First "Mobile", stuck on what to get.

[WROA496]

Lots of Motorola/Kenwood/Hytera comments...  I'm sure I will be happy with the Wouxun, but I'm also sure it won't be my only or last mobile.  

[WRQG411]

Everyone keeps forgetting about the ICOM IC-2730A w/MARS mod.  Great 50W mobile.  One caveat is accessories are extra.

[marcspaz]

11 minutes ago, WRQG411 said:

Everyone keeps forgetting about the ICOM IC-2730A w/MARS mod.  Great 50W mobile.  One caveat is accessories are extra.

 

I swear, I'm not BSing at all, I almost bought one last night but opted to spend the extra cash for the FTM-500DR instead. 

[WRUE951]

7 hours ago, nokones said:

For less than $350 you can get a Motorola XTL5000 UHF Dashmount radio with 1,000 channels, programming cable, windows CPS software, microphone, and speaker which is a lot better radio in more ways then one as compared to a Hytera.

Also, I wouldn't pass on a comparable model Kenwood.

I have one, i actually prefer the Hytera for simplicity..  i paid 375 for the xtl 5000 w/ software and cable.  

[WRDJ205]

4 hours ago, WROA496 said:

I'm also sure it won't be my only or last mobile.

I agree with that comment.  Lots of good info on this forum.  
 

Would recommend one that you could program to give you a chance to dive down that hole.  

[WRUU653]

5 hours ago, WRQG411 said:

Everyone keeps forgetting about the ICOM IC-2730A w/MARS mod.  Great 50W mobile.  One caveat is accessories are extra.

  I agree it’s a great radio and it’s what I have in my truck. 

[WRXB215]

While I'm jealous of all you guys that can afford to buy the nice radios, my AnyTone AT-778UV with Nagoya UT72 antenna is actually performing quite well. 

[WRUE951]

7 minutes ago, WRXB215 said:

While I'm jealous of all you guys that can afford to buy the nice radios, my AnyTone AT-778UV with Nagoya UT72 antenna is actually performing quite well. 

i had one for my RV for awhile  was a nice radio until the display decided to go south.   

[WRUU653]

1 hour ago, WRXB215 said:

While I'm jealous of all you guys that can afford to buy the nice radios, my AnyTone AT-778UV with Nagoya UT72 antenna is actually performing quite well. 

I considered this one when I was choosing a mobile but I needed a detachable face due to space constraints. The 778UV is still on my list of potential base station radios. It looks to be a good bang for your buck radio. 

[WROA496]

26 minutes ago, WRUU653 said:

I considered this one when I was choosing a mobile but I needed a detachable face due to space constraints. The 778UV is still on my list of potential base station radios. It looks to be a good bang for your buck radio. 

Space was my biggest constraint as well.  Once you add "detachable face" to the list of requirements, the list of available products drops dramatically and the cost goes up.  Tough pill to swallow, but it will be a clean install when done.  

2 hours ago, WRXB215 said:

While I'm jealous of all you guys that can afford to buy the nice radios, my AnyTone AT-778UV with Nagoya UT72 antenna is actually performing quite well. 

That is one I initially looked at... my concern (with my aging eyeballs) is how far I would have to mount it from me and I would need a larger screen.  But the cabin in my truck is so small, there is nowhere to mount it where a radio is visible that won't get kicked, kneed or launched at my face as an airbag accessory.... that brought me back to the detachable face thing.  FYI, I'm just on the other side of the ship channel from you (League City/Friendswood).  Happy to see a neighbor here.

[WROA496]

13 hours ago, WRDJ205 said:

Would recommend one that you could program to give you a chance to dive down that hole.  

I think that's why I started with a UV-5R.  Learn to use chirp, how to set tones, experiment with antennas, program in repeaters, local emergency channels, local school channels, etc.  If I mess up and the thing explodes, I'm out $19.   

Now I'm working on my Ham license... not that I'm concerned about the "license" part.... I'm in it for the education part. Just to follow this thread, I have to google at least 4 things a day to understand what people are saying.

[SteveShannon]

1 hour ago, WROA496 said:

I think that's why I started with a UV-5R.  Learn to use chirp, how to set tones, experiment with antennas, program in repeaters, local emergency channels, local school channels, etc.  If I mess up and the thing explodes, I'm out $19.   

Now I'm working on my Ham license... not that I'm concerned about the "license" part.... I'm in it for the education part. Just to follow this thread, I have to google at least 4 things a day to understand what people are saying.

That’s actually a very good path, starting with a UV5R and learning the basics. As you learn you will be able to make more informed decisions about what you want going forward. 
I commend you for using ham radio studying as a way to learn more about the science and terminology of radio. I used HamStudy to do that and found it very helpful because it allows a person to follow any topic as far as possible. 

[WRXB215]

@WRUU653 & @WROA496 check this out.

And a cheaper one here.

Edited April 25 by WRXB215
Added info.

[WRUU653]

1 hour ago, WRXB215 said:

@WRUU653 & @WROA496 check this out.

And a cheaper one here.

Nice. I didn’t realize that was an option. 

[Hoppyjr]

Everyone keeps forgetting about the ICOM IC-2730A w/MARS mod.  Great 50W mobile.  One caveat is accessories are extra.

I just picked one up @ HRO while in Portland. Install this weekend.

I’m done with Midland.

[bobthetj03]

Another option, if they come back in stock again,

https://www2.randl.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_320&products_id=74824

I looked for 6 months for this radio to come back in stock. When it finally did, I grabbed. It wasn't a week later and they were out of stock again. It was unlocked right out of the box. The cross band repeat feature was a nice bonus. 

It's now my base unit at home. I originally wanted it for my Wrangler, as I have similar space constraints, but I was impatient and got a Yaesu FTM-200D and was able to make room for a Wouxun KGXS-20G in the dash as it has a pretty small footprint. 

[WROA496]

On 5/4/2024 at 4:27 PM, bobthetj03 said:

Another option, if they come back in stock again,

https://www2.randl.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_320&products_id=74824

Ooh, that looks nice... and for $250, that's not bad.

Is it wrong.... I finally got a 1000g.  Still havn't fully installed it (I have most of it put in, still have a box load of wires to run), and I'm already thinking about other radios?  It's almost a guilty feeling like the wouxon is going to check my browser history.

[WRYZ926]

Radios are like potato chips, you can't just have 1, 

[Lscott]

10 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

Radios are like potato chips, you can't just have 1, 

You can't have just 10 either. Trust me on this.

[nokones]

10 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

Radios are like potato chips, you can't just have 1, 

If radios are like Potato Chips, you wouldn't want to eat cheap Chinese junk food, so buy a quality radio and enjoy the taste of a real radio.

[WRYZ926]

3 minutes ago, nokones said:

If radios are like Potato Chips, you wouldn't want to eat cheap Chinese junk food, so buy a quality radio and enjoy the taste of a real radio.

Most if not al of us would love to have a real nice radio or two. Some people are on a hamburger budget and some are on a Filet mignon budget. One has to go with what they can afford.

[nokones]

8 minutes ago, WRYZ926 said:

Most if not al of us would love to have a real nice radio or two. Some people are on a hamburger budget and some are on a Filet mignon budget. One has to go with what they can afford.

Well then save up so you can get the bag of the quality whole chips instead a bag full of cheap little itty bitty chip crumbs. You save more in the long run.

[WRYZ926]

17 minutes ago, nokones said:

Well then save up so you can get the bag of the quality whole chips instead a bag full of cheap little itty bitty chip crumbs. You save more in the long run.

I won't argue with anyone. Yes Motorola and Kenwood rails are nice and I have used them while in the military and civilian jobs. But most radios on the market now days work just as well for less money. This includes Icom, Yaesu, and Wouxun (for GMRS). And yes I do own and use Icom and Yaesu radios.

And the whole argument about Chinese products and/or components is moot since most consumer goods are either made in China or made from Chinese components. This includes everyone's phones, tablets, and computers that they use to post on forums while bashing inferior Chinese products.

[nokones]

Non-inferior radios, such as, Kenwood and/or Motorola, has a ton of more features, than the cheap inferior Chinese radios. 

Also, the proprietary programming software is a lot easier to use as compared to Chirp. A matter of fact very few of the cheap Chinese radios have their own programming software

The non-inferior radios are better supported with accessories and are serviceable and reliable for decades. 

As in cheap Chinese junk chips, the cheap inferior Chinese radios will just crumble away in very short period of time and can't be depended on when the need arises. 

As for the bashing, I believe the cheap Chinese radios earned that reputation on their own merit. Do you see anyone bashing the Kenwood, Motorola, or Harris radios?

[WRXB215]

20 minutes ago, nokones said:

has a ton of more features

My CCR has a little button on the side that I push and talk to people.