On Sat, 04 Feb 2006 20:25:29 -0500, "Percival P. Cassidy"
wrote:

I like my Icom IC-706MkIIG (HF/6/2/70cm), which I occasionally use
mobile (with a set of Hamstick antennas) but mostly use at home with a
long wire and the AH-4 autotuner.

When I was living in an area with many 220MHz repeaters, I bought a
Kenwood TH-F6A HT, but now that I'm in an area without much 220MHz
activity I might pick a different one -- perhaps the Yaesu VX-7R (which
has 6M and does cover 220 as well but only with a minuscule power
output). Check a repeater directory to see what frequencies are in use
in your area.

"Perce"
(aka Alan NV8A)


I second Perce's recommendation on checking the repeater directory;
it's a safe bet that most areas have 2 meter coverage, the landscape
changes though when you look at 220 and 440. For instance, in the Los
Angeles most 440 repeaters are private (closed) systems - 220 does not
have as many repeaters but a higher percentage of them are open.
Check to see if there is a local ham club - that would be a source of
info for what bands are most active.

As to which equipment, I did use a Yaesu FT-50 and it served me well,
however it saw some extremely hard usage (in inclimate weather,
several drops, banged around in a briefcase etc) and sometimes gets a
bit flaky even after a couple trips to Yaesu service. Don't get me
wrong - I have no problems with Yaesu, just gave this handheld a
little too much rough treatment. Opted for the Kenwood TH-F6 as a
replacement due to it including 220 which I use sometimes so now I
only need one HT instead of two. Try to keep in mind that choosing
equipment is like choosing a car in that some folks like Ford and
others Chevy and you'll find the same with ham equipment. Generally
if you buy from Kenwood/Yaesu/Icom you'll get a decent product; it
comes down to which features (and band combinations) you want/need,
which one feels best in your hand and which one seems more intuitive
to operate (program). You can often find the manuals online and
checking them out might help. For mobile equipment look for
something that has a removable control head if your vehicle is cramped
for space. Dual band radios come in two basic varieties : 1) both
bands on at once and 2) one band at a time. As you might guess,
option 1 tends to cost a bit more.

So, I didn't directly answer your question but I hope I gave you some
information that helps you make a good decision. Congrats on the
license & welcome to the amateur community!

Howard


On 02/04/06 07:59 pm Richard Crowley wrote:

I just passed my Element 2 test this afternoon (and missed
Element 3 by only 3 questions even though I haven't yet looked at the
General class question pool :-)
So I will be looking for some VHF/UHF equipment (HT & mobile?) in the
next few weeks. I had looked around some websites several months ago and
concluded that there was a particular brand/model of HT that seemed to
be both widely-used and highly-regarded. But now I can't remember the
recommendation (or the websites). So IS there a "sure-thing" or
"everybody's favorite" HT
or mobile rig out there? I'm not averse to 2nd-hand if
there is some way to confirm proper/legal operation.

I have some years of experience in audio,video and general electronics,
and I know when newbies (like me) come to one of those newsgroups with
this kind of question, everyone rolls their eyes and makes
snide remarks about such a public display of ignorance
So I know I risk looking silly coming and asking this. But hey, they say
there are no stupid questions except the ones you didn't ask. :-)
If it makes any difference I am in the Portland, OR
metro area. Assuming I will find out sooner or later
what the local scene is like.