1) The fellows at MARC have years ago optimized ham radio on cruising bikes. Please take their hints to heart.
I have not made long rides on my BMW K1200LT for years but when I did I had a 742 with modules on 2 mtrs, 220, and 450 with separate antennas up on the top of the baggage trunk on a huge metal plate. There was a bike am/fm antenna on the rear left. I fabricated a similar mount on the rear right for a short screwdriver antenna with a trailing counterpoise wire held up in the air with a short length of fabric on the end to make it fly. I ran a 2 inch copper strap (folded over to one inch) from the trunk in the back all through the chassis up into the front fork for a valid counterpoise. I used my Elecraft K3 on a plate above my speedo. I used a Palm paddle on the right handlebar. A miniature straight key too, with a changeover switch to do morse on the horn. A second electret mike in the helmet. Cruse control and cw on the highway! Slow cw for me though. I had a second 17AH battery (diode isolated) buffering the cycle battery for the radios. That way the bike battery never ran down. I was never lonely on the road with the radios. The Iron Butt rides get lonely! I miss the fellows in the MARC club. They were dedicated riding and ham fanatics! Just writing this note makes me want to put the antennas back on and get out on the road. I always feared the 100 watts would interfere with the BMW engine/brake computers, but it never did. -- Pete / พีท / W6LAW 323 460-7018 Hollywood home 323 461-7018 Pete cell ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [email protected]
