I am looking for a good portable radio, would like to be able to do VHF and UHF (or just list 2 radios that 1 can do uhf, 1 vhf), full display with the ablility to put text for the name of the frequency, be able to store 100+ frequencies plus be able to program the frequencies on the fly, etc...

not everything is necessary, but would like something close.


Conundrum

kenwood thd700a, but its like $800

For the VHF and UHF ham bands I would recommend the Icom 2720H. That gives you 2M and 70 CM. That's running $370.00 from AES right now. If simultaneous receive isn't important to you then the Icom 208H is also a good radio. That's $300.00 from AES. Of course the ultimate multi-band operating in that frequency range and the radio I've been lusting after for quite some time is the Yaesu FT-8900R. That offers 10, 6, and 2 M + 70 cm, cross band repeat, 800 memories, etc, etc, etc. Having quad band operation is just cool. Too bad that the 10M band is only open to generals and above. The 8900R is running for $420.00 from AES right now.

EDIT: Added current cost of the 8900R.

Posted by NZero kenwood thd700a, but its like $800

Blah. Don't waste your money on something a 100 dollar TNC and a 300 dollar radio can do - BETTER - than having them all in one.

-M

I just like the embedded APRS features, thats pretty much all that I see that does make it better than a good TNC tied with a dual bander.

Posted by NZero I just like the embedded APRS features, thats pretty much all that I see that does make it better than a good TNC tied with a dual bander.

are there any radios that are JUST for APRS? because if there was it would probably be better just to get a VHF radio and a UHF radio, and then later on get a radio just for APRS.

All you'd need is a 1 channel piece of crap mobile. You could then get a compact TNC that would fit in no space at all, wire it to your GPS and you'd be set.

-Mike

That is what I plan to do eventually. Find a 1 channel piece of crap mobile, program it to be eternally on 144.39, then wire it to a TinyTrak-3 ($30 dollar APRS-only TNC, really cool, check it out) and a Garmin GPS-16 or similar gps receiver.

TinyTrak-3 for those interested: http://www.byonics.com/tinytrak/ Much better to use one of these and a cheapo radio if you're planning to build a dedicated APRS system, than to waste a good mobile radio and full-featured (and expensive) TNC. Don't waste a handheld GPS either, instead get an earthmate or GPS-16 or similar receiver-only device.

I'm getting an FT-8900 mobile pretty soon but that is probably more radio than you want. The 8800 is dual band only but costs only about $50 less than the 8900... there are some good, older radios out there (and check ebay too) and you may be able to swing a good full power dual bander for around a hundred bucks.

The only thing that would make the 8900 better would be if it had SSB and AM as well as FM. But, I guess you can never have everything. Eventually I may get an FT-857 and get all the HF bands plus 2m/440 all in my truck.

Posted by Conundrum are there any radios that are JUST for APRS? because if there was it would probably be better just to get a VHF radio and a UHF radio, and then later on get a radio just for APRS.

Just remembered this: http://www.byonics.com/pockettracker/ This is a radio + APRS TNC in one package, all you need is to plug in a GPS. The transmitter is pretty low power, but you typically don't need much for APRS. This is nother option if you want a dedicated APRS system. And it's cheap too - only $90 in the USA. You have to build a kit though.

You should be aware in Canada in order to legally use a radio that you built in a kit form, you must have an Advanced radio license. Not sure about the USA though.

-M

In the USA, you can run any radio you built as long as it complies with rules corresponding to your current amateur radio license.

Posted by Kenshin In the USA, you can run any radio you built as long as it complies with rules corresponding to your current amateur radio license.

True... in the USA you can build and/or modify any radio to work in the ham bands so long as it is within your privileges and it performs according to sound engineering practices. But in Canada, I imagine you could probably get an Advanced friend to build the kit for you, then "buy" the completed radio from him.

Strangely, although it is legal to build or modify any radio to work in the ham bands, it is not legal to take a ham radio and modify it to work in other bands unless you are a certified technician and can type certify it for the band you want to operate it on. Thus, tweaking an FRS radio to work the 440 band is perfectly legal, but tweaking a 440 MHz ham radio to work FRS is not.

There are also limits on the number of high power RF amplifiers that you are allowed to build per year, but I think the point of this is to make sure that you don't end up making a profit off them. Or something.

Well, all that might be true in the USA, but here in Canada...if you're going to even USE a radio that has been modified (includes using a commercial radio) to work in the hamband - or was built as a kit - even if not made by you - you still need an advanced license.

So if someone with a basic license were to buy a transmitter that an advanced operator built, he/she wouldn't be legally able to use it until they got their advanced license.

That said...who's going to give you shit...

-Mike

Especially if the built radio already complies with regs for that particular band and there's no spurious emissions or harmonic interference coming out of, I can't think of a way for that to be detected. I would imagine they would have to physically look at your radio to determine if it has been built or modified.

Have you considered a Yaesu VX-7R? The fact that its waterproof makes it very attractive for an explorer in my book. Nice to have some equipment that you dont have to worry about too much.