[Amps] Mobile Amps ?

[Manfred Mornhinweg]

Bill, Jim,

>> Be careful with so much power in a mobile. Many newer cars are highly
>> computerized and won't tolerate RFI.
> 
> YES! My 2006 Toyota Sequoia (big SUV) went into "limp home" mode with 
> only 100W on 20M.

I'm a happy man! I still drive a Nissan SUV made in 1992, special model 
for 3rd world countries. The only factory-installed electronics in it is 
the timer for the rear wiper intermittent function! The engine has a 
fully mechanical carburetor, the ignition is by points and capacitor 
(called "condenser" by mechanics) in a mechanical distributor, and so 
on. There is no ABS, no airbags, no catalytic converter with all of its 
associated sensors and controller, no navigation electronics, no 
nothing. Even the original voltage regulator was mechanical, but I 
changed that to an electronic regulator.

This car is a dream for any ham: After installing resistor-type spark 
plugs, there is no interference whatsoever from the car to the radios, 
and of course there is no interference from the radios to the car - it's 
kinda hard to QRM a carburetor! :-)

I bought this car because 1992 was the last year when cars without 
emission control were licensed without much restrictions in my country, 
and I intended to hold on to it while I can maintain it. While some 
European environmentalists might cringe, I can assure them that it's not 
as bad as they think: This car has a highly complex carburetor, along 
with gas recirculation and other measures, all fully mechanical, that 
result in pretty low CO, NO and HC emissions. Along with CO2 emissions 
that are slightly lower than those of an equivalent modern car!

As a ham, I wouldn't buy any car whose manufacturer forbids installing a 
transceiver in it! Just like I would never buy a house in a condominium 
that has antenna restrictions.

Manfred



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