I am a bit worried about the package for mobile mounting. With the side panels attached with six very small screws there is a limited amount of stress they will handle. Also, there are voltage regulators attached to one of the side panels which limit the attachment possibilities. Elecraft have not offered a mobile mount, probably for good reason and as far as I have seen they have not shared the reason. I am thinking that something involving a band around the case might be appropriate, but difficult to fabricate without good bending tools and expensive to mass fabricate. It may be that Mobile use is not all that easy with the K3.
Willis 'Cookie' Cooke K5EWJ --- On Mon, 3/16/09, Robert Klein <ki4...@gmail.com> wrote: > From: Robert Klein <ki4...@gmail.com> > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 going mobile? > To: wrco...@flash.net > Date: Monday, March 16, 2009, 5:45 PM > Thank you. Excellent advice. If find a good mounting unit, > please share. > > 73, > Robert > > > On 3/16/09 6:50 PM, "WILLIS COOKE" > <wrco...@flash.net> wrote: > > > > > The first problem is to figure out a mount for the > radio. It is pretty hard > > to mobile with the radio not firmly mounted. I have > looked around for a > > suitable commercial mount, but I have not found one > yet. The TS-440 mount is > > close, but is at least 1/8 inch too narrow. I was > looking for a mount when I > > found the TS-440 at a good price and decided to mount > it in the mobile. Less > > value for theives! > > > > I would hook up the radio and try it before I looked > for noise. You might be > > lucky and what you need to do depends on your choice > of vehicle. Usually the > > first thing to try is bonding the tailpipe to the > chassis near the back of the > > vehicle. The exhaust system is a good radiator for > whatever noise the engine > > produces. I have not needed any alternator filter on > the mobiles that I have > > built. Often grounding the tailpipe is enough. > > > > I am using an MFJ 1620 knockoff of a ham stick for an > antenna on a radio shack > > ball mount that I pulled off my 1970 truck. I see a > lot of the $500 > > screwdriver antennas, but I hate to pay more for the > antenna than I paid for > > the radio. So far, I have worked East Coast and West > Coast as well as Alaska > > with my $20 antenna. > > > > You are right on with your power hookup. Use at least > 25 amp fuses, but I > > would not argue much with the 30 amp suggestion, but > be sure to fuse both > > leads as near the battery as you can manage. > > > > Willis 'Cookie' Cooke > > K5EWJ > > > > > > --- On Mon, 3/16/09, Robert Klein > <ki4...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > >> From: Robert Klein <ki4...@gmail.com> > >> Subject: [Elecraft] K3 going mobile? > >> To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net > >> Date: Monday, March 16, 2009, 2:04 PM > >> I have a K3/100, no sub-receiver. > >> > >> I do not find anything in the K3 manual, on the > Elecraft > >> website or that I > >> recall seeing on this reflector regarding mobile > use of the > >> K3. All that I > >> find in the manual is, ³12 VDC IN jack is an > Anderson > >> PowerPole connector > >> rated at 30 amps. (See Specifications, pg.8, for > detailed > >> power > >> requirements.)² and ³13.8 V nominal (11 V min, > 15 V max). > >> 17-22 A typical in > >> TX for K3/100, 3-4 A typical in TX for K3/10. 0.9A > typical > >> RX (less sub > >> receiver). Recommended supply: 13.8VDC @ 25A, > continuous > >> duty for K3/100; > >> 13.8VDC @ 6A for K3/10. For best results, use the > supplied > >> 5 foot (1.53 m) > >> power cable.² > >> > >> I take long road trips several times a month and > would love > >> to be able to > >> use my K3 along the way. Can I assume by the lack > of > >> information that this > >> is not recommended? Of course, I don¹t want to > something > >> that would damage > >> the unit or void the warranty. > >> > >> If I were to do this, I would expect to wire > directly to > >> the battery (not > >> through the fuse panel) with fuses in both leads > (how many > >> amps, 25?). Will > >> I need some kind of choke or filter to avoid > engine noise? > >> Anything else I > >> should know or that you fine folks could suggest > will be > >> most appreciated? > >> > >> Thanks, > >> > >> Robert > >> KI4ZHF > >> > ______________________________________________________________ > >> Elecraft mailing list > >> Home: > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > >> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > >> > >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > >> Please help support this email list: > >> http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
