Don't know too much about the FT-857 but don't get the Yaesu FT-897D.
Its AM tuning options are limited.

The only new portable going with good AM reception is the Icom
IC-7000. It has 3 variable bandwidths for AM and DSP noise reduction,
noise blanker, two notch filters - everything you need for portable
use. It is not cheap - $1500.

Otherwise any of the tabletop sets that run on 12 volts are useable
like the R-75. Drawback to a tabletop - they are large and not easily
secured to the vehicle. Check eham.net reviews to see which noise
blankers and noise reduction sytems are most effective. You will find
eham has many reviews of receivers as well as ham equipment.

Jim

On Fri, 03 Feb 2006 08:44:07 -0700, Eric F. Richards
wrote:

Greetings...

Hate to be all on-topic and such here, given how this newsgroup
usually goes, but, whattheheck...

I've decided that I want shortwave in my car. Last time I looked -- a
few months ago -- there weren't any adequate in-dash receivers
currently made, but I'm willing to do the messy-cable approach and
have an external radio available.

Now, the question: Would a tabletop or a portable be more effective?
The car has a multiband (HF/V/UHF) HAM antenna on it (no HF rig in the
car -- long story!) so I have an antenna that is nominally possible to
use with a tabletop, and it is outside, far from the electronic noise
of the engine and computers.

OTOH, at first blush a portable would seem obvious for this
application, except that it is inside the metal car body, along with
the electronic noise from the computers.

Any (intelligent, relevent) thoughts?

Thanks!