Radio / Band Advice for a newbie

Which Radio Is Your Choice?

  • Yaesu FTM-400D

    Votes: 2 20.0%
  • Icom ID-5100

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Icom - IC7000

    Votes: 1 10.0%
  • Icom - IC7100

    Votes: 2 20.0%
  • Yaesu FT-857 D

    Votes: 2 20.0%
  • Other

    Votes: 3 30.0%

  • Total voters
    10
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Ct_Pirate

Just revived the need for communication equipment
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Hi Guys,

I'm looking to get back in to the hobby after 35 years and its still foggy but, I'm looking for recommendations for a rig that I can have a detachable head, large font characters (bad eyesight coming on) on the small to medium size antenna and 50-100 watt. Ultimately I want to use it for SHTF and some dxing I don't want to have to rely on repeaters just in a SHTF scenario. It will be mounted in a jeep wrangler so I wanna keep it as small as possible. I do have access to a Yaesu 857D but not sure the antenna will be good for the application.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance all
 

ladn

Explorer of the Frequency Spectrum
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Southern California and sometimes Owens Valley
Look at the Icom 2730A. I have one. The LED display is relatively large and has good contrast against a white background. The control panel is this and is relatively easy to mount, with or without the Icom counting plate. I mounted mine using high quality double stick foam tape.

The radio has good sensitivity/selectivity. It has full VHF high band and full UHF receive coverage,plus VHF aero band. No 800 or UHF air RX coverage.

A couple of things I don't like about it: the microphone uses a hook hanger rather than the standard knob found on most microphones; in programming, the power settings are global rather than on an individual channel basis; the radio also does not come with any mounting brackets at all. I used hardware store "L" brackets to mount the radio box in my vehicle. It does come with the head separation cable included. Not deal breakers but definitely annoying for me.

The radio programs fine with the RT Systems software and cable.
 

popnokick

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Northeast PA
He wasn't completely clear, but I think the OP is looking for an all-band, multimode radio. Two reasons: the OP wrote "I do have access to a Yaesu 857D...", and also "dxing". The 857D is an HF radio, and "dxing" is (usually) an HF-related term. So an Icom 2370A is not going to cut it. More appropriate would be an Icom 7100, which includes not only VHF/UHF and detachable head, but is also an HF radio with SSB.
 

Murphy625

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Joined
Feb 11, 2017
Messages
186
The 857D is the radio. In fact, with the exception of the small display, its the only radio that fits the requirements.

Maybe the small display could be fixed by using a tablet and the CAT interface??
 

k9wkj

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Feb 18, 2015
Messages
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Location
where they make the cheese
the IC-7100 is a detached face mobile 160M-70Cm all mode +Dstar with a pretty big touch screen
and its on sale for right about $800
1 antenna ? im not sure if 1 will do
 

popnokick

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Northeast PA
A 102” CB whip & tuner will do HF but is not gonna work VHF / UHF. An Icom AH-4 tuner will go up to 6M... but no joy on 2M and higher. Two antennas are needed.
 

Ct_Pirate

Just revived the need for communication equipment
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Orange, Ct
Good deal guys now the real research starts, yeah I need smaller antenna for everyday driving and garages but I'll do a mount for the HF antenna and obviously only put it on when needed.
 

Ct_Pirate

Just revived the need for communication equipment
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Orange, Ct
I forgot to add the Icom IC2730A to the poll
 

Ct_Pirate

Just revived the need for communication equipment
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WOW I didn't know this was a CB thread hahahaha! I have a special steel telescope if you feel the need to look at birds lol
 

jwt873

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Woodlands, Manitoba
Reading your post again, I just noticed that you have a Wrangler...

I have a JK Wrangler and an IC-7000. The radio's faceplate is held by a cupholder mount plugged into the center console. The radio body is under the passenger seat.

The display hard to see down on the console when driving, so I adapted it to the Jeep's factory 430 Radio. The IC-7000 has video output. I plugged that into the radio's backup camera port using a special adapter. It allows me to see the display on the radio while I'm driving.
 

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Ct_Pirate

Just revived the need for communication equipment
Premium Subscriber
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Orange, Ct
Now that's a cool idea!!! I did the 10" Seicane Android stereo monitor so I'm SURE it will plug right in to it. Thanks for the heads up, very cool.
 

k9wkj

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Feb 18, 2015
Messages
426
Location
where they make the cheese
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

it popped into my head when you said you had a Android dash

at first i wondered how to control it as most times its done over a network
but it does say you can bluetooth or USB serial connect

its sad they dont make the IC-7000 anymore as the control head form factor is better
but the IC-7100 took its place

you loose the video out port but gain a touch screen,Dstar,and AM
yeah the 7000 doesn't have AM!
 

popnokick

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The IC-7000 also did not have a USB jack for connection to a computer, or a built-in sound card modem to handle digital modes supported by FLDIGI such as PSK, MFSK, Olivia, etc. Nor any built-in support for the FT8 and other modes with WSJT-X. The IC-7100 has the USB port and and internal modem for digital modes.
 
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