TO: ALL WOOD COUNTY ARES MEMBERS (OFFICIAL)
ALL ARES AND NON-ARES AMATEURS ANYWHERE (INFORMATION)
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM ARRL DISTRICT 3
EMERGENCY COORDINATOR WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INC.
WOOD COUNTY ARES BULLETIN NR 20.47 DATE: November 22, 2020
SUBJECT: PORTABLE RADIO TIPS
Sometimes portable radios have to be placed on the floor, the seat, or the dashboards of cars. Then they go scooting off while turning corners. One method of retarding their unwanted movement is to take an old bicycle inner tube and cut off some one inch wide cross sections. Slip it around your radio or its carry case and the rubber will now greatly retard slipping and sliding. Just be sure you don't put the band over the Push-To-Talk button, otherwise you cause it to be keyed up all the time.
You may wish to put some paper between this oversized rubber band and your radio to prevent discoloration, or the rubber migrating into the plastic. Never leave a portable radio on the dash or anywhere lying in the direct summer sun. Even professional portables can drift off frequency when subjected to such heat, or the sun might damage the display, if it has one.
Also be sure your handheld radio doesn't slip down between the seats, they have a tendency to start transmitting when the PTT button is in the right position and depressed, It can be awful embarrassing what might be said over the air from the privacy of your vehicle.
Written from experience.
Ken Harris WA8LLM
WCEC
Wood County WV