I can only spend $200 and I am looking at the Yaesu VX-3R or FT-60R. I cant makeup my mine. 
Witch would you more experienced operators get and why.
Witch would you more experienced operators get and why.
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Choosing my first HT
- Thread starter DragoSapien
- Start date
Why not the Icom T90a
It is 2/6 and 70cm band
Extremely easy to operate
Extremely Easy to program
Extremely easy to Mod for out of band use
With the T90A i have super audio and transmit
to the point where Most think i am on a Base and do not believe me when i tell them i am using a HT (Although i have a high gain dual and TriBand antennas for it as well as the external mike)
Although it costs $239 .. i think they offer 20 rebates on it
Anyways
Thats my 2 cents
It is 2/6 and 70cm band
Extremely easy to operate
Extremely Easy to program
Extremely easy to Mod for out of band use
With the T90A i have super audio and transmit
to the point where Most think i am on a Base and do not believe me when i tell them i am using a HT (Although i have a high gain dual and TriBand antennas for it as well as the external mike)
Although it costs $239 .. i think they offer 20 rebates on it
Anyways
Thats my 2 cents
That is one that I considered but was a little out of my price range. But I steal have it on my list to.
Depends on if you want more ham radio or more to play with.
The FT-60 is like a staple ham radio and is popular with the clubs as a general purpose dual band. Good solid radio.
The VX-3R has more goodies, but none of them really work all that well. I've a lot of complaints about the HF and broadcast performance. And then you have low output, no DTMF...
I've been using a VX-5R and I find that I don't really use any more than what is offered in the FT-60.
Keep in mind the size and if you are OK with palming a radio rather than holding it in your finger tips, then you might as well save the dough.
The FT-60 is like a staple ham radio and is popular with the clubs as a general purpose dual band. Good solid radio.
The VX-3R has more goodies, but none of them really work all that well. I've a lot of complaints about the HF and broadcast performance. And then you have low output, no DTMF...
I've been using a VX-5R and I find that I don't really use any more than what is offered in the FT-60.
Keep in mind the size and if you are OK with palming a radio rather than holding it in your finger tips, then you might as well save the dough.
:drool: More info on that RAV 2. I googled it but didn't find anything on it. Probably cant afford it ether.
if you were to consider the VX-8R
I would instead go with the 91AD or 92AD (Icom)
otherwise the T-90a is still your best choice
I would instead go with the 91AD or 92AD (Icom)
otherwise the T-90a is still your best choice
I don't see D-Star going anywhere, so why spend the extra $200 for something like that?
The T-90A is still a good choice and one I struggled with as well. $250 I personally do not see 6m FM as all that useful in an HT and would rather 220 in a tri-band. So the VX-6R is a bit cheaper and basically the same features.
Now the TH-F6A is on sale too for $290.
The T-90A is still a good choice and one I struggled with as well. $250 I personally do not see 6m FM as all that useful in an HT and would rather 220 in a tri-band. So the VX-6R is a bit cheaper and basically the same features.
Now the TH-F6A is on sale too for $290.
I also have the THF6a
But it doesnt do anything for me except give me a 220 HT
Basically i do not care for the low audio of the THF6a
I have the T90a
91AD
THF6a
and motorola 1250
Still the T90a is my favorite (and best audio as well)
But it doesnt do anything for me except give me a 220 HT
Basically i do not care for the low audio of the THF6a
I have the T90a
91AD
THF6a
and motorola 1250
Still the T90a is my favorite (and best audio as well)
In the over all scheme of things "HT", I find Yaesu (although generally cheaper) are more difficult to program and operate with their menu, sub menu, and sub-sub menu's......
They are good radios, and my VX-170 is built like a tank, but every time I want to add something to memory, or create another memory bank, delete a frequency, or just about anything other than talking on it, I need to break out the manual to figure out how it's done.
Icom's tend to be less complicated, and I also believe they hold a slight edge over Yaesu in over all quality.
I do believe you're headed in the right direction by getting a 2m/70cm dual bander, I only wish I did when I purchased mine. I looked at an old repeater list for my area, and figured it wasn't worth the extra money to get a dual bander since there weren't that many 440 repeaters around here, then once I got back on the air I found out there are quite a few, and most are pretty active, there's certainly not enough 220 repeaters (around here) to warrant buying a radio solely for that option, but once I can swing it, this VX-170 is headed for eBay, and I'm getting an IC-92AD....(D-Star is actually pretty big around here, a few repeaters, and a couple of weekly D-Star nets)
D-Star is certainly out of your price range, and it's not something I would place a high priority on, but I would lean toward something Icom if you could work it out financially....
They are good radios, and my VX-170 is built like a tank, but every time I want to add something to memory, or create another memory bank, delete a frequency, or just about anything other than talking on it, I need to break out the manual to figure out how it's done.
Icom's tend to be less complicated, and I also believe they hold a slight edge over Yaesu in over all quality.
I do believe you're headed in the right direction by getting a 2m/70cm dual bander, I only wish I did when I purchased mine. I looked at an old repeater list for my area, and figured it wasn't worth the extra money to get a dual bander since there weren't that many 440 repeaters around here, then once I got back on the air I found out there are quite a few, and most are pretty active, there's certainly not enough 220 repeaters (around here) to warrant buying a radio solely for that option, but once I can swing it, this VX-170 is headed for eBay, and I'm getting an IC-92AD....(D-Star is actually pretty big around here, a few repeaters, and a couple of weekly D-Star nets)
D-Star is certainly out of your price range, and it's not something I would place a high priority on, but I would lean toward something Icom if you could work it out financially....
Iv been saving a little more money and now im looking at the ICOM 91-AD. But other club members around here say that im not even going to be able to hit the repeater with it. That I can receive but not transmit. Should I save my money and get something like the FT-897D or other Mobile base type. What are my options there.
If you can't hit your local repeater, then I probably would look for something else first. If you like the way the FT-897D works, then you might also take a look at the 857D . Happy_Hamer has one listed in the ebay section right now that is a pretty good deal.
It's nice to have an HT, but you need to be able to actually talk to someone on it. Do you have any local buddies that you can talk to simplex? If you like the idea of being able to listen to other VHF/UHF traffic (police, fire, etc.) then maybe it's worth getting an HT, even if you can't hit the repeater. You could always hook it up to another antenna or a little HT amp.
I'm not sure I would make an HT my first ham radio unless I lived in a big city with a lot of repeaters.
It's nice to have an HT, but you need to be able to actually talk to someone on it. Do you have any local buddies that you can talk to simplex? If you like the idea of being able to listen to other VHF/UHF traffic (police, fire, etc.) then maybe it's worth getting an HT, even if you can't hit the repeater. You could always hook it up to another antenna or a little HT amp.
I'm not sure I would make an HT my first ham radio unless I lived in a big city with a lot of repeaters.