Beginning 40mtr mobile

[N4DSP]

Thinking of installing a mobile rig and antenna for 40 mtrs in my Toyota Highlander. Never ran mobile before. How much power would I need and type of antenna? There are so many rigs out there so which one?

thank you

[G8YMW]

Firstly get the car right, power feed and bonding of the car (Earthing straps between parts of the car) Alan Applegate K0BG is your friend here.
For a radio, Icom706, Icom7000, Yaesu 857, Kenwood 480 Alinco are cheap enough. At the risk of everybody rearing up at me, I would suggest a hamstick as a starter.

[N6AJR]

I run HF in the car and the pickup. I use a FT 857 in both. I use them with the ATAS antenna, which, when paired with the 857 gives you auto tune  from 2m/440/6m through 40 mobile.  I like it.

[WA8FOZ]

At the risk of everybody rearing up at me, I would suggest a hamstick as a starter.

I agree!

I started with hamsticks and had fun. Now I use a Bugcatcher, but I keep the hamsticks in reserve.... A hamstick will be cheap, efficient enough to make contacts on 40, and will allow you to see how much you really like mobile HF. Hamsticks for 20, 17, etc will not cost that much more, can easily be stored in a Highlander, and will give you capabilities on bands where they are more efficient.

As G8YMW says, bonding is very important, and K0BG should be your bible.

And in the spirit of K0BG: drill, baby, drill. A Hamstick properly chassis mounted will outperform ANYTHING on a truck lip or mag mount. And don't be silly about resale value: when the time comes, you take off the ball mount, put in a round-head bolt of the right size, paint as desired, and fuggedaboutit!

I LOVE HF mobile - and i hope you have fun, too.

73,
Bill

[KCJ9091]

FT-857, FC-40, and a 12 foot whip.  40m is ok.  80m can be a problem.  I need to engineer a way to insert a section of coil material in a MS116 military antenna section.

[W8JX]

I started with hamsticks and had fun. Now I use a Bugcatcher, but I keep the hamsticks in reserve.... A hamstick will be cheap, efficient enough to make contacts on 40, and will allow you to see how much you really like mobile HF. Hamsticks for 20, 17, etc will not cost that much more, can easily be stored in a Highlander, and will give you capabilities on bands where they are more efficient.

I have used generic hamsticks on a bumper mount and a custom built multi magnet mount for about 20 years with excellent results. I also use a spring loaded quick release that allows quick changes. they do not do good on 80 (few things do) but decent on 40 and excellent on 20 and above.

[W4KVW]

If you can NOT afford a Screwdriver antenna the Hamstick type antennas work pretty well if you have room for all of the extras antennas needed for other bands as do the hustler antennas that don't take up nearly as much room being stored away in the vehicle.LOVE my TARHEEL II with my ICOM 7000 but I know that is NOT always in somebody's budget.

Clayton
W4KVW

[W5LZ]

So what would be the 'best' 40 meter antenna for a mobile?  The longest one you can 'live' with.  About the same for now much power to use.  I think 100 watts is a pretty well 'standard' amount to figure on, that's what most mobile radios will normally do.  Wanna try less?  Turn it down.  Want to use more?  Start looking at amplifiers.  I think I've used something around 100 watts for 95% of the mobile operations I've ever done.  That other 5% was at 'other' power outputs because of gobs of reasons.  Use what'cha got.  You will never be able to 'do' everything you want, when you want, but you wouldn't be able to do that with a 1000 watts either.
 - 'Doc

[W8JX]

The TS-480HX is a excellent rig as it is 200 watts.