The Mobile Hamshack
In 1998, I decided that instead of responding to Red Cross disasters and R.A.C.E.S. emergency events in my "good car", I would buy an old "beater" and fix it up. In addition, TVI and RFI problems have finally frustrated me enough that I have called it quits with HF operations at the house.
The solution was a natural one: build a mobile hamshack with which I can respond to disasters, chase storms, and work some DX too. I can operate SSB on 40m, 20m, and 15m at 180W and on 2m FM with 55W either fixed or mobile in motion. I'll also carry a dipole for 80m fixed operation.
The setup is very flexible and rugged: the rigs are mounted in such a way that they can be operated from either front seat, or from one of the individual seats or the bench seat in the back. I'm looking at a packet station as a possible add-on. This will be a nice Field Day setup!
Incidentally, I drove to Los Angeles and picked up a wing for my Dragonfly airplane, strapped it to the roof of the van, and drove back to Dallas without any serious problems!
| This is a front view of the 1977 Dodge that I converted into a disaster response vehicle and mobile hamshack | 
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 | This is the view of the cockpit. The HF and VHF radios are mounted on a table that can be rotated for use by the front seat or the captain's chairs directly behind. |
| View from the rear of the left side, facing front, showing the refrigerator, storage cabinet, and sink | 
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 | View from the rear of the right side, facing front. Don't you just love the wrap-around, burnt-orange carpeting and the curtains with chains? |
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