W7CQ - Jimmy Oldaker - Grid: CN83jx

old calls: KN7OLO - 1961 : K7OLO 1961 to 1976

             Real Rigs Glow in the DARK                       The Newer Solid State Stuff              

             Overall view of Station                                Test Bench at a CLEAN Moment!

 Station Rundown:

  Hallicrafters HT-32 tx,  HT-33A amp,  SX115 receiver,  Astatic 10D mike,

 Collins KWM-2 transceiver, 312B-5 remote vfo station console, SM-3 dynamic mike. 

 Icom 735 hf transceiver, Icom 821H Satellite transceiver, Kenwood 7950 2meter fm,  

 Icom 756Pro  hf transceiver, Icom R7000 general coverage receiver,

 Alinco DR-1200 packet,  PK 232 MBX tnc, + misc stuff 

     The  " W7CQMobile" --  Grid : is varialble

The name "W7CQMobile" was given by my kids when they were young after listening to me sign my call while operating mobile in the motor home. "W7CQ / Mobile"  it stuck!

Allegro 27' motorhome,  Icom 735 hf transceiver,  Kenwood 7950 2meter fm,  PK 232 MBX tnc, Garmin GPS III,  old  Laptop (pentium 100) computer,  and Screwdriver Antenna.

   Homebrew Screwdriver Antenna with continuous coverage 3.5 to 30 mhz, is a modified W6AAQ design and is mounted above the drivers door with the antenna base 8 feet above ground. ( Gotta keep those ground coupling losses down you know.  ) This makes it necessary to bring the 66 inch whip off the top of the coil at almost a right angle to keep the maximum height legal and out of the trees and freeway overpasses. The horizontal whip is about 2 feet above the aluminum roof and works just fine. Due to less ground coupling losses, this version of the Screwdriver Antenna works much better an earlier version of the same antenna that was mounted on the bumper with the whip pointing straight up.  Get the base of your mobile antenna as high as you can and it will work better.  Ground losses really lower the overall efficiency of mobile antennas. On the top of the aluminum roof would have been a better place to mount this antenna but the overall height of the antenna would not have allowed operation while in motion, and motion is what being mobile is all about.

A 2 ft x 3 ft x 1/8" aluminum grounding plate was bolted to the interior aluminum framework of the motorhome  (under the interior paneling) and the antenna base bolted directly to that from the outside with stainless steel carriage bolts all the way through the aluminum exterior of the motorhome. This antenna has a GOOD LOW LOSS GROUND.   Click on the picture of the "W7CQMobile"  to see a close up of the screwdriver antenna. I work the world with 50 watts and this setup. 

   Operate: Mobile SSB, 2 meter FM, Pactor e-mail , and while parked SSB, RTTY and CW.  I put North Dakota on the RTTY map for a few weeks every summer. We use the GPS III and Street Atlas 7 software to guide us around when we get lost.  (a common occurrence but who cares we have all summer) 

   For Pactor E-Mail I use AirMail 3.2 Software by KE6RK, on the HF bands to keep in touch with family and friends while traveling in the "W7CQMobile" around the USA.  You need a laptop computer, hf rig,  tnc with pactor and a mobile antenna and you can send and receive E-Mail while moving about.  Text only.  No attachments.

 AirMail is provided without charge to the amateur radio community and is dedicated to the many sysops who have donated generously of their time and equipment to make the digital ham radio network a reality.  AirMail 3.2 is offered by Jim, KE6KR and is available at  http://www.airmail2000.com/ .  Also check out link to the Winlink 2000 network and see how it works for the mobile ham.

  Thanks Jim, for helping me keep in touch with the family via e-mail and the hf ham bands and to the dedicated hams that provide the WinLink 2000 network.