My best mobile setup - Yet!

[ws7m]

I own a 2016 Subaru Outback.  It is a smaller car with not as much room inside as one might think to house ham radio gear. 

As of Jan 2024 here is my mobile setup:

Gear

• Icom 705 - Mounted to a pax seat bolt arm
• Yaesu FTM-400 - 2/440 and APRS
• GOOZEEZOO ATU-100 100w Tuner
• Custom control box - Houses SSRs to control power to devices
• Digital Loggers DIN Relay - In control box
• RM Italy HLA 305 amp
• Heated 12V LiFePO4 battery
• Powerwerx DCDC-8A 14.5V, 8A Adjustable DC-to-DC Battery Charger for 12V LiFePO4 Batteries
• NoCo Genius 10 110V charger
• GRM-EM7 12 Volt DC Motorized Antenna Lift
• Cellular, WiFi access point
• Begali Adventurer CW paddle

Antennas

• 80-10m HamSticks with QD2 quick disconnects
• 102 inch metal whip with QD2 quick disconnect

Summary
The IC705, while only 10w is small enough to fit nicely on the arm from the passenger seat bolt.  I've actually made many mobile CW contacts at 10w.

A simple throw of a switch and the HLA 305 amp comes online and can deliver up to 200W if needed.

The GeeZeeZoo tuner is small and fast and provides excellent easy tuning of the 102" whip.

Inside the control box is a relay timer that turns on 15 seconds after the car engine is turned on and that enables the Powerwerx DC-DC charger to keep the LifePO4 battery charged.

A console mounted switch panel enables power to various devices including the FTM-400, ICom and GeeZeeZoo tuner, Amplifier and WiFi access point.

The antenna lifter allows antennas to lay relatively flat for entering parking garages.  It is mag mounted to the Subaru roof with four sturdy magnets.  A console mounted switch raises and lowers the antenna.

An added benefit to this setup is it can be used fully remote when parked.  Enabling all the gear allows full access to the IC 705 and relay control of all the devices from my laptop.  So can be say inside of a camper with friends running my car mounted gear.

The reason for having the heated LifePO4 battery to power everything is so that I never run down my car battery.