Picture of note here.
Looks like a shortwave HAM setup to me. Could be a cop or first responder of some kind as well.
Citizen band (CB) radios.
ham radio antennas.
antenna coils which are part of the antenna (allows it to be shorter).
matching stub which tunes the antenna.
Second antenna from left is a screwdriver style multi-band HF antenna and the left most looks like 6 meter band antenna, the rest are dual and tri-band VHF/UHF ham antennas.
Peace
LIONsob aka KC5LNN
As Johnpost said, the fat part are coils (wrap portion of antenna around a cylinder, then remove the cylinder) so a shorter antenna can receive the wavelengths that require a longer antenna. (A signal with a wavelength of 1 meter requires a 1-meter long antenna). Why a coil can substitute for a longer length, I don’t know.
Here’s your answer but don’t ask me to explain it. Need a EE.
The tallest one is bigger than any I’ve ever seen mounted on a car, but when I see any car with really tall antennae like that, I presume it’s police.
Another vote for that being a serious ham operator. If you see that car on a regular basis, look at his license plate. A lot of hams will get personalized plates with their call sign on them.
Thanks for the info everyone.
I never considered operating a HAM radio so desirable that you had to take it with you when you drive. I thought it involved a lot of knob twisting and careful listening. Maybe he does this when parked.
His license plate was distinctive, but I cut it off of the picture for privacy reasons.
I can’t see the picture (site blocked), but I’m going to guess “storm chaser”.
That sounds exactly like what the serious guys’ cars look like.
Were you anywhere in Tornado Alley or near a giant storm system? What state was the license plate from?
ETA: By “serious guys”, I mean the serious amateurs. The pros are even worse.
IIRC, they’d have a ham radio, a cb radio, emergency scanner, and something else.
There are some that run even more equipment and will have a half-dozen giant antennas. I’ve always had the feeling that they were over-achievers, though.
Lion’sBob has it right.
Not necessarily a stormchaser, but many SC’s are hams.
I’ve pared things down to 6 antennas on my truck; HF, 2m/440, 900mhz, scanner, and Air for CAP
I’m not quitethis bad, though
The Taco Bell soda cup was a nice touch
Virginia, so probably not a tornado dude.
One must stay hydrated when you talk as much as that guy does…
many hams don’t do it for recreational stormchasing but will report hazardous weather as part of the severe weather network(s), there are many local and nationally organized groups. often these hams are trained, by the weather bureau, storm spotters who will observe severe weather during watches and warnings. most weather bureau offices have ham radio operators where information can go right to the local bureau.
some hams also take part in disaster communications drills, as if a tornado or hurricane has leveled large areas and destroyed communications. part of this is having mobile communications.
some hams also enjoy recreationally talking to far away people. your house might be in a poor spot for this depending on what ever and you drive to a better spot.
some hams have been nerdy about mobile communications, 40 or 50 years ago some would carry a brick sized radio to be able to talk to other hams where ever they went. people laughed at them for carrying this equipment and having the desire to communicate with people while they were out and about.
I do all of this and more.
Circa 1978, my aeronautics teacher brought a “2 meter brick” to class. He proceeded to dial some numbers on the keypad, and called his wife at home. FROM SCHOOL!
A PHONE CALL! It was the coolest thing evar, and what started me in Ham Radio and Emergency Management.
This was the height of CB use in America, and I remember sitting with him in the stands at a football game one night. Another kid came up and asked him if that was a CB. Oh, the disdain and superiority just dripped as he replied, “No, this is a Ham radio. I’m talking to another teacher at a game on the other side of town to get the score.”
I was so proud when my boy got his Ham license at age 10!
Hams do some pretty cool things that most folks don’t know about.
They’re all ham radio antennas for various bands. The second one from the left looks like a Tarheel.
I always thought DX/QSL’ing was kind of cool. But what happens when you tune in somebody broadcasting from Kamchatka? I’m one of those ignornant monolingual 'Mericans.
if they are asking for someone to talk to them then you can respond and see if they can hear you and you can have a conversation.
if they are talking to someone then you wait until they finish their conversation then you give a call to the person you want to talk too.
people will identify themselves at the start and end of conversations with their callsign so you know how to call them. many people in other countries know enough English to hold a conversation.
