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MOBILE INSTALL: 579 Peterbilt

Time on my hands outside FTW on a nice day. Deliver tomorrow.

Background:

— We’ve covered the antenna mount problems. Not finished, but stalled in place. I’ve replaced the failed factory coax with WILSON 18’ Co-Phase Coax. Wound in four (4) ferrite toroids (MIX 31 & 61; FT-240 size) on 3.25” loops.

Radio runs thru a coax filter to the KL203 and thence to an 11-Meter Bandpass Filter.

So,

Today, dialed-in the Wilson 2000 pair after hand-drilling condensation holes in the new ones coil cover.

Had them on HUSTLER QDs, but have removed them at only one location on one trip (antennas top out close to 14.0’).

On the 5” shafts with 49” whips fully-seated (past half-year).

RS SWR Meter showed:

01: 2.2
20: 2.5
40: 2.9

(The U-980 shows lower numbers; same trend to being long). All else bypassed.

Took a few hours (why it didn’t get done before). Made readings of seven (7) different configurations from start to finish. Took extra time to be certain all lengths were identical. (Same number of bolt thread turns, etc).

Now at the following with/without other gear in chain:

01: 1.4
20: 1.2
40: 1.1

(U-980 simply shows 1.00 or 1.10.)

This is with 10” shafts and 39” whips fully-extended.

I could cut the 49” whips and keep going as “ideal” is in between the current whip lengths. They are a tad long electrically, and the 39” are a tad short. But as I’m mainly on AM-19, it’s now where it ought to have been and thereby gud’nuff.

I ever get an Antenna Analyzer those “long” whips could get cut more exactly. I’ll re-install the QDs to test if that’d work out.

Kept forgetting to drill the coil cover once home. Corrosion had started after only a few months. Blew it out with the seat air line.

So, the convenience of the QDs is lost, the appearance is a bit different with the coils now above the roof, and it’s now easier to hit obstacles without as much flex.

But I’m sure glad to have it done.

(Edit: the addition of using also Mix 61 ferrites really made this U-980 better than I thought it’d be.)

There’s a three-car pile-up on IH20 a half-mile away. Being able to switch over to LOCAL RF Gain is mighty nice. Increase the Squelch from closed while on CH-17 and leave ANL off.

(The Sun goes up or down; I want Local or Distant; I can cut in ANL; the DSP Speaker is the mixer where that unit volume against transceiver volume is where it comes together).

DSP Speaker volume now shows about 10:00. Filtration at Noon. Radio cracked a short ways.

Anyone walking past my open window at about 10’ can clearly hear the radio and distinguish all the words.


Found the FS meter antenna. Next trip out I’ll try that while using the wireless Bearcat mic.

.
 
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Slowmover said:
Found the FS meter antenna. Next trip out I’ll try that while using the wireless Bearcat mic.
Click to expand...

And that is why - if the ONLY reason, was to use it as a remote to help me get my keying - back to the radio for that very same purpose.

If the only need, was to key a radio to observe the Field Strength as well as SWR changes - that MIC's for you...
 
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Handy Andy said:
And that is why - if the ONLY reason, was to use it as a remote to help me get my keying - back to the radio for that very same purpose.

If the only need, was to key a radio to observe the Field Strength as well as SWR changes - that MIC's for you...
Click to expand...


From the viewpoint that technical detail is a quality of spirit (versus a mere function of mind), then the Bearcat bc 906w will pay fir itself.

The Radio Shack SWR/FS meter is ancient. 1998 or so. Finding the tiny antenna after who knows how many household moves, etc, (when I lose things I acquired last week), well, it must be a sign as there hasn’t ever been a permanent storage solution. It’s just floated around (originally attached to meter body with strapping tape long gone).

The BCW mic is the intended backup mic to the U980 along with the stock mic & a 4/6 mic adapter.

.

 
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Next day (today) the same: waiting to unload and pleasant weather.

1). Get out the DVOM and replace batteries.

— Is (indeed) the console ground viable? Yeah, once meter corrected and APP re-done.

2). Use 1/2”W braided strap to run bandpass coax grounds to that ground.

3). Run power NEG to that ground point (just removed 12’-plus from TTL circuit length).

4). Reverse radio mounts bolts to fit stack closer to flush against console.

Results:

A. Less S-Meter change from main engine off to running. Won’t hit 3-S on the U-980. Flickers below and atop (up to 2-S). This is at least a 1-S drop.

That’s with MAX RF Gain. Zero Squelch.

B. With “Local” chosen, nothing at all on S-Meter. Dial in a bit more than a quarter-turn Squelch and radio goes silent between RX.

C. At the current time of 1335 when the above was noted, conditions are about at their noisiest.

D). No changes seen in SWR, etc, but a radio check reply did sound a little more “crisp”.

E). Still plenty of “noise” with engine off (nothing in truck turned on) for the DSP Speaker to mess with. But (if I’m not getting ahead of myself) it may be that distant RX is a little more clear.


Next:

— I can’t say if using the same ground point for RF & DC is best. A second ground point 4-6” away might be better. A quick search showed nothing. E-Z enough to do.

— If I can get past the house for a day, I’ll revise the POWER by removing the 10-AWG Duplex wiring. Go to 6-AWG and see if tying in at a power feed on drivers side footwell is any noisier than the straight-to-battery POS connection currently used.

If it works, that’s a 10’ TTL Power Circuit versus one that is almost 30’ as configured presently.

On a Freightliner Evolution this same change added no noise I could detect. (Made power connection very easy).


So it turns out that thick steel shelf inside the overhead console is a viable ground.

.
 
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Not the direct way, but the way the RF "deck" works, is similar to how people used to install their Stereo equipment into a cabinet; a metal rack cage - similar to a Faraday cage - to help offset hum and noise from being reinserted back into their low-noise floor stuff - Class A amps like Macintosh - were often installed and used this way...
 
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There you go with the faraday stuff again. I have the briefest understanding (blocks RF) which isn’t helping me here or when you’ve brought it up previously.

Drop ‘er into the low side, Hoss. I know it ain’t easy fer ye, but this hired hand caint follow yer tracks otherwise.
 
Your equipment is sharing the same ground at the console deck, helps keep the currents and noises confined to that section - can help lower noise by providing some shielding - but won't know for sure until the antennas' ground returns can be bonded to that same deck.

Think of it as a self-contained mini-counterpoise. The greater that surface area - the better your receivers results will be - let alone the TX side...
 
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That’s as far as I had gotten in understanding.
Thx for the re-statement.

In the technical sense the antenna mounts are already RF bonded via a strap (shown in a pic quite a ways back in posts; taken from a YT vid), but neither mount nor strap fastener-to-shelf have had the powdercoat paint removed.

I will have this truck in the company shop next week, and if the guys are amenable, ask for help in getting to the mounts. I already know their opinion is that it’s a bitch . . . but maybe “something new” will allow access more easily. All y’all say a little prayer I find the right guy.

No matter ones opinions this country got seriously worse, and quickly, this past year. “Radio” means more than ever. That’s what I’ll impress on any who might listen.

I can will shorten the length of the work done overhead today. Bandpass Coax bonds, and DC Power Negative will all be shortened before I get to Houston on the 20th.

Plus get the radio-rack bolts better-grounded (powdercoat not cleaned off nor are biting washers in use).

Any other perfectionist ideas are welcomed.


.
 
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Rolled back into town (between Dallas & Fort Worth). One very bad truck accident seven (7) miles from receiver in the opposite lane direction. Not cleared four (4) hours later.

Was dark by time I arrived at receiver (90-minutes to go 50-miles). I was three (3) miles north and three (3) miles East; by road. Call it over (4) air miles.

Left to drop trailer south, then east. About fifteen (15) miles.

A major pile-up on THAT Interstate (IH20; first one on IH30; these two parallel each other) I avoided in a circuitous route.

Reason for all that geography was that throughout a substantial period I was able to hear strong radio rigs throughout; some of them without cease as the first accident closed that Interstate. “Crisp & Clear” doesn’t describe it. They JUMPED OUT of the speaker. Wow!

S-Units climbed back up to what I’d think of as just short of normal. (5) versus (7).

Despite all the adjustments I can make with audio, I better understand Handy Andy’s description of Uniden sound management, as there just isn’t a sweet spot. I can round in on audio from about three (3) starting points to effect different qualities. None as satisfactory as with the Galaxy 86v I’ve also used of late.

The RF Gain button-hold to change what LOCAL means is maxed out. This gives (me) the range of capability I was earlier missing. Cutting in ANL on LOCAL or DISTANT produces different effects.

The 86v goes back in tomorrow. Was meant to be Radio #1 when purchased.

Improvements to the radio installation as in above posts is highly satisfactory.

I’ve learned the U-980 is better than I thought. Already had a VG opinion. Now a GREAT Radio #2 (backup).

.

.
 
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Also, in trying to find those "Sweet spots"...

You will encounter propagation events - like what "jumped out" at you - as radios normally not heard amongst the noise levels, suddenly appear on your receiver - very loudly.

Its' all a part of Radio - a simple radio in a car was many a travelers way to finding the next town .

AM stations that would play the ball game at night could be heard from Miles - WLS was one of many stations one could hear thru the Midwest.

Ground wave, Sky wave - Skip Zone - it's all there - they have the words for it, I just kick back and enjoy the effects - much more fun to listen to, when you don't have to put too much thought into it.

So welcome to Radio! The CB-side door entrance was just a basic primer...
 
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