Hams - need radio advice

[Trooper Lefty]

Background - I've got my Technician's license and am planning on upgrading to General in the next month or so. I want to get a radio for my truck primarily for emergencies. the two radios I'm looking at are Yaesu FT8800 and Yaesu FT8900

Thye fit the budget I can justify to the wife and I like the repeater function - I plan on getting a handheld like the Yeasu VX-7R and could use it with the radio in the truck to extend my range.

I'd like the board's advice on the radios, or other models I may be overlooking. Due to my work schedule, I've not been able to tie into a local ham group yet, so I'm operating in a bit of a vacuum. Any advice on antennas would be most welcome as well.

Thanks.

[randy]

TL, where, in general are you located? You linked to R&L which is my local [strike]pusher[/strike] candy store. If you're that general area, maybe we can get together, or I can steer to someone local that can Elmer you.

The 8900 is the first one I've seen with 10meter capability (other than the DC to Daylight rigs for a LOT more money). 10 meters can be awesome, if and when the damned bands ever open up again!

The biggest issue is going to be antennas, as I know of no 10m/6m/2m/440 mobile antenna out there other than HF oriented things like the ATASsystem which will cost almost as much as your radio. Other wise you are probably looking at multiple antennas and an antenna switch or a combination of duplexers and triplexers. IOW a kludge.

As for the 8800, each of the major manufactures offer something similar in feature set, and sometimes discussing them is like discussing GM vs Ford vs Dodge.

The only other dual band mobiles in that price range I'm aware of are the Kenwood TM-V71A and the Alinco DR-635T.

ICOM's rigs with cross band dual VFO capability are vastly overpriced (IMHO) right now because they are pushing D-STAR and adding that capability pushes up the costs, so they've basically abandoned the entry level dual band mobile market for now.

The Kenwood TM-D710 is a great radio and I'd buy one if I had to replace my TM-D700, but unless you are interested in APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System), you're spending money on a capability you may not want or need.

If you go with a straight 2m/440 dual band, I like, use and highly recommend Comet and Diamond antennas. I use a Comet Z-750 for daily use and an SBB-7 for cross country or events where I'm not worried about getting in and out of my garage.

The "repeater" function you mention is actually Cross Band Repeat. Your HT will be set on a 440 frequency and the mobile will move that back and forth from your HT to a 2 meter frequency (repeater or simplex). I use it all the time in public service events and in disaster support (drills only up to this point, fortunately). I will not have a radio in any of my vehicles as the primary unless it has this capability.

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask any questions

73

[Trooper Lefty]

Thanks, Randy; this does help. I hope you don't mind more questions.

I'm in Northwest Indiana, out in the country around Valparaiso. There seem to be several clubs in the area, but I spend about 4 hours a day commuting and that really cuts into free time. My wife works with a ham, but I've not been able to hook up with him yet.

Based on your advice, it sounds like I should forget about 10m and 6m for the truck and just rig antennas for those at home. I was thinking of multiple antennas for the truck, but it sounds like that would be more trouble than it's worth.

If I go with just a 2m/440 setup, what kind of range could I expect? I'd like to get involved with ARES and possibly RACES; would just a 2m/440 work for that, or should I get an antenna for 6m as well.

Thanks again, Randy; it was partly your posts here and at the old place that prompted me to get my license in the first place.

[randy]

I'm in Northwest Indiana, out in the country around Valparaiso. There seem to be several clubs in the area, but I spend about 4 hours a day commuting and that really cuts into free time. My wife works with a ham, but I've not been able to hook up with him yet.

Sorry, a bit out of my range. However, once you get on the air and start sampling the local repeaters, you should be able to get hooked up with someone. And of course that 4 hours commute time could be great radio time.

Based on your advice, it sounds like I should forget about 10m and 6m for the truck and just rig antennas for those at home. I was thinking of multiple antennas for the truck, but it sounds like that would be more trouble than it's worth.

I don't want to discourage you from something you want to do, but I'd also hate to have you get frustrated by putting a lot of work and money into getting everything configured and then not being able to talk to anyone due to current band conditions. You could always get the 8900 and just set up the 2m/440 antenna for now, and worry about the rest when conditions open up.

Once bands open up, then setting up the other antennas might make sense. You could build up a lot of QSOs on 10m when it opens up during that commute time..

I haven't talked a lot about 6m as I don't have any equipment for it and haven't worked it much. I know some folks love it, and when the band opens up (which in your area, you should see some good ducting over the Great Lakes, especially in the summer) it earns its name as "the magic band". Otherwise it's another local VHF frequency.

If I go with just a 2m/440 setup, what kind of range could I expect?

Depending on terrain, 5+ miles easily on Simplex while mobile. On repeaters, depends on the profile of the repeater. The one I monitor locally is the ARES District wide area system and I can talk to folks out to 20-30+ miles. Once we get some antenna and receive site issues resolved, that will go back to 60+ miles

Using my base antennas I'm able to hit repeaters in Cincinnati and Kentucky easily from my location just South of Dayton. And have worked simplex over 50 miles away (50 watt mobile, FM, using a beam). Aluminum in the air beats RF power at the back of the radio every time.

I'd like to get involved with ARES and possibly RACES; would just a 2m/440 work for that, or should I get an antenna for 6m as well.

That should be perfectly fine. 99% of all local ARES/RACES/Public Service Event activity, around here anyway, is 2m/440. I personally only see HF activity during Field Day and when testing during the annual Simulated Emergency Test (SET). Not enough people have 6m equipment, and it's propagation is somewhat unpredictable (acts VHF one day, like HF the next), so that, again around here, it's not really used in this type of activity. (which is a main reason I haven't worried about getting 6m equipment)

Thanks again, Randy; it was partly your posts here and at the old place that prompted me to get my license in the first place.

Glad to help! Let me know if you have any more questions.

73