2m multimode transceiver

[acl777]

Another option is for you to look out for something like a single band 2M FM mobile. You can pick up brand new FM sets for about £100. They come with all the bells and whistles.
Then you look for an older 2M multimode and use that just for SSB. Trio/Kenwood TR-9130 or the Icoms and Yaesu models previously mentioned.
If you do want to use both modes effectively, you will require a horizontal yagi for SSB and a vertical colinear for the FM portion.
There are a few options open to you, just depends on what you want to focus on. You would come in under your £300 for the radios no problem + the aerials/cable/rotator etc if you don't already have them although that could easily stretch you another £300. It aint a cheap hobby.

Yes, I'm beginning to realise it certainly isn't cheap. There are plenty of options though. Cheers!

[slamjam]

I'm also on the East Coast and can work PA/ON/DL every single day of the week with low power and a small beam. Don't let people put you off. The most important thing with VHF is location location location. With a single 2.5WL yagi and some decent feeder from your location I would say you should be able to at least work into ON/PA during the activity evenings. If you want FM also i would suggest a crossed yagi - You will need either a fiberglass stub mast or a stand off to avoid the metal work iteracting with the vertical elements. I'm now rebuilding my 2m station (only have a 6 ele fixed NE at the moment which I regularly work into OZ PA DL ON and F under normal conditions) Don't scrimp on cable - with low power on VHF every .01 of a DB counts so If you're going to have a decent length go for ecoflex 15 or similar. As far as a rig is concerned most of the serious op's use HF rigs with transverters or for a single band radio the Icom IC-275e/h is about as good as you will get (if you can find one) Mine was better than my TS-2000 and IC-910x by a country mile. They are not cheap - seem to exchange from £250-£500 depend on version and condition etc... They are very very good. Remember outside of activity contests and lifts 2m SSB can be a quiet place. There are regular contacts if you know where to look. Registering on the ON4KST chats is a very good place to start - Very handy for arranging skeds etc... Hope that helps

[acl777]

Thanks slamjam, it's good to hear your pulling in that kind of dx regularly using FM on VHF. I've realised you don't start learning until you've passed your foundation and put theory into practice.Have you ever worked anyone on 2m via sporadic E on FM?

[mof000]

I run the yaesu FT 726r. No menus and 10 watts which is ideal for us M3/M6 licence holders!

[Admiral]

I run the yaesu FT 726r. No menus and 10 watts which is ideal for us M3/M6 licence holders!

Very nice indeed, a chum of mine has one which is dual band, 2m and 70cm, beautiful looking set and sounds like velvet. [jealous smiley]

[mof000]

I run the yaesu FT 726r. No menus and 10 watts which is ideal for us M3/M6 licence holders!

Very nice indeed, a chum of mine has one which is dual band, 2m and 70cm, beautiful looking set and sounds like velvet. [jealous smiley]

Cheers,i love it. I put the Piexx ctcss board in it and currently have the 2m,70cms,6m,hf module for it.
All in all a great radio and very simple to use.

[Andy]

There's a letter in this month's Radcom bemoaning the lack of affordable multimodes for VHF/UHF. The writer asks why we need so many dirt-cheap dual-band FM mobiles and can someone please use their manufacturing capability to knock out a reasonably priced multimode? It wouldn't need earth-shattering high dynamic range performance or ten million bells & whistles, just decent performance and easy operation. A bit like 1980's rigs really.

[slamjam]

I'm also surprised none have come out of China yet.

[Andy]

Forgot to mention I can't agree with Admiral about the power thing. When I was first licensed (sorry, when I were a lad etc) I built my own little FM box. It had an RF output of less than one watt and with a roof-mounted 3-ele beam (gain about 4 dB probably) I could work all over the place. I live in North East Cheshire (East of Manchester) and regularly had contacts down to Birmingham, Stoke and into Shropshire and Wales. To the North, Burnley, Blackburn, Darwen. All simplex as I regarded repeaters as the Devil's work. Still do
'Horizontal FM' was all the rage at the time and if you were prepared to erect a decent antenna and listen carefully you could work wonders.

[andymuza]

I use an old Trio TR-9130 when out mobile, fantastic radio's and can be got cheaply.

I also use an FT-726R with 6, 2 and 70 modules when at home. Lovely radio to use and once again can be bought cheap enough.

I would highly recommend either of them.

[Admiral]

Forgot to mention I can't agree with Admiral about the power thing.

Apologies, my post was ambiguous, when I was working 2m DX on SSB I needed 200w-400w to do any good.

Using 1w FM was fine in the 70's and 80's, but there just isn't the interest in V/UHF phone these days, most M6 and M3s I know sit on 6m and HF and wouldn't touch V/UHF with a bargepole. Ironically, a lot of people on 2m around me are the G0 and G4 stations that never fully had a crack back in the day, but are just discovering what a great, challenging and sometimes frustrating band it is.

[slamjam]

Yes it is very challanging! I still think everyone should do a stint on 2/70cm SSB to find out what DX really is. I still get more of a thrill working 1200km on tropo VHF compared to working VK or ZL on HF!

[acl777]

As suggested by Kilimax I'm going to get the Yaesu 2900 for 2m Fm/repeaters and an old 2m multimode for SSB. One thought though, I read somewhere that continental repeaters still use the old tone burst system so an old multimode could be suitable for European repeater dx.

[Admiral]

Some UK repeaters still support 1750, but a lot of old kit struggles with 12.5khz channels.

[Unit 148 Mobile]

777,

Plenty of 2M multimodes on the bay: http://tinyurl.com/o7qs2fj

Unit 148