Safe Mobile Operation

No matter the price, no matter how new, the best safety device in the car is you!^© Burma Shave^®

The word Telemeter is defined as an apparatus for recording the readings of an instrument and transmitting the accumulated data by radio. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) uses an adjective form of the word telemetrics to describe the use of mobile communications devices. Although amateurs relate this to two way radios communications, there are other forms. For example, cell phones, mobile fax machines, e-mail, navigation systems, and other devices under driver voice command.

While some of these devices are more distracting than others (their basic design plays an important part), the cell phone is by far the most distracting. This fact has prompted some political entities to enact laws governing their use while underway. The city of Santa Fe, NM is one such entity. Within the city limits of Santa Fe, if you use a cell phone while underway, it must be operated in a handsfree mode.

At this writing, over 100 cities, the states of New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, California and the District of Columbia, have joined the ranks with anti-cell phone ordinances on their books. Typical fines range from $50 to $100 for drivers caught using a hand-held device.

The question you might be asking, what has this to do with amateur radio? The simple answer is, very few of the ordinances exempt amateur radio in so many words. New Jersey's law is an exception. In a few cases, the laws define what a personal communication device is, by stating it must be connected to the telephone network, effectively exempting amateur radio. This is not always the case.

In some jurisdictions, the law covers all means of distraction (putting on lipstick, or reading the newspaper for example), and give police officials sole discretion in the decision to write a citation. In these cases, we’re driving on some very thin ice when we operate mobile-in-motion.

The most recent telematic activity to come under scrutiny is texting, and rightly so. It is, beyond doubt, the most driver-distracting activity imaginable. Laws against texting by drivers have been enacted in almost every state. The proposed national law, also includes specific mention of texting, and its growing statistics as a major cause of vehicular crashes.

The bottom line is, we should all be aware of the dangers some activities generate. We also need to be cognizant of our local laws, and operate accordingly.

Temporary Mounting Schemes

Some forms of telematic use are intrinsically more dangerous than others, but this is not the complete story. Sloppy, hurried, and/or incorrectly installed amateur radio equipment can be just as dangerous.

I have always practiced and preached safe mobile operation. My OpEd article published in the April 2004 issue of QST on page 99, is a perfect example. As I stated in the article, the phrase “throw the rig in the car” has no merit. While I realize some of us do not have the where-with-all to own multiple radios for dedicated base and mobile use, this does not negate proper installation practices. The use of Velcro^®, rubber bands, bungie cords, wedged in pieces of wood, and spring-loaded clamps are all accidents waiting to happen. Velcro^® may grip well enough for the first few tries, but sooner or later its grip loosens. Rubber bands and bungie cords suffer the same fate, and spring clamps are just as suspect especially the plastic ones like those used to secure cell phones to mobile mounts.

Here is an excerpt from a post by Mark Brueggemann, K5LXP, which appeared on eham.net:

If Velcro is so good, why don't automobile manufacturers use it? I think this mounting technique shows the loyalty of a car's owner, actually. It demonstrates a level of dedication towards the preservation of their cars to such an extent that they would rather risk injury or death, rather than drill any holes. My hat is off to them... Mark K5LXP, Albuquerque, NM

I've seen dozens of home brewed mounting brackets which incorporated well secured yet easily detached fastening devices. As you can see by viewing my Photo Gallery, necessity is the mother of invention. If you come up with an unique scheme, send me a brief description, and a few photos, and I'll include them in the Installs article. Better yet, write an article about it, and post in on eham.net.

One popular argument against any sort of permanent mounting is the handheld FM transceiver. Even though they can be operated stand-alone, external antenna and power connections add to their involvement toward poor operating practices. Even if a speaker mic is used to minimize this interaction, an unsecured handheld can become a flying brick in a crash.

Thankfully, amateur radio manufacturers have increased the number of transceiver models which can be remotely mounted. This places the heaviest portion out of harms way (if securely mounted) and leaves the control head. The most popular mobile do-it-all radio is the Icom IC706 in its various iterations. Shipped as part of its separation and mobile mounting kit is a plate which clips to the reverse side of the control head. Except for a few nuts and bolts, no other mounting brackets are supplied for this all-important item, leaving the actual mounting scheme up to the user. Double-sided sticky tape seems to be the de rigueur with Velcro^® a close second. Icom is not to be faulted for this safety faux pas. Rather it is the owners of these fine units who don't take the time to do the job safely and correctly.

Find a safe mounting position for your transceiver. Today's vehicles are becoming smaller and more complex minimizing the number of safe and convenient locations available. My previous vehicle was an Acura coupe and the only place I could mount the control head of my Icom was vertically to the right of my knee just over the edge of the center console as the photo shows (there are additional photos in the Photo Gallery). This required fabricating a bracket from do-it-yourself aluminum. It is attached to the center console with sheet metal screws. One of the screws passes through a factory mounting bracket used to secure the console. It is out of the way of all of the controls, SRS devices, and not likely to cause any additional injuries in the event of a crash. Places to avoid include the top of the dash, under the dash, or any position which shadows, or is in reach of, any SRS, vehicle controls or gauges.

Do your best to do a clean installation. This includes dressing your wires, and permanently mounting hardware. Accessory socket (cigarette lighter) connections, dangling coax cables, and mic cords can and do get tangled up. Wires running near vehicle controls should be securely fastened and clear of interference from or to them, especially microphone cords. This is true in the passenger compartment, under the hood, under the seats, or in the trunk. If the wires have to be exposed, cover them with slit ducting available from Radio Shack and Home Depot. Both of these retailers also carry tyraps, wire clips, and at least the smaller sizes of wire lugs. For bigger sizes, Fastenal is a good source. If you want some examples of clean installations, visit my Installs article. And read the Wiring article is you haven't already.

Minimize Distractions

Take every step not to be distracted. Some of us just can't walk and chew gum at the same time. Driving down the freeway at 60 mph, talking to your buddies on two meters, drinking coffee, and listening to the PBS morning news is a prescription for seeing your name in the morning papers. If traffic gets heavy, get off the radio! If your wife wants to discuss your latest ham purchase, get off the radio! It is a cold hard fact; The NHTSA says distraction has surpassed drunk driving as the leading cause of motor vehicle crashes and deaths. Don't become a statistic! If you've just got to have that rare DX station, then pull over on to a safe side street or exit.

Headsets

The use of headsets use brings up an important legal issue. In many jurisdictions, the use of a headset (by the driver) is illegal, or at least limited. Make sure you know what your local laws allow. In any case, never use a two earpiece headset (or earphones) for very obvious reasons, legal or not.

Used properly, headsets offer a level of safe operating that handheld microphones do not. Aside from the earpiece which gives peace to your passengers, the microphone is always properly placed (about an inch from your mouth), and ready at a moments notice. Just remember to keep the cord out of the way of vehicle controls.

Not all headsets are created equal. Modifying a telephone headset is a questionable project. The impedances are not correct, and the audio quality is substandard as a result. Proper matching is especially important for Icom radios. Heil Sound makes a mobile headset designed to perfectly match the Icom's input requirements (models are available for Yaesu, Kenwood, and many others). It has a single earpiece, an adjustable microphone boom, and a PTT button in the cord. I use my Heil Traveler^® frequently around town, and it's standard fare on trips. Because of the differences in audio quality and gain offered by the Heil Traveler^®, it maybe necessary to readjust your microphone gain, and perhaps the carrier offset (Icom menu G6) to achieve all of the benefits it offers.

Another item to watch is the receive audio level. Headsets require far less amplification than speakers do. Being so close to your ear, excessive volume can and does cause hearing loss. Just as a sidelight, here is an interesting site about noise pollution.

Bluetooth is the wave of the future, and Yaesu recently introduces the FT10R with Bluetooth built-in. I suspect other models and makes with Bluetooth will soon follow. For the rest of us there is the TalkSafe by RPF. Available cables mate it with all of the popular transceivers. Along with a decent quality Bluetooth^® headset, you're not only handsfree, you're cable free too! There is more on the unit here and here.

Vox & Speech Processing

I personally don't recommend using VOX mobile, but if you do, please use a headset with a noise canceling microphone. Further, turn your anti vox to its lowest setting, and turn off your speaker. If you don't, you may encounter some receive distortion. You don't normally hear this when using a speaker in a quiet home setting, but in a relatively noisy vehicle it's very noticeable when using a headset.

The use of speech processing has become "the" major bane of amateur radio operation, mobile or otherwise. Most amateurs who use it do not know how to properly set the microphone gain and compression controls, or use it when it is not necessary (all of the time), and have a propensity to tell you what you can do about your splatter complaint. It is far too common to hear amplifier fan noise, the wife vacuuming, or the fact that the operator in question has a very bad cold, or at least sounds like it. Using speech processing in a mobile setting is even worse. The average passenger vehicle traveling at 60 mph has a noise level ranges from 45 dB to well over 65 dB. So every little nuance of engine noise, the AC fan, the kids in the back seat, and that squeak in the left quarter panel will be plainly heard. If you run a mobile amplifier, it increases the average current load enough, that in some cases the average alternator can't keep up. My advice is, don't use speech processing while operating mobile. Here's more on Transmit Audio.

Supplemental Restraint Systems

Air bags, the common term for SRS devices, save lives when properly used in conjunction with seat belts. In fact, depending on where you sit in the vehicle, you're up to 30% safer than using seat belts alone. However, there is an insidious side of air bags too; they're not filled with air!

Some of the chemicals used to make them deploy are very dangerous. These include; cornstarch, glass particles, nitrogen, potassium nitrate, silicon dioxide, sodium azide (a Class A dangerous inhalant), sodium bicarbonate, sodium hydroxide, talcum powder, and several different oxides. Ranging from benign to hazardous, these chemicals are involved in exploding the air bag (typically made of nylon) in less than 200 milliseconds. That's about 200 mph! While the newest designs employ special circuitry to change the rate of expansion based on the severity of a crash, the above rapidity is a basic requirement. Note too, the term Supplemental Restraint System is descriptive. This means they are not a substitute for wearing a seat belt. In fact, not wearing a seat belt greatly increases your chances of sustaining severe injuries in a crash, including those injuries (or death) caused by the bag itself. The point here is, they can save lives, or they can take lives.

Far too many ignore the dangers imposed by air bags, by mounting their amateur radio gear (primarily remote control heads) in reach of an air bag. While few are dumb enough to mount their gear in the center of the steering wheel (yes this actually does occur), mounting heads on the dashboard can be just as stupid. Left is a photo of a deployed passenger side air bag in a Cadillac Escalade. This bag is about 30 inches wide and about 24 inches in height at its maximum extension. Depending of the actual crash dynamics and the size of the vehicle, it is not uncommon for the passenger side and driver air bags to touch during deployment. In other words, covering pretty much the whole dashboard.

As further proof of the dangers, here is a 2.7 MB wmv movie (used with permission of the NHTSA, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) of an actual deployment. You need to play the movie several times to get the full effect. Note how many frames it takes for the air bag to explode to full size, and how far it reaches across the dashboard.

Side air bags present a danger too. Speakers for example, are often mounted in or around headrests within reach of side air bags. If you peruse the above Lido Mounts web site, you'll see at least three more examples of poor safety practices. Incidentally, did you notice the absents of cabling in the above right photo?

While finding a place to mount a radio can be difficult in some cases, and may require the fashioning of home brew mounting brackets, the effort is worth the peace of mind knowing that your radio gear won't end up maiming you if you're involved in a crash.

People really do this?! The old proverb discretion is the better part of valor is certainly true in this case. Driving in the rain (snow, sleet, hail, etc.) also requires more attention from the driver, and this is a good reason to avoid it. If you must operate in the rain (during emergencies for example), it can be reasonably safe if you follow a few rules.

Rain static is the biggest headache while operating in the rain. It has several causes, not the least of which, it's a precursor to a lightening strike. Don't laugh at this apparent rare event as I have had it happen twice. The first time my UNUN literally blew up. The influx from the strike burned the safety choke in my amplifier, but thankfully did no other damage. The second time the UNUN didn't get damaged, but my Atlas 215X needed a new first IF board. The effects and aftermath could have been much worse if the antenna hadn't been DC grounded. This is one of the reasons a robust DC ground is an absolute requirement!

Rain static is also caused by slip-stream moisture flowing on the outside of the vehicle. You can easily tell the difference between precursor static and slip-stream static. Precursor starts low and builds in crescendo until a strike dissipates the energy. Slip-stream rain static is a steady hash. A static drain may help control slip-stream static, but is if no use for precursor static. Slip-stream static also occurs in very dry, dusty climates where it is worse at higher frequencies than low ones. Here a drain works very well.

Rain also causes RF tracking problems to occur in mounting hardware and insulators. Applying car wax and polishes exacerbates the problem because most formulations are conductive in an effort to control dust build up. A liberal coat of RainX^® is about your only hope. Even then, high power levels (amplifier use) will still cause insulator bypass with predictable results.

Some antennas just don't like rain, and Hustler^® is the worse of the lot. Moisture seeps under the vinyl heat shrink tubing covering the coil. Continuing to operate when this happens will most likely cause the coil to arc in which case it becomes a dummy load. Open bug catcher coils aren't much better especially if you don't keep them clean. For most loading coils, RainX^® is still your best bet.

Snow, frozen rain, is worse yet. My advise is to stay home in front of the fireplace or the boob tube watching your favorite sport. I say this, because driving on slick streets and trying to operate amateur radio is a prescription for ending up in the hospital.

Once upon a time, I operated mobile slowscan TV. I had a miniature camera mounted on the rear view mirror stalk. A Robot 1200C was mounted on top of an Icom IC-730, and a 5" inch color monitor above that. I wasn't paying enough attention one day, and got caught driving 70 mph in a 55 mph zone. So much for mobile slowscan. By the way, as I mentioned above about heavy loads when using speech processing, that goes double for slowscan. I worked a amateur recently who told me he ran RTTY mobile. Now that I have to see! Any of this is a much bigger distraction than should be undertaken by most of us, and this doesn't address the extra power requirements either.