Tony_Farson
Club President Emeritus, Battle Born Cruisers
I am repurposing this thread as general HAM/NAV resource for the group.
Here's Some Gear We Recommend
Everyone has their preference on brand and setup options. This small list is meant as a "getting started" list for folks who haven't yet found their ideal setup. Scroll through the entire thread to see other member's setups and recommendations.
Items #1 are standalone and no additional things are needed to start using them.
OR
Pick anything from items 2 or 3. Then choose the antenna that matches the radio features (single band or dual band). Finally choose the appropriate connector (NMO or PL-259) from item 7 to complete your radio kit.
Here's Some Gear We Recommend
Everyone has their preference on brand and setup options. This small list is meant as a "getting started" list for folks who haven't yet found their ideal setup. Scroll through the entire thread to see other member's setups and recommendations.
Items #1 are standalone and no additional things are needed to start using them.
OR
Pick anything from items 2 or 3. Then choose the antenna that matches the radio features (single band or dual band). Finally choose the appropriate connector (NMO or PL-259) from item 7 to complete your radio kit.
- Entry Level dual band radio (handheld): BAOFENG BF-F8HP (8 Watt) or Baofeng UV-5R (5 Watt). We recommend either one of these radios even if you do not (yet) have your ham license. You cannot transmit (except in emergencies) but you can listen to the trail boss and other members of the group so you know what's going on.
- Single band (2M - the main band the club uses) radio (mobile): YAESU FT-2980R (100 Watts!). Several of us have this radio. It is extremely well built and used in Baja and other competitive applications for its ruggedness and power. Pay the extra money for the "MARS Mod" which will allow you to hear emergency and government band traffic.
- Dual band (2M and 70cm): YAESU FTM-300DR (50 Watts) or YAESU FTM-400XDR (50 Watts). These are advanced radios capable of dual band transmit and receive on 2M and 70cm as well as digital radio. They also have GPS and APRS capabilities, and the 400 is capable of free sms send/receive capabilities via satellite. 70cm is handy because several areas in the region have repeaters in this part of the spectrum. Both of these radios have remote heads/control panels with hideaway bodies for more versatile mounting options in vehicles with limited space. Pay the extra money for the "MARS Mod" which will allow you to hear emergency and government band traffic.
- Single Band Antennas for 2M mobile: COMET-NCG SBB-25 (1/2 length 57-inches with PL-259 connector) or COMET-NCG SBB-25NMO (1/2 length 57-inches with NMO connector). I use the SBB-25 on my 80 Series connected to my FT-2980R transceiver and I love the combo! These are two-piece antennas with a folding feature that will allow you to collapse the antenna when not in use or going through low hanging branches.
- Dual band (2M/70cm) 1/4 length (18-inches) antenna: COMET-NCG SBB-2 or COMET-NCG SBB-2NMO. Same features as item 4 but will support dual band radios like item 3 above.
- Dual band (2M/70cm) 1/2 length (42-inches) antenna: COMET-NCG CSB-750A. This is a larger antenna with a PL-259 connector.
- Connectors: You need to match the mount to the connector type of your antenna (PL-259 or NMO) and you choose your mount based on the location you choose on your vehicle. The taller/higher the better for good transmit/receive. However, you have to balance your mounting location with the ability to clear obstacles on the trail or setup you antenna with a spring or fold over feature. I would either go with a longer 1/2 length antenna and mount it lower to allow for the whip to compensate for obstacles or get a 1/4 with a spring mount and mount it higher. There a bumper mounts (like mine in the pic below), trunk/hatch mounts, lip mounts, luggage rack, magnetic (I don't recommend for offroad) and bolt thru sheet metal mounts. This really comes down to preference and what your antenna needs. NMO is probably more versatile but I have never used one. This is a good universal lip mount NMO connector with cable and radio connector. This would work with any of the NMO antennas listed above and with any of the radios in items 2 and 3. I used a bulkhead mount PL-259 to mount my antenna to the bumper of my 80. Note the option on that page for a PL-259 lip mount as well. You can use that if you choose a PL-259 antenna.
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. I will now be known as KJ7WRS on the air waves. Thanks to Totally Awesome Cruisers and Tony for including me and driving me to the Ham Cram. It was a day well spent. And you too Rusty for encouraging me to get one every time it came up. Now time to hook up the 2 meter Jack gave me
. Ole Krusty will have a voice.