New ham buying first mobile

[KE8WDG]

Fellows, I am a new ham since 12/2022. Retired and not looking to sink a lot into a VHF/UHF mobile to install in the truck that hauls my camper. I’ve ruled out digital based on the prices. I think I need 50w based on some places where we have camped or will camp. I’m even thinking about a single band 2m mobile to look at 65-80 watt outputs. Of the 2, is VHF the more populated band?

Am I making a big mistake with this reasoning? I know that there is no single answer. I’m finding myself reading endlessly and not drawing any conclusions.

Thanks
David

 

[lhillin]

Welcome to the hobby! I recommend the Icom 2730A dual band mobile. I have two of them and have encountered no issues with them. They have a 50-watt output. They cover the 2-meter band and the 70-centimeter band. I use RT Systems software to program them.

 

[ladn]

Fellows, I am a new ham since 12/2022. Retired and not looking to sink a lot into a VHF/UHF mobile to install in the truck that hauls my camper.

Congratulations and welcome David.
Yours is a question that pops up frequently. I suspect you're going to get a lot of different answers.
Here's my 02¢ worth:

• Don't just look at the power output of the radio (and in reality, there isn't much difference in range between a 50w radio and a 65-80w radio). Look at the ERP (Effective Radiated Power) of the system. Without getting too geeky, ERP is computed by multiplying the power output of the radio by the antenna gain. A basic 1/4 wave antenna has no gain, many single or dual band mobile antennas have about 3 dB of gain (effectively multiplying the power x2).
• Look for a dual band mobile. These will give you the most bang for your buck. They're frequently rated around 50w VHF and 45w UHF and have lower power levels as well.
• Since this will be your first rig, buy a quality radio from one of the four major manufacturers: Icom, Kenwood, Yaesu or Alinco. The pandemic parts shortage has made some models unavailable or scarce. I'll recommend the Icom 2730A. I have had one for about 4.5 years. Good radio. BIG DISPLAY LETTERS so it's easier to read from a distance. The radio also has a removable front panel (control head) so you can install the small control head and mic under the dash (or other convenient spot) and install the radio in an out of the way location.
• Also buy the appropriate programming software for whatever radio you choose. While it's certainly possible to program a radio by hand, it's not fun. I strongly recommend the RT Systems software (usually about $50). It comes with the necessary programming cable and is fairly easy to use.
• Buy a quality antenna (and quality NMO mount). I, and many users here, recommend Larsen brand antennas. For a dual band radio, I like the NMO270. NMO is pretty much the standard mount format and is available is a plethora of configurations. Avoid Chinese brands like Browning or anything with a name you can't pronounce.
• While Amazon has lot's of choices and great shipping/return policies, first time hams should buy from one of the major ham specialty vendors like HRO, DX Engineering, Main Trading Co. or GigaParts. The advantage is these vendors have real, live folks at the end of their customer service line who are also hams and know their equipment. These stores will also usually offer free shipping and may have no sales tax (depending on where you live).
• There are several threads here on RR about installation and wiring. Read them!

 

[sallen07]

I’m even thinking about a single band 2m mobile to look at 65-80 watt outputs. Of the 2, is VHF the more populated band?

Definitely a YMMV thing. The most active repeater in Rochester is a 70cm one, but the most active in our area (by far) is 2m, and it has a HUGE footprint that covers a good chunk of central and western NY. Most of the other active repeaters are 2m as well. But that's where *I* live.

If my map skills didn't fail me, you are near Cincinnati, yes? I just looked at repeaterbook and I think there are 11 2m repeaters listed and 10 70cm repeaters, but that only tells you they exist, not how active they are. You'll really need to listen or ask the local hams to know.

I have a dual-band rig in my truck, but when I travel I usually only program 2m repeaters since they are more numerous and tend to have bigger footprints. If you do decide to go with a 2m rig you might want to look at the Yaesu FT-2980r. Very nice radio (I have one in my shack) and maximum power is 80 watts. But I'd definitely do more research before going in that direction. It would be a bummer if you got a 2m rig and found out that the most active nearby repeaters are 70cm!

I see that @ladn beat me in posting so I'm editing my response to "plus one" a couple points.

I also definitely recommend RT-Systems programming software and cables. I use them for all my radios!

DO go with one of the major brands from a reputable ham radio dealer, and DO NOT buy something off Amazon. Most of the "ham radio" stuff you see on there is junk, and most of what isn't junk is being sold by one of the major dealers ... at a higher price! You are much better off going to their websites directly and shopping around for the best price. I've bought equipment from all four of those dealers, and while my go-to is HRO I've had good experiences with all of them.

I know you're not looking to spend a fortune but don't drop $300 or $400 on a radio and then spend $20 on the antenna. Definitely worth a few more bucks to get a good one.

 

[AI7PM]

Kenwood, Icom, Yaesu. Agree with above, go dual band. The Larsen 2/70 (not the 2/70SH) is a solid performer. It may be a buck or two more than Comet or Diamond, but worth it. Avoid anything Tram, or Tram-Browning. You get what you pay for, so...........

 

[mmckenna]

Kenwood, Icom, Yaesu. Agree with above, go dual band. The Larsen 2/70 (not the 2/70SH) is a solid performer. It may be a buck or two more than Comet or Diamond, but worth it. Avoid anything Tram, or Tram-Browning. You get what you pay for, so...........

100% this.

Don't spend hard earned money on a quality amateur radio and then hobble it by hooking it up to a $20 Chinese antenna. That's like taking your camper hauling truck and slapping $49 Pepboys tires on it. Sure, it'll roll down the road, but you'll forever regret it.

Get a quality amateur radio. You won't go wrong with Kenwood, Icom or Yaesu. Avoid the Cheap Chinese Radios (CCR's). Do it right the first time. Do a proper install, power off the battery directly. Do NOT tap into existing vehicle wiring, and for the love of God and all things holy, do NOT use cigarette lighter sockets. Install a proper antenna.
That'll give you a reliable set up that will work when you need it.

Getting hung up on power output of the radio is a common rookie mistake. A 80 watt radio will not talk twice as far as a 40 watt radio. Just get something basic that does what you need.

2 meter versus 70 centimeter band, really depends where you spend your time. In most areas, 70cm band is more commonly used in urban areas. 2 meters is more popular in rural areas. I spend a lot of time driving and I only have a VHF radio in the truck. I used to use dual band radios, but realized I rarely used UHF and it was just wasted money.

Don't expect to hear a lot of traffic, however. In many areas, the analog repeaters are dead quiet. What little traffic there was has migrated to digital systems. Consider your needs carefully, as investing a lot of money in a radio and then not being able to talk to anyone might not be a good thing.

 

[KE8WDG]

Thanks for the input. I regard all of it to be valuable.

 

[jaspence]

A dual band is a better choice. The Chicago area has 5 VHF (2 meter) repeaters, 6 220 mhz repeaters, and 23 440 mhz repeaters and 220 repeaters are usually a rare find and often have little or no use.

 

[GlobalNorth]

Buy used. Lots of Hams buy mobiles and then sell them when they get bored, buy a new auto, etc.

One suggestion if you decide to work digital, find out what mode is most popular where you are likely to spend most of your microphone time in. If you have local access to HRO, you can call and ask them whether D-Star, Wires, etc. are most popular.

Buying an unpopular mode is like buying a radio that runs on 230V / 50 Hz and has a Type F plug when you live in the US.

Another thing to consider is to find a vehicle mounting location and then buy a radio that can fit into/work in that area. It can be frustrating as heck to try to fit a large radio 'brick' under a passenger seat or a closet in a camper that has little clearance, collects moisture and dirt, is resistant to remote mic and speaker mounting, and traps heat.

Consider power draw as well. The more wattage you shove out the antenna, the more amperage you need to drive the radio. This may be vital if you enjoy casual chatting.

 

[mass-man]

greetings David and welcome. All great advice to your question. If you plan on camping in spots you have been before or plan ahead then repeaterbook.com is a good resource to tell you what is in the area. You'll get a pretty good idea if 2 or 440 is good for you. Much like mckenna, I took the UHF out of my car and only roll with VHF! Additionally most of the severe weather spotting around here is done on 2 mtrs and I listen to that when appllcable.

 

[dwhit29689]

A pal of mine purchased a 10 pack of Baofeng UV5R walkies and distributed them to friends. I quickly licensed and began buying better radios. As it turned-out I became interested in digital radio of which I had zero knowledge. Niether did my friends. I sold all my analog radios and purcased DMR digital radios from Alinco, Anytone and Connect Systems. That's where I spend most of my RF day is on local/distant DMR repeater connections to friends. There are other digital protocols than DMR. I tried wires/fusion, Dstar. Stayed with DMR where my friends are. The whole radio/digital thing is complex. Determine what direction is good for you so you don't have to rearrange radio inventory like I did. It's taken me several years but right now I am properly equipped with the right radios. I lost capital money on switching so many radios. My original UV5R is my first radio and the only one I didn't dump for another. I'm down to six radios now. And then there's Rasperry Pi's, Zumspots etc, etc.

 

[spongella]

Welcome to the hobby OM. You came to the right place for advice. Most of your questions have been answered but here's an opinion from an old-timer who remembers crystal controlled 2m radios that put out only a few watts 50 years ago hihi.

As far as power output, most new radios have selectable low/medium/high power outputs and you can pick and choose what power level you want. Higher power will definitely increase your range, both on simplex and for accessing distant repeaters.

The question about which of the two bands is more populated all depends on location. You can go to the ham radio database here on RadioReference to see how many VHF and UHF repeaters are in your area just to get an idea. Best way is to just listen in for a while and determine for yourself. Here in Western NJ, UHF appears to be slightly more active, especially during commuter hours. During the day though both bands are quiet.

If you can, avoid those cheap Chinese imports and pay more for a well made Japanese radio from Icom, Alinco, Kenwood or Yaesu. Their manuals are well written and they are much more reliable.

If you choose to go the used radio route, either now or in the future, realize that there are many older units for sale which could save you some money and that is fine, but many of the older units have internal memory batteries that have a limited lifespan. If you buy one with a dead battery, it won't hold memory and you'll need to replace it. It can be easy or very difficult to replace. I've done many replacements; some were easy, others required delicate surgery as the batts were soldered to a board.

When shopping for a radio, look around to see who offers free shipping. Most do though.

Well, enjoy the radio hobby!

 

[KE8WDG]

Thanks for the tip on the battery. I hadn’t thought about that even though I have replaced batteries on motherboards of pc’s that were thought to be dead.

I have gauged the repeaters in my area and areas that we have camped. The VHF/UHF split is pretty even until one gets out west, then VHF starts to rule.

I have an HT and have been listening a lot. I know that both bands aren’t too active on analog. Has the shift to digital been so seismic that it really must be considered if one wants to really get mileage out of any mobile purchase?