HT advice needed

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CreeperSleeper

CreeperSleeper

Cascade Cruisers
SILVER Star
Joined
May 16, 2005
Threads
179
Messages
7,450
Location
Canby, OR
I'm going in a week and a half to get my Tech. license. What do you guys use in your rigs? I'm trying to decide between what HT, mag mount ant and remote mic. Eventually I would like to have a mobile unit too, but I need to set it up on the cheap for the time being. Any help or ideas would be awesome! TIA
 
Single or dual band? My preference would be a mobile first, then a HT later. YOu can get a VHF-only radio like a Yaesu FT2800 for around $130, cheaper than buying a HT and optioning it up with hand mike, power adapter, etc.

For HTs I have a dual band Yaesu VX-6R and like it a lot. My bro-in-law bought a single band VX 170 and has been very happy with it.

Antenna wise you could consider a good, permanently mounted whip, especially if you're thinking of a mobile down the road. I like the Larsen NMO 2/70 for a dual band. My bro-in-law has the single band version and it really works well.

You're not too far from the Portland Ham Radio Outlet, take a drive up the the "Candy Store" and ask them for advice as well. Maybe leave the plastic at home though - that place is trouble!
 
LOL! Thanks for the advice. The problem that I have with getting a mobile first is I have 3 wheelers and am looking at picking up another one. I don't want to be moving the radio from my 80, to the buggy, to the 4Runner, to the 40, etc...

As far as dual or single band, I just need 2M and to be able to monitor 151 mhz
 
My B-I-L has been happy with his Yaesu VX 170. He picked it up while on a road trip, grabbed an MFJ mag mount antenna for $25, and used it all the way home. It's a bit large as HTs go but it's not huge, just bigger than a VX 6 or 7.

Some of the guys in my club got a group buy deal on some Icom HTs a couple of years ago. They seem to work really well too, especially with an external antenna.
I would just go to HRO and ask about any HT with full 5 watts of power and preferably one you can use programming software with. They'll be glad to set you up and take your money...
 
I have the Icom IC-7000 in my 80 and have it setup for a quick transfer to the family-truckster Denali (under 5 min start-to-finish).

But I too have been looking at the HTs and after nearly buying the Icom 92 with GPS mic for nearly $1k, I've pretty well decided to just spend $300 and go with a vx7.

It is really small but still really feature packed. I don't have any need for D-star even though everyone tells me it is the future and I'll eventually wish I had it. Ditto for the GPS mic.

I really wanted to stay with Icom just for the 'more similar' programming and features, but Icom just doesn't offer anything like the vx7 at the same price point.
 
CreeperSleeper said:
LOL! Thanks for the advice. The problem that I have with getting a mobile first is I have 3 wheelers and am looking at picking up another one. I don't want to be moving the radio from my 80, to the buggy, to the 4Runner, to the 40, etc...

As far as dual or single band, I just need 2M and to be able to monitor 151 mhz
Click to expand...
I used the same reasoning. FAIL!
I really wish I had gone with a cheap mobile first. I did an FT2800 install for a friend two weeks ago and really like the radio. It is simple to understand and easy to operate while driving. My VX7R in contrast is impossible to adjust while driving, I have to stop to change power or squelch settings.

I don't think it would be a huge deal to rig up a quick mount bracket and move a mobile from rig to rig. You would have to chop off the factory power connector and replace it with power pole connectors but the power pole connector is the standard for all emergency HAM agencies anyway.

You will want a mag mount antenna for the HT anyway so thats a wash. I doubt you could get a HT with a speakermic for the $130 that the FT2800 sells for.

Another consideration is the 5W power you typicaly get with a HT. Sometimes I can hear everybody but they either don't copy me at all or my signal is so faint they can't understand me.

Hope this helps.
 
Miescha said:
I have the Icom IC-7000 in my 80 and have it setup for a quick transfer to the family-truckster Denali (under 5 min start-to-finish).

But I too have been looking at the HTs and after nearly buying the Icom 92 with GPS mic for nearly $1k, I've pretty well decided to just spend $300 and go with a vx7.

It is really small but still really feature packed. I don't have any need for D-star even though everyone tells me it is the future and I'll eventually wish I had it. Ditto for the GPS mic.

I really wanted to stay with Icom just for the 'more similar' programming and features, but Icom just doesn't offer anything like the vx7 at the same price point.
Click to expand...
Buy the programing cable for the VX7R, it's a bit*h to program via the keypad.
Nice radio though, it's taken me a while to learn to use it simply because it is so feature rich. Actually I would never buy another radio with the programing cable, using a laptop to program the memory makes life so much simpler.
 
Look for a model that has an ear piece/mic attachment to fit under the helment with a vox feature (voice activated mic) This is so you can talk "hands free"
 
Kofoed said:
Look for a model that has an ear piece/mic attachment to fit under the helment with a vox feature (voice activated mic) This is so you can talk "hands free"
Click to expand...
My wife wanted me to wear a helmet when I drive the 40 but I laid down the law on that one. :lol:
 
rusty_tlc said:
I used the same reasoning. FAIL!
I really wish I had gone with a cheap mobile first. I did an FT2800 install for a friend two weeks ago and really like the radio. It is simple to understand and easy to operate while driving. My VX7R in contrast is impossible to adjust while driving, I have to stop to change power or squelch settings.

I don't think it would be a huge deal to rig up a quick mount bracket and move a mobile from rig to rig. You would have to chop off the factory power connector and replace it with power pole connectors but the power pole connector is the standard for all emergency HAM agencies anyway.

You will want a mag mount antenna for the HT anyway so thats a wash. I doubt you could get a HT with a speakermic for the $130 that the FT2800 sells for.

Another consideration is the 5W power you typicaly get with a HT. Sometimes I can hear everybody but they either don't copy me at all or my signal is so faint they can't understand me.

Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
You should program the same freq multiple times with different power settings etc.
For example in Memory one I have the main repeater I use as follows.

805_RPT Repeater, Set low power, min squelch
805_R_HI Repeater, High power_Max squelch.
805_TA Low power simplex
805_TA_H High power simplex

No fumbling, just turn the knob
 
rusty_tlc said:
My wife wanted me to wear a helmet when I drive the 40 but I laid down the law on that one. :lol:
Click to expand...

I thought when he originally said 3 wheelers, he was talking about the 3 wheeled atc's. I guess that gives away my age. :doh:

HT for a mobile-only use a pain and it sucks.
 
FJ40_owner said:
You should program the same freq multiple times with different power settings etc.
For example in Memory one I have the main repeater I use as follows.

805_RPT Repeater, Set low power, min squelch
805_R_HI Repeater, High power_Max squelch.
805_TA Low power simplex
805_TA_H High power simplex

No fumbling, just turn the knob
Click to expand...
I usually put the HT in lock mode so it doesn't get off freq or whatever.
 
Kofoed said:
I thought when he originally said 3 wheelers, he was talking about the 3 wheeled atc's. I guess that gives away my age. :doh:

HT for a mobile-only use a pain and it sucks.
Click to expand...

:lol:

Nope, 3 different rigs. Does anybody have pics of a "quick disconnect" set-up on a moble unit? I would like to see how others have it set up... (Not trying to be annoying, I'm just a kenetic learner.)
 
CreeperSleeper said:
:lol:

Nope, 3 different rigs. Does anybody have pics of a "quick disconnect" set-up on a moble unit? I would like to see how others have it set up... (Not trying to be annoying, I'm just a kenetic learner.)
Click to expand...

I haven't built mine yet but I have two plans.

Plan A: Make a "U" shaped bracket similar the the factory bracket but slot the radio mounting holes.

Plan B: Use automotive velcro to mount the factory bracket.

I'm leaning toward Plan A because it seems more secure.

For both plans the power cable and antenna cable would stay with the rig. All that would move is the Radio and antenna. My radio has a remote head so I will probably route the cable for that and a remote speaker in each rig as well.
 
Can't wait to see it when it's done! Does anybody have any experience with the Kenwood TM-271A? It seems like it would hold up well to the open top rigs, hard wheeling and moving it around alot. I'm also looking at the Yaesu FT1802M or the Icom IC-2200H. Thanks again!

Just so you guys understand, these are not an expedition type rigs...
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Congrats on passing!

FWIW, researching and choosing a radio (and antennas and coax, and swr/watt meters, and on and on and on) was more difficult and time consuming than passing the test.

Enjoy!
 
I finding this to be extreamly true and I haven't even stepped past radios yet! I know that I want both a HT and a mobile. I would like to be able to use the same software to program them. They need to be MIL-Spec for durability. I want the mobile to have a weather band. 2m and monotoring Public Safty ch is most importand... Possibly will do a dual band as a mobile, but I'm not sure if it's neccessary. The biggest thing is the radio is going to get abused... I need something that can take it and is loud enough to hear in a buggy!
 
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