Batboard

I'm in the market for a low band portable for very occasional use, to the tune of a dozen times a year, tops. My options seem to be limited to the P200, MT1000 and the HT750/1250. I would only really need 2 channels, but it would have to be programmable..

Stupid phone restrictions... It would have to cover 46MHz. Any suggestions as to what I should be looking for? I don't care about features, so long as I can program it, although scan would be nice. Thanks!

We use MT1000's, HT750's, and HT1250's in both my departments. We also have a couple of Kenwood TK-190's kicking around as well.

I personally would go with the HT750 or TK-190.

Okay, let me ask a question...

What portable works best for easy amateur use on low band? I have read the data on the MT1000 and the mods needed.

Are there any portables that I can simply program and use?

I am looking for something that I can stuff full of channels and use without having to perform brain surgery.

George

or look at the fairly new Motorola PR860.
It comes in a 29.7-42MHz and 35-50MHz split

George:

I've tried to sneak a HT750 low band into the ham band. No such luck by myself or many others in taking these radios out of band.

Your best bet for a amateur low band radio is the P200/MT1000. Can't think of anything that you can just program.

Jay

if you say you want to be able to program it yourself maybe you should call motorola and apply and see if you can even get the software. i know it's hard to get the cps for the ht1250's. you might be best off with a ht1000.

HLA wrote:you might be best off with a ht1000.

There ain't no such beast as a lowband HT1000.. unfortunately.

Do you want 10m or 6m? The MT1000 is finicky about going over about 52 MHz.

Just a thought.

Vertex VX510 is a good lowbander, metal case (front and back), slide on battery, kinda of an old school design, an excellent radio. not sure if the 42-50 split will do 6 meters or not.

What I really want, when you get right down to it, is two radios.

I realize that a 29-54 MHz radio is not realistic, but a 10M radio and a 6M radio is.

The 6M radio is of the highest priority since I am installing a MastrII 6M repeater with MastrII UHF link between sites. Okay, enough cat calls and boos and I am not going to debate the MastrII verses Micor thing but I will say that I have had better experience with MastrII on 6 than I have with Micor. Just drop in the Icoms and align.

That having been said, I need a portable for use with this repeater project that I can use up in the 53 MHz range. I have a pristine 99 channel MT1000 but it drops off at 52 and some change.

I had thought about taking the controller of the MT1000 and frankensteining it with a P200 low band vco and RF section. Don't know if they are compatible or not.

Maybe I am better off modifying the existing VCO. I don't know as I have not cracked open the manual to check. I just got done moving and all my manuals are in storage anyway so I don't even know if I have a low band manual.

I am not afraid of doing some work, but just need to get some stuff moved into my house first.

Any ideas?

George

TK190 all the way. Second choice: MT1000/P200

Well, I would agree that the Kenwood is a better radio, but I can't program it, nor do I have any accessories. For the Motorola ones, I have everything I need.

Hi!
Any suggestion about the radio for 66~88MHz?
Thanks!!