house hook up for home vhf

[Bob Dowdy]

Recently bought a home in R.I. near the coast and want to hook up vhf in my sun room.<br />I'm ok on the antenna set up, but what to use for power source for the radio ???????<br /><br />Merry Christmass<br /> Skinny

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: house hook up for home vhf

Just any 12-14 volt power supply (13.8v nominally usually). If you just want to listen in then something around 2-3 amps will be plenty. If you want to transmit, you'll need one capable of supplying about 6 or more amps.<br />Check the back of your instruction book in the "specifications" section for the actual requirments of your radio though.<br /><br />As I understand it, you need a special license to transmit from land. Best to look into that first.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: house hook up for home vhf

A small 12V battery with a trickle charger hooked to it works great. It's cheaper than buying a 12V power supply for 6+ amps. If you want to transmit that is.

 

[phantoms]

Re: house hook up for home vhf

Yes, if you want to transmit from land you'll need to check into the regulations and what license you'll need. If you just want to listen, you may be better off buying a Scanner that covers the frequencies you want to listen to. You can by a home Base unit that works off a wall outlet, with all the VHF marine channels, better memory and scanning features and the additional luxury of being able to scan other non-marine channels too, all for about the price of a fixed mount VHF radio. If you just want to use a VHF radio you already have, you can pick up a 12 volt regulator from Radio Shack.

 

[jurgenscraft]

Re: house hook up for home vhf

hello, what I would do is, because vhf is a line of site type of coms system, mount the antenna as high as possible out side the house etc. if you are using a hand held, adptors, are available to make connections to the radio, coaxial plug and antenna.As far as power supplies go a regulated power supply at 13.8 volts @ 3 amps for rx should be fine if tx (transmit )is required 10 amps is the way to go. DIAWA,ALINCO and other manufacturers, make good radio quality power supplies, As far as antennas go get the correct base antenna for the frequency range being monitored. I am fortunate enough to be the proud owner of a ICOM PCR 1000 COMS RECEIVER which, once I installed a good quality antenna works fantastically, the original supplied antenna was absolutely useless the antenna in use is a good quality scanner antenna whic also lets me transmit on marine and vhf usf amateur radio frequencies all I do is swap radios depending what frequency band I am transmitting on, best 73 es gud dx de ZS6WC.<br />William Wright

 

[bolo789]

Re: house hook up for home vhf

i have a 15 amp power supply i bought at radio shack, work great for me. <br /><br />i live on the 4 floor so i just put the antenna on the roof, pick up everything clear.

 

[markvictor]

Re: house hook up for home vhf

As an FCC licenced operator and inspector I can tell you that it is not legal to operate a shore station without a licence, and you most likely would not meet the requirements to obtain one, they are very limited by FCC constraints. That said, if you do get set up, make sure you do not cause any interference with any neighbors TV or radio reception, that is the most common reason for complaints and subsequent investigation by the FCC<br />regards,<br />markvictor