looking to buy a portable rig, need some recommendations for something like a yaesu 817 and 897 - Page 2

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - looking to buy a portable rig, need some recommendations for something like a yaesu 817 and 897 (Page 2 of 2)

Posted: 10/12/2014 7:52:34 PM EDT

[#1]

Like everything there will be pros/cons and people that try to justify the purchases they have made.

The TS-570 while a great HF radio does not have the VHF UHF capability the 857 does. Then neither of the radios have the single USB hookup like the Icom 7200 (another favorite of guys here) but then some guys swear by a Kenwood TS480HX that puts out 200w.

This is why I say you need to get hands on before dropping that kind of money. Your antenna idea is almost backwards, your base antenna will be the cheapest and easiest. Most guys are just using some 14ga wire (mine is 60' long with a connector in the middle) and with that they talk the world. A vertical can be made out of copper plumbing pipe or fence top rail. The expense comes when you try getting a good antenna into a lightweight compact package (ie buddipole or outbacker). My personal favorite is a yo yo dipole from ham radio fun.

Range is a touchy subject. Ask any ham the range of a radio and they get that look in their eye like a Jedi about to explain the way of the force. It does depend on a ton of things but usually you can expect the same characteristics. Back home on 3.916MHz the same guys get on from TX, OK, AR, LA and talk every night. When I was home in September I talked every morning and evening to VA from OK on 20m. However that was using 100w and we both had good antennas.

I did a camping trip a few months ago to test some of the NVIS myths. I had great success and lots of fun. I was able to design a new to me antenna out of dewalt tape measures and a self supporting mast. I enlisted the help of some friends in the area to talk to at scheduled times. SCW down in SC and another member in northern VA maintained comms with me.

I learned what did and didn't work for me on that trip. Since then I have been gearing my stuff to fit the way I see myself operating.

There are 2 members on here I know of that are around your area. There is one that was a WW2 POW hid out on an island until a couple years ago that might be worth a talkin to. He likes to run around a parking lots with his .mil radio.

Also check out this pod cast
http://amateurradio15.com/

And this group of knuckle heads at field day, an annual event where hams go outside and make contact with each other. And maybe drink beer.

Posted: 10/12/2014 8:15:05 PM EDT

[#2]

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Quoted:
where should I PURCHASE a 857 from? Should I risk purchasing something used? Something posted on EBAY?Or get the warrenty and not worry about radio problems? How bullet proof are the yaesu's?

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Used 857 seem to keep their value. You can probably find a used one for about $700 but who knows what it's been used for. A new one does not cost a whole a lot more. Ham Radio Outlet often runs specials and they seem to have the lowest prices with free shipping. Best deals are often found around Thanksgiving.
I've owned a lot of radios made by Icom, Yeasu and Kenwood. So far the Yeasu brand has been the most reliable and better performing brand based on my experience. All 3 brands have good customer service and there are several reputable repair facilities in this country.
Be careful with Ebay if you decide to go with a used radio. People often sell radios without even knowing much about it or being able to test it. QTH.com and QRZ.com are better places to look for used gear.

Posted: 10/12/2014 8:27:10 PM EDT

[#3]

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Quoted:

Since you mentioned mobile.... One of the reasons I always recommend FT857D and IC-706mk2 as a first rig is that both radios have detachable faceplates. Sooner or later you will probably buy a more expensive, base radio. The above mentioned radios can always be used as mobile rigs or you can simply keep one as a semi-portable radio when you go camping or when playing "guerilla portable" (Copyright - Piccolo).
Like I mentioned previously, a Tarheel is the best choice for mobile operation. You buy it once and cry once. They are well built and will last a long time. I'm using a Tarheel II in my truck. It's rated for 200 Watts and covers 80-10m bands (6m with shorter whip). It works exceptionally well. I routinely contact European, South American, Australian stations with 5 by 9 signal reports. The antenna is resonant and requires no antenna tuner. Larger (longer) Tarheel antennas are even more efficient and rated for 1500 Watts.
BTW, Yeasu makes a mobile antenna specifically designed for FT857D radios. It tunes automatically. It gets mixed reviews. I never had one and can't comment much. I think someone on this board has one. Maybe they can chime in.

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Quoted:
50 miles is a bit tough. 500 miles is a lot easier to accomplish.
IMHO, the best portable 100w HF rig is a Yaesu ft857. It's a great little radio with a lot of features and a good receiver. FT817 is a great QRP radio too but 5 watts can be very frustrating unless you are willing to use CW. You'll probably need a NVIS antenna and use lower bands to be able to contact a station 50 miles from you.
FT897 is basically the same as FT857 but it has an internal battery. The internal battery is too small for prolonged operation. I personally prefer a smaller FT857 and an external 12V battery and a foldable solar panel to recharge the battery.
50 miles may be accomplished with a 50 W 2 meter FM radio if you and the other station are on top of high spots in the terrain but there is no way to have a reliable communication other ways.

Naivete conjured up the 50 m number, that and wanting to be able to stretch the range to a family member, if not possible then that's a reality I'll need to come to terms with as hours logged and experience build. What is a more reasonable range of such a device - that is not being based on a ham shack and all its resources?

Are you referring to the 2m FM radios that I mentioned? I have one in my truck (FT2800) and use it primarily to talk to my friends who also have 50W radios in their cars or at their shacks. We can usually talk up to 10-20 miles depending on terrain. Sometimes I loose their signal if I'm in a low spot only 5 miles away. It highly depends on terrain and antenna elevations on both stations. Using repeaters can effectively extend that range to 50-100 miles. I can hit one repeater 100+ miles away with my HT. The repeater is up in the mountains and covers a huge area.
I have a 100W HF radio in my truck as well. IMHO, Tarheel antennas are the best choice for mobile comms. I can easily change bands (80-10m) without having to stop. The antenna also allows me to fine tune it's resonant frequency to cover the entire 80m band. Most mono-band antennas like "Hamstick" only cover a tiny portion of the band because they are very narrow banded. I often talk to people on 80 (75) meter band, 20-50 miles away from my mobile rig with no problems. Doing the same from a base rig with a good, full size antenna is even easier. A kilowatt amplifier helps too but is not required.
Stay away from QRP radios like FT817, K3 or similar. QRP is fun to do if you understand it's limitations but it can be very frustrating for a beginner.

Correct, I was referring to the the 817 and 857, the latter seems to be favorite and also seems to be in line with my budget, more of a desire really, to keep it at or below 1000$. I'm enjoying the hobby, and it fits well with my nerdy side and IT background, nevertheless, I'd like to keep the $ spent within reason as I'd hate to have a bunch of highend equipment sitting about collecting dust in the event I get bored with it.... Thank you for your help, I appreciate you sharing your experience - I'm thinking I can't go wrong with the 857.

You bring up the next important point, antenna's to start with.....I definitely want something for the SUV, then there is all the manpack gear...portables antennas and tuners

Thanks
John

Since you mentioned mobile.... One of the reasons I always recommend FT857D and IC-706mk2 as a first rig is that both radios have detachable faceplates. Sooner or later you will probably buy a more expensive, base radio. The above mentioned radios can always be used as mobile rigs or you can simply keep one as a semi-portable radio when you go camping or when playing "guerilla portable" (Copyright - Piccolo).
Like I mentioned previously, a Tarheel is the best choice for mobile operation. You buy it once and cry once. They are well built and will last a long time. I'm using a Tarheel II in my truck. It's rated for 200 Watts and covers 80-10m bands (6m with shorter whip). It works exceptionally well. I routinely contact European, South American, Australian stations with 5 by 9 signal reports. The antenna is resonant and requires no antenna tuner. Larger (longer) Tarheel antennas are even more efficient and rated for 1500 Watts.
BTW, Yeasu makes a mobile antenna specifically designed for FT857D radios. It tunes automatically. It gets mixed reviews. I never had one and can't comment much. I think someone on this board has one. Maybe they can chime in.

Wow, that's a hell of antenna, well, that's a hell of a price tag. Although your contact history sounds impressive. How easily does it disconnect?Why do I ask, One, I'd like to be able to quickly remove it to get the suv washed, and two, working in and around philly, I assure you something worth 400$ sticking off the back of your truck needs a PSD or it needs a quick detach mechanism......

Posted: 10/12/2014 8:27:16 PM EDT

[#4]

I agree alot with with most of what the above posters have said -- my experience is limited to the FT817 in this context

I use mine for remote QRP ops like this past weekend. Its a good dependable and very capable radio. That said it is also

VERY complicated. Due to its size it is limited in the number of controls it has --there fore each one has to do double or triple

duty. It is very menu driven and some are difficult to use. It is a good radio IF you are only going to do one thing for a while

such as PSK or you absolutely NEED that kind of portability. IMHO switching on the fly from PSK to SSB and then to 2m FM

can be a pain. Now you can have a bunch of memories programmed in for each mode and freq you plan on using but for a

beginner radio I would probably go another route.

Like a said just this am I was trying out some PSK before breaking camp and somehow my transmit levels got changed and

I was splashing all over the band -- figured it out but getting it back,,figuring out where the issue was took me quite a few

minutes and I am still not 100% sure that was the issue --I compensated by turning down the output level of the computer

sound card but with the limited info from the display it was hard to tell where the issue really was. Its a more advanced

radio with a learning curve. I would not reccomend it to a beginner. Unless you know someone who has one and can spend some time

coaching you on its use. I have had mine about 9 months and still am not fluent in its use. You can probably find a more basic rig

for less money and you will get more enjoyment out of it with less frustration IMHO.

Posted: 10/12/2014 8:29:34 PM EDT

[#5]

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I have a bias, at this point in time, for something that would be considered "fullfeatured" and yet highly mobile. Mobile meaning it sits in a pack strapped to my back and I'm off on the side of some mountain for a week in PA. Or it's in a quasi basestation mode where I've got it on a shelf in my man space at home or at the hunting camp 3 hours away from philthadelphia. In both of those cases, I need the antennas to be highly mobile. In the years to come, if I become very dedicated to the hobby, and I get excited about making contact with an Ausie when solar activity is just so, then I'll pony up the money for a kick ass Base station and the supporting Antennas - I like the idea of being in some remote place, far away from a electrical socket, and talking to someone else somewhere in the world and also have the ability to communicate to family miles away during a storm(whatever your definition of storm might be). Should shtf fan, i like the idea of having the ability to talk to people on my team within a few miles to tens of miles. I'm a newb, and damn sure making newb mistakes, as such I'm reaching out to the guys with experience, to avoid some of the mistakes i'm damn sure making.
I like the idea of a used ts-570, I see it in the 600$ range and your "solid comms for 300miles" generates a smile as I'd love to be able to draw that circle around my current location and see those I care about within its bounds. . I have the resources for both, just don't want to waste them because I'm making poor uninformed decisions.

Thank you, and I mean it.

John

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Quoted:
You should operate a few first IMO.

You have mentioned portable and vehicle a couple times. Those both put you in a compromised position versus being setup at home. A used base radio like a TS-570 is bigger and heavier but has a lot more features for the same price as the 857. If you mount that at your house with a decent dipole you could expect solid comms for 300miles.

Jupiter7200 hit the nail on the head when he made a post about how hams shouldn't start out with an HT. The low power and crap antennas put them at a real disadvantage and can easily turn them off to the hobby.

I love operating portable but it wouldn't be as easy or fun unless I had the hours I have at home in front of my TS-2000.

I have a bias, at this point in time, for something that would be considered "fullfeatured" and yet highly mobile. Mobile meaning it sits in a pack strapped to my back and I'm off on the side of some mountain for a week in PA. Or it's in a quasi basestation mode where I've got it on a shelf in my man space at home or at the hunting camp 3 hours away from philthadelphia. In both of those cases, I need the antennas to be highly mobile. In the years to come, if I become very dedicated to the hobby, and I get excited about making contact with an Ausie when solar activity is just so, then I'll pony up the money for a kick ass Base station and the supporting Antennas - I like the idea of being in some remote place, far away from a electrical socket, and talking to someone else somewhere in the world and also have the ability to communicate to family miles away during a storm(whatever your definition of storm might be). Should shtf fan, i like the idea of having the ability to talk to people on my team within a few miles to tens of miles. I'm a newb, and damn sure making newb mistakes, as such I'm reaching out to the guys with experience, to avoid some of the mistakes i'm damn sure making.
I like the idea of a used ts-570, I see it in the 600$ range and your "solid comms for 300miles" generates a smile as I'd love to be able to draw that circle around my current location and see those I care about within its bounds. . I have the resources for both, just don't want to waste them because I'm making poor uninformed decisions.

Thank you, and I mean it.

John

I basically do what you are talking about and IMO an 897 is vastly superior to the 857 for that sort of use. For outdoor use you need something durable, and you want something integrated. Thats why i primarily use milpacks for that. With standard ham rigs you are going to have a mess of wires hooking everything together and it is not waterproof, and not all that durable and a PITA to haul around. I had to mod my 897 to get it where I wanted it and I usually carry it in a water resistant shell, its still not water "proof" but it works well enough. And it sits on the shelf in the shack just fine and works well for that purpose too hooked up to an external PS, it is my do it all rig.

Also my podcast on milpacks

Posted: 10/12/2014 8:35:40 PM EDT

[#6]

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Quoted:
I agree alot with with most of what the above posters have said -- my experience is limited to the FT817 in this context I use mine for remote QRP ops like this past weekend. Its a good dependable and very capable radio. That said it is also
VERY complicated. Due to its size it is limited in the number of controls it has --there fore each one has to do double or triple
duty. It is very menu driven and some are difficult to use. It is a good radio IF you are only going to do one thing for a while
such as PSK or you absolutely NEED that kind of portability. IMHO switching on the fly from PSK to SSB and then to 2m FM
can be a pain. Now you can have a bunch of memories programmed in for each mode and freq you plan on using but for a
beginner radio I would probably go another route.
Like a said just this am I was trying out some PSK before breaking camp and somehow my transmit levels got changed and
I was splashing all over the band -- figured it out but getting it back,,figuring out where the issue was took me quite a few
minutes and I am still not 100% sure that was the issue --I compensated by turning down the output level of the computer
sound card but with the limited info from the display it was hard to tell where the issue really was. Its a more advanced
radio with a learning curve. I would not reccomend it to a beginner. Unless you know someone who has one and can spend some time
coaching you on its use. I have had mine about 9 months and still am not fluent in its use. You can probably find a more basic rig
for less money and you will get more enjoyment out of it with less frustration IMHO.

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I pretty much agree with all of this, I mainly take my 817 setup backpacking when I need to save weight. I usually use a wolphi link and Cell phone for PSK31 with it. Or CW.

Posted: 10/12/2014 8:43:13 PM EDT

[#7]

Quote History

Quoted:
I agree alot with with most of what the above posters have said -- my experience is limited to the FT817 in this context I use mine for remote QRP ops like this past weekend. Its a good dependable and very capable radio. That said it is also
VERY complicated. Due to its size it is limited in the number of controls it has --there fore each one has to do double or triple
duty. It is very menu driven and some are difficult to use. It is a good radio IF you are only going to do one thing for a while
such as PSK or you absolutely NEED that kind of portability. IMHO switching on the fly from PSK to SSB and then to 2m FM
can be a pain. Now you can have a bunch of memories programmed in for each mode and freq you plan on using but for a
beginner radio I would probably go another route.
Like a said just this am I was trying out some PSK before breaking camp and somehow my transmit levels got changed and
I was splashing all over the band -- figured it out but getting it back,,figuring out where the issue was took me quite a few
minutes and I am still not 100% sure that was the issue --I compensated by turning down the output level of the computer
sound card but with the limited info from the display it was hard to tell where the issue really was. Its a more advanced
radio with a learning curve. I would not reccomend it to a beginner. Unless you know someone who has one and can spend some time
coaching you on its use. I have had mine about 9 months and still am not fluent in its use. You can probably find a more basic rig
for less money and you will get more enjoyment out of it with less frustration IMHO.

View Quote

Thank you very much, given the price and my lack of experience, I'd have easily made what sounds like a mistake in choosing the 817(based on functionality and price), and being so new to the hobby, I would have more than likely ended up being very frustrated by what you describe. I can see frustrating someone new to the hobby(such as myself), with no experience, could easily turn them off to pursuing HAM. I can see where some folks would walk away, saying it is too complicated to be worthwhile. Your insight is appreciated.

Given the positive feedback, price and good name of the brand, the Yaesu 857 is at the top of the list.

Thank you Offctr

JJ

Posted: 10/12/2014 8:45:19 PM EDT

[#8]

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I basically do what you are talking about and IMO an 897 is vastly superior to the 857 for that sort of use. For outdoor use you need something durable, and you want something integrated. Thats why i primarily use milpacks for that. With standard ham rigs you are going to have a mess of wires hooking everything together and it is not waterproof, and not all that durable and a PITA to haul around. I had to mod my 897 to get it where I wanted it and I usually carry it in a water resistant shell, its still not water "proof" but it works well enough. And it sits on the shelf in the shack just fine and works well for that purpose too hooked up to an external PS, it is my do it all rig.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/850/lbld.jpg

Also my podcast on milpacks

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Quoted:

Quoted:
You should operate a few first IMO.

You have mentioned portable and vehicle a couple times. Those both put you in a compromised position versus being setup at home. A used base radio like a TS-570 is bigger and heavier but has a lot more features for the same price as the 857. If you mount that at your house with a decent dipole you could expect solid comms for 300miles.

Jupiter7200 hit the nail on the head when he made a post about how hams shouldn't start out with an HT. The low power and crap antennas put them at a real disadvantage and can easily turn them off to the hobby.

I love operating portable but it wouldn't be as easy or fun unless I had the hours I have at home in front of my TS-2000.

I have a bias, at this point in time, for something that would be considered "fullfeatured" and yet highly mobile. Mobile meaning it sits in a pack strapped to my back and I'm off on the side of some mountain for a week in PA. Or it's in a quasi basestation mode where I've got it on a shelf in my man space at home or at the hunting camp 3 hours away from philthadelphia. In both of those cases, I need the antennas to be highly mobile. In the years to come, if I become very dedicated to the hobby, and I get excited about making contact with an Ausie when solar activity is just so, then I'll pony up the money for a kick ass Base station and the supporting Antennas - I like the idea of being in some remote place, far away from a electrical socket, and talking to someone else somewhere in the world and also have the ability to communicate to family miles away during a storm(whatever your definition of storm might be). Should shtf fan, i like the idea of having the ability to talk to people on my team within a few miles to tens of miles. I'm a newb, and damn sure making newb mistakes, as such I'm reaching out to the guys with experience, to avoid some of the mistakes i'm damn sure making.
I like the idea of a used ts-570, I see it in the 600$ range and your "solid comms for 300miles" generates a smile as I'd love to be able to draw that circle around my current location and see those I care about within its bounds. . I have the resources for both, just don't want to waste them because I'm making poor uninformed decisions.

Thank you, and I mean it.

John

I basically do what you are talking about and IMO an 897 is vastly superior to the 857 for that sort of use. For outdoor use you need something durable, and you want something integrated. Thats why i primarily use milpacks for that. With standard ham rigs you are going to have a mess of wires hooking everything together and it is not waterproof, and not all that durable and a PITA to haul around. I had to mod my 897 to get it where I wanted it and I usually carry it in a water resistant shell, its still not water "proof" but it works well enough. And it sits on the shelf in the shack just fine and works well for that purpose too hooked up to an external PS, it is my do it all rig.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/1024x768q90/850/lbld.jpg

Also my podcast on milpacks

Damn, those are great points. Being a computer guy, I hate wire hanging out all over the place.

Posted: 10/12/2014 8:50:29 PM EDT

[#9]

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Quoted:

Damn, those are great points. Being a computer guy, I hate wire hanging out all over the place.

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link

If you think you are going to be a techy, the KX3 is it....

Posted: 10/12/2014 8:51:53 PM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
Like everything there will be pros/cons and people that try to justify the purchases they have made.

The TS-570 while a great HF radio does not have the VHF UHF capability the 857 does. Then neither of the radios have the single USB hookup like the Icom 7200 (another favorite of guys here) but then some guys swear by a Kenwood TS480HX that puts out 200w.

This is why I say you need to get hands on before dropping that kind of money. Your antenna idea is almost backwards, your base antenna will be the cheapest and easiest. Most guys are just using some 14ga wire (mine is 60' long with a connector in the middle) and with that they talk the world. A vertical can be made out of copper plumbing pipe or fence top rail. The expense comes when you try getting a good antenna into a lightweight compact package (ie buddipole or outbacker). My personal favorite is a yo yo dipole from ham radio fun.

Range is a touchy subject. Ask any ham the range of a radio and they get that look in their eye like a Jedi about to explain the way of the force. It does depend on a ton of things but usually you can expect the same characteristics. Back home on 3.916MHz the same guys get on from TX, OK, AR, LA and talk every night. When I was home in September I talked every morning and evening to VA from OK on 20m. However that was using 100w and we both had good antennas.

I did a camping trip a few months ago to test some of the NVIS myths. I had great success and lots of fun. I was able to design a new to me antenna out of dewalt tape measures and a self supporting mast. I enlisted the help of some friends in the area to talk to at scheduled times. SCW down in SC and another member in northern VA maintained comms with me.

I learned what did and didn't work for me on that trip. Since then I have been gearing my stuff to fit the way I see myself operating.

<a href="http://s1166.photobucket.com/user/jnu5/media/20140716_210321_zpswdhwfstb.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i1166.photobucket.com/albums/q610/jnu5/20140716_210321_zpswdhwfstb.jpg</a>

There are 2 members on here I know of that are around your area. There is one that was a WW2 POW hid out on an island until a couple years ago that might be worth a talkin to. He likes to run around a parking lots with his .mil radio.

Also check out this pod cast
http://amateurradio15.com/

And this group of knuckle heads at field day, an annual event where hams go outside and make contact with each other. And maybe drink beer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8i554uMP5A

View Quote

My antenna dumassery is a direct result of being a newb. All of your points make perfect sense, thanks, I have a bunch to learn and even more to try an remember....... that gets harder as I get grayer. I appreciate the help..

Posted: 10/12/2014 8:57:19 PM EDT

[#11]

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Quoted:

link

If you think you are going to be a techy, the KX3 is it....

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Quoted:

Quoted:

Damn, those are great points. Being a computer guy, I hate wire hanging out all over the place.

link

If you think you are going to be a techy, the KX3 is it....

While being a techy, I'm also a cheep sob and don't want to jump right in with a 2k rig. If I get wood over the world of ham then I'll break open a piggy bank and buy some of the really high end toys. ..... I have a teenager, who's more than happy to receive dads hand me downs........
well, I've got to get him hooked on the ham thing yet.

As for your link.I saved the other link into my favorites, we're getting to that time of year when going outside sucks, and I can catch up on my reading.. :) Thanks.

Posted: 10/12/2014 9:24:21 PM EDT

[#12]

It doeosn't take a 2k rig. I'm not sure what you are looking to do. If you want something mobile/portable I have no clue on that. I just do HF base station and spent about $700 on it including test study stuff and so far have made contacts all over the world.

I picked everything up in this forum basically as we have nobody active in the local club that even owns a HF rig.

Posted: 10/12/2014 9:41:54 PM EDT

[#13]

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Quoted:

And this group of knuckle heads at field day, an annual event where hams go outside and make contact with each other. And maybe drink beer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8i554uMP5A

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That's a great video, enjoyed it even more the second time. If we were closer I would have been out there too.

Sorry, no additional input for the OP since I have no need to go portable or mobile. I think I'd go with the Ten-Tec Eagle 599 or Kenwood TS-590S for a little more in my situation.

Posted: 10/12/2014 9:59:39 PM EDT

[#14]

Once again I'll add something that usually goes against the flow...

My first HF radio, (and currently only HF radio) was a Yaesu FT-817ND, and never had any issues not making contacts or figuring out the menu system. Yeah, it's not a pile-up buster, but I'm okay with that. With very causal operating I'm up to 48 states and 30+ DX entities with 5 watts or less on SSB...

Posted: 10/12/2014 11:26:07 PM EDT

[#15]

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Quoted:
Damn, those are great points. Being a computer guy, I hate wire hanging out all over the place.

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Also remember ham rigs are not weather proof nor durable in general, I carry mine in dry bags when I go.

Posted: 10/12/2014 11:40:54 PM EDT

[#16]

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Quoted:

Also remember ham rigs are not weather proof nor durable in general, I carry mine in dry bags when I go.

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Quoted:

Quoted:
Damn, those are great points. Being a computer guy, I hate wire hanging out all over the place.

Also remember ham rigs are not weather proof nor durable in general, I carry mine in dry bags when I go.

This is something I have never understood. Why hams have a fascination with waterproof radios. A little prevention goes a long way. I say this as a mil guy who has carried a few military radios which have never gotten wet. If you are planning on operating outside take a poncho if there is a chance of rain.

Honestly I would happily trade firmware upgrades, dsp, and parts/accessories availability for water proofness.

Posted: 10/13/2014 10:16:18 AM EDT

[#17]

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Quoted:

This is something I have never understood. Why hams have a fascination with waterproof radios. A little prevention goes a long way. I say this as a mil guy who has carried a few military radios which have never gotten wet. If you are planning on operating outside take a poncho if there is a chance of rain.

Honestly I would happily trade firmware upgrades, dsp, and parts/accessories availability for water proofness.

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Damn, those are great points. Being a computer guy, I hate wire hanging out all over the place.

Also remember ham rigs are not weather proof nor durable in general, I carry mine in dry bags when I go.

This is something I have never understood. Why hams have a fascination with waterproof radios. A little prevention goes a long way. I say this as a mil guy who has carried a few military radios which have never gotten wet. If you are planning on operating outside take a poncho if there is a chance of rain.

Honestly I would happily trade firmware upgrades, dsp, and parts/accessories availability for water proofness.

Where I am at it doesn't rain too often, but lord when it does its bad...
My take is this, when I take my milpacks, I don't worry about them ever. Water, dropping a pack, having the radio tip over etc (all of which have happened). When I have my ham rigs I am paranoid about it because a few drops of water or dropping them will break them again BTDT luckily with one exception they were not too bad to fix... Milpacks were designed for rough outdoor use, while ham rigs IMO barely qualify for nice day picknick table use. About the only "HAM" (and its not) pack I would consider rugged is VX1210. That being said I still pack my 897 and 817's from time to time, but I'm careful about it.

I mean if you are operating for fun, in nice picknick table conditions at your field day BBQ, there is no reason not use a ham radio for it. Its a bit different story when I'm at 13-14k feet with 30mph winds and maybe drizzle, mist/fog or if I'm hauling ass of the top of some peak trying to get under tree-line with rain and lightning nipping at my heels. Or backpacking when its rained half the day. I agree about the prevention part, hence the dry bag comment, but honestly shit happens, I've had a dry bags leak before and I had to pull the radio and dry it out for a few days before I felt confident enough to power it up, if I actually had to have used it for some emergency reason I'm fairly sure I'd have been screwed.

Honestly I think something like a ruggedized/water resistant SGC2020 with integrated tuner and clip on battery box or modded KX3 with a bit more power output, (you can read my 20W rants elsewhere) would be great rigs for this sort of use.

Posted: 10/13/2014 11:29:06 AM EDT

[#18]

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Honestly I think something like a ruggedized/water resistant SGC2020 with integrated tuner and clip on battery box or modded KX3 with a bit more power output, (you can read my 20W rants elsewhere) would be great rigs for this sort of use.

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Yeah, something in a nice weatherproof box, with outboard heatsinks, and maybe 50W of power would very quickly move to the top of my 'do want' list.

An Elmer I work with and I have been following the 'minima' build for a while, if that works out then I may build one ugly and with a 50W amp in an ammo can.

Thread may need a TCXO (topic-compensated XO)...we seem to be drifting a bit.

Posted: 10/13/2014 6:22:26 PM EDT

[#19]

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Quoted:

Here's Jup's post from another thread.

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Quoted:

Quoted:
While looking for Jupiter's propagation chart (didn't find it - my ADD took over), I came across this point-to-point prediction tool. I found it very helpful!

http://www.voacap.com/prediction.html

Here's Jup's post from another thread.

Quoted:

Quoted:
That youkits radio looks pretty cool. Would I miss not having any of the lower frequency bands on it?

While I have my General, I haven't been able to afford an HF radio myself, so all my comments are based on what I've read. Older and wiser heads will chime in to correct my mistakes, I'm sure.

However, the first question you should ask is probably "Do I have room to put up an antenna for 60/80m?" If you don't have room for it, it won't matter if the radio can't xmit on those bands. It's also unable to transmit on 6m, 12m, 17m, & 30m. From what I understand 10m, 20m, & 40m are the most commonly used bands and should be more than adequate to start with.

80 meters is dead in the daytime. But starting at sundown it comes in and can give coverage for half of the USA or more. Lots of nets up in the 75 m General phone portion of the band, 3.800 to 4.000 mhz. A center fed dipole or OCFD would need to be total overall span of 120' - 135'.

60 meters has only five specific "channels" that can be used. It is Upper Sideband Only. While not totally useless, it is very limited. I would not worry about 60 meters.

40 meters works well in the morning, until late morning, dies for a while, then comes back mid afternoon and into the evening, sometimes as late as 10 pm. If you have a center fed dipole for only one band, the 40 meter band will give you the most use. Whether dipole or OCFD, 66' overall span.

30 meters is a very narrow band, limited to 200 watts only, and is also CW / RTTY / Data only. 30, 17, 12 meters are WARC bands, no contesting.

20 meters is a daytime band, goes dead late afternoon, or about sundown. It is an excellent DX band. Overall span 33'. For the guy that works days, comes home, eats dinner and wants to get on the air in the evenings, this is not your band. 40 and 80 meters bands are better for you.

17 meters is similar to the 20 meter band in propagation. It has much lower noise than 20 meters, and gives good DX possibilities. Generally it is a very laid back band, you won't hear "ILLINOIS CQ PARTY!!!" and such. There are times 20 meters is open, but 17 meters and higher are not. Often 17 meters can be worked with a 20 meter dipole and tuner.

15 meters is not always open,but when it is, like 17 meters is quiet. And great DX opportunities. Some of my best DX has been on 15 meters. A 40 meter center fed dipole will work 15 meters with a tuner. It will have higher SWR, but not too bad. For example, a well tuned 40 m dipole tuned to 7.1 mhz, will have good SWR in that band, but in the 15 meter band will tune near the top of the band, about 21.400 mhz with about 3:1 SWR. This is easily handled with a tuner.

12 meters, usually if 15 meters is open, 12 meters is often open, but I rarely hear anyone on this narrow WARC band. Daytime only band.

10 meters is not often open. Daytime only band. When it is, it has great opportunity for DX. I seldom even bother as I can make all the contacts I want on lower bands. 10 meters is most popular with Techs in a very narrow portion of the band where they can use phone USB.

For the least visual impact and wire in the air, for the maximum number of bands, I would suggest an OCFD (aka "Windom" - sic). These antennas, contrary to advertising hype are NOT "no tuner needed" antennas. However, they can be easily tuned on most of the HF bands.

For 40-20-17-15-10 meters, an OCFD with a 66' overall span, split 25' + 41', and a tuner will do a good job for you.

For 80-40-20-17-15-12-10 meters, an OCFD with 132' overall span, split 39' + 93', and a tuner will also perform well, as good as any, better than most. Tell me of any other antenna that will cover that many bands with just two pieces of wire!

A full wave loop can be fashioned from a 2:1 or 2.5:1 balun and wire, formed in a big square 70' on a side, or rectangle, triangle, trapazoid, with total wire length of 280'.

I'm not impressed with the G5RV or "Double Bazooka", though there are fans of these.

Thanks great info fo a newb thanks.

Posted: 10/13/2014 8:13:08 PM EDT

[#20]

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I pretty much agree with all of this, I mainly take my 817 setup backpacking when I need to save weight. I usually use a wolphi link and Cell phone for PSK31 with it. Or CW.

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I agree alot with with most of what the above posters have said -- my experience is limited to the FT817 in this context I use mine for remote QRP ops like this past weekend. Its a good dependable and very capable radio. That said it is also

VERY complicated. Due to its size it is limited in the number of controls it has --there fore each one has to do double or triple

duty. It is very menu driven and some are difficult to use. It is a good radio IF you are only going to do one thing for a while

such as PSK or you absolutely NEED that kind of portability. IMHO switching on the fly from PSK to SSB and then to 2m FM

can be a pain. Now you can have a bunch of memories programmed in for each mode and freq you plan on using but for a

beginner radio I would probably go another route.

Like a said just this am I was trying out some PSK before breaking camp and somehow my transmit levels got changed and

I was splashing all over the band -- figured it out but getting it back,,figuring out where the issue was took me quite a few

minutes and I am still not 100% sure that was the issue --I compensated by turning down the output level of the computer

sound card but with the limited info from the display it was hard to tell where the issue really was. Its a more advanced

radio with a learning curve. I would not reccomend it to a beginner. Unless you know someone who has one and can spend some time

coaching you on its use. I have had mine about 9 months and still am not fluent in its use. You can probably find a more basic rig

for less money and you will get more enjoyment out of it with less frustration IMHO.

I pretty much agree with all of this, I mainly take my 817 setup backpacking when I need to save weight. I usually use a wolphi link and Cell phone for PSK31 with it. Or CW.

I run it with a CF-30 and my home made interface cables --but due to the internal battery packs limitations I keep my aux battery supply (the orange plastic ammo box ) handy

it has 4 7ah gell cells and can pretty much run the 817 all weekend the computer not so much. I am slowly working down to a backpacking level right no I am still using the van....

" />

I was out this weekend at the FalFiles shoot and was ablr to work France and Alaska withing minutes of each other off the super slider

" />

but the GLA crapped out on me --later found out I had a bad coax connector

" />

view from the operators position

" />

whole thing is still kinda bulky for backpacking......

anyway I just ordered an Rigexpert AA-30 so that (the bad coax connector) should be easier to find next time ...

Posted: 10/13/2014 8:50:26 PM EDT

[#21]

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Quoted:

whole thing is still kinda bulky for backpacking......

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Its alot smaller than everything other than a KX3, which I'd like to have at some point, but I keep hoping they bump the power output on the thing.

My whole "full kit" 817 setup is about 5lbs without antenna, add another pound or two for an end-fed wire, or minimal dipole. Its bulkier than I'd like, but way friggin smaller than anything else I own and about half the weight.

Honestly my best ultraminimal 817 setup is to bring a par-end fed, which gets me 3 bands with minimal swr, and a CW key and earphone or the wolphi-cell setup no tuner, and use energizer lithiums in the tray, along with 8 spare ones. I think the total weight is 3-3.5lbs on that setup and I can run it for 2-3 nights with limited use. I'd love to get a KX-3 but at that price point there is always something else I want more.

Posted: 10/13/2014 11:00:57 PM EDT

[#22]

I just looked up and downloaded that Droid PSK app --that is slicker than snot!!-- that is just too cool !

Posted: 10/13/2014 11:39:50 PM EDT

[#23]

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Quoted:
I just looked up and downloaded that Droid PSK app --that is slicker than snot!!-- that is just too cool !

View Quote

Its pretty cool

Posted: 10/14/2014 11:00:07 AM EDT

[#24]

Quote History

Quoted:
I was out this weekend at the FalFiles shoot

View Quote

pics of FALS are not loading

Posted: 10/14/2014 2:35:03 PM EDT

[#25]

Not to rehash everything everyone else has said, but I use an FT-857D for a portable setup. First contact with it was to Ukraine on 20m on an end-fed antenna. I can DX with it, and even talked to a guy up in MA from PA on 40m phone with an antenna strung around a bedroom inside a second-floor apartment.

Is it perfect? No.

Is it better than my TS-590? Obviously not, though the mechanical filters help considerably, especially on CW or when band conditions are crowded.

Is is more than good enough for my portable orange box? Coupled with my Jetstream SMPS and LDG tuner, you better believe it!

My only issue right now is that I need to put some chokes on the feedline and radials on the base of the antenna to reduce the RFI for digital modes. They keep knocking out my USB connection to my tablet for PSK which is a serious pain. Then again, I have the same issue with the mouse on the laptop connected by USB to my 590 so it's not unique.

There is one other problem to consider IMO, and that's the power consumed while listening. Anything else not QRP is going to be power hungry on the order of 1.5A. Even the upcoming FT-991, as nice as it may be, will probably consume over an amp due to the screen and its built-in DSP.

The truth is that most of your time in a SHTF situation will likely be spent listening and gathering information rather than transmitting. In that case, and if this is truly your goal, you may in the ideal case want to get a KX-3 just for listening as it consumes 100-150mA vs. 600mA for the FT-857D. If you want to transmit, then switch on and use the FT-857D, plus you have two radios. What I wouldn't do is buy the KXPA-100, as it's going to make your setup very heavy and even more expensive. Cheap, fast, good - ya gotta pick two!

Posted: 10/15/2014 10:32:01 PM EDT

[#26]

Late, I'll speak up for the 897D, it is a form factor I like and it was actually on a short list of mine at one time. And with what Harlikwin has done with the sideboards and rear feet, and the tuner & antenna bracket it looks a seriously nice shack with a carrying handle

, limited airtime under its own power notwithstanding.

I am in the super-portable QRP market right now or I think I would build something like that. Traveling so much lately, I am looking for a setup to fit in a carry on without adding bulk or much weight. So far the 817ND is calling my name, the unit with the big fanbase here is too expensive, while the Ed Import and Youkits units are too limiting.

Although, on the subject of Ed Import here is an interesting kit: Xeigu X108 9 HF bands multimode 20W max. Has some things I like but one big thing I don't like is the advertised minimum operating voltage

, if that is accurate.

Posted: 10/15/2014 11:24:55 PM EDT

[#27]

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pics of FALS are not loading

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Quoted:

Quoted:
I was out this weekend at the FalFiles shoot

pics of FALS are not loading

The witch-king is becoming impatient and has started loading MG13 mags full of 8mm.

Seriously...you don't want any morgul ammo headed your way....now cough up the pics.

Posted: 10/16/2014 9:29:24 AM EDT

[#28]

Quote History

Quoted:
Late, I'll speak up for the 897D, it is a form factor I like and it was actually on a short list of mine at one time. And with what Harlikwin has done with the sideboards and rear feet, and the tuner & antenna bracket it looks a seriously nice shack with a carrying handle

, limited airtime under its own power notwithstanding.

I am in the super-portable QRP market right now or I think I would build something like that. Traveling so much lately, I am looking for a setup to fit in a carry on without adding bulk or much weight. So far the 817ND is calling my name, the unit with the big fanbase here is too expensive, while the Ed Import and Youkits units are too limiting.

Although, on the subject of Ed Import here is an interesting kit: Xeigu X108 9 HF bands multimode 20W max. Has some things I like but one big thing I don't like is the advertised minimum operating voltage

, if that is accurate.

View Quote

Honestly I have never run out of juice with the 897 on the 10Ah pack I have in it. But it is not what I would call super compact.

The only real downside to the 817 is the output power. Unless you are on 17m+ forget about SSB. It works well for data and CW on all bands. Adding a tuner and an external battery will definaly bulk up the unit unfortunately. You might consider a used IC703 for a cheaper alternative to the KX3 and if you need to 20W the SG2020 can be found once in while on the used market, but it also needs the external battery and tuner. I saw the Xeigu X108 when it was released, but again, lack of integration and the high price point killed it for me.

Posted: 10/16/2014 10:05:22 AM EDT

[#29]

Quote History

Quoted:

Unless you are on 17m+ forget about SSB.

View Quote

I use my FT-817 all the time on 20m SSB and can always make contacts. Same is true on 40m NVIS during the day. I can always check into the rocky mountain region 7.240 High Noon Net. One evening a few weeks ago I was at a local park and strung up an 80m dipole at ~6ft and had no trouble checking in to the local SSB Columbine Net on 3.989. True, I may not be able to hit every single station I hear, or I might need to repeat my call a few times, but I've never been not able to make contacts.

It really comes down to how you plan on using the radio. If you're a hardcore comms guy, or operate from home, or from a vehicle, by all means get a 100w radio as it will make contacts all the more easy. If you take your radio on long hikes, as a supplemental tool to all your other gear, the size and weight of a radio like the FT-817 is essential. With just 5w I usually don't have a strong enough signal to hang out and have an armchair copy ragchew for hours on end, but it is enough to make a contact and pass emergency traffic should the need arise.

Posted: 10/19/2014 11:12:43 PM EDT

[#30]

Where would you guys purchasing a 897d from? Are there any suggestions on making the purchase what additionally should i get? Are extended warranties recommended?

Any suggestion on antennas, I'd like to start out with one for the SUV and one that can be mounted of the chimney?

Thank you all for you comments and suggestions.

John

Posted: 10/20/2014 12:00:14 AM EDT

[#31]

Accessories for the FT-897D would be the LDG AT-897 or AT-897Plus tuner.

There are some complaints on the FT-897 yahoo group that this tuner does not match the FT-897 as nicely as the
Yaesu tuner made for that radio. It is like people griping that the plastic buttstock of their AR-15 does not match
color of the receivers. It's about "styling".

But the LDG tuner easily handles up to 10:1 SWR, the Yaesu tuner only up to around 3:1. The consensus is, among
those who actually use the radio, is that the LDG is a far better tuner.

I had mine set up with the LDG AT-897 and Yaesu FP-30 power supply. This supply fits in the bottom in place of the
batteries. It makes for a neat all-in-one package, and is quite rugged. One problem, there is no way to tap off a few
milliamps for other accessories, a meter light, whatever. I would suggest that you could add a pigtail with Anderson
Powerpole connector to take care of that problem.

Be aware that if you do use the internal batteries (not included - batteries sold separately) that there is internal limiting
to 20 watts maximum output in order to extend battery life. You might be better off with an external battery, especially
if you feel there may be times you wish to get a full 100w signal out regardless of battery life.

This is not a backpack, play in the hills radio. It is heavy.

The D in the later FT-897D designates that it has the five 60 m frequencies accessible as programmed memory channels,
and limit to the previous 50 w output. As far as I know, there are no firmware or any other changes that allow the radio to
operate on the current five 60 m frequencies. There are internal mods that can be found on the net to take care of this
problem, but you must dial in the correct indicated frequency to center the USB signal where designated (you tune 1.5 khz
lower).

Posted: 10/20/2014 7:34:12 AM EDT

[#32]

I have both the 857D and the 897D.
The 857D is in my F-250 Super Duty.
It is a great radio although the DSP is kind of outdated.

The 897D is my home station backup unit.
Again, the DSP lacks a bit, but otherwise, it is a great radio.
For a, "cover it all radio", it works fine.
The menus, at first seemed slightly daunting, but after 10 years, I am used to them.
Hopefully, the new FT-991 does the same thing, but with an upgraded DSP in it.

I have it in a Pelican case with a 12V Samlex supply, and(2) 20AH batteries.
I also have a solar panel for charging those batteries.

I have "zero" complaints about either radio.

Posted: 10/20/2014 11:49:57 AM EDT

[#33]

Quote History

Quoted:
Where would you guys purchasing a 897d from? Are there any suggestions on making the purchase what additionally should i get? Are extended warranties recommended?

Any suggestion on antennas, I'd like to start out with one for the SUV and one that can be mounted of the chimney?

Thank you all for you comments and suggestions.

John

View Quote

Ham Radio Outlet usually has best deals. I've bought all of my new radios from them. Never had any issues.
You can try waiting till Thanksgiving. They always have very nice discounts but it's hard to predict.
Tarheel is a great mobile multi band antenna. Anything vertical on the chimney will require resonant radials or a tuned counterpoise system. Cushcraft R8 may work but you'll need to elevate it at least 15 ft above the chimney.
A ground mounted vertical is probably you best choice if you lack space for dipoles and other similar wire antennas. Wire antennas are the easiest to make and they always work very well. So your antenna choice will highly depend on you real estate conditions and how much money you want to spend. You don't need to spend thousands to get on the air. A good wire antenna can be built for under $100.

Ft897 is a great radio but it's not well suited for mobile use. It can be done though.

Posted: 10/20/2014 7:38:32 PM EDT

[#34]

Quote History

Quoted:

There are 2 members on here I know of that are around your area. There is one that was a WW2 POW hid out on an island until a couple years ago that might be worth a talkin to. He likes to run around a parking lots with his .mil radio.

View Quote

This man is actually formerly Corporal Takai Yagamuchi of the Imperial Japanese Army and he held out in New Guinea until recently.

If you live near Pittsburgh I can arrange for you to meet and accompany him on a radio outing sometimes. He likes Dos Equis AMBER.

Posted: 10/20/2014 8:45:40 PM EDT

[#35]

Quote History

Quoted:

Ham Radio Outlet usually has best deals. I've bought all of my new radios from them. Never had any issues.
You can try waiting till Thanksgiving. They always have very nice discounts but it's hard to predict.
Tarheel is a great mobile multi band antenna. Anything vertical on the chimney will require resonant radials or a tuned counterpoise system. Cushcraft R8 may work but you'll need to elevate it at least 15 ft above the chimney.
A ground mounted vertical is probably you best choice if you lack space for dipoles and other similar wire antennas. Wire antennas are the easiest to make and they always work very well. So your antenna choice will highly depend on you real estate conditions and how much money you want to spend. You don't need to spend thousands to get on the air. A good wire antenna can be built for under $100.

Ft897 is a great radio but it's not well suited for mobile use. It can be done though.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
Where would you guys purchasing a 897d from? Are there any suggestions on making the purchase what additionally should i get? Are extended warranties recommended?

Any suggestion on antennas, I'd like to start out with one for the SUV and one that can be mounted of the chimney?

Thank you all for you comments and suggestions.

John

Ham Radio Outlet usually has best deals. I've bought all of my new radios from them. Never had any issues.
You can try waiting till Thanksgiving. They always have very nice discounts but it's hard to predict.
Tarheel is a great mobile multi band antenna. Anything vertical on the chimney will require resonant radials or a tuned counterpoise system. Cushcraft R8 may work but you'll need to elevate it at least 15 ft above the chimney.
A ground mounted vertical is probably you best choice if you lack space for dipoles and other similar wire antennas. Wire antennas are the easiest to make and they always work very well. So your antenna choice will highly depend on you real estate conditions and how much money you want to spend. You don't need to spend thousands to get on the air. A good wire antenna can be built for under $100.

Ft897 is a great radio but it's not well suited for mobile use. It can be done though.

I've a 1/2 acre in the burbs, with lots of big trees, unfortunately, we're in a low spot near the creek so the big trees only help so much. The tree line is 150 ft from the house, that's the other issue. I can stick something off the chimney with a 15ft pole and be higher than the trees. I suspect I'll get to play with the dipoles in the trees, which is where a 16X40 shed is. I'll also need a good car antenna as well as something for the chimney - i think you mentioned one.

Posted: 10/21/2014 10:34:39 AM EDT

[#36]

Quote History

Quoted:
Accessories for the FT-897D would be the LDG AT-897 or AT-897Plus tuner.

There are some complaints on the FT-897 yahoo group that this tuner does not match the FT-897 as nicely as the
Yaesu tuner made for that radio. It is like people griping that the plastic buttstock of their AR-15 does not match
color of the receivers. It's about "styling".

But the LDG tuner easily handles up to 10:1 SWR, the Yaesu tuner only up to around 3:1. The consensus is, among
those who actually use the radio, is that the LDG is a far better tuner.

I had mine set up with the LDG AT-897 and Yaesu FP-30 power supply. This supply fits in the bottom in place of the
batteries. It makes for a neat all-in-one package, and is quite rugged. One problem, there is no way to tap off a few
milliamps for other accessories, a meter light, whatever. I would suggest that you could add a pigtail with Anderson
Powerpole connector to take care of that problem.

Be aware that if you do use the internal batteries (not included - batteries sold separately) that there is internal limiting
to 20 watts maximum output in order to extend battery life. You might be better off with an external battery, especially
if you feel there may be times you wish to get a full 100w signal out regardless of battery life.

This is not a backpack, play in the hills radio. It is heavy.

The D in the later FT-897D designates that it has the five 60 m frequencies accessible as programmed memory channels,
and limit to the previous 50 w output. As far as I know, there are no firmware or any other changes that allow the radio to
operate on the current five 60 m frequencies. There are internal mods that can be found on the net to take care of this
problem, but you must dial in the correct indicated frequency to center the USB signal where designated (you tune 1.5 khz
lower).

View Quote

Couple of comments.

The 897 for backpack use is totally doable, its about 12lbs with the ATU and internal batteries. When you compare this to say an 817 setup which comes in ~5lbs for something comparable configuration wise and only 5W it starts looking real attractive.

If you use the factory batteries its true that it will limit it to 20W output (which for manpack use is just about right). However if you roll your own battery packs you can just plug them into main PS and get whatever power you want out, 100W, 50W, 20W etc. (this is what I do as its substantially cheaper than the factory packs)

Posted: 10/21/2014 12:14:26 PM EDT

[#37]

Quote History

Quoted:

This man is actually formerly Corporal Takai Yagamuchi of the Imperial Japanese Army and he held out in New Guinea until recently.

If you live near Pittsburgh I can arrange for you to meet and accompany him on a radio outing sometimes. He likes Dos Equis AMBER.

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:

There are 2 members on here I know of that are around your area. There is one that was a WW2 POW hid out on an island until a couple years ago that might be worth a talkin to. He likes to run around a parking lots with his .mil radio.

This man is actually formerly Corporal Takai Yagamuchi of the Imperial Japanese Army and he held out in New Guinea until recently.

If you live near Pittsburgh I can arrange for you to meet and accompany him on a radio outing sometimes. He likes Dos Equis AMBER.

Piccolo - He once used a "Seeing Eye Cat" instead of a Dog. The police often question him, just because they find him interesting. The most interesting HAM in the world.

Posted: 10/22/2014 8:36:33 AM EDT

[#38]

Quote History

Quoted:
Piccolo - He once used a "Seeing Eye Cat" instead of a Dog. The police often question him, just because they find him interesting. The most interesting HAM in the world.

View Quote

I drove up to a parked cop once and it sounded like this.

Me: Ya know those Most interesting Man in the World ads?

Cop: Yeah.

Me: There's one that say the police question him often because they find him interesting.

Cop: Yeah? So?

Me: What's so interesting about him?

Cop: Why are YOU so interested?

Me: Because I want his job when he retires. You ain't gettin' it because you don't have a cool beard like me.

Cop: Ask the Chief what is so interesting about him. Incidentally that is a pretty good beard. It looks ....interesting.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - looking to buy a portable rig, need some recommendations for something like a yaesu 817 and 897 (Page 2 of 2)

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