All about the HAMs

[lowranger]

[kg6mov]

The kenwood radio is a very good rig, we had a couple when I was at google. It's easy to turn off beaconing when you don't need it. You are paying for a bunch of digital features you're probably not going to use, but overall the build and usability is nicer than the FT-8800.

In general:
Yaesu - Small, cheap, simple
Icom, - User friendly features
Kenwood - Can we put a bottle opener on it? Yeh put a bottle opener on that shit.

[89YJBuilder]

Yea Kenwood is "The Cadillac" of ham radios, I love my TS 940SAT. They have a great rep for quality. You can get a dual band Kenwood that is cheaper than the one posted earlier.
The Yeasu is a good radio cheap I wouldn't go there however they are one of the less expensive radios on the market. I have a FT-60, VX-6, VX-2, FT-2900 and two FT 8900s. I have had no issues with any of them. I will also say that the, I think it is RT software, makes programming any radio a breeze.
I would say that the Wouxun are cheap, a PITA to program and do not last.

[kg6mov]

Yeh, cheap is probably the wrong word. Simple, reliable and doesn't break the bank. I love my ft-60r. And both the 8800 and 8100 have served me well.

[89YJBuilder]

Yea I was just poking you a bit i figured that that was your intent but could't resist the shot. Sarcasm doesn't show well through the interweb.

[Indy - KK6ONP]

[lowranger]

I'm going to wait to see what you end up with Indy and how it works. Then maybe I'll do the same if that set up works good. Hopefully can get by with a standard size 3 or 4 ft antenna instead of those gawddy huge antennas.

[kg6mov]

For 2m/440 it's short antennas.

The two over the driver and passenger in this picture:

[lowranger]

I like those !!

[89YJBuilder]

Ham bands being disused are shorter "wave length" than CB so that means shorter antennas can be used. So the length of one wave length is a key factor in the length of the antenna. For example a half wave 2 meter antenna is one meter long. Where as a half wave 11 meter (CB frequency) is going to be 5.5 meters long. Most mobile antennas are 1/4 or 5/8 wave length. To do this most fiberglass antennas have a wire wrapped around the fiberglass stick to be more compact. A stainless whip has to be the full 1/4 or 5/8 or 1/2 wave length long. For 70 cm band that is an easy and short full wave antenna.

Get it? Hopefully that helps explain why some antenna are shorter than others. I tried to keep it short and basic.