The info you want is at the following web site.
http://www.rac.ca/rcip.htm
The ARRL website provided this link to answer questions about US hams operating in Canada.

You didn't mention what band or bands you would plan to operate so my comments will be pretty general.  Most of the newer "mobile" radios are pretty sturdy.  Icom and Yaesu make commercial land mobile radios and offer ham gear based on these commercial radios for VHF and UHF.  Some are even MIL STD 810 C/D/E certified for shock and vibration.  If you want HF as well, both companies offer HF to 70cm radios that are designed for mobile use.  The manner in which you mount the radio will have a lot to do with the amount of shock and vibration it actually receives.  For example mounting the radio to the floor will result in more shock and vibration transfer to the radio than say under dash mounting.  

Keep ventilation in mind as well.  Radios need good air flow for cooling to run at full power.  

Commercial gear is also an option if your budget permits, however commercial gear can not be programmed without a computer.  And you can't just dial in a frequency at will like you can on a ham radio in VFO mode.  

With more info about your operating intentions I'd be glad to provide more opinions.

There seems to be two readily available sources for push-up type telescopic portable masts.  Radio Shack sells 16' and 36' masts.  These appear to require guys, at least they come with rings to attach guys.  AES offers a line of masts from New Wave Antenna. There is no mention of guy attachments.  I'm guessing the lack of a need for guys is the difference with the AES line.   The AES line therefore seems more of a true portable mast with faster set-ups and take downs.  

I'd need about 15 to 20 feet and am considering the 16' RS mast for my camping use.  It would probably be set up for at least a couple days at a time so I don't mind the guy wires.

Are there any other choices out there?  

Are there any popular home-brew schemes?

Thanks!

What's the most popular way to anchor the base of a portable mast?  I'm planning to use an inverted V while camping.  Should I dig a small hole and rely on the antenna wire and a couple of guys to keep the antenna upright?  What is common practice ?

Check out this one.  Its designed for FM satellite work and should meet your needs well.
http://hometown.aol.com/Arrow146/146-437.html

I'm using a Ten-Tec Scout for HF SSB.  I have the 10M and the 20M modules so those are the two bands I spend my time on.  I'd like to check out the bands in between. This will require the purchase of modules for each band.  I might very well end up with all three, but I don't want to buy a module for a band that's dead most of the time.

My antennas are limited to wire dipoles in the yard.  With my 50W, a dipole and a QTH near Chicago,  which of the three bands listed might I have the most fun on? What's the scoop on these bands? I have heard 17M is pretty popular for mobile operation.  
Thanks,
Dan

If you are using the HT without an amp a 5/8 wave antenna is must.  I use the Larsen NMO magnet mount with Larsen NMO mount antennas.  I find this to be the most versatile for me.

A high central location is the best, but the trunk is not bad either. Try to keep the antenna centered (left to right) for an even radiation pattern.

Good luck!

Good point about the radio crossbanding while you are perhaps asleep.  No one to ID.  I agree the optimum mode of operation would be for the crossband mobile to only repeat from your HT and not back to your HT.  This of course requires a dual band HT.  Since I have a dual band HT I would plan to use the HT to listen on 2M and I'd transmit to my mobile on 440.  The mobile will not repeat from 2M to 440, only 440 to 2M.  I could voice ID the crossband repeater.  This will also prevent my battery from running down.

The thought about crossbanding both ways came up due to there being some deals to be had on low-power 440 HTs.  As both of you had mentioned however, I can't see how to do this legally.  

Let's see if we get more discussion on this matter.  As I said initially, I'm surprised with the popularity of dualband radios that more info about how to use this function legally is not readily available on the web.

I started to experiment with the cross band repeater function of my dual band mobile radio when the question occured to me, "How does the radio operating as a repeater ID?"  I can't find anything in the manual about generating its own CW ID.  Is there something I need to include as part of my voice ID when I'm talking throught the cross band radio to ID the repeater too?  

I have not been able to find any info on the web about this matter.  I'm under the impression that the rules require repeaters to ID.  What is the customary way to handle this matter?

Thanks,
Dan - KA9ZIM

Hi,
I'm considering installing Linux on an older computer in my shack.  I'd like to use this computer for VHF packet and HF RTTY.  I have a PK-232 and I currently use PAKRATT for Windows.  I'd like to find a program like PAKRATT that I can use with my PK-232 but on the Linux OS.  If anyone has been down this path I'd appreciate some comments and some tips.
Thanks,
Dan - KA9ZIM

Check out www.glenmartain.com.  Go to the roof-top tower section.  They have tips on installing their heavy duty tripods that can be applied to your standard TV tripod also.  In addition to the structural concerns, don't forget to run a heavy ground wire from your ground rod system up to the tripod and antennas.  Try to run the ground wire as straight as possible.  Use Polyphaser lightning protection equipment on your coax and your rotor cables.  Install the Polyphaser equipment at the point where the cables turn away from the ground cable and into the building.

Hope this helps.

Dan

My HF antenna is on the drivers side.  My concern was trees as you mentioned. A secondary concern was potential valdalism.  When parked on the street, the drivers side is near traffic while the passenger side is near the curb.  More potential for someone to play with the antenna if its near the curb versus the street.  

My antenna is more behind the vehicle than next to it.  If its not out any further than the side mirror you probably should not have any trouble at drive thru's.

 

If you have a basic 2M packet station you can get started in APRS. APRS is based on packet. To start at home, download one of the APRS programs depending on your preference, DOS, Windows or Mac.  Set your 2M radio to 144.390 Mhz simplex, connect it to the TNC, connect the TNC to the computer, run the APRS software and configure it so that it can talk to the TNC and you should be all set. The APRS software will want to know your position.  Mobile stations usually interface a GPS receiver with the TNC.  If you are at a fixed location you can just key in your coordinates.  If you don't know your coordinates use MapQuest or any other mapping program to find the coordinates of you fixed location.  

With APRS running you will see a map of you area and you will see icons representing the other stations on the air in your area.  Mobile stations will move.  You communicate with others by sending single line text messages.  Just like packet you can set-up a beacon text.  

APRS uses the existing packet protocol concept to communicate.  The software creates a network what digipeats the info around the network automatically.  The position information of the various stations in passed along in the packet messages.  The position info is just stripped out by the computer so you don't have to see it each time.

APRS is geared toward public service type support.  The idea is to graphically show resources or conditons and also permit stations to send simple text messages back and forth.  By the way, icons show up on the map either because they are APRS stations, or because someone has manually placed the icon on the map.  

APRS is pretty neat and it give you something new to do with your old packet equipment.  The software, like most amateur radio software, takes a little time to become proficient with.

I started with an old PK-88 TNC, a 286 computer and an HT.  This works fine from home with the DOS APRS software.  I can't use the PK-88 in the car with a GPS receiver because the PK-88 can't understand the data from the GPS receiver.  I also have a PK-232 and I was able to upgrade the firmware so that it can recieve data directly from the GPS reciever.  Most TNCs build since APRS came out can communicate with GPS receivers.  Some of the new Kenwood radios can operate APRS with just a GPS receiver attached, no external TNC.  

If you get APRS running you can see youself on the internet at http://maps.aprs.net/MYCALL  were MYCALL is the callsign you are using, i.e. KA9ZIM-9.

Have fun!

Regards,
Dan - KA9ZIM

I have used quite a few mag mount antennas over the years and have never experienced such a problem. I suppose a whip could create such a sound but I would suspect air passing through something more than around something. Can you give more info about the type of antenna and mag mount you are using. Also, what type of experiments have you conducted if any to try to solve the problem.  I might be able to suggest a couple things but I need more info about your installation first.  

I have a Yaesu FT-8500R dual band radio in my car.  In my area we have a lot of activity on both bands.  Many clubs operate repeaters on both 2M & 70cm.  With the controls provided by Yaesu it is cumbersome to transition from scanning both bands to operating on one of them.  I think I would prefer a radio that basically had one VFO that extended from 2M to 70cm (or two VFOs that combined to function as one).  With both bands programmed into a single VFO I would be able to scan both bands, yet not have do deal with turning down the volume on one band, then switch control, followed by switching volume and squelch over to the band that I want to operate.  

Does anyone know if such a radio exists?  Or, more generally, what are some radios that are easy to operate while driving?

Thanks in advance for any and all comments.