Strangely enough, I took absolutely NONE of these precautions - and my
mobile is working nicely. (that doesn't mean I recommend ignoring Mike's
points!)

I'm even running it from the lighter outlet. Figured it would be OK
for the ride home from Milwaukee running 20 watts or so. Kept creeping u
p
the power, I'm now at 80 watts (all bands) & not a hint of trouble.

Again, I don't recommend it though!

The biggest source of QRN are leaky powerline insulators. Next biggest
source are passing semis. (last time I was HF mobile, semis were quiet.
Obviously something has changed in the typical truck engine?)

On Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:56:06 -0400, Michael Coslo wrote:
Oh, and by the way, the antenna appears to work "very well", at least
I've gotten good signal reports on 40 and 20, and reasonably good ones
on 75 meters also. It seems to make use of the limited efficiencies we
see with short HF aerials.

My Hamsticks are quite effective on 40 - can work pretty much anyone I ca
n
hear if there isn't a pileup, and sometimes even when there is. Managed
to work a VK6 on 40 at sunset on my way into town a few months back -
that's darned near the antipodes from here. Managed to work VP6DX on 80
from the car! Strangely 20 doesn't work quite so well, though I still
work plenty of DX.