Looking for a good mobile rig i can take to POTA and other field day type activities

[tadpole207]

Ham fam,

While I am hooking up my FTDX10 as my base station, i have a B-tech 50x3 as my main UHF/VHF rig for 2 and 70. Looking tor a rig that does HF as well as 2, 70, 6, 10 along with the regular HF stations. Had An eye opener today at field day.

Would like waterfall capability, but it's not a deal breaker. Would like to fit in a backpack.

In my jeep i have a UV778 Pro for UHF and VHF, but was pondering on getting a Icom IC-7100, or ft991a, as well as a few others that i have not nailed down yet as contenders.

Like i said, would like HF, 6, 10 as well as 2 and 70 all in one rig. Are there any other good rigs out there under $1000 that would work for field days as well as other club days and ARRL DX comps while I am mobile at a park or event? Don't want to break the bank since the i have multiple radios that will do the trick, but i don't want to travel with all of them.

Up for suggestions from those that are smarter than I, and i don't want to waste money on something that someone (not here recommends) selling as used from SCHam swap.

any other good radios i should be looking at?

thanks again in advance. If you have something for sale for me to look at, you can message me or send an email to w r p q 9 2 6 @ pro ton MAIL DOT COM. Not sure of the rules for selling things in the forum.

Then the questions comes about antenna and amps. Would prefer something i can operate at least with decent internal power from the radio before investing in amps, but i do need an antenna recommendation.

thanks. Apologies for spelling and if i lost track in my typing, its been a long day.

thans

 

[TexTAC]

The Yaesu 991A is a great all mode rig that can serve your purposes. 100W on HF and 50W on UHF/VHF. I have a 40M OCFD which can tune several bands with the internal tuner and most bands 80m and up with an external tuner. It can be deployed in the field. You’ll need a separate UHF/VHF antenna but a simple mobile antenna will get you to nearby repeaters.

 

[W9WSS]

Another vote for the Yaesu 991A. Make sure if you decide to choose this rig, you get the "A" and not the "plain" 991. I personally don't own one, but I'm on Yaesu System Fusion with a different Yarsu rig, and everyone I know who has a 991A loves it and they're glad they chose it. I'll let an actual owner of a 991A chime in and give you the details. But from what I heard, it's a very sound and stable "all-band" transceiver packed with features.

 

[AB4BF]

You might also want to consider the Icom 7100. Its a little less expensive than the 991A and it has a removable control head that could be an advantage for you. It is B&W display and has a cockamamie waterfall on it, but, it has 100 watts, good audio, V/UHF and just a little more compact than the 991A.

ICOM IC-7100

HF / VHF / UHF Mobile Multimode Transceiver - DStar - Touchscreen - DV

www.hamradio.com

 

[jaspence]

FT-991A even has a built in carrying handle.

 

[tadpole207]

what is main diff from 891 to 991a?

 

[AK9R]

what is main diff from 891 to 991a?

100. Oh, to be precise, 100A.

FT-891 is much smaller and intended for mobile installation. Doesn't have 2m or 70cm. Doesn't have Yaesu System Fusion.

FT-991 is more of a small base radio. Has 2m or 70cm. Has Yaesu System Fusion. Has a spectrum scope with waterfall.

 

[tadpole207]

I'm torn now between the 7100 and the 991a. Any last words of wisdom? I viewed videos online and can't really tel the 7100 waterfall. I can get USB, SSB and LSB fairly easily?

Will i truly use Dstar?

 

[W9WSS]

My vote due to positive comments on 991A owners is the direction I'd go. Yaesu System Fusion is awesome. So many networks worldwide, or just stay local; Your option.

 

[AK9R]

I viewed videos online and can't really tel the 7100 waterfall.

The Icom IC-7100 has no spectrum scope or waterfall display along the lines of the IC-7300 or Yaesu FT-991.

I have a friend who has owned three FT-991As. Each time he buys one, he later sells it. In his words, "The Icoms are easier to set up for digital modes and easier to change between digital modes and voice/CW. On the 991A, filters and settings have to be manually changed when you switch between modes." I've not owned an FT-991A myself...just passing along what a trusted friend has told me. This same friend does many POTA activations, but usually with QRP radios. He also has a travel trailer in which he uses an IC-7100. The RF deck is mounted in an out of the way cabinet. When he wants to operate, he just pulls out the control head and puts it on a table.

I have an IC-7100. There are three general complaints about this radio. The separate control head is a little odd to deal with if you are used to radios that consist of a box with a user interface on the front of it. And, the display, being a monochrome touchscreen LCD, is a little dated compared to more modern radios. Finally, it includes the D-STAR digital voice mode which many folks think is dead compared to DMR or System Fusion.

 

[popnokick]

He also has a travel trailer in which he uses an IC-7100. The RF deck is mounted in an out of the way cabinet. When he wants to operate, he just pulls out the control head and puts it on a table.

I have an IC-7100. There are three general complaints about this radio. The separate control head is a little odd to deal with if you are used to radios that consist of a box with a user interface on the front of it. And, the display, being a monochrome touchscreen LCD, is a little dated compared to more modern radios. Finally, it includes the D-STAR digital voice mode which many folks think is dead compared to DMR or System Fusion.

I have nearly the same setup with my IC-7100 but I run it nearly 100% as a remote radio via a computer and the Win4Icom Suite software or Ham Radio Deluxe depending on the mode (voice or data). So I seldom use the control head "soft menus". And the XYL appreciates that by putting the control head on the 7100 into a cabinet for storage I can immediately get is out of sight. Not so easy to do with a 991A or 7300. I do miss the spectrum display on the other radios. I have used D-Star with it via a Pi-Star digital hotspot since there are no D-Star repeaters in range for me. Works fine but my digital flavor of choice is DMR... more repeater options here and much less expensive to acquire than Fusion or D-Star.

 

[k7ng]

D-star good.
Long live D-star.

 

[mtindor]

You might also want to consider the Icom 7100. Its a little less expensive than the 991A and it has a removable control head that could be an advantage for you. It is B&W display and has a cockamamie waterfall on it, but, it has 100 watts, good audio, V/UHF and just a little more compact than the 991A.

ICOM IC-7100

HF / VHF / UHF Mobile Multimode Transceiver - DStar - Touchscreen - DV

www.hamradio.com

Has to be the most non-manly looking radio on earth. As good as it might be, I'd be embarrassed to show that I owned one in public lol.

 

[mass-man]

The radios you’re considering aren’t gonna be worth much on battery power! POTA/SOTA sites don’t often have power…you can sit in your car, but what fun is that! Concentrate on a mid power HF rig and maybe a 2/440 rig for the repeater/simplex stuff! If you get a decent antenna up you’ll probably be so busy on HF you’ll forget about V/U!

 

[tadpole207]

That's what i was reading, that the 991a has a contact power draw of about 9a, where as the 7100 has 2-3. I would be running a generator at POTA but would need battery power for SOTA. I liked the idea of the 991a and the 7100 because if HF is "dead" for some reason ( i know it probably won't be, just sayin in case) I would have U/V to play around on.

so 7100 has Dstar and 991a has System Fusion/DMR. What mid power HF rig would you be speaking of @mass-man? Anyone else got ideas?

I still have my FTDX10 in its box because of the antenna issue. I figured at least with a 991 or 7300 i could drive somewhere on the weekend, and set up dipoles in trees. Right now, i would have to send out a center fed to a tree and back to my apartment window, but I have yet to be able to measure the distance to see what that dipole would resonate to (I just had my 5th back surgery last month to prepare for my 6th on the 28th of July -originally injured in the service for inquiring minds- so climbing a tree and measuring is not in the cards at the moment.)

My plan was to have the FTDX10 set up before the 4th of July, hoping to find an antenna that would at least get me on 6, 10, 80, maybe a few others. If anyone has any grand ideas on what my crippled ass could set up it might change my thinking. Might keep the FTDX10 or get the 991, 7100 or something else and go play mobile where friends could help set up the dipoles for me.

Or I could send back the FTDX10 and just keep the 991a or 7100, play mobile and then hook up as HF rig inside once i can climb trees and walk around again. I know i don't really need to climb trees, more of a figure of speech to set up a dipole. I am pretty lame. 😆

PS: where do you guys update your little line of info that comes after your post? Like @mass-man you have Cleve and your call sign

 

[jwt873]

I'd get the 7100 because I'm an Icom fanboy (For mobile use I have an old IC-7000 in my Jeep).

For your signature line.... On the blue bar on top of the page, you'll see your username and icon.. Click on that.. In the drop down menu that appears, click on Signature..

 

[AK9R]

991a has System Fusion/DMR

No. Just System Fusion.

Admittedly this is a minor point...The IC-7100 can do D-STAR on HF. There are D-STAR nets on HF. I don't believe the FT-991A can do System Fusion on anything but 2m and 70cm.

As for mid-power radios, there's nothing on the market that I know of between the 100 watt Japanese/U.S. radios and the 5-10 watt Chinese and home-brew (let's call it a "cottage industry") QRP radios.

As for your antenna concerns, get an end-fed half-wave antenna, like the My Antennas EFHW-4010 or EFHW-8010, throw one end up in a tree, and start making contacts.

 

[mtindor]

As for your antenna concerns, get an end-fed half-wave antenna, like the My Antennas EFHW-4010 or EFHW-8010, throw one end up in a tree, and start making contacts.

I agree, especially with the MyAntennas stuff. I like Danny. Reminds me a lot of Youssef of Airspy fame, in that he doesn't sufffer fools lightly. Makes a great product and stands by it. Would I rather have a couple of fan dipoles, or yagis, or even something more elaborate? Sure. But I can work any band 80-10m with one of those EFHW-8010s, most bands without the built-in 3:1 tuner, all bands with it. And it sure is easier to erect. Pattern on the higher bands is obviously not optimal in any way (just like the pattern you would get on the high bands from an 80m doublet). But it's solid.

 

[mass-man]

EFHW is the way to go!!!

 

[tadpole207]

With the EFHW-8010, i see most of the baluns are mounted on a pole on the ground. Since i don't have that option, can i just mount it somewhere outside my window and then run the wire?

edit: btw you guys rock. thanks a ton for helping out this newb