Storm Chaser & Ham Radio Operator wants a Lucid Air

[Steve181]

Good to know. Can you tell us the model nbr?

I made it out of parts in my junkbox. Check Amazon and ham radio sites.

 

[borski]

I am only interested in the Air with the metal (aluminum) roof. I'd never own a glass roof vehicle as, like convertibles, they offer NO protection from lightning! They also are not safe in roll-overs and I have rolled my sports cars TWICE!

The skin effect still works fine; the glass roof isn’t open. https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-model-s-struck-lightning-charging/

Also, the Air has no problem with rollovers. The very thin sheet metal of conventional metal roofs contributes virtually nothing to rollover protection, all of which comes from the roof support structure of a car. The unusually large roof side rails that people complain occasionally impede ingress and egress in the Air are sized thus to handle the high weight of the car in a rollover.

In past rollovers we’ve seen in the real world, the occupants walked away unscathed and the laminated glass roof did not come down on top of them.

 

[DoctorZ]

The skin effect still works fine; the glass roof isn’t open. https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-model-s-struck-lightning-charging/

Also, the Air has no problem with rollovers. The very thin sheet metal of conventional metal roofs contributes virtually nothing to rollover protection, all of which comes from the roof support structure of a car. The unusually large roof side rails that people complain occasionally impede ingress and egress in the Air are sized thus to handle the high weight of the car in a rollover.

In past rollovers we’ve seen in the real world, the occupants walked away unscathed and the laminated glass roof did not come down on top of them.

Good enough, I guess for radio and rollover, but I still prefer a solid metal roof for lightning protection. Got to stay in my Faraday Cage during storm chases.

 

[fpmacko]

Good enough, I guess for radio and rollover, but I still prefer a solid metal roof for lightning protection. Got to stay in my Faraday Cage during storm chases.

If you're chasing CBs, I can see why you're worried about lightning, But even more so than lightning, I'm worried more about a meteorite hitting my glass canopy. I like the glass so I'll take my chances.

 

[Coho]

I would truly wonder if a Lucid Air is the right car for chasing weather. It is not going to ford standing water as your truck appears to. Snorkel or not. And I’d forget about lightening. What about hail bashing the glass and car to a bunch of dents? Sounds like the ideal car would be a well functioning beater.

 

[fpmacko]

A quick update on my Yaesu FTM-500 installation. Tomorrow (Monday, 08 Sep) will be the big day. I have everything on hand including the antenna. I hope to have everything done around noon ET.

Frank / WA3NHK

 

[fpmacko]

Ok, I am ready to report out on my radio installation!

BLUF.....Piece of cake. Everything fit perfectly and the radio is up and running without a problem.

Just to recap, The Diamond Antenna model NR770HRKS was the only viable solution to installing my Yaesu FTM-500 in my 25 AT. This antenna came with a stick-on base mount and a 38.5" element. (The specified 40.2 inch length includes the mount, but they don't tell you that.) The antenna and mount are designed so that you don't need a ground plane. After some precise measurements I found that I would have a little over one inch of clearance below my garage door coaming.

My original plan was to attach the mount to the C-pillar just above the Air logo. Fortunately, a friend pulled my head of my butt and convinced me to attach the mount to the glass of the small window behind the rear passenger door, which I did. The mount has about 13' of RG316 coax (it's thin) so it fit nicely in the groove below the logo. Two small spots of RTV are holding it in place.

Right now the TR unit is just roughed-in next to the 12V accessory socket in the trunk. Running the ethernet cable from the trunk to the control head
was simple. The radio works fine. Will run more tests over the next coupla days. I might take my Bird wattmeter out there and measure the VSWR.

Photos are attached. I can send more upon request. I'll be happy to answer any questions.

73.....Frank / WA3NHK

 

[Steve181]

Nice! I wonder how many other Lucid Hams there are out there?

In case you are worried about EMP, here is a pix of vacuum tube ARC-5's from WW II in a car.

 

[fpmacko]

Nice! I wonder how many other Lucid Hams there are out there?

In case you are worried about EMP, here is a pix of vacuum tube ARC-5's from WW II in a car.

OMG! Very impressive. I always wanted an ARC-5 pair, but in my earlier years I knew I wouldn’t have the means to rework them. You’re my hero!

Apart from you, me, and the OP, I think there’s one other ham in here.

 

[matthew-rad]

A quick update on my Yaesu FTM-500 installation. Tomorrow (Monday, 08 Sep) will be the big day. I have everything on hand including the antenna. I hope to have everything done around noon ET.

Frank / WA3NHK

Ok, I am ready to report out on my radio installation!

BLUF.....Piece of cake. Everything fit perfectly and the radio is up and running without a problem.

Just to recap, The Diamond Antenna model NR770HRKS was the only viable solution to installing my Yaesu FTM-500 in my 25 AT. This antenna came with a stick-on base mount and a 38.5" element. (The specified 40.2 inch length includes the mount, but they don't tell you that.) The antenna and mount are designed so that you don't need a ground plane. After some precise measurements I found that I would have a little over one inch of clearance below my garage door coaming.

My original plan was to attach the mount to the C-pillar just above the Air logo. Fortunately, a friend pulled my head of my butt and convinced me to attach the mount to the glass of the small window behind the rear passenger door, which I did. The mount has about 13' of RG316 coax (it's thin) so it fit nicely in the groove below the logo. Two small spots of RTV are holding it in place.

Right now the TR unit is just roughed-in next to the 12V accessory socket in the trunk. Running the ethernet cable from the trunk to the control head
was simple. The radio works fine. Will run more tests over the next coupla days. I might take my Bird wattmeter out there and measure the VSWR.

Photos are attached. I can send more upon request. I'll be happy to answer any questions.

73.....Frank / WA3NHK


View attachment 32272View attachment 32273View attachment 32274View attachment 32275

A thing of beauty. 73, Matthew, N6YJL

 

[fpmacko]

A thing of beauty. 73, Matthew, N6YJL

Tnx!

 

[Ughwhy]

As far as installing the antennas, have you considered a suction cup solution? SeaSucker makes suction cups mounts that hold bycycles so I would think one of those could be modified to hold antenna. https://www.amazon.com/stores/SeaSu...ef_=ast_bln&store_ref=bl_ast_dp_brandLogo_sto

 

[fpmacko]

As far as installing the antennas, have you considered a suction cup solution? SeaSucker makes suction cups mounts that hold bycycles so I would think one of those could be modified to hold antenna. https://www.amazon.com/stores/SeaSu...ef_=ast_bln&store_ref=bl_ast_dp_brandLogo_sto

I ruled out the suction cup variety from the get-go because I don't trust them to stay on. But I forgot that the vacuum things existed. I might have considered them, but I wouldn't have been sure if I could adapt an antenna mount to it with a low enough profile. I only have a little over one inch clearance as it is, so it's doubtful that the antenna element would give me sufficient clearance. Good idea, though.

 

[fpmacko]

I ruled out the suction cup variety from the get-go because I don't trust them to stay on. But I forgot that the vacuum things existed. I might have considered them, but I wouldn't have been sure if I could adapt an antenna mount to it with a low enough profile. I only have a little over one inch clearance as it is, so it's doubtful that the antenna element would give me sufficient clearance. Good idea, though.

BTW, I just realized this isn't waterproof.

 

[Ughwhy]

BTW, I just realized this isn't waterproof.

View attachment 32292

That's strange given that their advertising photos show it being used on boats.

 

[Steve181]

OMG! Very impressive. I always wanted an ARC-5 pair, but in my earlier years I knew I wouldn’t have the means to rework them. You’re my hero!

Apart from you, me, and the OP, I think there’s one other ham in here.

Thanks for the info. 4 Lucid Hams is not bad.

I worked on lots of ARC-5's as a kid. They were $10 new at radio row in NY. I think I still have some parts here.

Enjoy your AIR. I love mine more every day, especially the days after AA arrived. I have reached a truce with the locking wizard.

 

[fpmacko]

There are other hams as well. I had a similar thread going a few months ago when I was still seeking a solution, and there were several hams in the thread. Unfortunately, the mods got confused and moved my thread to a UX forum where it died due to lack of visibility. Sorta like the Cleveland Browns, where QBs go to die.

I never had an opportunity to visit radio row before it was buried under the world trade center. If I make it back to Japan I plan to visit Akihabara.