Greetings from South Carolina

[Stargazer]

Hello to all and thanks Mike for letting me join the group.

My name is Gene and I live in central South Carolina. I recently retired after working 26 years as an engineer and manager then 16 as a Construction Manager for a tower company. I switched careers when I got fed up with all the management headaches and paperwork. The CM job was a better fit for my hands on in the field preference.

I have long enjoyed camping but find that at 68 years of age the idea of sleeping on the ground doesn’t have the appeal it used to. I have been lurking on the forum for the last few weeks reading various build threads and have decided I will build a 5x10 foamie on the trailer frame I built years ago for another project.
In addition to camping, I enjoy ham radio (especially portable ops) and amateur astronomy. My build plan is to make it useable for both of these activities as well as traveling.
I’m in the layout design phase now and will post pictures as work progresses. ... Gene

[greygoos]

Welcome. You will find lots of help from other members on here. Good luck with your build

[AZ_Desert_Rat]

Howdy there Greygoos, welcome to the site...

Are you going to plan on a stand-up trailer? Will it be a scratch build, a retro, or conversion? There are a bunch of Hams in trailers out there; I am getting ready to finish a Dual band 2 meter/40 cm J-Pole antenna for my trailer and trying to figure a good functional mount... I'll probably build an under-tire mount with a 5 to 15-20 foot extension pole???...


Good luck and keep us posted...


73's from another Ham...

[Stargazer]

Hello JC ... Thanks for the welcome.

I am planning on storing my TTT in the garage so a standy is out.

I am leaning toward a Rimple to maximize the usability of the interior, possible with a "Lift Roof" at one end if it won't delay my build too much. Saw a Rimple done like that referred to in one of the build threads I was reading but I have time before I have to decide on that.

I have a trailer I built from scratch about 6 or 7 years ago for a TD before a health problem put it on hold. Its been sitting in the garage since then but suffers from a bad case of level space syndrome. Working to uncover it while designing the TTT in the evenings. HiHI.

I also am putting together a tilt hitch mount for a mast to hold up my 6 meter antenna for portable ops. It is based on a multi position hitch I picked up at Harbor Freight.

Stay in touch JC ... 73 ... Gene ... W4TCO

[AZ_Desert_Rat]

Hi Gene,
I used a boat trailer winch on several different tilt-ups in the past (We once stood up a 65' tower with a vhf 12 element yagi, using 3 winches and stabilized it with the guys)... I may get back into the long waves again some time, but after my Dad went silent key, I seem to have been stuck to vhf and uhf...

BTW, back to your TTT, I always thought the Campster 12 was a nice design and it offers a "semi-standie" at 5', plus a 6-1/2" step-down at the door area... and I like the plywood walls (Maybe use thinner plywood laminated to a foam core ???)... It does make one wonder...

Just one of the many Campster 12 sites...
http://www.angib.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/t ... tear56.htm


And... if I can ever get caught up, I want to do some wall testing using this "Foamy" design with Routered-Plywood Joints... Anyway...

Good luck on the build and keep in touch...

73's

[NugHunter]

Hey Gene !
South Carolina here too... Good luck with the build !

[Stargazer]

Thanks for the well wishes NugHunter ... I visited the Myrtle Beach State Park years ago during a TD gathering and liked the layout. The wife likes the shopping nearby so I plan on camping there on one of our first outings as soon as I get my foamie built. Today I finally finished removing the junk that had accumulated on the trailer I have had in the garage for years and plan to start on the foamie as the weather allows. Take care ... Gene