mobile rig w/ wide receive capability

[davecason]

Hi,

I've trolled the web quite a lot and also dug around in the forums ...... and had no luck, thought I'd ask the experts out there.
Does anyone make a average mobile rig out there that will fit in most cars that has the same capability's (wide band) receiver like an HT has?

I think a good example is Icom's IC-80AD vs ID-880H (export models) so far that I've found.

IC-80AD = RX = 0.495 to 999.990 Mhz

ID-880H = RX = 118–173.995 then 230–549.995 then 810–999.990 MHz

Can I get a mobile rig that has the same wide band receive spec's that their HT has?
I can't find one!

Cheers'
Dave

 

[McCroskey]

There's not a current mobile rig (that I'm aware of) that offers RX capabilities below 100 MHz and above 470 MHz.

If you just care about 100 MHz and up, however, there are several options.

 

[aaron315]

Yaesu FT-857D
Icom IC-7000 or IC-7100
Older - Icom 706Mkiig - lots for sale in different places.

 

[davecason]

True ...... but any that arn't HF rigs?

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the suggestions, I was thinking of rigs that aren't necessarily HF but the 857 is sweet!
Ever seen anything in VHF/UHF with or with out DSTAR that's gonna have that sort of range?

It's nice to know I'm not finding them because they're not there, so it's not just me. (grin)
I dunno why they make HT with 0.495 to 999.990 Mhz but nothing in a regular radio. I'm a new ham so maybe someone out there knows .....

I have seen some posts about Ham rigs with a scanner level of RX in them. I would have thought there
would be pretty good demand for something like that.

I'll keep digging - thanks!

Cheers'
Dave

 

[aaron315]

Ever seen anything in VHF/UHF with or with out DSTAR that's gonna have that sort of range?

No

I dunno why they make HT with 0.495 to 999.990 Mhz but nothing in a regular radio. I'm a new ham so maybe someone out there knows .....

I've never quite understood the point of the HT coverage other than fluff for the specifications on the flyer. The HT coverage does not include SSB in the HF area, making it useless for anything but some broadcast stuff and the FM sub-band of ten meters. I suppose the occasional AM signal on the ham bands....

Best of luck in your hunt.

 

[KB8KOJ]

No



I've never quite understood the point of the HT coverage other than fluff for the specifications on the flyer. The HT coverage does not include SSB in the HF area, making it useless for anything but some broadcast stuff and the FM sub-band of ten meters. I suppose the occasional AM signal on the ham bands....

Best of luck in your hunt.

The Kenwood TH-F6a does do SSB. But yeah it's pretty much worthless. I've thrown some wire across a hotel room and decoded some digital modes when traveling. The portable Sony SW receiver works much, much better for that!

 

[robertmac]

The 857D has a lot of frequency gaps both in the VHF and UHF. The old FT-100D had a much wider RX. There really is no need for HF in a radio that is designed for VHF/UHF. Some cheap Chinese radios do include the FM radio broadcast band but not sure why as won't have the sound of a auto radio. I believe the Yaesu mobile FTM-10R does have the FM radio broadcast frequencies. My interest is more in the Air band and up which a large number of mobile radios include. Most have the old cellular frequencies excluded or the 900-930 MHz range. Some have 220 RX others do not. I am not aware of any comparison charts. But one way that I do find out a little more on frequency coverage is go into NTF Communications and pick up the brochures of the available mobile radios. What won't be included at NTF would be Kenwood but as there are only a couple of Kenwoods available it is not too hard to look at the specs on the internet for these. Another site I use is: Universal Radio shortwave, amateur, scanner and CB radio since 1942 as they have specs. listed for current radios and discontinued models. I note with the Kenwoods, that the RX frequencies vary from their A band to B band. Yaesu 8900 varies as well as one band will be wide RX while the other excludes AM and over 474 mHz. The ICOM 2820 probably covers most AM, 144, 220, 440, 800-999 but not 770 [but again varies from one side to the other]. Certainly with 770 and up, ham radios are not trunk enabled so are poor at those frequencies as most operate by trunking. And most are P25 as well. And a lot of VHF and UHF in your region are going TRBO or NXDN which, again, not scanner nor amateur radio decodes. OOPS, forgot to mention the 8900 does go into the 28 MHz band but I believe it is FM only. But that might give you the use of some repeaters in that band that are located throughout North America but would need to have good propagation unless you are near those repeaters.

 

[rfradioconsult]

The Yaesu FTM 350AR has wide band receive covers most anything up to 1000 MHz with some minor gaps. Really nice radio, has a remount mount head, lots of memory, no longer in production.

 

[NWI_Scanner_Guy]

There's not a current mobile rig (that I'm aware of) that offers RX capabilities below 100 MHz and above 470 MHz.

If you just care about 100 MHz and up, however, there are several options.

The Yaesu FT-7900R provides receiver coverage from 108 to 520 MHz, and 700 to 999.99 MHz. A great radio that i'm using as a base radio. Going to get another soon for my car.

 

[WB4CS]

Kenwood TM-V71A

TX: 144-148, 430-450
RX: 118 - 1300 MHz (Cellular blocked, of course.)

I have one and it's a good radio, but it's prone to picking up a good bit of intermod. Any radio with a wide receiver is going to be more prone to intermod than one with a narrow receiver.

 

[vagrant]

Like the Yaesu 7900 posted above, the FT-7800R I own covers the same spread, and you may find it for a little less. I picked one up last year for $125 used and use it mobile. I picked up some CAT6 cables from Monoprice and remotely mounted the head. Of course the radio will tune wide band, but it is connected to a VHF/UHF antenna as I TX with it. There is software out there to program it as well, just pick up a cable.

I have TH-F6A and it is terrible for HF RX versus my Yaesu VR-500, but that is moving to HT size.

 

[N8IAA]

I have seen some posts about Ham rigs with a scanner level of RX in them. I would have thought there
would be pretty good demand for something like that. Dave

What exactly are you looking for in a ham radio with wide receive? I owned an 880H and sold it. Have an 80AD and it has great out of band receive. Also own an Alinco DJ-X11. It blows the socks off of the 80AD. Not too many radios made with that kind of receive.

Non ham would be the IC-1500/2500. The 2500 has add on modules for P-25 and D-Star.

I've been looking for years for the same thing. I don't ever think that it will happen.
Larry

 

[davecason]

WOW ! See ..... when you wanna know - you ask the experts. (grin) Thanks Guys !

robertmac - The 857? yep, that's true, but it is a nice looking radio. Yes, I'm gonna head over to NTF and see what Ray can suggest! The cellular blocking I can get, but I don't know why they won't put it in other than marketing 101 see my Icom example.

rfradioconsult - yep, it is but I've looked around a bit and can't find one ..... the rem head is nice too.

Nwiscan-guys - the 7900? - that's prob what I'm going to wind up getting from Ray but I would like the rem head, so maybe the 8800R or if I can find a nice used 7800R like like vagrant said - it's just bugging me about their 520 -700 gap, hence the post on here!

N8IAA - I dunno, can you build me a 880H with the RX of the 80AD? (grin) Yea - look at the RX specs on those X11's - they're great! So why can't we have that in a mobile? The post is just me being whiny and exploring the options I guess.

It's prob gonna have to be 8800R - nice and new and shiny with a full warr. for when I break it ! (grin)
Thanks again guys .....

Cheers'
Dave

 

[NWI_Scanner_Guy]

WOW ! See ..... when you wanna know - you ask the experts. (grin) Thanks Guys !

robertmac - The 857? yep, that's true, but it is a nice looking radio. Yes, I'm gonna head over to NTF and see what Ray can suggest! The cellular blocking I can get, but I don't know why they won't put it in other than marketing 101 see my Icom example.

rfradioconsult - yep, it is but I've looked around a bit and can't find one ..... the rem head is nice too.

Nwiscan-guys - the 7900? - that's prob what I'm going to wind up getting from Ray but I would like the rem head, so maybe the 8800R or if I can find a nice used 7800R like like vagrant said - it's just bugging me about their 520 -700 gap, hence the post on here!

N8IAA - I dunno, can you build me a 880H with the RX of the 80AD? (grin) Yea - look at the RX specs on those X11's - they're great! So why can't we have that in a mobile? The post is just me being whiny and exploring the options I guess.

It's prob gonna have to be 8800R - nice and new and shiny with a full warr. for when I break it ! (grin)
Thanks again guys .....

Cheers'
Dave

The 7900R does have a remote head. Ordered mine from HRO and the separation kit (a $47.95 value) was thrown in at no extra cost.

 

[davecason]

Yep, an error in typing ! DOH !