Posted: 2/15/2014 1:47:47 PM EDT
The wife and I took our test this morning at a local hamfest. We both passed. I think that was the easy part, now I have to figure what kind/type equipment to buy..... oh the agony 
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A pair of FT-60's with extended "whip" antenna's would be a great start. Congrats!  http://www.aesham.com/multi-band/yaesu-ft-60r/ http://www.aesham.com/sma/comet-sma-24/ (Sorry, but I love to spend other people's money) http://www.repeaterbook.com/ <-- Search your zip code for repeaters. Download Echolink on your phone and wait till you get your call sign and then register on their web site. Hopefully you get your call before next Fri because that's when the IRLP/Echolink net is. Its an ARFCOM net started just for new hams. LOTS of good info and tech questions asked/answered. http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_22/669456_ARFCOM_IRLP___Echolink_Net_________Friday_night_at_5_30_PST___________01_30Z___17_30_PST__.html <--- link to ARFCOM net thread. Scott |
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We got each other UV-5R's for xmas and have been listening to the local chatter. I was surprised to hear that many of them use the same radio's and are very satisfied with the results of it.
However I was thinking of a solid unit (no detachable faceplate) vhf/uhf mobile for ecomm box/vehicle use. My vehicle is a 2010 Frontier, and has a natural mounting position in front of the gear shift. I'm still undecided about what to get for the house....or how to set it up. I've allowed myself $500 to kick it off with..... |
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Nice. IC-880 <-- Has Dstar TM-V71A FT-7900 FT-8800 All good radio's at or under $400. You are going to have to drill a hole in your roof..... I know what your thinking. No, a mag mount is terrible. They get knocked or bumped off, then swing down on the coax side and put big dints in the side of your truck. AND they scratch the dog poop out of the paint. Drill a 3/8 hole, run the coax under the head liner (no need to pull head liner) and run the coax down the A-pillar behind your dash. When you sell the truck, they make a little plastic cap the screws on to the mount that looks like a satellite antenna. No one ever looks or notices. Does NOT hurt resale. Good luck and enjoy. |
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Quoted:
We got each other UV-5R's for xmas and have been listening to the local chatter. I was surprised to hear that many of them use the same radio's and are very satisfied with the results of it. However I was thinking of a solid unit (no detachable faceplate) vhf/uhf mobile for ecomm box/vehicle use. My vehicle is a 2010 Frontier, and has a natural mounting position in front of the gear shift. I'm still undecided about what to get for the house....or how to set it up. I've allowed myself $500 to kick it off with..... I like the Kenwood 2m moblie TM-281 Two of these with money to spend on mounts, cables, Base Antenna and power supply. |
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Quoted:
Nice. IC-880 <-- Has Dstar TM-V71A FT-7900 FT-8800 All good radio's at or under $400. You are going to have to drill a hole in your roof..... I know what your thinking. No, a mag mount is terrible. They get knocked or bumped off, then swing down on the coax side and put big dints in the side of your truck. AND they scratch the dog poop out of the paint. Drill a 3/8 hole, run the coax under the head liner (no need to pull head liner) and run the coax down the A-pillar behind your dash. When you sell the truck, they make a little plastic cap the screws on to the mount that looks like a satellite antenna. No one ever looks or notices. Does NOT hurt resale. Good luck and enjoy. I was thinking about the roof mount, and I plan on keeping it forever (almost paid for and 46k miles), however it does have a cargo system in the bed that looks like it would be a natural for some type of mounting system. |
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Quoted:
I like the Kenwood 2m moblie TM-281 Two of these with money to spend on mounts, cables, Base Antenna and power supply. Quoted:
Quoted:
We got each other UV-5R's for xmas and have been listening to the local chatter. I was surprised to hear that many of them use the same radio's and are very satisfied with the results of it. However I was thinking of a solid unit (no detachable faceplate) vhf/uhf mobile for ecomm box/vehicle use. My vehicle is a 2010 Frontier, and has a natural mounting position in front of the gear shift. I'm still undecided about what to get for the house....or how to set it up. I've allowed myself $500 to kick it off with..... I like the Kenwood 2m moblie TM-281 Two of these with money to spend on mounts, cables, Base Antenna and power supply. a lot of our local traffic is on 443.150 open repeater, so I'd like to have that option as well..... |
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Quoted:
We got each other UV-5R's for xmas and have been listening to the local chatter. I was surprised to hear that many of them use the same radio's and are very satisfied with the results of it. However I was thinking of a solid unit (no detachable faceplate) vhf/uhf mobile for ecomm box/vehicle use. My vehicle is a 2010 Frontier, and has a natural mounting position in front of the gear shift. I'm still undecided about what to get for the house....or how to set it up. I've allowed myself $500 to kick it off with..... Congrats on getting your tickets. |
