6m Rig Recommendations?

[davidbond21]

Hi all. I've been wanting to get a 6 meter rig now for a while, but would like to try to keep my expenses down if I can. After I got my tech I bought a Yaesu FT-7800R, and for the price it's been a great radio. Looking around though on the internet for single band 6m radio though, I haven't found much, and saw that many of the rigs that do have 6m are in multiband ones, and I don't really want to pay the extra cost of duplicating the 2m/70cm that my Yaesu does.

I'm guessing that there were probably quite a few decent 6m rigs produced back in the day, but they're no longer made and to find one I'll have to look on the used market. And I'm just wondering what models I should look into, preferably ones that allow SSB as well, but I'm not too picky. I'd just like to get on the air.

David

 

[AK9R]

The guys I know who have Yaesu FT-8900 mobiles like them. Yes, it would duplicate the 2m/70cm capabilities in your FT-7800. Maybe you could sell the 7800 and buy an 8900.

Alinco has the DR-06T which is a single-band 6m radio with FM only.

You might able to find an Icom IC-571 or IC-575 on the use market. They were single-band 6m base, not mobile, radios with FM and SSB. There was an "A" version that was low power and an "H" version that was high power.

Are you going to use the radio base or mobile? My experience with 6m mobile antennas has been mixed. The best one was a full quarter-wave whip on a mount attached to the side rail of a pick-up truck I owned. Talked from Indiana to New Jersey on 6m FM with 50 watts and that antenna.

 

[SCPD]

You have found exactly the reason I didn't buy the Yaesu radio. I was looking at that one as well, until I realized it was only FM on 6 meters. As you probably found out .. this is a very very big issue as it makes the radio very much a downer with no SSB capabilities.

If I would be you .. I would definitely get a radio with 6 meter SSB capabilities.

 

[hokiewheeler]

Kenwood used to make the ts 60 which was a 6M all mode mobile sized radio. I don't have any experience with it. I have an Azden 6 meter rig which has worked fine but it's tricky to program and is FM only. I also have an Icom 706 which has been great. It's a sturdy well built radio and I'd buy another one.