HAM operators

‘A’ as a SINGLE letter prefix can only be issued to the US Army.

I’m K7HY but A7HY would only be issued to the US Army.

 

Well that's sort of true, ITU I think limits the 'A' to being a reserve letter, giving us double letters - AN to AZ - and triple letters - AAA to ALZ.

A7 would technically be a call from an operator of Qatar.

 

I went in to do a vanity I'll sign and yes I saw the prefix options. Not too concerned with the prefix. The KN4 I'm okay with. I've always been a fan of the quintessential movie alphanumeric letters... alpha, bravo, charlie, delta, Echo, foxtrot you get my drift.

 

KN4SLD here

 

KM5TEX here. I’m currently changing companies, but normally run both HF and VHF/UHF in the truck. I had to sell my FT-891, but will be replacing it with another in the next couple of months. I run a FTM-400 for V/UHF and APRS. There are a lot more of us out here than I thought, which is a good thing. We need to get back to using 14.302.5 and some of the other common frequencies that drivers have previously used, IMHO.

 

And it’d be nice to see some installs. A devoted thread. Pics and descriptions of details involved.

Thanks for consideration thereof.

 

I will make sure to do that once I get setup in my next truck. I’m getting a Kenworth W900L, so there will be plenty of room for radios and antennas. I will see if I have any pics from the Peterbilt 579 that I just got out of.

 

Here are a few pics of my most recent install. The FT-891 was wired directly to the battery, which is the ONLY right way to wire an HF radio in any mobile setup. The coax and wiring were routed through the pass-through under the dash and the Hustler tri-band antenna was mounted high on the back of the cab with great results. The V/UHF antenna was mounted on a trunk lip mount on the passenger door and while not the best, it did work. I will post more once I get setup in the W900.

 

Guys who have more than a clue (unlike the rest of us) can make a real difference for a driver wanting reliable comms.

Today’s company trucks are bears.

Example: was shooting into W. Memphis yesterday morning from Little Rock. Load was just west of the IH/55 & IH40 split.

A very bad wreck in the median 5-miles west of the split on IH40W. Was going to be hours, and hours.

I got under the new one and hoped I could avoid IH40E to get to IH55. Yup.

Before I went the few miles on AR75 to AR64, someone had had a terrific collision on IH40W at the split.

And now traffic was backed to the Mississippi on 40, and 55S to the scale house.

Point of all this was that anyone southbound on 55 HAD to exit AR64W and proceed to first light to take AR75S to IH40E to proceed along that OR 55S.

To get to IH40W past the original wreck needed to stay on AR64W to AR147 South.

Doesn’t sound like a great deal to a guy in a car. But it all sure as hell is to keeping momentum in a big truck. When it really mattered (my entire weeks gross pay on the line) did I have the performance.

Which you all already understand.

I kept on NB to St Louis and thence to Kansas City. Glad I was moving the one unobstructed direction. And doing my best with another guy to alert southbound.

It’s not unusual for knowledgeable locals to fill in the details, you know this. Maybe 147 too early to cut back to 40W, hmmm?

That ###### radio and all the work just paid for itself. So it ain’t just CB, but “seeing” that RADIO is a helluva tool.

Those are repeatable results.

And since some of the smart guys move on up to AMATEUR, maybe there’s something to it.

Thx

.

 

I’m in a loaded and large 2019 579. Battery access is a big problem. (Length).

This is the problem. Specifics. What wire (composition & brand). What protection? What amperage and EXACT device?

Sure, www.K0BG.com

But would be nice to just copy what another guy did where enough similarities exist. I’m up against a No Drill rule.

So, for those who want to, here’s thanks ahead of time.