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| There are
many modes of operation as part of the Amatuer Radio hobby.
The most typical are the base and mobile (in-vehicle) set-ups.
Portable (with a walkie-talkie style radio) is very common.
However, some uncommon modes also exist like maritime mobile, operating
from a boat or other craft on water, or train mobile. Also,
there's what this page will be about, Bicycle Mobile. |
MY FIRST
SET-UP
April 2001, MS Walk, along the C&O Canal in Potomac, Maryland
Click on image to view full size
This set-up is a Kenwood TM-251a 2 meter mobile with a Ringer Ranger AR210B antenna. Power is from a Gel Cell battery mounted onto a typical rear rack on the bike, a painted PVC pipe was used with hose clamps to mount the antenna. The coax is a simple RG-8x of about 6 feet. The wieght at the rear isn't too bad, but you can't use the kickstand or let the bike rest without laying it on the ground. Riding the bike is fine, but you do have to watch the extra long antenna from hitting low branches or if you swing from side to side, you might hit someone to the side. A full page will be developed later to show sketches, improvements, the new set-up with the new bike.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MY NEW SET-UP (prototype stage)
click on images to view full size
This is the new, work in progress, Bicycle Mobile set-up. So far is it largely based on the previous set-up as shown above. The bicyle is essentially the same design. I purchased a simular bicycle rack that mounts to rear over the tire. The battery box is the same, except that this one shown is slightly shorter and can only accomodate a shorter height battery (5 amp/hr shown). The box is secured with zip ties at the moment, but will likely receive better strapping later. The lid had to be cut to fit the terminals as they projected to high to close the lid. An extension will be fabricated and mounted to the top of the lid. The radio (the same Kenwood used above) is this time mounted with high power velcro in place of the "L" brackets. This allows me to quickly disinguage the radio and take with me if I leave the bike locked up and unattended.
The big difference comes in the way the antenna is mounted. As you can see with the above picture on the previous mode, It was secure at an angle. To try to eliminate this issue, I mounted two aluminum angles to the supports of the rear bike rack and then bolted the PVC mounting pipe to the aluminum. Then I mounted the same AR270B antenna to the PVC. Now it is totally vertical.
Planned upgrades include (but not limited to) a new radio, APRS Transmit only module, large extension speaker, headset and microphone with PTT mounted on handle bars, and a GPS with display.
April 2001, MS Walk, along the C&O Canal in Potomac, Maryland
Click on image to view full size
This set-up is a Kenwood TM-251a 2 meter mobile with a Ringer Ranger AR210B antenna. Power is from a Gel Cell battery mounted onto a typical rear rack on the bike, a painted PVC pipe was used with hose clamps to mount the antenna. The coax is a simple RG-8x of about 6 feet. The wieght at the rear isn't too bad, but you can't use the kickstand or let the bike rest without laying it on the ground. Riding the bike is fine, but you do have to watch the extra long antenna from hitting low branches or if you swing from side to side, you might hit someone to the side. A full page will be developed later to show sketches, improvements, the new set-up with the new bike.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MY NEW SET-UP (prototype stage)
click on images to view full size
This is the new, work in progress, Bicycle Mobile set-up. So far is it largely based on the previous set-up as shown above. The bicyle is essentially the same design. I purchased a simular bicycle rack that mounts to rear over the tire. The battery box is the same, except that this one shown is slightly shorter and can only accomodate a shorter height battery (5 amp/hr shown). The box is secured with zip ties at the moment, but will likely receive better strapping later. The lid had to be cut to fit the terminals as they projected to high to close the lid. An extension will be fabricated and mounted to the top of the lid. The radio (the same Kenwood used above) is this time mounted with high power velcro in place of the "L" brackets. This allows me to quickly disinguage the radio and take with me if I leave the bike locked up and unattended.
The big difference comes in the way the antenna is mounted. As you can see with the above picture on the previous mode, It was secure at an angle. To try to eliminate this issue, I mounted two aluminum angles to the supports of the rear bike rack and then bolted the PVC mounting pipe to the aluminum. Then I mounted the same AR270B antenna to the PVC. Now it is totally vertical.
Planned upgrades include (but not limited to) a new radio, APRS Transmit only module, large extension speaker, headset and microphone with PTT mounted on handle bars, and a GPS with display.
Some other examples of Bicycle Mobile
Andy, KB3PMB at the MS Walk in 2008
Some antenna ideas
Some radio mounting ideas
Some power ideas.
Bicycle Mobile Hams of America
Events and outting with Bicyle Mobile
MS Walk 2001
Presentations
April 2nd 2008 - Montgomery Amateur Radio Club
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