Since I picked up a 'spare' 857D for $500 and then sold my (2) TM-281A's my net $300 857D was slated to go into the 3.

Got it done last night.  I'll post up some pics later.

Haven't tried any HF QSOs yet, trying to get a handle on my scanning options and such.

2m seems to work as well as the 281's did, BUT, there is one thing that has me puzzled.  The 857D says the SWR is high on the 2m antenna.  The Kenwood never complained about this, or I never noticed it did.  I'll put the AIM4170 on it and see what's up, but that may mean a better 2m antenna is in the cards.

Update***************
So I got the AIM out to tune the 20m shorty stick to the 857D.  I could tune the antenna, but it went wonky when I connected the radio.  High SWR.

Finally hit me the radio is grounded and the analyzer wasn't.  Once I got the antenna connected to the analyzer and the analyzer grounded things improved.  Now less than 3 from end to end of 20m.

Here's the antenna on it's MFJ tilt lip mount.


Here's a closeup of the mount and you can see the coil I added to offset the capacitance of the install.  It is plasti-dipped and also epoxied to the mount.


Then for fun I scanned the 2m/70cm antenna, never did that before....woah...wtf!!!  Crazy High SWR.  So I yank the coiled wire it comes with and start looking around for something longer.

Let's try this...

Nahhhh...can't possibly be better.

Woah!

How about that, 14" or so of #12 copper wire lets me hit the repeater from INSIDE my garage, I usually can barely get into the repeater from out in the driveway.
And the 70cm SWR dropped as well, though I can't scan that one.

Mine shows a couple bars of SWR on 2m, but on a meter it is 1.1:1 with a FT-1900r.

This is enough that is flashes the SWR text, the manual doesn't explain the scale on the display, but notes this indicator flashing means 'more than 3:1'.

ooops

Inside the garage isn't a good place to tune an antenna.

I know, but I will check it again outside this evening.  It worked fine this morning, talked to a guy in MA.  The meter looks happy on the radio all across the band.

I'd love to put a spare rig in my FJ.  You're a bad influence Stimpy

\o/

Gooooooooooaaaaaaaaaallllllllll!!!!!!!!

Croatia from the Zaxby's parking lot last night.

It's not a pile-up buster, but if no one bigger is around it appears to get out.

What MFJ 20m is that?  Doesn't look grotesquely tall.  30 inches?

Can you run 10 and 11m on it? (if one were to, uh, 'play' with the 857D internals ... )


Generic question: What are the other options to a coil at the base?

Dan,

I 'suspect' that a better grounded mount would not be as capacitive as the lip mount is, and I may test that theory at some point.  If so, the coil might not be needed.  This solution is the same as adding a tuner.  Maybe a bit less lossy.  We are still just 'lying to the receiver' the coil just hangs on to some of the power, but the radio doesn't fold back any.  Originally I could not get the SWR under 3 anywhere across 20m.  With the coil I am down to 1.3 or so best case and under 2 almost the entire voice section.

I did not scan the antenna at 10m, but I can do so easily enough.

It is an MFJ-2320T (spec says 36") on an MFJ-345T mount.

Which antenna analyzer and software is that?

It is an Array Solutions AIM4170 and their software.

I love it, it does everything.