Radio > Transceivers
Experienced operators I need advice
Firemedic4b:
My ticket hit the ULS today so now its time to look for a radio and since my total experience in Ham radio is measured in seconds I would really appreciate some guidance and advice.
First off I am a Extra class so there are no restrictions there.
I am trying to decide on a radio that I can use in the truck (a Toyota Tacoma extra cab) and the house (however, I live in area with a STRONG HOA that doesn't like anything, so antennas will be an issue). Since like everyone money is an issue I would like to get the most radio for the buck so to speak. I'm like Yaesu products but am open to others. The radios that I have read up on and like so far are as follows (in no order):
the FT-857D
the FT-350AR
the FT-8900
Since I have no experience I'm not real sure where I'm going with this new found hobby so I would like to get a radio that will "keep up" for a good long while. Which is exactly how long its going to have to work when momma sees what I want to spend.
I have checked and we have an active 2m and 70cm community here and a limited 1.25m system. I THINK I might want to get into digital and QRP operations but have no interest in CW (I'm tone deaf and hard of hearing).
So my question is anyone have a good suggestion on which way to go? Or should I skip this step and start with a handheld? I like the VX-8DR. Suggestions for radio & antenna combinations? I'm really looking for real world experience, I've read a ton of reviews (especially on eham.com) and realize that there is certain amount of buy what you want to look at thing but need help deciding what is really going to allow me to take advantage of the Extra license and grow with me yet not break the bank.
Thanks in advance and please be gentle, I'm new :)
idial1911:
The 857d is good to go..
the 350ar is a great rig, if you are going to use APRS, I have the kenwood competitor the 710a and I rarely use APRS now that I have it setup and figured out.
The 8900 is a good rig, except that you pay more for 6m and 10m but its only FM and not SSB. So it's mostly useless for 6m and 10m which makes it an overpriced 2m/70cm rig, plus you need to get a special antenna to use it on all the bands. To me 6m and 10m FM is not worth the extra cost.
Don't sweat the antenna to much, you can set them up in your attic, or trees. I live in an HOA too, and strung a cheap g5rv in the trees, and no one knows its there.
I think it comes down to 857d or 8800 unless APRS is important. The 857d does all bands all modes, but costs more, the 8800 does just 2m and 70cm. If you want to only buy one radio. 857d it is. If you buy the 8800 you will still need to pony up for an HF rig down the road. 857d you could use that for everything. Including digital, QRP (you can dial down the output power) and CW if you so decide in the future.
WA4STO:
I'm sure you've considered this already, but with regard to your HOA difficulties, you could make all your antennas mobile ones. On the Tacoma.
HOAs can't and won't cover your car in that regard.
I've found that the K0BG site is simply fabulous for mobile antennas. Can't say all I've forgotten from him!
A huge "for-instance" is the matter of what you're driving OVER and how it contributes significantly to the SWR. I never woulda thunk it...
http://www.k0bg.com
73 de "Luck", WA4STO
AD:
For the UHF/VHF side of the house look here http://k5ehx.net/repeaters/qrepeater.php to find out your repeater coverage.
I hvae the 857 and i love it.
I also bought a FT-60R for my first radio and the 857 a month later.
I thought about the VX-8 series but the guys at HRO talked me out of it. For the 1/2 cost of the "8" i got the 60, better antenna and a magmount http://www.preparedham.com/forums/index.php?topic=86.0 that i travel with like this week to Ontario canada, next to Nashville and the following Fort Benning.
Now if your main want is APRS then the 60 wont do it. But it is a UHF/VHF work horse and will scan every other channel out there. It has 10 NOAA station and will " alert " you if there is a sever weather event in your area.
Last year in Nashville i awoke to a very bad storm at 2AM and turned on the tv in the hotel. There was a tornado 1mile from me. It was at that time, 5 months before i got my license, that really kick my ass in gear to get the ticket and to travel with a radio EVERYWHERE, which i do( like in the thread above over SuperBowl weekend in Monterey CA.
KC9TNH:
Congratulations on your Extra. That bit of band probably has the least influence on an equipment decision.
If you have an active VHF/UHF situation in your area that's probably going to be the bread & butter of your activity when mobile. Also, the antenna demands are much less than doing a successful HF mobile on lower bands. Giving yourself every advantage when at home, with what might end up a compromise antenna to beat the Stasi HOA, you may want to consider an HF rig that you could take with you - that also has 2m/70cm - but your regular mobile solution would be a 2nd radio in VHF/UHF. That way you could still sit at home and hear the same traffic you talk with in the truck. If you're set on 1 radio that does all those things, that you truly jerk out of the truck the 857 would certainly do a fine job and you wouldn't then have to worry about remote mounting it since it's going back & forth.
As often happens with guns, this is a buyer's time for used stuff. (Some folks either need the cash for a tax bill or they're flush & upgrading.) So don't write off a decent used Yaesu 450 or 897. I would also factor in a quality manual tuner for the home simply because of antenna solutions you might be presented with. I've not been impressed with the typical small-rig onboard tuners that don't handle much past a raw 3:1 SWR. If getting an auto-tuner insure you get one that has sufficient range in it to adjust some pretty high SWRs.
So maybe not the best news but, as they say, eyes-wide-open.
Congrats again! I'd be interested to see what you come up with. PreparedHam vs. the Ubiquitous HOA. Apparently more have devoted effort to that stuff as well since ARRL bothers to keep a chapter in their antenna book devoted to stealth antenna solutions.
:)
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