Thread: UHF/VHF and HF radio in a 2010 RRS?

Originally Posted by Graeme

I mostly use a 40m hamstick for both APRS and voice. Being light, it doesn't require much of a mount.

I have external glass mounts for VHF/UHF on the rear side windows, with the coax slipping under the top corners of the upper tailgate.

APRS on HF? What are you using as the TNC, out of interest?

I looked at glass mount, but was concerned the glass might impact the rf, as wasn’t sure if it had the coating or not. Went with it a bonnet mount in the end.

40m and/or 2m APRS, running Direwolf (software TNC) on an Orange Pi with a USB soundcard for the radio and APRSDROID on my phone or tablet as a KISS terminal. 40m isn't quite as good as 30m but I only have a standard licence. One of my sons has a 40m APRS tx igate at my place using a RPi, DW, sound-card and a reprogrammed Codan for APRS support Australia-wide. I operate a 2m APRS tx igate using a RPi etc.

My glass mounts are wholey external, not through the glass. There's nowhere to fit a bracket due to the tight panel clearances.

OK, thanks. Explains the glass mount bit, and why I went for the bonnet mount to be safe.

APRS wise I was aware 30m existed, and kind of makes sense as it has a good mix of local/regional comms in daylight with more distance than 40m before the sun goes down…but as you say, limited to advanced licenses. Our band plan makes no sense - I don’t know of any other country where I’m licensed where bands (as opposed modes and power) are limited by class.

I’ve got an igate at home for 2m, using a RTL dongle and direwolf on a Pi, and run a Yaesu FTM-400XDE in the Defender (soon to move to the RRS) with VFO2 beaconing on APRS.