$25,000 of Communications Gear In a $500 Car

In perhaps one of the finest displays of technological excess in automotive communications gear, one "enthusiast" has managed to cram over $25,000 worth of gear into a $500 car. The car is rigged for just about every conceivable communications band including FM, UHF, VHF, HF, and WTF. What other amazing displays of technological excess have others seen? "The equipment seems to cover an amazing array of technologies, many of which seem to be redundant. For instance, just how many handheld 144 MHz radios do you need? It seems like the owner of the Ham Car is capable of listening to every police/fire/ems/military channel in the world. Simultaneously. There's a laptop and we assume there's some form of cellular or satellite communication setup for that, too."

Just think...

[Brandybuck]

Just think. With a quarter of that money he could have gotten a car that wasn't an oil burning beater.

Derby

[Farlan]

But can it crush cars?

Redneck crap

[DNS-and-BIND]

Seriously, how does this kind of redneck garbage get into slashdot? Some buffoon got hisself a 1985 Dodge Colt (trailer trash car if I've ever seen one) and proceeds to put a shit-ton of radios in it. Big deal! There's no technology or inventiveness here, it's the same as some ignoramus who built a vehicle out of his La-Z-Boy. Let's get a closer look [cardomain.com] - license plates trimmed with neon (barf); misuse of the "radiation" symbol (car is not radioactive); Florida plates (redneck central); a laser light drawing spirograph designs on the rear window (what is this, a nightclub circa 1992?); ground-effect lighting (waaaaay overdone); a scrolling LED sign, and much more totally stupid crap. Most of the gear is just ordinary handheld radios. I mean, come on, a "Sear's Platinum" battery powers the whole thing? What kind of self-respecting geek shops at "Sear's" (sic)? And a "Hydrallic" system? *cough* redneck *cough*

I'm all for rewarding creative use of technology, but this isn't creative, it's merely excessive. Not news for nerds, stuff that doesn't matter.

It's a joke.

[couchslug]

One of the "finest displays of technological excess" my arse.

It's just a bunch of gear stuffed into a shitbox car in a manner not conducive to usability.

Re:And ladies...

[rdavidson3]

And with all that electrical equipment surrounding him I would guess he would be sterile too.

25k?

[Anonymous Coward]

25K?
You can get an ICOM R9500 which will give you everything between 5khz and 3.5GHZ with filtering and processing and a 40 channel per second scann rate for 12.5k http://www.icomamerica.com/en/products/receivers/tabletop/r9500/default.aspx
Add in another 2-4k for a really nice multiband Ham rig, and your done..

plenty of room and money left

Re:Redneck crap

[DNS-and-BIND]

The international radiation trefoil exists for one reason: to warn people of real danger. Abusing the symbol to make a lame pun (Ha ha ha "radio" active, get it? hee hee hee oh wait it's not funny) is a sure sign of a double-digit IQ.

rims

[sadegs]

pretty sweet dubs on that ride. btw, this is a stupid point, but isn't it impractical to have more than 1 or 2 on at a time to listen too?

Re:Redneck crap

[operagost]

You forgot the Gameboy COLOR!

Huh?

[Anonymous Coward]

I know I slip behind in my tech sometimes but since when is "FM" a "band" and not a modulation method?

sheesh

[thelonious]

I know that everybody needs a hobby, the key is in knowing that not every hobby needs a body.

Re:Redneck crap

[blincoln]

What kind of self-respecting geek shops at "Sear's" (sic)?

Um, Craftsman tools? The only remaining semi-affordable Made in the USA (with the extra precision and reliability over bargain-basement imports, including a lifetime warranty) that that implies?

I get most of my tools at Harbor Freight, but if I want something I know will last (e.g. a socket wrench, because it's pretty lame when you break your only socket wrench while your car's engine is not fully assembled) I go with Craftsman.

Re:Obligatory...

[zach_the_lizard]

All I want to do is imagine a Beowulf cluster of these.

Re:Redneck crap

[east coast]

I'm sure everyone could find something in your life that they think is excessive. Don't be so fast to judge who should do what with their own property lest someone do the same about yours.

Re:That's a lot of rigs dude!

[aukset]

When you're house is burning down to the ground and Fire Control is sending out its 2nd or 3rd activation because Engine 17 needs a driver, you'll be quite happy to know there's a whacker out there with an over-priced blue LED light bar burning rubber to the station. It takes all kinds. Of course, we ridicule them anyway. but terms like whacker and volley aren't entirely derogatory.

I find what you quoted particularly interesting. You would think if you call 911, you'd need immediate help and would be grateful for whoever shows up to come to your aid. Never would have thought Niners could be found even on Slashdot.

p.s. I am an EMT and do this for a living.