Ham Radio Suggestions?

[Beowulf]

Same mount.
Same antenna for the trail plus a taller one for the trip to the trailhead. Jon and I have connected 27 miles truck-to-truck with higher gain antennas.
My radio is a Yaesu 7800 dual band but not dual radios which is what I would like to upgrade. Radio is under driver seat with head mounted remotely.

 

[pappy]

I'll make a vote for the Yaesu FT-8800 with the Comet antenna of your choice.

 

[sl33p3]

oh yeah, i have the big antenna for longer com too, i forgot, good idea, but not typically necessary on the trail... i have this one

SBB25NMO 2m high gain 50"

it is a single band, not dual, but we rarely ever use the 440MHz anyway... it has stood up to some pretty good low tree thrashing, it does not have the curly in the middle to grab stuff.

it has a threaded breakover but i just about always leave on the ducky since it will survive the garage

you know marc i started with a used HT and a magmount antenna for some better range, you'll never get the power of mobile unit, but it doesn't muck up your wife's hundy... just sayin

 

[marcfj60]

She's already vetoed the junkyard mirror mount modification. I told her I will figure out brackets that I can remove the electronics when we don't need them.

 

[alia176]

Marc should stick with a HT given the amount of use it is going to have, it doesn't make sense to go for a mobile setup. Plus he has portability with a HT. Additionally, the cost is very nice with the HTs.

 

[sl33p3]

She's already vetoed the junkyard mirror mount modification. I told her I will figure out brackets that I can remove the electronics when we don't need them.

you just said HT IMO. nothing else would be worth it.

 

[1911]

Who has what and why?

I have a Yaesu FT-2800M and a Kenwood TM-D710A that I can swap between two of my trucks; I still like them both but I find that I always want the Kenwood in for any kind of a trip. I love having APRS; it's entertaining on the road, helps me find and locate repeaters on the trail and road, helps me make contacts (sometimes), has allowed me to meet friends from 4x4ham.com by navigating to each other, and lets my wife/family see where I am on a wheeling and/or road trip. It's just a great technology.

I have NMO mounts on both trucks for the antennas. I have a dual-band Comet antenna but I never use it because I never use 440 MHz. On the 40, the only antenna I can really use is a Larsen NMO150 1/2-wave, because of the location on my spare tire swing-out mount (no ground plane). On the FJC with an NMO mount on the roof, I switch out between a Hustler 5/8-wave for the road and a Sti-co Flexi-whip 1/4-wave for the trail. Actually, the performance of the little Flexi-whip is so close to that of the big tall 5/8-wave, that I usually just leave it on all the time.

I also have a Kenwood TS-480SAT mobile HF radio, but rather than have it installed in a truck I just take it in a Pelican case and a Buddipole portable antenna and set it up at camp.

Given your restrictions Marc, an HT does make some sense for the trail. You could always get a mag-mount 2M antenna to stick on the roof or hood if you need more range.

 

[evanz80]

I'll make a vote for the Yaesu FT-8800 with the Comet antenna of your choice.

I'll second Pappy's vote. I like the dual-band feature to let you monitor two channels at the same time (Moab trail frequency for the trail run you're on, plus the Cruise Moab HQ frequency, for example).

But I would have to agree with some of the other guys that an HT may be the best fit for you, Marc. One feature of an HT that I like (I don't have one yet), is that (if it's a small one) you can carry it around in your shirt pocket while you are out of the vehicle on foot, but still stay in touch with the communications.

 

[slimbuddha]

I plan on getting a HT soon, and later installing a mobile receiver. There is a model ( think the 8800) that can be setup as a local repeater. This way, if you go out on a hike, hunting, etc, you can take the HT, and connect through the truck to a larger repeater.

 

[alia176]

I plan on getting a HT soon, and later installing a mobile receiver. There is a model ( think the 8800) that can be setup as a local repeater. This way, if you go out on a hike, hunting, etc, you can take the HT, and connect through the truck to a larger repeater.

Correct, I think it's called cross band repeat. I've yet try this feature. I guess I need to actually go hiking with the HT some day Actually, I haven't used any of the radio's features yet since Ihave neither the pocket protector nor the brains to figure out the radio!

 

[marcfj60]

I'm leaning toward the VX-7R HT. I'll get a good magmount with a tunable antenna and a speaker mic. I know I'm losing power compared to a mobile unit but I'm gaining portability and this model has good water resistance in case I drop it in the water when I'm fishing. Then I don't have any battles about permanently mounted stuff in the Hundy and I can use the radio in a different vehicle if I need it. Maybe some day I'll decide I need more power but I'm going to start with this.

 

[sl33p3]

I'm leaning toward the VX-7R HT. I'll get a good magmount with a tunable antenna and a speaker mic. I know I'm losing power compared to a mobile unit but I'm gaining portability and this model has good water resistance in case I drop it in the water when I'm fishing. Then I don't have any battles about permanently mounted stuff in the Hundy and I can use the radio in a different vehicle if I need it. Maybe some day I'll decide I need more power but I'm going to start with this.

VERY good decision for you IMO... well done buddy, now pull the trigger and save yourself the mental torment