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| The RV Radio Network (RVRN) is an ARRL affiliated association of Amateur Radio Operators who share an interest Recreational Vehicles. On this website you will find information about rallies, hamfests, radio nets, and other activities of interest to the members of our club. |
Our RVRN 40m net is on 7264 KHz at 7:00 pm Central Time Sunday through Friday. Our 20m net is on 14,290 KHz on Tuesday and Thursday at 11:15 AM Central Time. Our Multi-mode EchoLink net is each Thursday at 8:00 PM Central Time on the *SELINK* node. |
Net Control Operators KA2HPG, AI1N, W8TJT, KC1M, N3YRZ, KC5MEM, KC9OO, W9WRM & N6TCO want to talk to you. We can always use more Alternate NCOs and relay stations, so if you would like to help us please contact our Communications Manager Fred, KA2HPG. |
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Latest Bulletin Board Posts
Posted by N6TCO - 11-19-2023 _ 6:22 PM CST DUE TO THE CONTEST THERE WILL BE NO RVRN HF NET TONIGHT. Posted by AG2AA - 11-12-2023 _ 1:42 PM CST was it just me or is the wrong Bio attached to the link for JJ on the voting page? Posted by N6TCO - 11-4-2023 _ 5:37 AM CDT Found this on You tube. EV RV, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIAX5DEDQYI&t=86s Posted by K9BJR - 10-12-2023 _ 4:19 PM CDT The power cable we made up with Power Poles at the Fall Rally is now in use providing power to the light inside my MFJ Antenna Tuner. Many thanks for the class. Posted by K9BJR - 10-11-2023 _ 7:26 PM CDT WOW! Net tonight went from QRM/N at S5 up to S8 in about 15 minutes. Almost un readable now. Horrible noise. Posted by KB6WHV - 10-5-2023 _ 8:13 PM CDT Looks only some stations come through. Drops after 10 seconds or so. Posted by KB6WHV - 10-5-2023 _ 8:11 PM CDT Trying to listen to the net in CA. Hank always drops out!!! All others are fine right now Posted by W8CI - 10-3-2023 _ 7:15 PM CDT My suggestion is to make reservations at Caesar Creek State Park for a Hamvention stay. It's not far from Xenia and it's a beautiful park. On a lake and all sites have electric and many are full service hookups. Rv and campsites at the Hamvention itself are already booked with a waiting list. If you have any questions I'm good on QRZ. Vy 73, Michael W8CI Posted by K9BJR - 10-1-2023 _ 6:01 PM CDT About next springs Rally and Hamvention... We are planning on being at the Spring rally and were wondering what people do about camping for Hamvention as well? Posted by N1CZZ - 9-26-2023 _ 7:10 PM CDT Never mind, I find the site where we meet. Posted by N1CZZ - 9-25-2023 _ 7:40 PM CDT For the spring rally at Berlin RV park do you all attempt to get certain sites? Posted by N7BBQ - 8-31-2023 _ 7:29 PM CDT @N9WDQ, for a bike rack for your eBikes look at etrailer.com. If you are going to carry them on the back of your travel trailer you will want one that is approved for that and also approved for eBikes. We use a Swagman rack on our towed car behind our motorhome and it is approved for that application. etrailer lets you search for racks by use. Their prices are also in line with the market. Posted by KB6WHV - 8-24-2023 _ 8:28 PM CDT I can never here the net without dropouts. It sounds fine and then it cuts out. Anyone else having a similar problem when trying to hear the net? Posted by K4HM - 8-17-2023 _ 10:11 PM CDT We had a good time at the RV Radio Network Happy Birthday membership meeting last night. Lots of good information, a good program from RVRN member #1187 Bob - WB5MRG. And of course lots of chatting before and after the meeting. 73, Hank Posted by KG5TKV - 8-13-2023 _ 7:40 PM CDT N9WDQ: e bikes: if you are on Facebook, look in recumbent pages and classified. If they are upright bikes, almost any solid, heavy duty rig will work. Talk to the bike shop where you bought it. If it’s a trike there are specialized carriers for those. Be sure to remove t (continued on the Members Only page.) |
The November Network News has been posted on the Members Only page.
JJ Lambert WR5E has been elected to RVRN Director seat as of November 13th. RVRN NOW HAS 2 NEW NETS A 20m net on 14290 KHz each Tuesday at 11:15 AM Central. And a Video net each Tuesday at 8P:00 PM Central at https://meet.jit.si/RVRN_Videonet. RVRN members will gather at QuartzFest in January For information cntact KC1M - Calvin RVRN members will gather with FMCA-ARC and RV Service Net members at Orlando Hamcation. For information contact K4HM - Hank
2024 RVRN Spring Eyeball Rally
Returns to Berlin RV Park See the details Here Make your RVRN Rally Reservation Here 
May 11 - 16, 2024 Millersburg OH Your Rally Hosts Are Dwight-W8TJT & Michelle-N3YRZ
RV Radio Network in the News
HamVention HamCation RVRN May Meeting 2023 Spring Rally Report 40th Birthday Meeting Report The RVRN Tech Guy has the answer. Send him your questions HERE (9/2) Jeff asks what antenna analyzer to use
This question comes to us from Jeff in Ohio. I am considering buying an antenna analyzer, but they seem very expensive. One option I did come across is the nano VNA. These seem to have the same functions but are far less expensive. What do you think?
Well, Jeff, you have this down correctly. The nano VNA’s are, in general, less expensive, and in fact, will do much more. With the improvement in technology, the nano VNA has become a great option for many hams. They are very flexible and have enormous capability. The major drawback I have found is that unless a ham is very technically inclined, the learning curve is very steep and many hams get frustrated trying to figure out how the VNA works. I would first recommend watching several YouTube’s about the nano VNA. Many of these are well done, and will give you great insight into the complexity of the VNA. The ARRL also has some very good publications about the VNA so check that out as well. If you feel comfortable, then you might invest in a VNA and get used to its capability. Best Regards (8/30) Sam asks Does my vertical really require radials?
I would really like to put up a vertical HF antenna in my backyard. However, most of the vertical antennas I am looking at say I need a radial field for the antenna. I just don’t have the space for this. Am I really required to have this?
Sam, thank you very much for your question. the most popular vertical HF antenna today is the quarter wave vertical antenna. The radial field provides the second half of the antenna, so the vertical portion of the antenna uses the ground field to work against. So sadly, the answer to your question is yes, you will need a radio field for the antenna to work efficiently. There is an alternative, which would be to go with a halfway vertical, but those are more difficult to use primarily because of their size. (8/29)Bill asks how to to weatherproof a PL259
This question comes from Bill in California. I have several PL 259 connections exposed to the weather. What is the proper way to weatherproof a PO 259 connection that is outdoors?
Bill, this is a very good and important question for all of us. There are essentially two steps to properly waterproof PL 259 connectors outdoors. The first is a rubberized tape from the 3M company called Temflex. This is a roll of rubberized tape that you wrap around the 259 all the way down to the coax outside sheath. This tape will adhere to itself and provide the waterproofing. Temflex, however, has no UV protection so you must wrap this tape with a good 3M electrical tape that will provide UV protection. You can find both of these products at DX engineering or your local hardware store. (8/27)Paul in CO asks Can I bury coax to my antenna?
I have several coax runs in my backyard and would like to get them out of the way. Can I just bury these or do I need to use conduit to put these underground?
Paul, this is a very interesting question and one I get quite often. It’s difficult to say in your case because I do not know what the specs are for your coax. If you know who manufactured or sold the coax, you may wish to go back to them and see if this is rated for putting underground. Most coax sold today has this rating and are just fine to lay down in a trench. The question of using a conduit to bury these is quite an involved question. It is recommended, and in fact, many professional installers do not use conduit for one simple reason, they will collect water over time. Irrespective of the conduit material condensation will allow water to build up inside the conduit and eventually the coax will sit in water day and night. If one does use conduit, a few things are recommended. First, be sure there are weep holes for any water buildup to drain. Second, try and have the conduit at a slight angle for gravity to help the water escape. It is also recommended that you use small gravel around these openings of the conduit for the water to travel away from the conduit and coax. (8/22) Bob asks what to look for in an HF XCVR
This question comes from Bob in Ohio. I am thinking about buying a new HF transceiver, but I’m lost in what I should look for when spending this kind of money. Do you have any suggestions to help filter out all of the options available today?
Very good question Bob and yes, there are many options today one must consider with a purchase like this. First, I would recommend you take a look at Robert Sherwood’s amazing work on profiling Amateur Radio transceivers today. He rank orders the transceivers that are on the market today and from the past. His bottom line is essentially that the electrical engineers at the major equipment manufacturers have studied their competitors products and finds the designs and performance are very very close to one another. His suggestion is to look at the aesthetics of each radio, look at the menu, structure and other features and base your decision on those areas. I tell customers to be sure to look at YouTube’s for each radio that you have interest in buying. They will provide a video overview of the performance, layout of the menus and other items for the radios. This review along with the cost of the radio should really help narrow down the purchase. Best Regards (8/18) John asks what type of power supply should I use.
4.) This question comes to us from John in Oregon. I am about to buy a new power supply and want to know if I should get a linear or switching type power supply.
Excellent question John, this is on the mind of many hams who are about to buy a new power supply for their shack. Had you asked me this question a decade or two ago I would have a different answer, but today the switching power supplies designed for the ham shack are very good quality and have very low noise characteristics. The engineers have gone to a great extent to eliminate any RF noise, or hash, that once was produced by these power supplies. However, be very careful using a switching power supply that was not designed for Amateur Radio use as they may still generate quite a bit of RFI. I favor the switching power supply for several reasons. First, they are typically much smaller in size and occupy less desk or floor space. Second, they have very good current capability and are lower in cost than their counterpart on the linear side. Many Ham’s, particularly old-timers, tend to favor the linear power supply, so you will still find those being sold today at your favorite Ham Radio store. (8/15) Bob askes about braided vs solid ground straps
This question comes from Bob in Illinois. I am preparing to put in a ground system for my station. I see in many of the Ham stores there are both braided ground strap and solid copper straps. What is the difference between these two?
Bob, this is a very good and important question. The braided ground straps you see at your Ham Radio store are suggested to be used inside for, point-to-point grounding, to your ground busbar in the shack. They are very flexible and are often sold with eyelets on each end to facilitate a quick connection to equipment and the bus bar. We do not recommend the branded strapping to be used outdoors because it tends to act like a sponge, and will collect and hold moisture, which will eventually deteriorate the strap itself. So, outdoors, we recommend the solid copper strapping for connections between the ground rod, towers, or any other outside component that needs a ground connection. (8/11) Sam asks, do I really need an arrestor?
This question comes to us from Sam. I rarely experience lightning in my area, and when I do I lower my antenna. Do I really need an arrestor?
Sam, thank you for your question! There is a common misunderstanding about these. The arrestor protects against the near lightning strike. There are different types of the arrestor. The first type has a gas discharge tube which can be replaced. A second type has a mechanism that resets. However, the arrestor has a second property that protects our system from static discharge. When a conductor is suspended in the air with wind blowing across it a very large buildup of static occurs, large enough to take out the transceivers front end. So yes, use them at you ground Rod. Best Regards (8/7) Joe asks: Can you advise in a good HF antenna.
This question comes to us from Joe in KY. Can you advise in a good HF antenna for RV operation? Usually run SSB and FT8 on the HF bands.?
Well, greetings and thank you very much for your question. You didn’t identify how your set up would be. If you are looking for a portable HF antenna, you will find many fine options with Buddipole, super antenna, or chameleon Antennas. I happen to use the first two of these for HF and find they work very well. I have also used a ground mounted Hamstick at the campsite with very good results. Other hams have used dipoles, particularly the end fed variety, with good results as well. Check out YouTube for example set ups. Best Regards (7/27) Gary asks about vertical antenna radiation
Ignoring any tuner or impedance matching transformer losses, which vertical on a ladder with only RV chassis ground radiates more power at 40m: 1/4 cut vertical with a transformer or a 31 ft vertical on a tuner at the ladder? Take transformer and tuner losses at zero. Only go by the nature of the vertical.
Thank you for this question, it is an intriguing one! I would suggest you go with a mono band tuned to your specific frequency range. If you had other frequencies in mind I might go with a 31ft and tuner right at the base. Tim K5TGS Best Regards (7/13) Jeff asks: What kind of coax jumpers to use
This question comes from Jeff in Florida. I am looking for a recommendation for what type of coax I can use for jumpers inside the shack. The regular coax they use like RG 213 or RG 400 max is just too large for tight turns. Is there a recommendation for smaller coax without excessive loss?
Jeff, this is a very good question and when approached correctly can be a big help making those turns in the shack. The first suggestion and one I use is RG 8X. This coax is smaller in diameter and while it has higher loss, short runs have negligible loss for the shack. Another favorite coax but more expensive is LMR- 240. This too is a smaller diameter coax, but has very nice loss characteristics. You should be able to find these at your favorite Ham Radio store. Hope this answers your question, good luck. Best Regards (7/9) Phil asks how should I mount my solar panel
2019 FR 19FD Epro
Came with factory 100 watt solar panel on Roof. Last year it blew off the top, left the wires! Was secured with a black adhesive on the four corners, not the best installation. No screws or other fasteners penetrating the roof. Any suggestions for attaching the new panel? Thank you for your question and sorry to hear about the failure in the Solar panel mount. Not knowing the dimensions for the panel array, and whether it was a rigid or flexible panel makes this question a difficult one to answer. For a rigid panel array I recommend using bolts into/through the roof structure. Flexible panels can be mounted on the surface with adhesive. Drilling holes into the roof will need to be coordinated with the actual RV roof structure and structure below the roof surface. I have found many manufacturers are very helpful with questions like this. However, if you wish to mount with a no-hole version here is a link to help generate some ideas for you. There are many more on the web. Attaching Solar Panels to RV Roof Without Drilling - portablesolarexpert.com Here is an example of a mounting system that is very popular. Again the internet has many, many more examples for you to consider.
Tim K5TGS (6/20) Brent asks how can I get a coax inside my RV
We have a Newmar 2903 - it's their smallest model but works for us! I would like to find a good coax entry point for bringing in a stub of a feedline which I'd put PL259 on both ends for easy multi-purpose use. I brought a power feed through the firewall without issue, but would like to avoid that area with coax. I know you can't be specific, but where are a couple of good places to start looking for a way to get coax inside? I'd appreciate your thoughts.
73, Brent Hello Brent, Thank you for your question. If I understand your question correctly many of us use a bulkhead connector as shown in the link below. It is likely the best, low loss way to get a good coax pass through for a side wall of the RV. The location on the wall is dependent upon the antenna mount. You will need a hole about 1/2 inch diameter for the SO-239. I use a cap on the outside of the RV to protect against water and dirt when not in use. Other folks have used the item in the second link as it provides a longer SO-239 connector. Using this, one could fashion a face plate on the outside wall of the RV. Let me know what you think! 
(4/21) Paul asks: What radio should I install in my truck
This question comes to us from Paul. I have a full-size pickup truck pulling a travel trailer for my RV configuration.
I am looking to install a dual band radio and HF radio in the truck – but I could be convinced to get a newer radio that has both integrated into one My one requirement is that it/they has to be a remote-head style. Looking for comments and suggestions for units to go with or stay away from Note: I have a spare IC-706 MkIIG in the shack – that I could use for HF only – so that is one option. Only point there is that the radio does not have a good way to manage repeater frequency pairs and it pre-dates DCS so (hence HF use only) Thanks in advance for any first-hand advice Cheers and 73, Hello Paul, and thank you very much for your question. I had a couple suggestions for you until you said it must have a remote head, this limits you to the Icom IC – 7100 for any radio that is currently in production. This is a very good transceiver and one I use in my pick up truck. For some reason most all manufacturers have gotten away from this combination. If you can get away from the remote head requirement, your next option would be for Yaesu FT – 991A. As you note in your question, there are radios from the past that you could find on eBay or QRZ. Best Regards 7:00 PM Central Time on Sunday - Friday 7264 KHz + or - QRM. RV Radio Network EchoLink Net Every Thursday at 8 PM Central time on the Multi-Mode South East Conference Node (*SELINK*). You can usually find us on Net Logger -or- Net Scraper Subscribe to weekly EchoLink Net reminder/update Email. Complete RV Radio Networkk EchoLink information HERE For the Current and previous issues see the Members Only page 
Give us your ideas on Rallies, Nets, the website, or ask us questions about whatever is on your mind. All suggestions are anonymous. All suggestions are delivered to the RVRN Board for review.
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SuperFest 2023
Mesa Community College
Mesa, AZ
December 8 - 9
Tampa Bay Hamfest / Convention
Plant City, FL
January 17 - 21
Florida RV Super Show
Florida State Fairgrounds
4800 US Highway 301 North
Tampa, FL 33610
Quartfest
700 S. Central Blvd, Quartzsite AZ
A group of RVRN members
will be attending
Orlando HamCation
Central Florida Fairgrounds
Orlando, FL
RVRN, FMCA-ARC & RV-Svc-Net
joint activities planned
Dalton GA Hamfest
North GA Fairgrounds
500 Legion Dr, Dalton, GA 30721
March 1 - 2
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