Just starting to look into communications/radios - And have lots to read & learn.

But my initial desire would be to get a handheld as my sole radio, & not a vehicle mounted radio.

So I'd like to ask, if I bought a high quality handheld ham - Would that work, vs installing a vehicle mounted radio? What important & relevant features would I be foregoing? Does anyone here just use a handheld? What are some of the best handhelds, currently on the market (I did lookup the Kenwood TH-D72,... thoughts on this unit?)

Thanks!

~CLK

Two questions for you: 

1)  How do you see yourself using your radio in the future?

2)  Power output, can you live with 5 w maximum power output?  Or will you need 50-100 w when you are in the field?

Currently, I can only speculate. But as far as #1 - I see myself using it on Overland trips, as my main/sole source of communication. Obviously, that includes communicating with others on a group trip, as well as for safety purpose when traveling alone. As far as #2 - I have no idea,... haven't learned yet, to know what that means,... but I will!

I've been told the advancements, in the handheld market, have improved dramatically enough, that they could be considered as stand alone options. Now,... that was just a person opinion to me,... & may be wrong - I don't know.

Finally, I like the idea of being able to take the radio from one vehicle to another, if I had mulitple vehicles.

Thanks for the reply & questions Dale. Again - I currently know nothing in this area, but am looking to learn!

Cheers!

~CLK

This is the radio I asked Santa for. www.universal-radio.com/catalog/fm_txvrs/2900.html  It's about the same price as most handhelds and has great reviews. Now I just have to figure out the antenna..

Plus it looks like I get a sweet Yaesu hat....

After getting my license from the prodding on here I was lucky enough to go on a trip where a nice guy named Jason let me borrow a handheld transmitter & magnetic mount antenna.  It sealed the deal for me knowing I wanted to get a ham unit for my rig so in that respect I think a handheld and mag mount antenna would be a great way to see if it's going to work for you.

A couple caveats:  Don't buy new, don't expect to bounce your signals off the moon.  After you get licensed check to see if there is a local ham club near you and then contact them, it's entirely possible once they get to know you that someone there will have a basic handheld setup to loan because if there's one thing the true ham guys are good at, it's gearing up!  They are just as bad with their radio equipment as we are with our off road gear.  Always something new and flashy.

That radio Benny linked to seems like a great starting point and would probably be all the radio you ever need...unless you let Craig whisper in your ear and try to seduce you into APRS!  haha.

Take a run down to Ham Radio Outlet in Tigard, OR.  The guys in that shop are super friendly, prices are worth their experience and they can answer any question you can come up with about amateur radio.  Plus you can sit down and fiddle with a $10,000 base station.  I didn't know what any of it did but for 5 min I thought I may have been driving the Enterprise.

Appreciate all the feedback!

With the understanding that I really don't know anything about, the instillation of a mobile HAM radio - The main reasons that I'd prefer to go handheld (HT - see, I'm learning!),... is because I don't want to butcher my console, & I'd prefer to be as non-evasive as possible. There is literally no plastic on my dash or console - It's all aluminum & powdered coated. So, I don't want to be putting holes in it. Below are some pics, similar to my dash/console:

Finally, I'm not big on cords/cables everywhere. I'm not a neat-freak or OCD,... I'd just like to keep the look of my rig aesthetically simple, clean & utilitarian.

Again - Perhaps none of that is necessary, in order to have a mounted mobile HAM. Maybe I could hide/bury most of, with only the faceplate & mic, tactfully placed.

If I could get by, reasonably well, with a setup similar to what Jay mentions above (HT w/ great external antenna) or,... I've read that Mike Rupp did/does use a similar setup, but w/ the addition of an amp,... then I'd like that to!

If I can get a D710 installed, without doing much damage, or cluttering up my console,... then I'd like that to!

Any & all opinions/feedback appreciated!

~CLK

I am with Todd....I purchased the handheld first and wish I would have gone the other way around.

Dustin

I don't know enough to know that I don't know enough about HAM radios!   

I have a license and call sign (W7GSB) and have never even turned a HAM on!  LOLOL 

For the faceplate, you can just velcro it somewhere...   Here are some ideas..  :)

That's kinda what I was thinking.

Of your creative illustrations, of potential spots - The front compartment of the Tuffy is where the stero is going,... & the glove box is pretty small inside. I think the face plate may go, as you pictured, to lower left of the steering wheel.

Mostly, I'm going to take my cues from the guys at TLC, who are building it. They have experience with radios & installing them. However, their first recommendation was to consider handheld.

Again, if I can do a mobile unit tactfully & w/ little permanent damage - I will.

~CLK

I spoke with the folks building my ICON, & told them that handhelds aren't preferred up here in the PNW,... & that I'd like to mount a mobile HAM radio (tactfully) in the vehicle. They said great - Send us info on your radio choice(s)!

So, I've read every thread & every post in this Communications Forum. The Kenwoods get good marks.

If I go with a DC-710, I get the APRS feature. What other GPS/carputer unit will I need, for the APRS function to work on my end?

If I get the Kenwood TM-D710A, I don't get the APRS feature.

Currently, my ICON comes with a gooseneck holder, with option of getting either a Garmin Zumo 550 or Garmin NUVI 3790LMT (I could probably get anything that would fit the gooseneck, including a small carputer - but it's sized to hold the Garmins).

So, my questions are:

If I go with the DC-710 w/ the APRS, will either the ZUMO or NUVI integrate with the radio &/or the APRS? If not, what will I need to get, to utilize the APRS?

If I get the TM-D710A,... will it integrate with either the ZUMO or NUVI? Or is it stand alone?

As for GPS - Is there an opinion between the ZUMO & NUVI, of which is better?

Finally, what is the best antenna, for either Kenwood model (without going crazy in length) for our area?

Apologies for all the questions - I'm trying to bone up on all this stuff,... but still - there's some much info & different choices/options. I'd like to send the ICON folks, a choice of radio, so they can tell how they could install it. So please ,give me your best radio suggestions, with the understanding that I don't want anything too large/cumbersome,... plus what ancillary equipment is necessary, to utilize all the radios' features.

~CLK

ps - I'm open to other brands/models. The Yaesu's sound great, too! Suggestions,... particularly for smaller units w/ great features? (insert joke here). This is exhausting!