Same as above, but both at the battery and the radio.

You can also build a little high pass filter (10 MHZ and down blocked), connect it to the power line, and screw-tap it to the floor for a chassis ground.

Now I have Kenwood TM-D700A with SG7500A antenna. Will be installed next weekend.

The project is complete now.
My wife is very happy with APRS

Eeeek.
Get an external speaker and hide that thing under the seat. You can also hook the same speaker up to your CB. Don't tempt fate (and theives). Besides, I haven't heard a stock speaker yet that was any good compared to a cheap external.

I like th eantenna placement better than mine--off the rear spare. Away from prying, bending, and stealing hands.

As you can tell, I don't have a lot of faith in human nature. Experience. They even stole my crummy stock AM/FM radio before.

If anyone would like to joine Vovkus's wife in tracking him, you can do it at:
http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/find.cgi?call=KI6BLP

You can also do long term position tracking by following the links from there.

Does anybody but me see the security issues here ?

Wayne warns Vovkus about "prying, stealing hands", and in the next post tells us how to find almost exactly where his rig is parked... well, as of 3 hours 49 minutes and 1 second ago anyway...

I guess APRS has it's upside, it is a perfect companion to trail rides! but I've been aprehensive about it for these reasons. It is a pretty slick technology though!

VOVKUS, you need one of them goose-neck laptop stands like they got in the cop cars. (and maybe a smaller laptop! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> ) You could probably mount the control head on that also.

73 de Jeff
hammin' since '69 .

I agree with Wayne. Hide what you can and an external speaker, sounds better anyway. Also if you do trees much, I'd relocate the antenna more center mass. That way you'll be less likely to snag it and better overall performance to boot.

I don't see a problem with the laptop. Passengers can be over-rated. Although securing would be a good thing for just in case.

And yes there is some risk with tracking but I doubt any criminal would be that thorough plus generally speaking ham radio stuff doesn't have the resale that say a high end stereo would. I'd engrave my call on the items in several places as most potential users would be less likely to buy one from one who isn't licensed and even less likely if the call wasn't the sellers. Plus a quick search on QRZ and you could contact the "previous" owner.

Yeah, but you can punch in any zip code you want and find all the ham radios you want. Change the zip code to see HAMS in your area: (note: APRS hams only):
http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/map-near.cgi?zip=92865

I have the antenna plus a ham radio license plate with my call sign. I figure, out of sight, out of mind. If they don't know how had it will be to steal, they probably won't go through the effort. Plus, as the above says, their resale is limited. Much more profitible to target a high end stereo system.

Sure it is! But do you think they even know the difference ? A majority of them probably don't...

Among the "unsavory" characters I used to (ahem..) be "acquainted" with there were a few that were always trying to sell me stuff they stole. They didn't have any idea what they had on a few occasions, and yes, some of it _was_ ham radio gear.

Their motto: Steal first, ask questions later.

Just do me one favor VOVKUS, keep that labtop AWAY from the passanger side Airbag. If you hit something on the trail or in traffic you might end up with a permanent QWERTY stamped on your forehead. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />