Virginia QSO Party, day 1

It was a slow day, and a tough one.

No mobile HF

No mobile 220

Less than 50 QSOs, the saving grace was climbing back up to Afton Gap by BRP.

All the way down RT81S was quiet, found out at dark SNP (Skyline Drive) is mostly closed.

Bedtime, 210am (22h day)

Tomorrow? Headed North.

73, kk4zuu

DC Power, Amateur Radio (2019 Tundra DC)

March 2, 2019

Today is the day, the Tundra was squeezed into my garage last night for installation of DC power for amateur radio and for offroad camping.

Disclaimer: I am not a mechanic or ASE Certified Technician, if you follow any of this and something goes wrong it's on you!


Tools:

Various tools (wrenches to disconnect your vehicles battery, STEP #1)
Automotive trouble lamp and a desk lamp (LED bulbs)
Electrical tape, wire loom
Flash light, headlamp, or both
Harbor Freight Automotive Trim Kit
- https://www.harborfreight.com/5-piece-auto-trim-and-molding-tool-set-67021.html
Gloves

WD40 (a tad, applied to hole, for pulling wire, if your wire/boot is rated for oil exposure)
zip ties, cutter

pocket knife
xacto knife/fresh blade (cut thru factory boot)

Lots of patience....Slow is smooth, smooth is fast (take your time, breaking stuff is expensive!)

I will update this blog as work progresses but today, I ran 4GA Ancor Marine Grade (105C) wire from the inside of the vehicle firewall to the rear of the double cab. I removed the drivers side floor sil panel and the lower trim panel covering the drivers seat belt pulley and anchor point.

Here is a test fit of the wire, sans it's wire loom

March 3, 2019

I ran the +/- 4GA wire out to the battery area and applied Ancor 3/8" spiral wire wrap, I used it because it's rated for high temperatures and it does not support combustion.

4GA Ancor Marine Wire (105C) and Ancor 3/8" spiral wire loom

I stayed with it today, stopping two or three times for food and family. After breakfast this morning I pushed the + 4GA wire thru the customer access opening and then made my own with an Xacto Knife being very careful around the factory wiring harness.

4GA wire secured to factory harness

I covered most of the hot (+) wire with Ancor split loom, I didn't cover around the kick panel area today as I ran out but it can be added easily later.

The seat bracket 'issue' I ran into yesterday was worked around, I followed Toyota's wiring up and over the bracket as it has rounded ends and in that area I put split loom on both + and - wires.

4GA wire and split loom in drivers rear passenger door area

I zip tied things down as I went, I crossed the +/- wires onto different sides of the wiring chase at various 2-3 foot intervals...something I learned with solar panel installations and DC current. I reinstalled the drivers seat belt pillar lower trim panel that covers up the wiring shown above.

Re-installed trim panel and seat belt anchor, cover, and seat bracket covers

The rear drivers cab door area shows the status of the power wire installation, nothing is connected yet, the battery's positive terminal is still isolated and the ends of the wire under the hood are taped over just in case anything contacts an exposed terminal.

Drivers rear cab door area (under seat organizer removed yesterday)

Lastly, for this evening, I finished up by reinstalling the drivers sill plate

As the clock struck 9pm (3/3/2019) I am reminded to go relax for work resumes tomorrow!!

March 9, 2019


I removed the rear seats the the PVC/carpeted liner Toyota installed (as a horrible sound dreading material that I will replace later). I found lots of grommet holes, but none lead to the location below on the lower cab. I will look again. There are three grommets under the carpet along the front edge of the rear seats, the passengers side ones are accessible under the vehicle above the rear drive shaft. It may be difficult to use them as two sharp angles for cable runs may equal a damaged antenna wire. There are five grommets found along the back cab wall but they led me no where, there are two corner 2"+ plastic grommets that are for accessing the bolts that secure the cab to the frame. Perhaps that grommet shown in the picture is for accessing a bolt, I have to look.

Drivers side, lower grommet (under pickup bed)

March 10, 2019

I built new antenna mounts for 2m/70cm and the 1.25m NMO antennas, they are installed. I started the build of the HF antenna mount but ran out of time (and family 'tasks' consumed most of my day).


ToDo

I am a mobile operator in The Virginia QSO Party (my 5th year participating, should be my 4th as a mobile). The event is March 16-17 so times approaching rapidly....

I need to re-install my Icom 2730A VHF/UHF radio (back on it's stalk mount, was in the H3) onto the drivers front right seat bolt for easy access. I have to plot a path for the remote head back into the double cab where power and the base unit will live, I think I will open up the passengers side sill plates and see what manner of wires are present. I also have a 1.25m radio to install as well, no remote head, I wish someone would make a tri-band radio (Icom, Kenwood, Yaesu <- HINT HINT).

I need to do bonding of the chassis frame for both hood hinges, exhaust [every joint], pickup bed, cab so I can add HF to my operations this year. This will probably take me a day+ from what I've read.

Fire Extinguisher ?

Stay tuned, more updates coming...

David, kk4zuu

New Mobile, DIY antenna mounts for 2m/70cm/1.25m

I am getting my mobile ready for the 2019 Virginia QSO Party (March 16-17, 2019).

I acquired a new vehicle, a 2019 Toyota Tundra 4WD DC Limited model. I plan to add a cap to its bed by spring so I needed a temporary mount for VaQP for VHF/UHF.

DIY Antenna Mounts for Toyota pickups with factory bed rails:

Parts:
T-slot nuts (Bolt Dropper, Amazon)
3/16" x 1" long hex screw
Fence bracket (I chose a black one, they also have plain metal)
3/4" bi-metal hole saw (for an NMO mount antenna)
Drill
c-clamps
scrap wood

I purchased all of these parts at my local Home Depot except for the T-nuts for the Tundra bed rails, I bought these on Amazon.

I build a jig to hold the part (fence corner bracket) for drilling, I am making a 3/4" hole for an NMO antenna mount.

After drilling I had a rough 3/4" hole to add an NMO mount to later. The jig kept the c-clamps from marring up the pre-power coated bracket finish. The small hole was already there, the NMO mount will cover it up when completed.

The bracket has it's hole mount for an NMO setup and a 3/6" hole for the hex screw into the T-nut from Amazon.

The completed mount, you can rotate it 180 degrees if you want the antenna to sit about 1" lower. I will de-burr the mount before use. It took me less than 20 minutes to design and build.

On this mount, due to it's position on the truck, I plan to mount an NMO 1/2 wave antenna as it does not require a ground plane. Do not mount a 1/4 wave antenna like this, you will have a poor setup being that far up from the pickup bed, a 1/4 wave antenna needs a proper ground plane and this mount type will not match!

73, david kk4zuu