TX to Rhode Island, accidental skip. Van install upgrade planning.

[Mentor3006]

While waiting for my latest experiement antenna, a Wilson 2000 Trucker which I am not sure will dial in correctly but I should try, that is another story, I turned on my radio to my local channel (21) to listen / talk to some locals, only to hear folks talking about getting 2" of snow. I I asked for a break, got it and was apparently talking to 122 in Rhode Island, on 4 watts, and he was as clear as a bell. He sounded not only local, but CLOSE, slamming my meter all the way to the pegs. And I was hitting him allegedly full strength.

My radio is hung between the visors, kind of far back so as to keep the visors from hitting the mounting knobs on the radio, making the display kind of hard to read. So I am thinking...

Redesign the overhead console. Drop it 1" and reduce the size / depth impact of the reinforcing cleat at the windshield header. I want to be able to mount my radio directly above my head so I can simply glance up to get any readings I may need. So it looks like I have a bit of a woodworking project ahead of me.

[De_Wildfire]

These kind of low power contacts are really fun. With this solar cycle 25 on the rise, there will more of them. It sounds like a great project you are working on.