Which Baofeng?

[Foxhound67]

I was the other way around, studied my ass off for Technician and somehow got a 27, then a 32 on General. I think the tech was because I got tons of digital questions which is my weak area.

Tons of activity on the 2m band here, large linked repeater system here. My handheld was talking to Idaho yesterday clear as day.

 

[Zorba]

I was the other way around, studied my ass off for Technician and somehow got a 27, then a 32 on General. I think the tech was because I got tons of digital questions which is my weak area.

Tons of activity on the 2m band here, large linked repeater system here. My handheld was talking to Idaho yesterday clear as day.

We have lots of repeaters here, not much traffic.

 

[Foxhound67]

I'd like to get an 891 or something to start working 10/20/40/80/160 meter bands but like you said, minimum is gonna be like a grand to get going

 

[Harold&Cat]

I've passed mine a couple of weeks ago: Aced tech because I studied, passed General by the skin of my teeth and a lot of luck because the VE wanted us to try. Anyway, there is almost zero VHF/UHF activity around here - how is it in Utah? There's more CB traffic than ham, and CB is pretty dead too! I'd like to try HF, but its so damn expensive.

Passed my Tech and General a couple weeks ago, picked up a Yaesu FT-5DR, but I'm using Ham for more than just trail comms so a $350 handheld probably isn't for everyone

HF radio is great . I run an old Icom ic-735 at home and an Icom ic-706 in the Jeep. I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I do . No matter where you're at in the boonies you can always string up a wire and make contact on one of the HF bands . I use 2 meter occasionally , but most folks trail riding don't have 2 meter they have GMRS . GMRS license is inexpensive and easy to obtain .You can communicate with GMRS with the FRS portables also .

Yep , $350 is a lot for a portable . I use the $25 Baofeng portables . If one gets lost or dropped in the muddy water it's no big loss . Now the dual band mobile in the Jeep is a Kenwood tm-v71a , it was around $400 several years ago . I'm looking into a Retevis ma1 for my truck , which looks to be a clone of the discontinued Kenwood tm-v71a. The Retevis ma1 is currently on eBay for $250 with the discounts .

 

[Zorba]

HF radio is great . I run an old Icom ic-735 at home and an Icom ic-706 in the Jeep. I didn't think I would enjoy it as much as I do . No matter where you're at in the boonies you can always string up a wire and make contact on one of the HF bands . I use 2 meter occasionally , but most folks trail riding don't have 2 meter they have GMRS . GMRS license is inexpensive and easy to obtain .You can communicate with GMRS with the FRS portables also .

Yep , $350 is a lot for a portable . I use the $25 Baofeng portables . If one gets lost or dropped in the muddy water it's no big loss . Now the dual band mobile in the Jeep is a Kenwood tm-v71a , it was around $400 several years ago . I'm looking into a Retevis ma1 for my truck , which looks to be a clone of the discontinued Kenwood tm-v71a. The Retevis ma1 is currently on eBay for $250 with the discounts .

I typed "a couple of weeks ago", it was actually a couple or three years ago... (!!)

I have a Retevis dual bander in my Jeep - it seems to work well enough.

 

[Harold&Cat]

I'd like to get an 891 or something to start working 10/20/40/80/160 meter bands but like you said, minimum is gonna be like a grand to get going

The ft-891 is a great radio . That would have been what I put in the Jeep if I hadn't have run across a good used Icom 706 .

 

[Harold&Cat]

I visit with friends almost every morning on 80 meters . While traveling in the motorhome , we use 40 meters running down the road .

 

[Foxhound67]

Just gotta decide between HF or 2/70 for in the Jeep, Yaesu FT-510DRASP is a good looking radio, or an 891. Always cruising the classifieds too in case something pops up

 

[Harold&Cat]

Just gotta decide between HF or 2/70 for in the Jeep, Yaesu FT-510DRASP is a good looking radio, or an 891. Always cruising the classifieds too in case something pops up

The 2/70 is more practical for the Jeep due to the limitations of the antenna . You can get an all mode radio that does vhf/uhf/HF . I don't have the HF radio set up for use while driving except for CB frequencies . I mostly have it for stationary use , but I do have a Wolf River Coil and 102" antenna that works pretty good from 10 meters through 80 meters while mobile . The Kenwood tm-v71a is what I use in the Jeep for 2 meter and GMRS , so this what is used most of the time .

HF works excellent while mobile in the coach with a dipole antenna running across the trailer and attached to the back of the Jeep . The Wolf River Coil on the coach can also be used with a vertical antenna while stationary. I have a collapsible 17ft whip for it . I ran the Wolf River Coil on my truck with the 102" whip and had pretty good success on 80 meters and 40 meters . Didn't really work the other bands with it . I put the HF radio in the truck to talk to friends in Arkansas while driving to and from work in the mornings .

The coach has an Icom ic-735 , a Yaesu ft-8800 and an old Radio Shack CB . We have a Tram dual band antenna and a cellular mimo antenna on the roof for our Cradle point modem/router .

 

[Harold&Cat]

This is my antenna setup on the Jeep . I have a Larson 2/70 on the driver's side windshield mount . The CB antenna is a 2ft Firestik top loaded antenna mounted on the spare tire carrier .. I remove the CB antenna and connect the coil and HF wire or vertical to use stationary .

The two cellular antennas on the hood were for cellphone boosters , but now we use them for our Cradle point modem/router for Wi-Fi . It will keep a signal long after the cellphones loose connection with a tower .