2m Radio Recommendations

[LtDoc]

To start with, I'm a Kenwood fan, so keep that in mind. There's probably not 20 cents worth of difference between any of the newer radios, they all do about the same things. The biggest difference is in 'how' they do them things, sort of. I'm happy with Kenwood's programming scheme so if you ain't got Kenwood you got squat, you know?
After all that, it's a matter of what you can afford. Some radios are just more expensive than others. If one brand/model has features you want then by all means get it/ Other wise, get what you can afford.
Are there any 'secret', hiding in the woodwork radios that no one knows about? Nope, not really. It's a matter of what you find desirable and what you can't care less about.
Have fun...
- 'Doc


(And naturally, If you ain't got Kenwood, you got squat!)

 

[KR7CQ]

When did the FT-7900r start cross banding? The FT-8800 is a cross banding riig not the 7900. And I know that here in Maryland we have a 70cm repeater that I can work while driving for over 35 miles north to south... May work father.

Any UHF capable radio can be used for the UHF side when cross banding. But I see how what I said could be confusing. I am using the 7900 to transmit / receive UHF in combination with my TM-V71a base which is a cross bander. Basically instead of using an HT for cross banding, I sometimes use my mobile rig. I get a range of about 8-10 miles, allowing me to talk on VHF simplex to people all over central Arizona, from my vehicle.

As to repeater range, that's just a matter of the gain on the repeater antenna combined with it's height above surrounding terrain, and of course to some extent, the elevation of the small station, above surrounding terrain. I can work a UHF repeater on Mount Lemmon, from my mobile, and I'm in Phoenix. That's about 150 miles distance. However, the VHF repeaters on the same mountain, work noticeably better, and that's my point on VHF vs UHF. All things being equal, 2 meters has superior range. A good deal of simplex testing with friends all over central Arizona has also shown this to be true, time and time again.