Recent content by KD8KSX

Hello all, I did a search and read quite a few discussions, but I didn't find quite what I was looking for, so I thought I'd post a fresh question. I've been using the -8R in my car for about a year, through a Comet 24M. That's worked well enough for hitting a 2m repeater that covers most...

I know, but I won't be missing those little knobs spaced too closely together or the unlit buttons. How anyone can market a mobile unit without backlit buttons is beyond me. Crossband would be a very nice option to have, but not at the price of the other deficiencies. Of course, I...

Okay... I ended up getting the FT-7900R. I just didn't like the very small knobs for tuning as well was the concentric knob for the squelch. I think I'll be plenty satisfied with the 7900 until I end up going HF down the road. B

As I'm narrowing down my selection of what I want to buy, I have just a couple more questions, if you all will indulge me: (8900) - Just how useful is 10 and 6M FM? I know it's only a (relatively) small price increase over the 8800, but that doesn't include the added cost of an antenna...

Thanks, everyone. I'll report back if all this ends up happening. He and his wife will be out for another 18 months or so. As I said, trip of a lifetime. B

Hi... Let me preface by saying that all my ham experience thus far has been U/VHF and I don't even currently own an HF rig, but that may change soon. But, I do have a friend (also a general class ham like me) who is taking a trip of a lifetime with his wife, sailing around the Caribbean...

I have. For the car, I'll use either this, or the K600. I can't figure out how I'd use that kind of mount on a regular cab pickup truck. I thought maybe put it on the lip of the toolbox lid, but then I'd have to drill a hole in the back to route the cable back out. Plus I'd have the antenna...

I'm going to go with a stake hole mount for my F150. It's a long bed so there's three sets. I'll use the middle driver's side to mount a 5/8 wave 2m/440 dual band. The first set are too close to the cab and are under a toolbox anyway, and I'd rather keep the pair by the tailgate empty because...

Congrats. J-poles are super easy to make. I want to try out a variant of a J-pole, the Slim Jim. KD8KSX

Doc - Thanks. I currently use a mag mount with my HT, but don't like how the base is leaving little abraded circles in the blue paint of my car. I try to get a coat of wax under there at least monthly and that seems to help, but for the car, a lip mount will happen sooner or later. Haven't...

Hi - I have a pickup ('01 F150) and I want to mount a UHF/VHF antenna. I have a repeater friend who's considering selling me his FT-857, and if that doesn't happen, I'll be getting an FT-7900. Even if I do buy the 857, I will want to run separate U/VHF and HF antennas. As with a lot of...

I'm new to APRS... why is this important, or is it just a neat 'nice to know' feature? I'm trying to draw a parallel to computers, which probably doesn't apply well. Does it make any difference to know that I'm writing this post with a Dell D830, but when I post from home it's on an iMac...

Thanks for all the input. I decided to keep it simple and get an FT-7900. The vast majority of what I do mobile is repeater work. I'm an aviation nut and so I can use the 7900 to can the air band when I'm not on the repeater (my commute takes me half way around Dulles International, so that...

Amen to that! Sort of like how the price of a dress my wife buys is nearly inconsequential compared to the shoes, purse, matching mani/pedi... Decisions... decisions... Then I have to think about how to mount the antenna to my '01 F150 (regular cab), preferably without drilling a hole in...

Yeah, I'm aware of that. Figured that for the $50 price differential, having the extra 2 bands might be worth it. 6m might be useful crossbanding with the VX-8, but I'm fighting "capability creep" as much as I can. Thanks for the advice. Moving the other direction (in favor of frugality...