Mobile Ham Radio
Legal & Safety Tips!

Basic mobile ham radio safety considerations have not changed much since my early days as a ham radio operator.

However, technology has invaded much of our mobile environment. This has added some new safety considerations to an already long list.

Today, an additional concern comes from the legal department.

Does the law allow us to use our mobile rig while driving? Not everywhere anymore. Not always ... as always!

Needless to say that, in all cases, it's in the best interest of all concerned that we abide by the law and basic safety rules.

Safe Power Levels

The increasing use of dedicated micro-computers in cars to control critical functions such as

• ignition, fuel mixture and emissions ...
• ABS braking systems!
• etc.

...makes it imperative that you use as little output power as required to maintain contact while the vehicle is in motion.

Too much effective radiated power (ERP) could cause your car or a nearby car to stall, or worse, cause your ABS to malfunction just when you need it the most!

Bye the way. Please refrain from transmitting when you hear an ambulance or other emergency vehicle approaching. Resume transmitting when they are well away from you.

• You might interfere with electronic medical equipment being used on a patient on board the ambulance.
• You might interfere with their emergency communications.

I recommend power output be kept below 15 watts ERP while in motion. Use higher power only when stationary.

"Off Road" Mobile Ham Radio

As a good law abiding ham radio operator, I choose to play it safe.

I pull off the right-of-way to a safe area, or park the car along the curb (where it's allowed and safe to do so!) before engaging in a QSO.

When parked off road, in a camping ground or commercial parking lot for example, make sure that people - especially children - cannot come in contact with your antenna while transmitting and run the risk of injury.

The Many Ways To Go Mobile

We can operate mobile from a car, a boat, a private plane, a recreational vehicle, a motor bike, even from a bicycle and on foot!

Most mobile ham radio activity takes place on the VHF and UHF bands because of

• their small antennas,
• compact transceivers,
• repeater availability.

Operating mobile on HF is becoming popular again...

• not only because of the very compact HF transceivers and more efficient mobile HF antennas,

• but also because of sunspot cycle 24 providing improved communication opportunities.

Keep your mobile operating safe and legal ... and have fun!

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