Every Day is Field Day!

RV life can bring its challenges in Amateur radio. One of which is maintaining a good sounding station while traveling in a 5th wheel. A simple vertical will not do for this avid amateur. As soon as I set up the 5th wheel, it's time to see how I can put up the tower. While living in Vacaville, Ca, in a permanent QTH, hitting the repeater was easy. Pull out a hand held, program in the frequency and PL, and get a 5 by 9 "full quieting" signal. But relocating in an RV brings its challenges of distance, interference and neighbors.

My first move from Vacaville, Ca with the 5th wheel was to a project in San Francisco, next to Pacific Bell Ball Park. First thought was that a simple vertical antenna would make the 45-mile trip to the repeater. Well, you learn quickly about a thing called RF interference in a big city. The solution was a 2-meter vertical beam. With the help of Bob, K6HEW and Jim, W6BUL we were able to get "permission" to erect a Rohn 25 tower up 30' with a 25' mast and attached an M2 2M9 vertical beam and prop pitch rotor. The VVRC repeater was now in reach! RF disappeared and a strong signal followed. For 4 months this seemed to be the charm, but as all good things change, it was time to move.

My next move was to Northern California's, the Delta, but presented different challenges. Wow, I thought… what a great place to transmit. Erecting the tower turned out to be the easiest part, neighbors and trees turned out to be an education. As Bob, K6HEW and I were standing the tower; the little nasty neighbor lady ran over and starts pitching a fit over the "beauty" of my tower to the park. Well... this time luck was on our side; she also did not get along with the neighbors! I was told by the other neighbors to put up the biggest, most offensive tower I could. As we all know any amateur tower can satisfy that request. On the other hand I learned one thing inherent to trailer parks… the dreaded roof top TV antenna. Even though we are not normally the cause of interference, we get blamed for it all. After sitting down with one angry neighbor complaining that I was messing up their TV, I gave them my phone number. A few days later my phone rang with the complaint that I was interfering with their favorite show. Knowing that my radio was not even on, I ran over and looked... it turned out to be the neighbors microwave... another bullet dodged!

Radio life was good in the Delta; so much so that the manager said my antenna was so large, that she was getting better TV reception! Here is also where I fell in love with 2-meter sideband and SWOT (Side Winders On Two), a good place to learn the benefits of SSB. But soon it was time to move again... this time Los Angeles. Oh well, I thought, my days of checking in with my Northern California buddies on 2 meters would be over, so I thought.

During the initial months of traveling between Northern Cali and Sylmar, and the help of Larry, W6OMF, I discovered a linked repeater system along Interstate 5, IRLP and Condor. But there is still something exciting about making a simplex transmission. Still short of getting my General, 2 SSB would have to do. In looking for a trailer park, it came down to two choices... Malibu or Sylmar… As it turned out Sylmar had a better path through the grape vine (and a lower monthly cost). Using the lessons learned from Paul, KA6CHJ, that an antenna is only as good as its assembly, I tested the path with a push-up mast and the single M2 2 meter beam. But I just could not make the 350-mile trip, even though my neighbors to the south around Long Beach seem to have little difficulty making the SWOT check in (there must be a refraction effect over the mountains).

In my determination to make the SWOT check in, I knew that I must go higher and with more antenna... but how in a crowded trailer park? It starts with getting to know the park management. After a few weeks of transmitting on 2 meters and only one complaint, I received permission from the management to take down the unsightly push-ups for single tower. The wording from the management was the word… "OK" Little known, but to me the word "OK" also meant it was OK for a concrete footing!

Early one Saturday morning, I marked out a 4' x 4' x 4' hole behind the trailer and started digging. About 3' down, I looked up straight into the manager's face… "Nice day", I said. "I found this great top soil and will use it to plant grass around the trailer. I will fill the hole". Later that day, in came one yard of concrete in a rented ready mix buggy, without being seen! I backed it between RV's and began the pleasant task of using a 5-gallon bucket to move the concrete into the hole... OUCH, but it worked. I later set the hinged base plate 1' below grade, so I will be able to cover my tracks when I leave. The grass is now the greenest in the neighborhood!

Now, a few weeks later the tower is up and with additional M2 2M9 stacked beam from M2's spring opening, my signal is making the distance. To date, I am 6 for 5 on checking into W6OMF's Sunday night SWOT net, not to mention having an awesome signal for the San Fernando Valley, SCARC and now WSWSS (Western States Weak Signal Society)!

Other things on my "to do" list are to learn to communicate via satellites (Thanks go the SCARC's April meeting), T-Hunts, Field Day and get my General license. Another project someday, is to see if I too can bounce 2 meters off the moon from the trailer park!

73!
Jim, KF6VBJ

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