I use a Kenwood D710G. It's an excellent radio for overlanding because it's got APRS, crossband repeat and a digipeter which can extend my coverage to repeaters/igates when I'm hiking. I also had a Kenwood TS480HX in my old rig for HF with a Tarheel screwdriver antenna but I'm still trying to decide what I want to do in the new rig for HF.
Ham radios. What is everyone using
- Thread starter srch4me
- Start date
rnArmy
Adventurer
donmontalvo
Member
Yaesu FTM-400XDR isn't cheap (+/- $500) but it's a dual band 2m/70cm with all the technology you can grow into.
DaveInDenver
Middle Income Semi-Redneck
In this case there is some logic to it I think even with channelized simplex. If you're using perhaps the digital mode of an FTM-400 you could see FM carriers even if your radio doesn't demodulate them to find unused frequencies.
But, yeah, generally having band scope in a mobile or portable radio is probably mostly marketing. You could in theory use it while scanning to look for activity but that's something you might do more set up stationary maybe activating a spot (e.g. SOTA, POTA, etc.) or contesting. Probably not the safest thing to do while driving for sure.
sonoronos
Usually broken down on the side of the road
I actually really like the bandscope idea. I think it would be more "useful" for average technician trail comms if the bandscope was channelized - for example, on a CB radio, simultaneously showing activity on all 40 channels, FRS / GMRS activity. Think of it as "next level" channel scanning.
When I was up in the Cascades and Rainier this summer, I spent a lot of time scanning through channels finding useful comms chatter on traffic and hiking conditions.
When I was up in the Cascades and Rainier this summer, I spent a lot of time scanning through channels finding useful comms chatter on traffic and hiking conditions.
bryce0lynch
Member
I just popped in a Vero VN-N7500 50w duel-band with a Midlands ghost antenna.
It's got no display on the headunit so you can do a hidden mount on it; everything is controlled from an IOS or Android device via bluetooth ... except for volume/channel up/down on the hand mic/speaker.
It's got no display on the headunit so you can do a hidden mount on it; everything is controlled from an IOS or Android device via bluetooth ... except for volume/channel up/down on the hand mic/speaker.
bryce0lynch
Member
Nope, I'm using it ham bands. Works fine for me, but I'm sure it sends others in to apoplexy. But, then again, you already know I wasn't using for GMRS ... that would be wrong.
waltermitty
Member
I have 2 Kenwood TM-V7a being pulled out of mothballs this year to shoehorn into my Nissan Frontier. When they were put away, both still had great display function (knock knock). One of the units had MARS function. I enjoyed using it to receive aviation since I have much traffic at nearby SEA, RNT and BFI airports. I recall it had GMRS/FRS capability but I never bothered with it. What prompted me to pull it out of the box now is when I picked up an unused overhead console from another forum.
Been a ham for about 40 years. I use IC-7300 at home but don't have a small mobile yet.
If you want to lick your chops check out what they use in Australia. Police cars have HF. Barrett is one of the main providers.
I'd luv to get this going in my rig. check this out:
www.barrettcommunications.com.au
If you want to lick your chops check out what they use in Australia. Police cars have HF. Barrett is one of the main providers.
I'd luv to get this going in my rig. check this out:
4050_HF_SDR - Barrett Communications
www.barrettcommunications.com.au