I was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Exercise is the order of the day now, but I just can't get into walking so I bought a bicycle. After a week or so of riding the bicycle, I decided that I wanted to be able to bring along a radio, be it an amatuer radio HT or a portable scanner.
I tried clipping a radio to my belt, but that just didn't work out well; I couldn't hear it very well. Earphones of some sort are out of the question because their use on the road would be unsafe. I recently removed a RAM portable radio mount from the car after replacing the mobile BC780 with a BC996 (more on that in a future post). Searching the RAM website I came across a ball mount used for 3/4' - 1' diameter boat railings (just the size of the tubing used in the bicycle handlebars). The ball mount, part number RAM-231 (top photo below), easily fit onto the handlebars and the portable radio mount attached to the ball mount.
I tried clipping a radio to my belt, but that just didn't work out well; I couldn't hear it very well. Earphones of some sort are out of the question because their use on the road would be unsafe. I recently removed a RAM portable radio mount from the car after replacing the mobile BC780 with a BC996 (more on that in a future post). Searching the RAM website I came across a ball mount used for 3/4' - 1' diameter boat railings (just the size of the tubing used in the bicycle handlebars). The ball mount, part number RAM-231 (top photo below), easily fit onto the handlebars and the portable radio mount attached to the ball mount.
The radio now mounts in front of me in a good position. Most importantly, I don't have to take my eyes completely off of the road to see the display, press a button, or turn a knob. The speaker fires directly toward me, making the radio easy to hear. So far both the Uniden BC396 and the Yaesu VX-150 work well with this mount, allowing me to get the exercise I need to lose weight and stay healthy and enjoy my favorite hobby.
Mac McCormick, KF4LMT
kf4lmt@comcast.net
