor and a wide spaced variable capacitor with all the connections brought ou to 4mm sockets so that using jumpers, I can use a number of configurations to tune tank aerial sections up to about 16 feet high, when parked of course. This unit will be mounted to a roof rack bar and connected by a short coax patch lead to the normal gutter mount to ensure the integrity of the earthy side.

We have often used the Bongo for special event stations, especially Lighthouses on the Air, as the VHF station with an 18 ft pole supporting a collinear aerial. The pole sits on a drive on base and is steadied by an extension of the roof bar. No guys used as it is parked at the roadside.

We set up the middle bench as a table plus seat for one operator and the front passenger seat tipped forward slightly and the footrest seat deployed for an observer to sit, upholstered nicely by a high backed garden seat cover from Lidl. The others have camping chairs oiutside.

I am currently refurbishing a 12 metre Clark pump up mast which I hope to re-paint in silver Hammerite to match the Bongo. The military green on the mast has seen better days, otherwise I would think twice about changing it. This will also be used with a drive on base, rather than trying to bolt it to the Bongo.

Let us know your progress, Ian, esdpecially what you are going to connect to the aerials.

There are a few of us on here who know about each other's existence and surely some other lurkers and listeners.


Frank, G3WMR, GJ3WMR and licensee of G4CW.

[Diplomat]

Just noticed Geoff's number plate. Radio Amateur!

Very good!

Frank

[g8dhe]

Glad you noticed - I hadn't

[turnturtle]

Hello again Frank, just found your reply in the other thread before this.

Very interesting to hear about your antenna solutions and projects.

Just to recap, I don't own a Bongo yet, I'm just toying with the idea and researching at present. However, I really like them and really think one could be an ideal family days out / me n her weekend breaks and personal man cave / hobby hole for me.

I've had a variety of mobile set ups starting with a 2m/70cm Yeasu ???, followed by a tri band 70/2/6 Standard 5100 (great radio).
HF wise I started on an FT101ZD with attic based half G5RV sloper, progressed to an ICOM730, which although large did occasionally go in the car with an Outbacker Terlin on the boot.

Last year, sans attic space/garden etc I traded it all in for an Yaesu 857D, with a small permanently rigged 70/2m short flexible antenna mounted on a boot mount, which I remove and replace with an ATAS120 HF screwdriver antenna when static and playing HF.

I'm sure the Bongo must be great for field days / special events MMmm. I must seek out the local club now I'm back on air. Those drive on mast bases are great and I'd forgotten about those which could be a good option for a centre mount for a long wire when camping too.

I shall post more as and when I get a Bongo and start adorning it with spikey things

Good luck with your project.

Right, googles ... "2nd hand hydraulic masts that can hide in a wardrobe cupboard and extend through roof"

Ian

[g8dhe]

An advantage of the AFT is the extra storage when its up, also it gives much better headroom for moving around, hey you could even give a the Logger during contests a camping chair to sit on up there