Am looking for a new mobile 2m/dual band for the car. 75cm is a dead zone in the north Dallas area.

What I'm looking for:
>= 50 watts
detachable faceplate
really really would like the mic to plug into the detachable faceplate so that I have only one wire to run.
OTD price <$300.00

Does this unicorn exist?

Only a few radios have microphone plugs on their remote face.

ALINCO DR-735T. $295. I thin the mic plugs into the faceplate but check before buying.

ALINCO DR-635T $289 (cross band repeat). I love their round 8 pin connectors. Everyone else uses the crappy RJ-45 connectors.

Both are under $300 at Ham Radio Outlet (they usually have the best prices, great service and free shipping).



Also look at a Yeasu FT-7900R. It's under $300 but has no mic connector on faceplate. Most Yeasu rigs include a faceplate separation kit. Check before buying thou.

Kenwood TM-V71a is nice too but it's $335 and they don't include a separation kit (expensive)

YAESU FTM-100DR is a new radio with digital or FM modes. It's very nice and only $309.


Several days ago they had huge Dayton Hamvention discounts on many radios. FT8900 quad band was only $279

I have to vote for the Alinco 635 to get under $300 with mic on face...for $50 more the 735 is a nice looking unit with a BIG display...

Where my friend Gyprat and I will disagree is where to shop....I would call Richard at MTCradio.com first!  Phone 903-737-0773 He'll match or beat anyone's price-tell'em Cale sent you

I was looking at the Icom ic-2730 earlier this week at hro. Its slightly over your price at $325 after rebate, but it does have the mic jack on the head and body. Seperation cable included.

Does anyone still use the mobile? I listened to the San Antonio area when going through there and never heard any activity on the repeaters. 

Yep but I hardly ever use repeaters except my own cross-bnd repeater, although there is a lot of repeater activity here in the Carolinas. I've lived in 4 states and traveled a lot around the country. I have never experienced as much ham radio activity as we have here in the Carolinas (Upstate area).

Also, there a group of friends, including myself, who hang around several 2 meter simplex frequencies all the time to BS. We all live within a 20 mile area. I always keep my cross-band repeater on and have a small HT with me anywhere I go on our property.
Sometimes we talk about politics. This had us banned from a repeater in Charlotte because several liberal democrats could not tolerate freedom of speech. LOL.

HRO offers a free, 2 day shipping. I'd buy from MTC if they offered the same. I'm an equal opportunity offender.  But seriously, if this helps you in any way, I will buy from them next time I need something. I called them 2 years ago, when I was ready to buy a new HF rig but they did not have that model in stock. I would have bought it from them if their price was reasonable. $10-$15 shipping would not make a noticeable dent on a $2,500 radio.

It really does not help me at all.  I get paid a tiny flat rate every month for show mentions...They are just top notch peeps and that's why I invited them to be a part of the show.

They do offer free shipping over $99 (most orders) and from TX it's usually 3 days instead of the next day from ATL HRO.

I've tried almost all of them, and keep coming back to the simple FT-7800/7900


Affordable

Easy to operate

Easy is good at 70mph








I might be a bit biased, because I worked ISS with my friends 7900, while driving the the rifle range to shoot Garands.

the mic attaches to the faceplate on the FT-7800 & FT-7900

Attached File

Another suggestion for the FT-7900 just installed in my truck yesterday has the mic on the head that separates from the body.  

unrelated, Derek45 is that white out on the knobs or something else??? I like that little touch.

I use a paint pen

fine white

Get them at a local craft store my daughter likes

Yaesu 7900 at Ham Radio Outlet is $250.  It would be perfect for this role.  I have a 7800 in my truck and a 7900 at home.

Heck, if you wanted dual band simultaneous monitoring and crossband repeat capability, the 8900 is $305 after rebate.

We have a winner then, and it's under $300.
I was somehow under impression that the mic was connected to the radio's body only. I might have thought of a Kenwood.
BTW, Yaesu has the best and most ergonomic microphones. I hate the microphone on my TM-V71A. Icom's microphone cords are way too stiff, especially in cold weather.