MHRT 6 ft POPUP

[John3aaz]

Thanks to all for being here and supporting such a marvelous board…

I am Gramps to six and Grandgramps to two
Circa 1941
Ham 1957
Granny hitched me up in 1964 and still a‘pullin
Retired 1997


M H^2 RT

Mobile Hammock/Ham Radio Trailer

The seed for this (my second) TTT project may have been planted more than 75 years ago.

History:
Granddad Seth built and pulled several TTs from (my pre school thru 8 grade)
Southern West Virginia to Hot Springs Arkansas.

Dad and I built (my fourth grade, apx 1951) a 4 x 8 x 4 TD with only a door (no windows or ventilation) to haul camp and boat equipment from Southern WV to Clator Lake VA.

Just a few years back (apx 1995)
I bought a 1972, 13-foot Boston Whaler on a very old trailer.
Later (maybe 1998) returning from a Chesapeake Bay fishing trip I notice a gathering near the launch area. Turns out they were admiring damage a ten-wheeler rendered to my very old rusty trailer. So the county bought me a new sparkling galvanized 16-foot trailer.

This ‘new’ boat trailer has served well both here in MD and our permanent campsite near Chincoteague Bay, VA.

June this year the trailer was prepped for our annual American Radio Relay League Field Day (a 24 hour ham radio event) and served very well for an over night two-hammock platform and shelter support from two inches of rain (rem2attach-image).



Today this trailer will become part of a 10-foot TTT pop-up:
Floor…
Rear 6 ft wide
Front 4 ft wide
Length 10 ft

Rear wall to include a 2-0 door is 6 wide x 4 high
Front wall will be 4 x 2 with apx 10-inch pitch
The front six feet will have a fixed roof, pitched front to back and side to side
Roof over the rear section (6 wide x 4 ft long) will pitch forward when down and back when elevated to six feet.

The front six feet will sleep two on cots, the rear 4 x 6 will house two ham shacks.
And with cross brace in place, hammock camping remains an option.

With 7 ½ feet of open space between front wall and hitch for storage, LP tank, gel cell batts and 100-Watt solar panel for off-grid ham radio pleasure. Side note for hams, the heavy trailer frame will make an excellent counterpoise for verticals and mag-mounts :>)

Tow vehicle is a stock, two door Wrangle, 6-speed stick.

Yes I carry several $0.02 >two-cent< wire-ties :>))
Remember Murphy’s Law states, in part, “that any thing that can go wrong will” more often than not caused by the least expensive component. Some Wrangler four wheelers know to give up a shoe lace for such a event ;<( or sit stranded until help arrive.

I anticipate the TTT will weight much less than a 13 ft Whaler with a 25 horse four stroke on her stern.

Comments VERY welcome :>)

More to follow

John



>>> <<< MHRT, 6x4-wide, 10-long, popup 6-high

Update and build log…

Now fondly branded the MHRT (Mobile Ham Radio Trailer), it will support two independent ham radio consoles, several antenna systems, solar panel and sleep two on cots. Hammock option is now HMRT one end to Wrangler and/or tree the other.

The TTT will be a three-season, 10-foot, popup.
6 ft rear, 4ft front, 6 ft high, “season panels” will include…
summer, no-see’m bug net,
spring and fall, rip stop nylon over blue (1/4 inch) and/or pink (3/4 inch) foam.

Ventilation will include front and top ports with one reversible fan.

Heat will be electric when the grid is available, else, same as hammock camping, ½ in blue foam pad and 20 degree down bag with hood and footie.

Images posted to my album

More to follow

Comments welcome

John

[S. Heisley]

If you haven't already looked at all the lifting roof trailers, here's the list of those that have been built:

www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=50969

...Looking forward to watching your build.