Category Archives: Building
Starlink Mini – I’ve Gone Mad!
Some have asked if I’d consider getting a Starlink Mini. Coincidentally, I’ve said many times that I’m running out of space for more electronics in my small car. Okay, I may have said that I’m already out of space! š … Continue reading
Lowrider Cutting Board Desk
I bought my first mobile desk in 2021. It features a cubby beneath the desktop that fits my rotator controller and other small items. After some testing, I decided to modify the desktop for a better look at the rotator … Continue reading
Victron 12/1200VA Inverter
I’ve had several pure sine wave voltage inverters in my cars over the years. The first “pure sine wave” inverter was a 400-watt unit by Wagan that I mounted under the front passenger seat. I carried a standalone power station … Continue reading
ATAS-120A vs. Scorpion Mobile HF Antennas
I’ve been using Yaesu’s ATAS-120A since 2007. It’s an “easy button” for their mobile HF radios. I bought a Scorpion mobile HF antenna in 2021. I hadn’t been on HF in several years, which meant that I didn’t have an … Continue reading
Diamond K9000 Motorized Antenna Mounts
As if my mobile ham station wasn’t already kooky enough, I’ve gone “full nerd” by adding four Diamond K9000 motorized antenna mounts! WHY? When my VHF rover had only three Yagis (50, 144, and 432 MHz), I was comfortable with … Continue reading
The “Frankenhat”
It’s been a while since I last shared anything about my Scorpion mobile HF antenna. It’s too large to leave on my car full-time, especially since doing so blocks access to the hatchback. Still, it’s my go-to antenna when I … Continue reading
Do You Need Heat for your LiFePo4 Battery?
Some Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePo4) batteries can be bought with internal heaters. However, most batteries don’t have them. I added my own heating pad in the bottom of my battery box. Still, I had to ask myself, “Is a heater … Continue reading
Installing New 4kWh Battery Box
Last month, I shared my latest lithium iron phosphate (LiFePo4 or LFP) battery project. I went into enough detail that I decided to share its installation in this separate article. I mentioned that I would mount the battery in the … Continue reading
WAY Too Much Lithium Storage!
When I last posted, I had shared that my four year old component-built 100Ah Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePo4 or LFP) battery had degraded to a capacity of only 74Ah. Given the cost and shipping charges for a replacement cell and … Continue reading
12V 100-Ah LiFePo4 Battery – Final Review
In 2021, I participated in a “Builder’s Group” session with my local ham radio club, Williamsburg Amateur Radio Club. We had made portable 12V 100Ah Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePo4 or LFP) batteries from Fortune 3.2V 100Ah cells and a separate … Continue reading
Tower-Delete: Is THIS Still a “Micro-Tower?”
I discovered roof rack fatigue in July when I removed it for the car’s annual paint maintenance. I was able to find the misplaced parts from my old RhinoRack, shown here, a discontinued rack that I had not yet used … Continue reading
Meshtastic Solar Beacon by Atlavox
Meshtastic is a relatively new form of decentralized communications that allows users to send and receive encrypted text messages in the 900 MHz band without the need for cellular networks or a license. Meshtastic nodes are inexpensive, open source, and … Continue reading
Roof Rack Functional Failure: AGAIN!
I had been collecting parts to make what I think will be a final change to my micro-tower setup. Yeah, right: Will it ever be “final?” š I had delayed the change until after performing my car’s annual paint maintenance. … Continue reading
āMobileā Ham Station Defined
What defines a ham radio mobile station? I once checked into a local radio net as “KE4WMF-mobile.” The net control station asked, “Are you actually driving or just sitting in your car?” I answered that I was parked, but also … Continue reading
Cargo Organization with Husky Build-Out
Originally published at StealthGTI.com on 3/24/2025. Updated in 2026. I have been a fiercely independent traveler for a very long time, both in vehicles and on my bicycles. I often carry more tools or parts than necessary. I had been … Continue reading
Autoexec Car Desk: Reach to Gripmaster
I bought my Autoexec Reach car desk in 2021 when I started doing more with ham radio, particularly when I began exploring digital modes and needed a computer to ride with me. I was still logging on paper sheets and … Continue reading
My Other Mobile Stations
I’ve had a few e-mails over time where showing someone an image from a previous install might have been helpful in providing ideas that they could use for themselves. I’m not going to do full write-ups for each photo, but … Continue reading
Bonding for My HF Mobile Setup
I’ll start by saying that this article is not about why to bond an HF mobile setup. Instead, my goal is to show you what I’ve done to my car. Alan, K0BG, had stated that bonding horizontal surfaces is more … Continue reading
LiFePo4 Battery Shenanigans and Long-Term Review
I recently had recall work done to my car that required access to the fuel tank. Guess where the fuel tank is accessed? That’s right, it’s accessed by removing the rear seat! If you’re familiar with my car, then you … Continue reading
Why Use a DC-DC Charger in a Mobile Installation?
So, you want to add a “house battery” to your van or an “auxiliary battery” to your touring rig? Adding a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePo4 or LFP) secondary battery is not as simple as simply placing it in parallel with … Continue reading