k6ncx wrote:
I'm looking at a 2016 Thor ACE 30.1, so of course the more directly comparable your experience is the more eager I am to hear from you. But general tips and hints are certainly welcome as well. Where/how to mount radios, and antennas. Feed line and power routing. So many questions...
I want to be able to operate VHF/UHF FM while en route, preferable from driver or passenger seat. HF en route might be fun, but realistically I think when parked is enough.
Success, failure, or a little of both, I'd love to hear about it.
Neil, K6NCX
So, here's another reply from me regarding your ACE 30.1 quest! :)
In my 2013 ACE 30.1, I've installed an Icom ID-5100. I did that because it gives me not only 2m/440, but also D-STAR, which is a way to broaden the range of possibilities while I travel. I mounted the body of the radio vertically on the left-hand side of the dash and the head on a RAM-style mount on the left top of the dash. I use a half-wave 2-meter antenna mounted on a standard 3-way mount on the vertical side of the body, right at the driver's pillar, with the coax run down into the compartment. The half-wave antenna is thin and flexible enough, plus the fact that it's on the driver's side (away from antenna-eating branches) that so far I've had no problems, even though it's not spring loaded. (I do have a spring-loaded CB antenna on the other side.) As you know, the benefit of a half-wave antenna is that is works satisfactorily without an RF ground. For power, I've run 10-gauge wire from the house batteries to a Rigrunner power-pole panel on the doghouse, from where I power not only the battery but all of the other gazillion 12-volt thingies that need power. I can send along photos if that would help, although I won't be back in the vicinity of the motorhome until next week. Let me know.
One other advantage of the ID-5100 (and my FT-8800 mounted in my truck) is cross-band repeat, something I suggest you consider. I use it quite regularly, with the 2-meter side running in ACE and connecting to the 440-side via my HT. That lets me sit around and rag-chew (either on repeaters or on the comm frequency for ham radio gatherings) without having to sit in the driver's seat.
For HF, I use my IC-706MkIIG portable box (same one I used for Field Day, etc.) that has a tuner and power supply built in. I have coax run to the back ladder where I use a Hamstick dipole (obviously not in motion). More information about my HF setup can be found on one of my older blog posts:
http://skiprd.com/?p=10.
As you move forward, I highly recommend you consider joining the FMCA Amateur Radio Chapter (
http://fmcaarc.com). It's a great group of folks, with regular get togethers among people with the same common interest, and a good source of information on the successes and challenges of ham-life on the road.
Feel free to contact me (my contact info on
http://www.qrz.com is good if you need further info on the ACE, the radio setup, or the philosophy of life.
73 Skip K4EAK
