I'm finally getting my ticket. I'm looking for a mobile radio 2m and 70cm, but I also want one with SSB. Does this radio exist? Suggestions?
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Mobile radio suggestions
- Thread starter Nick23
- Start date
Haven't seen many radios that have SSB. Some older units do, Don't know of any that have SSB, but might be interested too . . .
RatsoW8
Supporting Member, W9WDX ARC Member - WD8T
Well... 2m/70cm bands are pretty active. Having a tech licence I could use both. As far as SSB, I always wanted to try it, but I never had a CB/SSB radio. Now that I'm leaving CB I didn't want to buy another CB just for SSB.
For mobile new rigs, look at the Yaesu 857 or the Icom 7100.
In the used market is to look for a Icom IC-706 or a IC-7000 which do come up often. Also the Yaesu 897.
All these radios mentioned are HF and 2 meter/440 MHz but at least they can operate all modes like AM/FM/SSB/ and some digital modes too and on all the bands.
You may want to consider the future. A tech license is fine but limiting. You can spend the money now and have a radio with all the bands and be able to operate on most of the frequencies if you decide to upgrade to a General class one day which is where all the good DX and domestic action is. In the meantime, you can listen in.
Good to hear you are getting your ticket and hope you enjoy the amateur bands!
In the used market is to look for a Icom IC-706 or a IC-7000 which do come up often. Also the Yaesu 897.
All these radios mentioned are HF and 2 meter/440 MHz but at least they can operate all modes like AM/FM/SSB/ and some digital modes too and on all the bands.
You may want to consider the future. A tech license is fine but limiting. You can spend the money now and have a radio with all the bands and be able to operate on most of the frequencies if you decide to upgrade to a General class one day which is where all the good DX and domestic action is. In the meantime, you can listen in.
Good to hear you are getting your ticket and hope you enjoy the amateur bands!
get your general, enjoy 2m ssb and the hf bands too.
I run 3 different rigs mobile that are capable of all mode...
in one truck I have an Icom 706MkIIG, in another an Icom 7100... and in my 3/4 ton diesel 6 pack (lots of room) I run an old Icom 746 as a mobile... to get a rig that will do ssb on vhf/uhf, it will have to be as the previous poster mentioned, an all band/all mode radio.
Do not let those with limited imagination/vision disillusion you .
I run 3 different rigs mobile that are capable of all mode...
in one truck I have an Icom 706MkIIG, in another an Icom 7100... and in my 3/4 ton diesel 6 pack (lots of room) I run an old Icom 746 as a mobile... to get a rig that will do ssb on vhf/uhf, it will have to be as the previous poster mentioned, an all band/all mode radio.
Do not let those with limited imagination/vision disillusion you .
not exactly correct, there are SSB only 2 meter radios being made
http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-9402
but, that being said, look at an IC7K, all mode VHF/UHF and all HF bands too.
RatsoW8
Supporting Member, W9WDX ARC Member - WD8T
First of all good luck getting your ticket.
I've seen a huge decline in 2/70 activity over the past 20 years. SSB normally requires a base setup, Yagi and sometimes an amp and it's still going to be 99% close in contacts unless you luck into a band opening (Google tropospheric ducting). I think you'll be a little disappointed driving around trying to make 2m ssb contacts.
I'm not trying to shoot down your vhf/uhf plans but If you can still get the 5 wpm code endorsement on your tech license you would have access to 80, 40 and 15 meters hf CW portion of those bands. Much more fun than 2/70, at least for me and I believe it's a better intro to what ham radio is really all about. You can make CW contacts worldwide without waiting around for 10 meters to open up for a few hours.
When I and a lot of other hams here were first licensed back in the dark ages we banged out code on the low bands until we upgraded our licenses for phone privileges. It was a couple of years before I bought a 2m radio. And back in 1987 in Norfolk, VA 2m repeaters were very active and I made a lot of contacts on SSB from the NAVY MARS station using an 11 element Yagi and Icom IC-271A.
Anyway, just throwing that out there for thought. Once you get your license start studying for the General
cool, I stand corrected... I tend to think of MFJ when I think of accessories, not radios, so I was not aware of that one.
Nick, not trying to kill your idea of getting into 2 meter ssb but as has been said that is really a base setup not mobile. There is also very little 2 meter ssb activity (at least here in Chicago area) unless there is a contest or a band opening. The idea of an HF/VHF combo is a good plan, this will allow a smooth upgrade path for you as well.
Code has been dropped completely for several years now.Time to crawl out from under that rock. HI HIFirst of all good luck getting your ticket.
I've seen a huge decline in 2/70 activity over the past 20 years. SSB normally requires a base setup, Yagi and sometimes an amp and it's still going to be 99% close in contacts unless you luck into a band opening (Google tropospheric ducting). I think you'll be a little disappointed driving around trying to make 2m ssb contacts.
I'm not trying to shoot down your vhf/uhf plans but If you can still get the 5 wpm code endorsement on your tech license you would have access to 80, 40 and 15 meters hf CW portion of those bands. Much more fun than 2/70, at least for me and I believe it's a better intro to what ham radio is really all about. You can make CW contacts worldwide without waiting around for 10 meters to open up for a few hours.
When I and a lot of other hams here were first licensed back in the dark ages we banged out code on the low bands until we upgraded our licenses for phone privileges. It was a couple of years before I bought a 2m radio. And back in 1987 in Norfolk, VA 2m repeaters were very active and I made a lot of contacts on SSB from the NAVY MARS station using an 11 element Yagi and Icom IC-271A.
Anyway, just throwing that out there for thought. Once you get your license start studying for the General
Rich
RatsoW8
Supporting Member, W9WDX ARC Member - WD8T
Rock is right..lol I was licensed as an extra before all the changes so I think I was remembering the tech plus license (maybe) for passing 5wpm code as an option to access the lower hf bands? So, the current tech license does include CW privileges on the lower hf bands but new techs always get hung up on 2/440 and bummed out because 10m is in a lull right now.
The lower bands are always hopping and you don't even have to be able to copy code to make contacts. There are PC apps out there to do it for you! Antennas can be built and hf contacts made while they're studying t o upgrade. Of course, maybe I'm living in the past when that's what we did. Upgrade that is; to have access to other bands and modes. I'm clueless what most (not all) new techs want out of the hobby.
The lower bands are always hopping and you don't even have to be able to copy code to make contacts. There are PC apps out there to do it for you! Antennas can be built and hf contacts made while they're studying t o upgrade. Of course, maybe I'm living in the past when that's what we did. Upgrade that is; to have access to other bands and modes. I'm clueless what most (not all) new techs want out of the hobby.
Thanks for all the replies. So, there are more people on HF than 2m/70cm? With DX leaving and not many people on CB there is nothing to do. I hope there are more locals/clubs/contests stuff like that on Ham frequencies.