Radio Active Trike Planning

[Alan B]

This is a new radio just now coming out that would be a lot of fun to use on the trike, the IC7300:

It weighs 10 pounds, so it is not too heavy for a 100 watt HF radio with built in antenna tuner and high resolution fast band scope. This is a direct digital sampling radio so it runs an ADC at 126 mhz and grabs the HF spectrum through one of 15 analog bandpass filters, a preamp and straight into the ADC under FPGA control. Then from the FPGA into a DSP and onto the audio amplifier and speaker. An almost entirely software radio.

 

[gman1971]

Is that an all mode/all band radio? I was thinking more along the lines of a Kenwood TM-V71a, which offers a crossband repeater if you ever want to use your trike as a mobile radio base...

G.

 

[Alan B]

The IC7300 is HF plus, 160M through 6M, also has 4M in Europe. I will use a separate rig for VHF/UHF, such as exactly the TM-V71A you mention. I have one of those on the shelf here now.

I could also use the KX3 for HF, that's much smaller and lighter, and takes less power, but only runs 10-15W output.

The IC7300 is especially interesting right now, I'm watching that radio as it comes out and gets tested. I have a few others that I could use but the 7300 looks like a fun rig to play with. I need to sell some old radios to make some room.

 

[gman1971]

Wow, would've never consider going HF on a trike... the antenna for 160m seems a bit on the "large side" to mount on a trike... maybe a tank? hahaha...

6N is nice, I have never really used it... For most of my familiy stuff I used low power MURS VHF radios with good tuned antennae, that gives me plenty of range and those are 99.9% of the time free from kids playing with cheap FRS radios...

When you are going HF (in my experience with 11m CB and SSB) is that you don't need a lot of power to get real far. With a 12 watt SSB RSPY Titan handheld and a good antenna stuck high up on a hill we were able (back in 97) to get a reply from somewhere in South America, this was from Spain... good times...

G.

 

[Alan B]

Being next to saltwater gives a lot of gain, or getting up on a ridge or hilltop where the ground drops away does a similar thing. Most folks find that 25 watts is good. You notice that military HF manpacks run about that power, it is a good compromise.

While the rig can do 160M, I would use it primarily on higher frequencies 40M through 6M. Buddipole verticals, hamsticks, screwdriver type mobile antennas mostly.

The KX3 at 10-15W is the default choice. Light, easy and can have internal batteries at lower power. It also has an internal tuner. Here's mine:

It is much smaller and lighter than the TM-V71A.

That's probably the best HF radio for a trike. Anyway radios aren't the problem. The problem is choosing the trike, and making room in the garage for it.

 

[gman1971]

Sweet looking rig!

Trike... if you are tight on space you should look into a foldable trike... and room to put crap on the trike is not a big deal, there is loads of room in the frame! and you can always tow a trailer like the pics!

G.

 

[Alan B]

A folding rig would be fun if it was strong enough.