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Recommended mobile radio for new technician
- Thread starter Turbo T
- Start date
I'm not going to recommend any specific 'starter' radio. It really depends on what you can afford and what you expect to do with it. In general, I also wouldn't recommend an HT as that 'starter' radio. Why? Cuz they are very limiting, and in some cases, very confusing about programming. (The Wouxun HT is one of those 'confusing' ones, I would definitely recommend the computer programming cable and program. And I like mine.)
Here are a few suggestions though. Whatever you select, it should have a 'PL' tone capability! That used to be an 'option', but it's a requirement now that there are so may repeaters. I would also recommend a 'dual' band VHF/UHF radio. UHF repeaters are much more common than they used to be, and if there are none in your area, who says you won't go where there may be a few around? With a few qualifications (those PL tones for instance) the used market is one to take a look at. 'New' is nice, but not always the 'best' deal around.
Nothing here that already hasn't been said, probably, and certainly not 'revelations', just some things that you should consider. You don't have to get it all right now, and I know of very few people who only have/had one radio. The absolute best thing I can think of is to get your hands on something before you buy it. Try it out, see how you think it might 'do' you. That's also the hardest thing to do! Oh well...
- 'Doc
Here are a few suggestions though. Whatever you select, it should have a 'PL' tone capability! That used to be an 'option', but it's a requirement now that there are so may repeaters. I would also recommend a 'dual' band VHF/UHF radio. UHF repeaters are much more common than they used to be, and if there are none in your area, who says you won't go where there may be a few around? With a few qualifications (those PL tones for instance) the used market is one to take a look at. 'New' is nice, but not always the 'best' deal around.
Nothing here that already hasn't been said, probably, and certainly not 'revelations', just some things that you should consider. You don't have to get it all right now, and I know of very few people who only have/had one radio. The absolute best thing I can think of is to get your hands on something before you buy it. Try it out, see how you think it might 'do' you. That's also the hardest thing to do! Oh well...
- 'Doc
I often find myself checking the reviews for products on eham.net; here's the page for the FT-90R:
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/75
Hope that helps, and welcome to the hobby!
I had one. I kind've wish I still had it. It was a great little radio for me. I never had any problems with mine and it did everything I asked it to do. The chassis can get pretty hot, so try to keep it in an area that has some ventilation. The face is so small, you can fit it just about anywhere.
Mac, sorry it took me this long to get back to you, I actually forgot about this thread until now.
Anyways I ended up getting a Yaesu FT 7900 R off eBay. It's been good so far. I've been making quite a few contacts with it and finding out all the local repeaters, then putting them into the radio.
This radio covers 144 and 440 MHz. One of the things I like is you can detach the face from the main body and install it on your dash, then mount the main body in the trunk of your car. it makes great for todays smaller cars with no space to mount much of a radio.
Right now I am using this radio for a base on a Ringo Ranger 2 antenna. I use the car's cigg lighter to keep her powered for garage rag chewing.
They just did put up a 220 repeater in my area so now I'm looking for a mobile that does 144/220/440...if one exists.