FT-817 and MX-5 (Miata)

Simon Brown

Hi All,

As soon as my new HB9 license comes through I will buy a FT-817 (you need
the licence certificate here before you can buy). In fact, it is that FT-817
that has persuaded me to become active again after being QRT since
1983/1984 -it has been a long, long time. (I only planned to be QRT for two
years.) We now have 6m - it wasn't available when I went QRT (I think).

Anyway, I live in the Swiss Alps and have a Mazda MX-5 (US: Miata), and am
planning to drive over the passes and use the FT-817 up there (about 8,000
ft asl). I will also use it when walking over the passes.

Is it possible to charge the internal battery via the car? This isn't
essential, but would be great if possible. My dealer will supply me with a
cigarette lighter cable to use with the FT-817. I will also have solar
cells, the same question applies, but the answer remains the same :-)

Also, what are the preferred whip antennas for HF, and has anyone tried
using the car as some sort of ground plane on HF?

Thanks for the advice,

Simon Brown (GD4ELI still, HB9??? soon)
---
Casa Bergenia, 7031 Laax, Switzerland

#7535

--- In FT817@y..., "Simon Brown" <simon.brown@b...> wrote:
Hi All,

As soon as my new HB9 license comes through I will buy a FT-817 (you need
the licence certificate here before you can buy). In fact, it is that FT-817
that has persuaded me to become active again after being QRT since
1983/1984 -it has been a long, long time. (I only planned to be QRT for two
years.) We now have 6m - it wasn't available when I went QRT (I think).

Anyway, I live in the Swiss Alps and have a Mazda MX-5 (US: Miata), and am
planning to drive over the passes and use the FT-817 up there (about 8,000
ft asl). I will also use it when walking over the passes.

Is it possible to charge the internal battery via the car? This isn't
essential, but would be great if possible. My dealer will supply me with a
cigarette lighter cable to use with the FT-817. I will also have solar
cells, the same question applies, but the answer remains the same :-)

Also, what are the preferred whip antennas for HF, and has anyone tried
using the car as some sort of ground plane on HF?

Thanks for the advice,

Simon Brown (GD4ELI still, HB9??? soon)
---
Casa Bergenia, 7031 Laax, Switzerland
Simon,

Yes you can charge the internal nicads from any external 12V source 
providing the current is around 300ma.
You can also charge the nicads while using the radio on external 
supply. In all cases the internal pack takes 8 or 10 hours to charge 
depending on which charge program you select.

Regards.

Greg M0AVE.

Simon Brown

#7536

Thanks Greg,

That's good to know. Strange things - I remember wait impatiently for my
GD8IQM license in 1973-ish, then for GD4ELI in 1975-ish, now I am again
waiting, this time for a HB9 licence.

Simon Brown
---
Casa Bergenia, 7031 Laax, Switzerland
Tel: +41 81 921 6853, GSM: +41 78 608 3854

Show quoted text

Simon,

Yes you can charge the internal nicads from any external 12V source
providing the current is around 300ma.
You can also charge the nicads while using the radio on external
supply. In all cases the internal pack takes 8 or 10 hours to charge
depending on which charge program you select.

Regards.

Greg M0AVE.

[email protected]

#7537

I did a test to see whether I could charge the batteries using my 12V 
output switching PSU. It seems the charging current is fundamentally 
unchanged so long as the voltage seen by the 817 is 12.3V minimum. 
Below that, the current does start to drop off. Therefore it might be 
as well to check the battery voltage as, depending on the state of 
the car battery, losses in the cigar lighter attachment etc., it 
might be a bit lower than that in which case it might be worth 
increasing the charge time.

Julian, G4ILO

--- In FT817@y..., gregsukuk@y... wrote:

Simon,

Yes you can charge the internal nicads from any external 12V source 
providing the current is around 300ma.
You can also charge the nicads while using the radio on external 
supply. In all cases the internal pack takes 8 or 10 hours to charge 
depending on which charge program you select.

Regards.

Greg M0AVE.

Simon Brown

#7538

Hi Julian,

The MX-5 has a small gel battery hidden away at the back, it's about 32Ah,
so should be fine for 6 hours or so.

Aside: One of the world leaders in solar cell technology actually lives just
a few kms from me, so I'll be able to borrow his latest offering when I need
it.

Simon Brown
---
Casa Bergenia, 7031 Laax, Switzerland
Tel: +41 81 921 6853, GSM: +41 78 608 3854

Show quoted text

----- Original Message -----
From: <g4ilo@...>
To: <FT817@...>
Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2001 10:50 AM
Subject: [FT817] Re: FT-817 and MX-5 (Miata)

I did a test to see whether I could charge the batteries using my 12V
output switching PSU. It seems the charging current is fundamentally
unchanged so long as the voltage seen by the 817 is 12.3V minimum.
Below that, the current does start to drop off. Therefore it might be
as well to check the battery voltage as, depending on the state of
the car battery, losses in the cigar lighter attachment etc., it
might be a bit lower than that in which case it might be worth
increasing the charge time.

Julian, G4ILO

--- In FT817@y..., gregsukuk@y... wrote:

Simon,

Yes you can charge the internal nicads from any external 12V source
providing the current is around 300ma.
You can also charge the nicads while using the radio on external
supply. In all cases the internal pack takes 8 or 10 hours tocharge
depending on which charge program you select.

Regards.

Greg M0AVE.

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[email protected]

#7539

Simon

--- In FT817@y..., "Simon Brown" <simon.brown@b...> wrote:

That's good to know. Strange things - I remember wait impatiently for my
GD8IQM license in 1973-ish, then for GD4ELI in 1975-ish, now I am again
waiting, this time for a HB9 licence.I let my license lapse for nearly ten years and was pleasantly 
surprised 18 months ago when I called the UK RA who not only picked 
the phone up straight away, but also were very helpful and explained 
that they didn't require a copy of my RAE pass slip (which I'd put in 
one of those 'safe' places never to be found again).

I'd also changed addresses four times since last being licensed.

Just downloaded a short form from their web site and mailed it off 
with a cheque. A week later, my license arrived.

If you've got really itchy feet you might want to renew your UK 
license and operate temporarily HB9/GD4ELI.

I had to laugh about the MX-5 - I operate mobile from a 5.0L TVR 
Chimaera. These sports cars are all very well but there's nowhere to 
mount the darned radios or antennas!

73 Howard G6LVB

Simon Brown

#7540

Heh heh,

5.0L TVR Chimaera - a grown-up MX-5 !!! I'd like to see a mag-mount stay on that. My problem is that (I think) all my bodywork is either aluminium or plastic.

Somehow a QRP rig and a 5.0L TVR Chimaera don't seem to go together - unless you have a significant after-burner in the boot :-)

Simon Brown (GD4ELI not lapsed)
---
Casa Bergenia, 7031 Laax, Switzerland
Tel: +41 81 921 6853, GSM: +41 78 608 3854

Show quoted text

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: howard@... 
  To: FT817@... 
  Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2001 1:23 PM
  Subject: [FT817] Re: FT-817 and MX-5 (Miata)

  Simon

  --- In FT817@y..., "Simon Brown" <simon.brown@b...> wrote:

  > That's good to know. Strange things - I remember wait impatiently 
  for my
  > GD8IQM license in 1973-ish, then for GD4ELI in 1975-ish, now I am 
  again
  > waiting, this time for a HB9 licence.

  I let my license lapse for nearly ten years and was pleasantly 
  surprised 18 months ago when I called the UK RA who not only picked 
  the phone up straight away, but also were very helpful and explained 
  that they didn't require a copy of my RAE pass slip (which I'd put in 
  one of those 'safe' places never to be found again).

  I'd also changed addresses four times since last being licensed.

  Just downloaded a short form from their web site and mailed it off 
  with a cheque. A week later, my license arrived.

  If you've got really itchy feet you might want to renew your UK 
  license and operate temporarily HB9/GD4ELI.

  I had to laugh about the MX-5 - I operate mobile from a 5.0L TVR 
  Chimaera. These sports cars are all very well but there's nowhere to 
  mount the darned radios or antennas!

  73 Howard G6LVB

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  To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
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  Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.

[email protected]

#7553

--- In FT817@y..., "Simon Brown" <simon.brown@b...> wrote:

Anyway, I live in the Swiss Alps and have a Mazda MX-5 (US: Miata),and am
planning to drive over the passes and use the FT-817 up there (about8,000
ft asl). I will also use it when walking over the passes.

Is it possible to charge the internal battery via the car? Thisisn't
essential, but would be great if possible. My dealer will supply mewith a
cigarette lighter cable to use with the FT-817. I also have a Miata and an 817, and they play well together.

1) You can charge the batteries easily when the car is running, not so
easily when then engine is stopped (13.8V versus 12V)  

2) The Miata is a great QRP HF platform because the antenna will be
mounted entirely above the bodywork.  It is not a great QRO HF
platform, because of rf exposure.

3) The 817 can be mounted to the dash with velcro. It's that light.

4) If you give me your operating schedule, we might find a chance for
a Miata to Miata QRP contact.
--
Brian N0KZ

Simon Brown

#7555

OK,

I'll have to wait until the rig arrives first.

Simon Brown
---
Casa Bergenia, 7031 Laax, Switzerland
Tel: +41 81 921 6853, GSM: +41 78 608 3854

Show quoted text

----- Original Message -----
From: bbadger@...

4) If you give me your operating schedule, we might find a chance for a
Miata to Miata QRP contact.

[email protected]

#7568

--- In FT817@y..., "Simon Brown" <simon.brown@b...> wrote:

5.0L TVR Chimaera - a grown-up MX-5 !!! I'd like to see a mag-mount stay on that. My problem is that (I think) all my bodywork is either 
aluminium or plastic.

Exactly!! You're lucky I think the MX-5 is Ali - at least you have a 
ground plane. I'm fibreglass and so can't get anything below 2m to 
tune up.


Somehow a QRP rig and a 5.0L TVR Chimaera don't seem to go together - unless you have a significant after-burner in the boot :-)
No problem. My mobile log book measures power in dbHP instead of dbW.

Seriously, the 817 sits quite nicely on the dash. It has to be an 817 
since I burnt out all the cigarette lighter electrics with my FT-
1000MP MkV on the passenger seat and the 1.5kW class A amp in the 
footwell.

73 Howard G6LVB

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FT-817 and MX-5 (Miata)