Ham radio in aircraft

Jay Maynard wrote:
As my .signature attests, I'm also a ham radio operator. I'd like to be able
to use a 2 meter/440 MHz dual-band radio in the aircraft. While, ideally,
that radio would be an Icom IC-2820H, like the one in my car, practically
speaking it'll be a handheld. An external antenna would seem to be a useful
thing, with the cable brought forward to some convenient spot so I can hook
the radio up to it.

What are other hams doing in their aircraft?

I'm going to be trying APRS in my plane,
but that's at least a couple months off.

On Wed, 09 Jan 2008 16:02:32 -0800, Jim Stewart wrote:
I'm going to be trying APRS in my plane, but that's at least a couple
months off.

Funny you should mention that, as I'm building an APRS tracker for
airborne use right now. Hope to have it online in a couple weeks. Will
be totally self contained, and based on an old Kenwood KT-78A HT, a N1VG
OpenTracker, Garmin 18 GPS, Maldol AX75 1/2 wave 2M vertical and an AGM
battery. Should be fun to plot the data using Google Earth.

-Doug (N2WOL)

--
--------------------
Doug Vetter, ATP/CFI

http://www.dvatp.com
--------------------

Years ago I helped put a Drake 2mtr rig in a friend's 172. He had another
stainless rod antenna in place and I trimmed it to 146 Mhz.

Big issue was the Drake lacked sidetone so it was hard to know how you
were sounding over the engine noise.
--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

On Thu, 10 Jan 2008 02:48:44 +0000 (UTC), David Lesher
wrote:


Years ago I helped put a Drake 2mtr rig in a friend's 172. He had another
stainless rod antenna in place and I trimmed it to 146 Mhz.

Big issue was the Drake lacked sidetone so it was hard to know how you
were sounding over the engine noise.


You and Jim both want side tone. I'm quite happy without it. :-))
Actually I don't even want it except for CW. A couple of quick
reports to start and unless something goes wrong it should be fine.
The only side tone I ever use in both stations (shop and Den) Legal
limit 1.8 through 440), both cars (144/440 @ 50 watts) an the Deb
(144/440 @ 5W) is for CW operation. I just hang the HT on the door
strap under the window and let the rubber duck stick up into the
window. I wear a tiny ear bud and throat mike with a PTT on my shirt
pocket. From 5,000 I get reliable 50 to 75 miles with 5 watts and the
rubber duck ant.

Stations and antennas are shown on my home page.

Roger (K8RI)
WWW.rogerhalstead.com

On Jan 9, 6:43*pm, Doug Vetter wrote:
On Wed, 09 Jan 2008 16:02:32 -0800, Jim Stewart wrote:
I'm going to be trying APRS in my plane, but that's at least a couple
months off.

Hook to a com antenna. Climb to about 5000 feet over IN. You can
kerchunk
about 2 dozen reapeaters on about any frequency you choose. Repeaters
therefore aren't too useful.

Regular 2 way fm communications works better.

Bill Hale K0QA




Funny you should mention that, as I'm building an APRS tracker for
airborne use right now. *Hope to have it online in a couple weeks. *Will
be totally self contained, and based on an old Kenwood KT-78A HT, a N1VG
OpenTracker, Garmin 18 GPS, *Maldol AX75 1/2 wave 2M vertical and an AGM
battery. *Should be fun to plot the data using Google Earth.

-Doug (N2WOL)

--
--------------------
Doug Vetter, ATP/CFI

--------------------

Doug Vetter wrote:
On Wed, 09 Jan 2008 16:02:32 -0800, Jim Stewart wrote:
I'm going to be trying APRS in my plane, but that's at least a couple
months off.

Funny you should mention that, as I'm building an APRS tracker for
airborne use right now. Hope to have it online in a couple weeks. Will
be totally self contained, and based on an old Kenwood KT-78A HT, a N1VG
OpenTracker, Garmin 18 GPS, Maldol AX75 1/2 wave 2M vertical and an AGM
battery. Should be fun to plot the data using Google Earth.

Please give us an update when it's working.

I put a Icom 706MKIIG With SGC 239 Tuner in aircraft all the time...

"Jay Maynard" wrote in message
...
As my .signature attests, I'm also a ham radio operator. I'd like to be
able
to use a 2 meter/440 MHz dual-band radio in the aircraft. While, ideally,
that radio would be an Icom IC-2820H, like the one in my car, practically
speaking it'll be a handheld. An external antenna would seem to be a
useful
thing, with the cable brought forward to some convenient spot so I can
hook
the radio up to it.

What are other hams doing in their aircraft?
--
Jay Maynard, K5ZC http://www.conmicro.com
http://jmaynard.livejournal.com http://www.tronguy.net
http://www.hercules-390.org (Yes, that's me!)
Buy Hercules stuff at http://www.cafepress.com/hercules-390

Some Photos of a Temp 172 Temp Antenna Install... Use Quality Wire When
Making an Antenna.

http://www.aircraftdelivery.net/me/HF1ANT.JPG
http://www.aircraftdelivery.net/me/HF2ANT.JPG
http://www.aircraftdelivery.net/me/HF3ANT.JPG
http://www.aircraftdelivery.net/me/HF4ANT.JPG




"Jay Maynard" wrote in message
...
As my .signature attests, I'm also a ham radio operator. I'd like to be
able
to use a 2 meter/440 MHz dual-band radio in the aircraft. While, ideally,
that radio would be an Icom IC-2820H, like the one in my car, practically
speaking it'll be a handheld. An external antenna would seem to be a
useful
thing, with the cable brought forward to some convenient spot so I can
hook
the radio up to it.

What are other hams doing in their aircraft?
--
Jay Maynard, K5ZC http://www.conmicro.com
http://jmaynard.livejournal.com http://www.tronguy.net
http://www.hercules-390.org (Yes, that's me!)
Buy Hercules stuff at http://www.cafepress.com/hercules-390