VE6AB Technical
Mobile Design and Development - Safety First
Photos of my mobile and in particular the radio-stack mounted within it are posted on many websites, blogs, and forums through the use of the share button included with the photograph.
There seems to be a misconception by some viewers upon seeing one of my radio stack photographs on the various Internet sites that they are featured on, that the radio-stack is obscuring the drivers view out of the windows and the mirrors of the vehicle.
This conclusion is possibly reached by a few viewers based on the fact that my radio stack photos are shot as tightly cropped and compressed photos.
As you can tell from the above photograph the radio-stack is mounted no higher than the top of the dash allowing for maximum visibility out of all the windows and mirrors in the vehicle.
When I have a navigator/operator riding in the right seat, the navigator/operator is able to sit quite comfortably and safely with access to the radio stack and console, as well as having a good view of what's happening outside of the vehicle.
A number of the photographs that show my radio stack also include my netbook sitting open on the console.
For the record my netbook is shut off and closed in my day to day travels, and is only turned on and being used during public service events from a stationary position if I'm by myself, or by the navigator/operator sitting in the right seat if on the move.
At other times when I am chasing DX from my mobile and have my netbook turned on and in use for logging, or possibly running APRSIS/32 for keyboard messaging with my SCS Tracker and TS-480HX, I am parked in a location off of any roadways.
While on the subject of safety, I run a 12 volt shop where on occasion we may have to remove one or more of the airbags installed in a vehicle coming in the shop for service work.
When this became something that we dealt with on a regular bases, all the technicians in my shop including myself attended several technical seminars put on by General Motors where we were instructed as how to safely remove airbags from vehicles and how to store them temporarily. We also discharged several airbags under test conditions to understand the workings of airbags and how they deployed.
When I commenced the installation of the radio equipment into my Avalanche, I took into consideration the location of the 6 airbags located within it,
I then mounted the equipment accordingly allowing for the safe deployment of any one of the six airbags should the circumstances be such allowing for this to occur.
So the bottom line is that when it comes to a well designed mobile, safety for yourself and your passengers as well as other vehicles located around your mobile is of the upmost importance, and the design and development of your mobile should be well though out before commencing the installation of the radio gear in to your mobile.
Click on the photo for a closer look....
September 2015 QST Cover Photo
http://www.jerryclement.ca/HamRadio/HamRadio/i-C9pc3rm
