OVMRC Vehicle Fox Hunt and Mobile Radio ‘Show and Tell’ by Rob, VE3RXH

What a great day for our in-vehicle Fox hunt and mobile radio ‘show and tell’ on Saturday 25^th May. The sun shone and everyone was in a great mood to play radio. We really did put ‘Mobile Radio’ back into our Club name!

The fox was activated at 9 am and by 9:45 am Rick, VE3RVV had sniffed it out at P26 Green’s Creek, just 800 metres from the IBEW (as the crow flies).

Photo 1 - Rick VE3RVV (on right) first to find the fox, setup by Roger VA3EGY (on left) at P26 Green’s Creek.

Back at the IBEW, deep discussions on choice of mobile radio, cable routing, antenna mounts and mobile operating were in full swing by 10 am with about a dozen vehicles being shown off and a few bicycle mobile and portable setups too. Side deals for various ham radio related parts were underway and a close inspection of the Ammo Can Fox designed and built by Roger, VA3EGY was made.

Rick, VE3RVV, was awarded an OVMRC mug for being the first to find the fox.

Photo 2 - Rick, VE3RVV, (on right holding the Ammo Can fox) was awarded an OVMRC mug by Club President Norm, VE3LC (on left), for being the first to find the fox.

Photo 3 - the top layer of the Ammo Can Fox showing the PicCon controller and space for an HT.

The Ammo Can fox is a Harbour Freight Ammo Can containing a Yaesu FT-60 handheld, a PicCon fox controller and a 12 volt, 10 Ah Dakota lithium battery. One advantage of the Yaesu FT-60 is that it can be powered from an external source (like the Dakota lithium battery) and this lets it run at high power for an extended period of time. Roger, VA3EGY, designed the fox with a layered approach, the bottom layer containing the battery and the top layer for the PicCon controller and radio. A BNC antenna connector mounted on the top of the Ammo Box allows the use of a short rubber duck or any other antenna.

Photo 4 - the bottom layer of the Ammo Can fox showing 10 Ah lithium battery and fused power pole distribution board (photo credit Chris, VA3CJO).

VE3LAF, Fred, setup his portable station with a multi-band vertical
antenna and brought along his bicycle mobile too.

Photo 5 - Fred, VE3LAF’s bicycle mobile and portable stations (photo credit John, VE3JYK).

Photo 6 - VE3LAF, Fred, with his portable antenna setup.

Fred also has a great mobile installation in his vehicle using Hustler antennas to cover the HF bands.

Photo 7 - Hustler mobile antennas used by Fred, VE3LAF.

Photo 8 - Pete, VA3XEM/VE3XEM, has a Yaesu ATAS 120A HF/VHF screwdriver style antenna mounted on the back of his truck and a separate VHF antenna on the hood.

Pete, VE3XEM has a well established VHF APRS and HF/VHF setup in his truck using radios from Kenwood and Yaesu mounted under the back seat. The Yaesu 857D control head is mounted into his centre console. His HF/VHF Yaesu ATAS 120A antenna is mounted at the driver’s side rear corner of the truck cap and tuning across the 40 m to 70 cm amateur bands is controlled by the Yaesu 857D with one touch of a button.

Photo 9 - close-up of the ATAS 120A mounted to the side of Pete, VE3XEM’s truck cap with a tether line to avoid losing the antenna in case it breaks off.

Photo 10 - Yaesu 857D remote control head mounted in the centre console of Pete, VE3XEM’s truck.

Photo 11 - Fern, VA3LMA chats about his mobile VHF radio install.

Photo 12 - Arwyn, VE3YB brought some items for sale that caught the eye of Pete, VE3XEM and Sandy, VE3HAZ.

Photo 13 - Norm, VE3LC, demonstrating his HF portable/mobile setup to Will, VA3ODW.

I recognise that many other Club members were present on the day and did not have their mobile or portable setup featured. So, if your install did not get a mention this time, make sure to buttonhole me at a future mobile radio ‘show and tell’, or you could always write it up for the Rambler!

For details of other Club events over the next couple of months, see the updated schedule of events in this issue.

Rob, VE3RXH
Appears in: Rambler Vol.66 Issue 10