Low band portable suggestions

bellersley · Post by **bellersley** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 3:22 pm

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..

bellersley · Post by **bellersley** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 3:25 pm

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!

NSPD · Post by **NSPD** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 7:02 pm

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.

George · Post by **George** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 2:40 am

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

hoser · Post by **hoser** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 4:23 am

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

Jay · Post by **Jay** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 9:54 am

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

HLA · Post by **HLA** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 12:17 pm

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.

motorola_otaku · Post by **motorola_otaku** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 1:21 pm

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

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

wa2zdy · Post by **wa2zdy** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 5:27 pm

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

Just a thought.

MTS2000des · Post by **MTS2000des** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 11:44 pm

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.

George · Post by **George** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 9:26 am

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

jim · Post by **jim** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 2:13 pm

TK190 all the way. Second choice: MT1000/P200

bellersley · Post by **bellersley** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 6:27 pm

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.

likimkim · Post by **likimkim** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 5:17 am

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