Ham & 2meter

[WadePatton]

rigs

I've had good luck with the Icom mobiles and also Yaesu. Kenwoods are okay too. The Alinco's sometimes need audio adjustment.



Handie-Talkies (HT's): The VX-5(r) is a sweet outfit. I really like mine. The Icom T2-H is junk. They tend to have bad audio and it's heck spending 50-100 bucks fixing a 100-dollar rig.



I had mine (T2H)fixed by a repeater guru and it now sound good, but I don't care for the radio controls. A friend had his fixed by Icom and it still sucks--as do a couple more in my area.



You can probably find a used Icom 2000 (mobile) for $75 or so. And I'd jump on it.



W1ADE

 

[watt]

Thanks Gifford and Wade great advice on where to start hope to be on the air soon Bob

 

[KD7GYJ]

I just got a flier that has the FT2600M 2meter 60W transceiver for $109. 95 new, in the box. They have a dual bander for $248. 95. Good prices right now for new people buying radios. VX-5R is only $204. 95 in the silver mode. $20. 00 more for the black one. Good price!



You can buy your radio now, you just can't transmit until you have your call letters. This usually takes 2-5 days after you take the test. Then your free to transmit. So, take advantage of the great prices.



Blair

 

[wcjp]

What business has the equipment on sale?

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Here's a shot of what Santa brought me - the smaller box with the green lighted face top-left - Icom 706MKIIG - 100 watts HF and 6 meters, somewhere around 20 watts or so 2 and 440 - works all modes, and is the backup for the same rig already in my Dodge - this one will be used primarily for use in our RV with one of several different antenna/tuner combinations...



#ad




Hope you ALL have as good a Holiday season as we're having here!

 

[KD7GYJ]

check out www.aesham.com They have the systems on sale until the end of the month

 

[WadePatton]

cheap gear

For used gear first--find a ham club and meet some folks. Many old hams like me have too much junk --er good, but old or unused equipment collecting dust. And we'll sell it cheap--especially to help someone get on the air. Right after I got on the air I met a lot of folks who kept GIVING me stuff.



On the web, check out QTH.com, QRZ.com, eHam.com, and of course Ebay.



I'll tell you what I think about equipment, but I can't evaluate the sellers.



Are you on the air yet?

 

[Greg W]

CQ from N7BHX in Salt Lake City, Ut

Hi guys,



I have been a ham radio operator for 25 years and I primarily operate on 70 cm and 2 meters. I always have my dual band rig in the truck even if it is not always on. They are handy in emergencies and in areas where there is no cell phone coverage. My wife just got her ham radio ticket a couple months ago. I have a 95 CTD 1 ton dually (with 250k miles) and she has a 97 CTD 1 ton dually (with 20k miles) and both are equipped with amateur radios. It is sure sweet to be driving through Yellowstone Park and talk through a link system all the way to SLC via ham radio. Ham radio is just as addicting as bombing my CTD's

Good Luck and enjoy amateur radio!



Greg

N7BHX

 

[WadePatton]

two comments

Originally posted by Greg W

Hi guys,

They are handy in emergencies and in areas where there is no cell phone coverage.

We had a little snow storm cripple Nashville a couple of weeks ago. It hit about 9am and every roadway quickly became a parking lot. It took my girlfriend, who is also a ham, 4 hours to do her usual 40-minute drive. I bring this up because she has a cell phone and it was useless. She helped a stranded motorist who also had a useless cell phone.

They and many other cell phone users found out that day that when the lines are jammed--HAMS GET OUT! We were making calls for lots of folks--even called the dispatcher for a truck driving ham.

Originally posted by Greg W

It is sure sweet to be driving through Yellowstone Park and talk through a link system all the way to SLC via ham radio. Ham radio is just as addicting as bombing my CTD's

Good Luck and enjoy amateur radio!

N7BHX

A local ham guru has his repeater system linkable to the internet (IRLP). When he went to Las Vegas last year, he linked that node to his and talked back into the Nashville system on his HT.



and Hello Greg



de W1ADE

 

[wcjp]

I just received some paperwork from the FCC. I looked up my call sign on the aarl website. My call sign is KD7UBB. I don't have a rig yet. If I don't pick one up soon there's a swapmeet locally coming soon.



When you say dual bander, does this monitor two bands at one time? Thanks.

 

[crebelein]

i'd really like to get into a nice, compact, 2m mobile unit... any suggestions? i'm pretty new to this so i have no idea what i'm looking for other than just hearing about the big 3 (icom, kenwood, yeasu).

 

[WadePatton]

Originally posted by wcjp



When you say dual bander, does this monitor two

bands at one time? Thanks.

Congrats on the call!



Now then, dual-band radios don't always have dual receive. With dual receive you can listen to two freqs at once. More radios don't have that capability than do and the ones that do cost a bit more. I have a Yaesu FT-8100 that does--but they don't make those anymore. I have a VX-5R that doesn't.



It's not a big deal, and NOT having it will help keep you from keying up on the wrong freq. BTDT many times.



Get an experienced ham to help you pick out used stuff. They should know who not to buy from and how much to pay.



Personally I've had good luck with Icom mobiles and the Yaesu is my first dual-band mobile. It had to be repaired once. A local ham fixed it for me as it was out of warranty.



The 8900 is the next evolution of the 8100 but you'll find 6 and 10 FM pretty dead in most areas. But then I like the Yaesu and might buy an 8900 if I had to replace my 8100 tomorrow and couldn't find a good 8100 to go in its place. With one caveat. I'd wait until the second or third generation 8900, they're a little to new right now.



But I would recommend a simple 2m rig if money is any sort of issue. Late model used gear shouldn't be over $100.



and DON'T buy an Icom T2H-sport handie talkie. The have suckie xmit audio.



73, W1ADE

 

[WadePatton]

CQ CQ CQ taking ham check-ins.

Or KD7UBB de W1ADE



Did you ever get set up? Met any hams? Only 10 lookups on your call at QRZ.



I married a ham--K4MZP. Her mom-KF4GKN, step-dad-NY4T, and brother-in-law_KF4RIQ are hams too. The preacher for our wedding was Fred-N4SSD. The local electrical/plumbing supply house is run by Jerry-N4LZY. The principal of our girls school-to-be is Freddie-KC4GUG.



Our County is home to the highest point in Mid-TN, so we have lots of repeaters to choose from and only need a fraction of a watt to operate them.



Cell phones are a waste of time in 70% of this county.



This is a good thread, wanted to revive it.

 

[DFriedson]

Wow, lots of Hams here. I have a Kenwood V7A (dual band 2m 70cm, dual receive) in my mobile. de KC5LNU

 

[WadePatton]

MOF, I was talking to two other CTD owners on the 2m the other night. One in KY and the other down in Nastyville.



N4HWL is another TDR guy in this area.