6m radio and antenna recommendation as a simplex repeater

[vagrant]

Club is looking to add a 6m radio to our VHF/UHF linked repeater system. The 6m radio will run simplex, so many issues avoided there. I am looking for suggestions on a 100W 6m radio that we would run at 40-50 watts. Next is the antenna which would see plenty of snow/ice in the winter. The antenna will be tower mounted and no worries on mounting, coax, linking, etc. Just looking for a solid radio and antenna, new or used, to handle low repeater traffic. I don't think I want to futz with a Kenwood TK series to get it to work on 6 meters.

We have the cash, but don't really want to throw money at the project. We are hams, so we need to feign cheap to maintain our amateur status.

 

[prcguy]

For mountain top snow and ice I would recommend a DB Products DB-201 folded ground plane. The folded monopole has wider frequency range than a simple 1/4 wave vertical element and its pretty heavy duty for ice and snow. Or a commercial coaxial dipole with folded top element like a Kreco. I have one of each somewhere in the garage.

Not a lot of 6m mono band radios out there and some of the good ones are really old by now. You might be better off with a more modern multi band HF and just park it on 6m.

 

[k9wkj]

DB-201
Maratrac

 

[kayn1n32008]

110-C2 or 110-C4 and either a Kenwood TK690H or NX-5600H

 

[sallen07]

One radio option would be an Alinco DR-06T. Dedicated 6m FM, runs about $250. But I have one I'll sell you for less, not because there is anything wrong with it but because I don't use it anymore. (I had my general for quite a while before I got an HF rig.)

 

[vagrant]

I appreciate all of the replies. They have provided me with what I need to consider this project further as well as the end goal of adding 6 meters and what it may offer over our current systems. We have some shortcomings with our current VHF/UHF duplexers we should address first. I do expect we will add six meters, but possibly at an alternate location which will not experience ice/snow. The DP Products and Kreco antenna options do look quite nice. The research I just did made me realize the drawbacks of the amateur options like Comet, Diamond, or a 6m Ringo. Those antennas work of course, but could use a design to decouple the RF.