I have just finished making up my mobile/portable HF Voice/Packet/Pactor/Navtex/SSTV/PSK31/FAX Station, consisting of an Icom 703, SCS PTC-IIEx Controller, mounted in a TRC frame, with Tamrac Pro 5 Camera Case. It can be mobile, tabletop, or bag portable. The PC is an EeePC 900 running Windoze XP. I am also trying to get my EeePC 701 to do this task, too. Am in the process of making a 4600mAh battery pack for portable ops. Also using the Elecraft T1 Tuner which is powered by a 9v PP3 battery, see comparison size, sitting on my Yaesu FT-817ND.

I have just acquired a couple of Codan X-2 HF Transceivers, these can have 10 fixed frequencies programmed and run 100 watts, however I will drop them down to 25 watts or so for portable use etc. See size comparison with Icom 703.

As you have worked out by now :-) I am interested mainly in mobile/portable/field operation of my station equipment. The FT-817 Kit contained in a Pelican 1300 box, has the following:

FT-817 with internal battery pack

Microphone in stubby holder (to protect it)

Wire antenna on yellow kite winder

FT817 Charger

Portable 2m, 7cm, 6m whip

Carry Case

Carry Strap

Nifty 817 instruction manual

3300MAh Battery pack

Pouch with Elecraft T1, DC lead, Counterpoise wire, BNC Adapter, BNC to BNC Coax

Licence VK4JRC

My FT-817 Kit also fits into the Pelican box on the right side rear of the pannier box on my BMW R1200GS motorcycle. So far my wife and I have travelled through South Africa, Namibia, Botswana & Swaziland on this bike.

Picture here is shown operating May ‘09 from a friend’s driveway in Edenvale, Johannesburg South Africa on 40 metres, with the wire antenna in a tree, only 8 feet off the ground!

Operating from the third floor of the Blue Marlin Hotel in Scottburgh, south of Durban on South Africa’s East coast in KZN State, dropped the kite winder wire antenna out of the window and used the window frame as a counterpoise, the Elecraft T1 tuner loaded it OK for 40 metres, even though I only had a short length of wire out.

Have also now setup HF & VHF on my 2007 Honda XLV650 TransAlp Dual Sport Motorcycle. Radios are ICOM 703+ (Has 6m) Yaesu FT-1802M 2 Metre Mobile.

Antennas are a Diamond SG-7100R for VHF, the HF is home made with a Buddipole coil and generic spring, along with tapered stainless steel stinger.

All gear runs from the bike battery, however I do carry a spare 7amp gel cell battery.

All mounting hardware is home made in stainless steel, future plans may include wiring for 2 metre radio to helmet and Tigertronics SL-USB interface with Dell Mini 9 PC, for portable PSK & NBEMS operations.