Getting the shack road-ready!
Getting the shack road-ready!
The biggest challenge isn't the radio — it's the antenna. Most RV parks are fine with temporary wire antennas strung tree-to-tree, and a simple end-fed half-wave (EFHW) tuned for 40 or 20 meters can fit in a coat pocket and be up in fifteen minutes. For VHF/UHF work, a mag-mount dual-band whip on the roof handles most situations without any setup at all.
Power is the other puzzle. A 100-watt HF transceiver draws around 20 amps at full talk power, so operators running off batteries will want to size their lithium bank or solar setup accordingly. Many RVers run 300–400 amp-hours of LiFePO₄ and find they can operate comfortably for hours between charges — especially if they keep an eye on the power meter and back off power when conditions allow.
Rig suggestions for mobile ops: The Icom IC-7300 is a perennial favorite for a fixed-mount shack-in-a-box setup. For something more compact, the Xiegu G90 or Yaesu FT-891 pack real performance into a small footprint that won't eat up counter space in a Class B or teardrop trailer.
On the air, on the road