SoCal Tear Drop Owners! Post up!
- Thread starter Yulli
- Start date
unusedusername
Observer
I took my Krawler back up to Treeline last weekend to have Tom give me a hand installing a communications package in the trailer.
We installed an Icom IC-7100, IT-100 tuner, Uniden BCD-536hp scanner, and some power and sound accessories to get the other parts to work. The install went really well and the comms gear works really well in the trailer. The top looks a little like a porcupine though. It now has 2 NMO mounts and a UHF mount on the roof rack, and a Tarheel MT-5 mount with a 10m 1/2 wave vertical base antenna on it. All the antennas either disconnect or fold down for freeway travel.
This gives us radio coverage on all the major ham bands, and the scanner can receive the public safety frequencies that are used by the National Forest Service, BLM, and other agencies out here.
Overall we have RX on 300khz to 1.2ghz, and TX on the 1.2mhz to 50mhz bands and also the 144mhz and 440mhz ham bands. This setup can receive in CW/RTTY/AM/FM/SSB and bunch of different digital radio formats, and it can TX in AM/FM/SSB/DStar and some digital formats if I choose to bring a computer with.
The HF ham SSB coverage will basically guarantee that we should be able to get ahold of someone at any time of the day or night in case we need help. Stringing up an antenna is a lot easier then hiking out.
I think Tom did a really good job mounting things in the tiny space that is available in the teardrop.
We installed an Icom IC-7100, IT-100 tuner, Uniden BCD-536hp scanner, and some power and sound accessories to get the other parts to work. The install went really well and the comms gear works really well in the trailer. The top looks a little like a porcupine though. It now has 2 NMO mounts and a UHF mount on the roof rack, and a Tarheel MT-5 mount with a 10m 1/2 wave vertical base antenna on it. All the antennas either disconnect or fold down for freeway travel.
This gives us radio coverage on all the major ham bands, and the scanner can receive the public safety frequencies that are used by the National Forest Service, BLM, and other agencies out here.
Overall we have RX on 300khz to 1.2ghz, and TX on the 1.2mhz to 50mhz bands and also the 144mhz and 440mhz ham bands. This setup can receive in CW/RTTY/AM/FM/SSB and bunch of different digital radio formats, and it can TX in AM/FM/SSB/DStar and some digital formats if I choose to bring a computer with.
The HF ham SSB coverage will basically guarantee that we should be able to get ahold of someone at any time of the day or night in case we need help. Stringing up an antenna is a lot easier then hiking out.
I think Tom did a really good job mounting things in the tiny space that is available in the teardrop.
Last edited:
coastsider
Adventurer
Nachos
New member
Keith Starr
Inmate #2558516
Anyone happen to know what adapter is needed to make the Eccotemp hot water heater accept the same hose as the Partner Steel stove? Or vice versa? I'd rather carry just one hose, and I need a longer one anyway. The stove has a hand-tightened connection, the water heater uses a wrench. I don't know what the technical name is of each connection or I'd just Google it.
mvbeggs
Adventurer
Are they compatible? As I understand, the Partner Steel Stoves use a high pressure regulator.
Keith Starr
Inmate #2558516
Yep, I didn't realize that. Ended up having a propane place make a 15' hose with a 3-way end, can run that into the ARB room and just use the regulators/hoses that came with the various propane devices.
BlackRubiX
Overlander
Awesome Idea!
Getting ready for the season.
As you can see from yesterday's picture of our yard, it is not quite spring/summer here.
But it is time to get ready to go camping. So what am I doing to our trailer?
1. I had a frontrunner jerry-can in the kitchen: http://www.frontrunneroutfitters.co...nt-runner-20l-plastic-jerry-can-with-tap.html However, the tap leaked and made a mess. I still like the idea of the tap, and think I may have waterproofed the seal with a ton of RTV. We'll see.
2. The "floor" of the kitchen area is formica, and the jerry can slid about a little bit and wore through the formica. Suggestion to SoCal - The "floor" is not a counter top! I have removed the formica and, as soon as the temperatures are reliably high enough (>65F - which I'll help along with a halogen work light), I'll be installing commercial grade linoleum, designed for high traffic and heavy loads, onto the "floor".
3. I have built a jerry can holder for the kitchen area and have the materials for a locking, sliding shelf. I will mount the shelf over the linoleum, jerry can holder on the shelf, and hopefully fix the kitchen water issues.
4. When the shelf holding our Icey-Tek cooler is open, as it often is, and the drawer for the stove is open, it's a tight squeeze to stand and work between them. I have the materials for, and will shortly fab, a small side table for the left (driver's) side of the trailer to hold the stove in camp.
5. I will replace several of the cabin lights with LEDs.
And then our van has upgrades too, but more on that later. One thing which I did already was install add-a-leafs from Michigan Truck Spring to lift the rear a bit and increase weight capacity. Van no longer sags in the rear. Yay.
Pictures will follow as appropriate, but I figure that going public with this list will help spur me into action!
Doug
As you can see from yesterday's picture of our yard, it is not quite spring/summer here.
But it is time to get ready to go camping. So what am I doing to our trailer?
1. I had a frontrunner jerry-can in the kitchen: http://www.frontrunneroutfitters.co...nt-runner-20l-plastic-jerry-can-with-tap.html However, the tap leaked and made a mess. I still like the idea of the tap, and think I may have waterproofed the seal with a ton of RTV. We'll see.
2. The "floor" of the kitchen area is formica, and the jerry can slid about a little bit and wore through the formica. Suggestion to SoCal - The "floor" is not a counter top! I have removed the formica and, as soon as the temperatures are reliably high enough (>65F - which I'll help along with a halogen work light), I'll be installing commercial grade linoleum, designed for high traffic and heavy loads, onto the "floor".
3. I have built a jerry can holder for the kitchen area and have the materials for a locking, sliding shelf. I will mount the shelf over the linoleum, jerry can holder on the shelf, and hopefully fix the kitchen water issues.
4. When the shelf holding our Icey-Tek cooler is open, as it often is, and the drawer for the stove is open, it's a tight squeeze to stand and work between them. I have the materials for, and will shortly fab, a small side table for the left (driver's) side of the trailer to hold the stove in camp.
5. I will replace several of the cabin lights with LEDs.
And then our van has upgrades too, but more on that later. One thing which I did already was install add-a-leafs from Michigan Truck Spring to lift the rear a bit and increase weight capacity. Van no longer sags in the rear. Yay.
Pictures will follow as appropriate, but I figure that going public with this list will help spur me into action!
Doug
Yes, and I do have the brass. I think the main problem was moving the hose attachment tended to loosen the fitting, and even the hose to fitting attachment, a bit. I replaced the fitting and hose with something which I hope will be more robust. The setup should be clearer when I get photos in a couple of weeks.
Chris Cordes
Expedition Leader
So i posted a story to expo front page wrapping up our trailer and Id love to hear your thoughts on anything i missed. Also any feedback from owners of the 459 as to how it compares would be awesome. PS, please speak honestly and tell me if there are things you don't like or are boring so i can improve next time!
PS, please speak honestly and tell me if there are things you don't like or are boring so i can improve next time!
Keith Starr
Inmate #2558516
Chris, great article! You mentioned you installed a propex heater. Where did you put it? I'm considering installing one on my 510 but not sure where to put it since the normal location So-Cal uses is taken up by a full length drawer.