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KB3LAZ
03-01-2010, 01:58 AM
It would seem that I no longer have time to live in the shack..thus is life. I am working a lot, go to school, and have a life outside of work, school, and radio..aka I climbed out of my antisocial shadow. Ive never been much of a mobile op but it seems that I really have no choice at this point if I want more than a hr or two a week of air time. I drive an hr each way to work then go directly to school. While at school I have a two hr down period with nothing to do other than study which is something I do at home not between classes because it makes me flustered just coming from work and all but that is not relevant to the conversation.

Ok so my question is this. What do I use as a mobile rig? First I will tell you the intended use. I am not much for FM by any means. I enjoy ssb and am and normally 75/80m, 40m, 20m, 10m, 2m, or 70cm. More than likely the most often used bands will be 2m and 10m ssb and I was even thinking 6m.

Most of the op time will be stationary atop of a 5 story parking garage and not really mobile at all but the antennas will still have to be mounted to the car as a tripod or other temporary setup would not only be a hassle but near impossible in the restricted space. Thus a portable is not out of the question but...not really what I want in this situation.

Though I don't particularly care for the 857 I wont rule it out. And I had a 706 which I liked but did not love. Then you have the 7000 which I already have in the house and I am not only familiar with it but I rather enjoy it. And though I think I would be happiest with a 7000 Im not really sure that I need it. I mean yes it is nice and I enjoy using mine in the house but this station will be a compromise anyway. It wont boil down to the cost as that really isnt a factor for me at this point I could comfortably buy any of the above listed. Though I do not intend to waste money...why vest so much cash into something if I could get by fine with something of lesser expense. Does that make sense or did I just contradict myself...No being able to afford something and buying it are different I suppose.

Anyway my views on the 857. Im not fond of it when it comes to 2m ssb/70cm ssb which will be the rigs primary use. Though I suppose this could be fixed assuming the optional filters function not only on hf but vhf/uhf as well which I assume they do but I have not researched it. And I do not draw this conclusion with the use of one 857 but many. I also did not like the FT-100/d of which I have have had both.

The 706. While I liked mine and was content with it I was also not overly enthused with the performance on 2m/70cm ssb or am for that matter. Again this could likely be fixed with a wide ssb filter..I like a wide filter btw..just better pitch and tone for my listening comforts.

You all have read my reviews on the 7000 by this point I am sure and if not have seen my post on how I enjoy it in one thread or another. So really there is no need to re-emphasize it now.

While I know which I would be happiest with I guess I am really asking myself if I really need to go that extra mile for a few hrs a week.

As for the cost factor its not really that much of a difference if I need the optional filter. 706 is about 900$ + what 200$ for the filter so about 1100$, 857 is around 750+ 200$ give or take which would end up being 900$, and the 7000 is about 1200$. So max we are talking 300$ difference and when already spending 900-1000$ what is another few hundred $. So again price isnt really a factor here.

What says you? Do I just say the hell with it and get what I am already comfortable with? Or compromise?

OMG sorry this is a book..

BTW though this is a question it is one that requires and really is based on opinion..so I didnt put it in the question section.

W5IEI
03-01-2010, 06:39 AM
Go ahead and stay with the 7000.
Here's why.
I run HF mobil,and have tried most mobil rigs around,and a couple of full size rigs too.
The 7000 is hands down the winner in the noisy hf mobile department.
I run a little tarheel II and it works very well,when used with the supplied whip it works 80-6.
You can get absolutley flat SWR from right in the cab using the meter on the rig.

Be sure to mount it solidly,it's a little heavy,and get a quick disconnect for easy removal.
It's only rated for 200 watts pep,so if you may want to run more power down the road,according to their website,they custom build an HP version rated for 500 watts pep.

With the bands beginning to come back to life,you shouldn't limit yourself to only a few bands.
That little tarheel works them all in fine style.

The 7000 is also a winner,quite an improvement over the 706.
IMHO,
Mike

kf0rt
03-01-2010, 06:44 AM
Why can't you use the 7000 you already have? Wouldn't that bring the price to nearly $0?

K7SGJ
03-01-2010, 07:21 AM
I agree with RT. Why not put your current rig in the vehicle. If it works they way you envision, and want to leave it, then get another for the house. Or, if you find it isn't what you were hoping for, then consider another rig. Using the same rig in both applications is nice because of the zero learning curve. Especially nice in todays traffic! I am running the 857 in my truck and it works well for what I do. I'm not on the road much any more, so most HF is done at home. Good luck with the decision.

KB3LAZ
03-01-2010, 07:09 PM
Why can't you use the 7000 you already have? Wouldn't that bring the price to nearly $0?

Ah yes I thought of that but then when I am in the shack on weekends or what not I am left without 2m/70cm ssb...and Where I plan on mounting it it would be tough to remove it from the car every weekend.

As a trial and error thing, maybe but not full time.

N9FE
03-01-2010, 07:19 PM
Next thing you'll have girlfriend. There go's radio !! :agree:

KB3LAZ
03-01-2010, 07:23 PM
Next thing you'll have girlfriend. There go's radio !! :agree:

Well...I am more than a bit submissive in a relationship..why you think Ive been away for so long. :shhh

W2NAP
03-01-2010, 09:20 PM
Why can't you use the 7000 you already have? Wouldn't that bring the price to nearly $0?

Ah yes I thought of that but then when I am in the shack on weekends or what not I am left without 2m/70cm ssb...and Where I plan on mounting it it would be tough to remove it from the car every weekend.

As a trial and error thing, maybe but not full time.

well you could pick up a used ken 790A/Icom 821/910 and use that at home for 2/440 ssb and have the 7000 in the car...

ka8ncr
03-01-2010, 10:30 PM
Having used 857 and a 7000 both mobile, I can tell you that the 7000 is a better choice.

The 857 has a piss poor noise blanker. The DSP filtering is acceptable, but pales in comparison to the 7000. The problem with the 7000 mobile is that you need to become very proficient at it before you use it mobile because driving is no time to learn it.

I remote-mounted the head, ran power and audio to the trunk and it was fantastic! Took it out because antennas attract attention and when I attend Ghetto University, a car that screams "valuable electronics inside" is probably not a good idea.

KG4CGC
03-01-2010, 10:44 PM
Having used 857 and a 7000 both mobile, I can tell you that the 7000 is a better choice.

The 857 has a piss poor noise blanker. The DSP filtering is acceptable, but pales in comparison to the 7000. The problem with the 7000 mobile is that you need to become very proficient at it before you use it mobile because driving is no time to learn it.

I remote-mounted the head, ran power and audio to the trunk and it was fantastic! Took it out because antennas attract attention and when I attend Ghetto University, a car that screams "valuable electronics inside" is probably not a good idea.
Thing is, they won't get much for it if it disappears. Kind of sad in a way. I guess.

KB3LAZ
03-02-2010, 01:43 PM
Having used 857 and a 7000 both mobile, I can tell you that the 7000 is a better choice.

The 857 has a piss poor noise blanker. The DSP filtering is acceptable, but pales in comparison to the 7000. The problem with the 7000 mobile is that you need to become very proficient at it before you use it mobile because driving is no time to learn it.

I remote-mounted the head, ran power and audio to the trunk and it was fantastic! Took it out because antennas attract attention and when I attend Ghetto University, a car that screams "valuable electronics inside" is probably not a good idea.

No worries there. :D

KB3LAZ
03-02-2010, 01:51 PM
Why can't you use the 7000 you already have? Wouldn't that bring the price to nearly $0?

Ah yes I thought of that but then when I am in the shack on weekends or what not I am left without 2m/70cm ssb...and Where I plan on mounting it it would be tough to remove it from the car every weekend.

As a trial and error thing, maybe but not full time.

well you could pick up a used ken 790A/Icom 821/910 and use that at home for 2/440 ssb and have the 7000 in the car...

I suppose I could go such a route but you are still talking 600$ or more for a good specimen. Also are the 820/821 rigs true all modes or did they leave out AM and still call it an all mode?

Either way while a good idea its not really the direction I am looking to go.

N9FE
03-02-2010, 02:36 PM
Figure a way to lock it in the trunk while a school.

ka4dpo
03-02-2010, 03:27 PM
What's wrong with the Kenwood TS-480SAT? It's a nice rig with better performance than the Yaesu. Only drawback is no VHF/UHF and the control head is permanently dismounted which for a mobile rig shouldn't be a problem.

KB3LAZ
03-02-2010, 09:47 PM
What's wrong with the Kenwood TS-480SAT? It's a nice rig with better performance than the Yaesu. Only drawback is no VHF/UHF and the control head is permanently dismounted which for a mobile rig shouldn't be a problem.

My primary use will be vhf/uhf ssb and am at times. Nothing wrong with the 480 just not what I am looking for.

KB3LAZ
03-02-2010, 09:50 PM
Figure a way to lock it in the trunk while a school.

The body of the unit will be mounted in the trunk. When I had the 100D in the car I locked the face in the glove box which is likely what I will do. You figure if they already break into my car hitting the trunk latch wouldnt take much effort.

Heh, I dont go to school in the nicest part of town so I have already thought of this. :lol: Thank you for watching out for my well being though.

W2NAP
03-03-2010, 04:58 PM
Why can't you use the 7000 you already have? Wouldn't that bring the price to nearly $0?

Ah yes I thought of that but then when I am in the shack on weekends or what not I am left without 2m/70cm ssb...and Where I plan on mounting it it would be tough to remove it from the car every weekend.

As a trial and error thing, maybe but not full time.

well you could pick up a used ken 790A/Icom 821/910 and use that at home for 2/440 ssb and have the 7000 in the car...

I suppose I could go such a route but you are still talking 600$ or more for a good specimen. Also are the 820/821 rigs true all modes or did they leave out AM and still call it an all mode?

Either way while a good idea its not really the direction I am looking to go.

i think they left out AM. but i do not recall 100% i had a 790 some years back loved that thing on ssb honestly never tryed the 440ssb but did make quite a few contacts 2mtr ssb with it. allways got good reports