This morning I noticed when I plugged my cell phone up to the accessory port in my truck (cigarette lighter style) something peculiar occurred. My AM/FM radio (which was on a station that was just static....I use XM and had already powered it off) static level dramatically increased.  Unplugged the connector from the phone....level dropped.  Has anyone else seen this?  BTW...phone is a Moto V3xx

Is it possible to hear WWVB on a Amateur Transceiver?  I have a FT857 in my truck with a Tarheel antenna..and tried 2.5Mhz AM, 5Mhz AM, 10Mhz AM and didn't hear anything the entire time.  I listened for approximately 20 minutes on each band with no joy. Tuned in other conversations just fine on USB/LSB...but never heard WWVB....I'm currently in Huntsville, AL....and I figured early morning I "should" be able to hear it...but no joy.

Any ideas on what I may have been doing wrong?  Wrong modulation type?

Well looks like the signalink is the way to go...Looks like that's good for the next flight check. At 99 bucks...I might even go for one of the APRS/GPS interfaces as well....run that off of my HTX202.

Recently got my General and would like to try my hand at PSK31 in the HF realm. I've got a couple of laptops I can use for the radio in my truck (in my driveway of course!)...besides the cabling...what else do I need? Is a TNC required for PSK31 or is that a software mode for digital?

Thanx.

I have a F150...and there was a grommet under the steering column. Before that I had a 1996 and a 1989 Ford Ranger...both also had grommets.  Check above your brake pedal...and below your steering column on the fire wall.  If nothing there (I doubt they would have removed it...but stranger things have happened)....Look at the low spot in your feet pan area...there's usually a "drain" plug grommet there.

Upon further review of K0BG's website...what I may do in lieu of running a ground strap from antenna mount to frame is still take off the paint behind the mount....and also run a ground strap from bed to frame.  That should take care of the strapping/bonding. Comments? Ideas?

In grounding/bonding my Tarheel to my truck...I want to include a good RF Ground so I'm going to take the paint off of the truck between the mount and the bed so I get a good bond there as well as run a separate braided cable to  chassis.  Here's where the issue possibly arises....from the top edge of the bedrail where the antenna is mounted...to chassis/frame it's approximately 3 feet.  Is that too long of a run for strapping?  What is the maximum length I should run?

I think I need to clarify my last statement....I read it..and it sounds BAD!

What I meant to say was I've made the mistake...it just so happens it was made before I was married....so there wasn't anyone around to make me eat crow about my mistake....the XYL is good about that!

Oh I've made the $500 mistake before....it was just before I was married.

Making the mistake is bad...eating crow afterwards is worst!

Thanks Alan...and you are right, well sort of.  The instructions are somewhat clear..I just had to read between the lines and interpolate what was what.  

Believe me...I'd eat a big dose of humble pie..and ask "stupid questions" if it means saving big bucks because I  screwed something up...because I DIDN'T ask.

I may be an engineer..but there are lots of technicians and wire pullers smarter than engineers.  That's why I defer to the experts on a lot of stuff.  My experimenting days are over...at least the ones that cost too much money!!!

I'm getting ready to hook up my Little Tarheel...and I'm using a W4RT Antenna Boss so that I can control the tarheel with the FT857 control circuitry. I've emailed Cindy at Tarheel...but I think we're talking past one another....

Here's what I'm trying to do.  On the W4RT Boss (hereafter called Boss), there is 2 wires that is supposed to go to the Tarheel antenna (red and black zip cord), however it does not have a connector on the end..and I'd have to connect up at the antenna (I don't like that idea)....on the other hand the Little tarheel came with a GREAT harness for the manual raise/lower to the antenna with matched connectors.  I'd like to splice into the harness with the red and black zip cord (with the splice being inside my truck) so the antenna to controller harness is in tact....Does anyone know which wires connect to which in this situation?

I've also sent an email to W4RT...and no response...but those guys are busy..so I understand.

Thanks to anyone who has done this and is willing to share.

Ruxton/KC5VTL

Got a political correctness question this time. My neighbor, who is a deputy in the local sheriff department, and his wife do karaoke.  I'm concerned that he might make a big deal out of my HF work when I'm in my truck.  Since my truck is my "shack" temporarily..I'm concerned what it will do to his karaoke. I'm running a non-modded FT857D into a Little Tarheel...no major gains, no amplifiers....Does anyone think there will be a problem with my HF work over his karaoke?  If so...how does one handle this?  His wife has already expressed displeasure with me one time...about my volume of my AM/FM radio one afternoon at 5pm when I got home from work...but I complied...and turned it down, albeit that it too is a stock radio...and I was just jamming...with my windows rolled UP!

I'm thinking this may become a difficult situation..and would like to know from the experts what is the best way to avoid a confrontation and what legal protection I have.  I'm  a firm believer in an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Thnx in advance
KC5VTL/Ruxton

Thanks. On the splice item...got a link?

I know how we do it at NASA...but I'm curious as to how amateur operators do it...At NASA we put the two wires together...then overwrap with a third much smaller wire (like 24-26 gauge)...then solder all together...and heat shrink the entire setup.

I was thinking that's the way to go:  Fusing as close to the battery...but I wanted to make sure.  And yes..I planned on fusing the negative as well.

I'm currently mounting my FT857 under the back seat of my F150 extended cab.  From there I'm running the factory made 12AWG harness under the trim track at the driver side threshold.  The blade type fuse holder Yaesu puts in the  harnesss will probably end up near my current factory fuse block. From there I was planning on splicing in a 10AWG zip style power/ground combination to the battery. My dilemma is this:

Do I leave the fusing on the factory harness where it's at?  Or do I cut it out...splice in the 10AWG zip cord and add the fusing back near the battery?

Decisions decisions.

Thnx in advance.

Thanks...I have had his site bookmarked for some time now.  I agree it is a valuable resource...and I refer to it often.