Need info on good 2m radio

[OutdoorFanatic]

Wonder if anyone can help me out here. I am presently studying for my Tech License and will be taking it soon.
Problem I have, well its not really a problem, but. I have a small cabin in the mountains here in central, NH. but dont get cell phone there. Its a walk in cabin about 2000ft down a trail into a valley between two ridge lines.
Thus, the reason I am considering Ham Radio as communications.

Question is. Can anyone recommend a 12V 2 meter radio and antenna? I have a 60-80 ft pine tree next to the cabin I can put an antenna on but dont have a clue what will work best.

I have 12V power down there and need to transmit as far as possible.

Thanks much for any info and help.

OF.

 

[atmay]

There are tons of options out there, but personally I use the Yaesu FT-2900R.


That being said, go for more than tech (general is pretty easy) because you're probably going to want some HF capabilities. 2m is great, but not the band for transmitting "as far as possible"

 

[atmay]

As for antennas, if you do stick with just 2m, if you have a specific direction you know you need to transmit in (i.e. You're looking to hit a repeater), a directional antenna such as a Yagi will give you a little more reach, at the expense of omnidirectional coverage.

 

[one-eyed Jack]

A 75 watt 2m rig and a 10 element beam that you can rotate manually will be as good as you can do. Other than that, HF. Jack. W1FKG.

 

[OutdoorFanatic]

There are tons of options out there, but personally I use the Yaesu FT-2900R.


That being said, go for more than tech (general is pretty easy) because you're probably going to want some HF capabilities. 2m is great, but not the band for transmitting "as far as possible"

Yes, someone else said that I should try the general test on the same day but I don't know.
I will take a look at the 2900R. I was looking at some radios but there were so many 12V 2m that I got confused. I just want a user friendly one.

Too bad I dont know anything about Hams right now. My father in law was into it big time and had a radio room and huge antenna out in his back yard. He used to talk all over the world but I never asked him about any of the stuff. If he was alive today, I'd be set because the two houses he had both looked like a mini NASA communication center.

 

[OutdoorFanatic]

A 75 watt 2m rig and a 10 element beam that you can rotate manually will be as good as you can do. Other than that, HF. Jack. W1FKG.

Thanks Jack. I have no clue what a 10 element beam is but I'll look it up.
Closest repeater to me, I think, is on the top of Gun Stock Mt. which is about 40-50 miles as the crow fly's. My little 12x16 cabin is in Alexandria, NH. Do you think that will get me there?

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

These are what I use in my mobiles. They are on sale right now at HRO(Ham Radio Outlet)

http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-011362

I just bought two more for my off road vehicles.

Build a yagi antenna, they are simple and point it at the nearest repeater to your area.


This is also a very capable radio for the money and its on sale also.

http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-010078

 

[one-eyed Jack]

Thanks Jack. I have no clue what a 10 element beam is but I'll look it up.
Closest repeater to me, I think, is on the top of Gun Stock Mt. which is about 40-50 miles as the crow fly's. My little 12x16 cabin is in Alexandria, NH. Do you think that will get me there?

For VHF, elevation is everything. I have a summer home in NH, poor elevation, but can hit the Paxton repeater with 75W and a good vertical ant. at 70 miles. Jack.

 

[one-eyed Jack]

Thanks Jack. I have no clue what a 10 element beam is but I'll look it up.
Closest repeater to me, I think, is on the top of Gun Stock Mt. which is about 40-50 miles as the crow fly's. My little 12x16 cabin is in Alexandria, NH. Do you think that will get me there?

Lots of repeaters have maps that show their coverage on the web. Jack.

 

[OutdoorFanatic]

These are what I use in my mobiles. They are on sale right now at HRO(Ham Radio Outlet)

http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-011362

I just bought two more for my off road vehicles.

Build a yagi antenna, they are simple and point it at the nearest repeater to your area.


This is also a very capable radio for the money and its on sale also.

http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-010078

Thanks much FGaBeltfed, think I'll go with the 2900 since it's been mentioned a few times, the price is right, and its 75W.

So much to learn about this but I am quite excited to be able to reach out and talk to someone when I'm down there alone.

 

[cockpitbob]

Don't go real big on the antenna until you're sure you need to. Get the radio and an antenna for the car. (For mobile I just use a good mag-mount and shut the cable in the door. The rubber door seals keep the cable from being crushed.) Once you can transmit, see what repeaters you can hit from the cabin. Maybe all you need is a simple j-pole on the roof or part way up the tree.

 

[FreeWillie]

Thanks much FGaBeltfed, think I'll go with the 2900 since it's been mentioned a few times, the price is right, and its 75W.

So much to learn about this but I am quite excited to be able to reach out and talk to someone when I'm down there alone.

Can't go wrong with the 2900R. It was my first 2M and its still going strong.

 

[OutdoorFanatic]

Don't go real big on the antenna until you're sure you need to. Get the radio and an antenna for the car. (For mobile I just use a good mag-mount and shut the cable in the door. The rubber door seals keep the cable from being crushed.) Once you can transmit, see what repeaters you can hit from the cabin. Maybe all you need is a simple j-pole on the roof or part way up the tree.

Thanks Bob, when it comes to antenna's I am even more baffled than the radio. I
I definitely want to keep it out of site though. Thought about a multi directional in the pine tree and painting it green. Figure it would just look like another branch.
Also: Theres a guy with a camper not too far away and another cabin about 2 miles from me.
If it turns out cheap enough I can talk with them about getting a set up and keeping each other in the loop.

 

[OutdoorFanatic]

Can't go wrong with the 2900R. It was my first 2M and its still going strong.

Pretty much have my mind set on the 2900R with all the great help I'm getting here. Figure I'll take the test in Dec and start setting up shortly after that.

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

Pretty much have my mind set on the 2900R with all the great help I'm getting here. Figure I'll take the test in Dec and start setting up shortly after that.

Good choice.

I would have bought that radio but already own the "Kenwood 271a" which is basically the same as the 281a so I'm already familiar with the rig.

A Cushcraft 4 element yagi or a home made 4 element yagi should suffice at your location to hit repeaters.

 

[OutdoorFanatic]

Good choice.

I would have bought that radio but already own the "Kenwood 271a" which is basically the same as the 281a so I'm already familiar with the rig.

A Cushcraft 4 element yagi or a home made 4 element yagi should suffice at your location to hit repeaters.

Thanks, I'll take a look at the Cushcraft. Also; I found this on the web. Homemade J pole for 2M.
http://www.i1wqrlinkradio.com/antype/ch13/chiave896.htm


Do you think the J pole would work up in a tall tree? It seems to be the easiest to build for me.
I like the idea of using copper since it will turn green over time.

 

[ChevyGuy91]

These are what I use in my mobiles. They are on sale right now at HRO(Ham Radio Outlet)

http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-011362

I just bought two more for my off road vehicles.

I also have a TM281 that I bought from a buddy in town cheap. It is pretty simple and good for learning.

 

[OutdoorFanatic]

I also have a TM281 that I bought from a buddy in town cheap. It is pretty simple and good for learning.

Will the 65 watt or the 75 watt make any difference in my case?

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

Will the 65 watt or the 75 watt make any difference in my case?

Unlikely, you have to double the output power to gain one "S" unit difference at the received end. You'd have to go from 65watts to 130watts to have much effect if any.
A good "gain" type antenna set as high as possible, facing the direction of your closest repeater will serve you better. Most of the 3 or 4 element Yagis are broad enough in their radiation pattern to facilitate good commo with mobiles in a wide swath.

 

[Evtide]

Here's a list of the closest 2 meter repeaters to Alexandria, NH, grid square FN43co.



You should consider how you're going to power the radio, as it doesn't sound like you have AC service to the cabin. Maybe you have a generator? Not a big deal at all if you can drive right up to it by truck or ATV, but it sounds like that might not be the case.

Also, some of these repeaters may have an autopatch, where if you have access (usually by being a club member) you can dial out and make phone calls with your radio. Patches don't see much use in today's cell phone world but it'd be worth looking into.

 

[OutdoorFanatic]

Thanks Evtide, did not realize there was one at the Veterans Ski Area in Franklin. I will look into it.
Nope! Just have a 12V deep cycle battery and a couple of LED lights, coleman lantern and some candles. Thats the way I roll on weekends and holidays. Gets me away from the crazy world.

Thanks much!

 

[ChevyGuy91]

Nope! Just have a 12V deep cycle battery and a couple of LED lights, coleman lantern and some candles. Thats the way I roll on weekends and holidays. Gets me away from the crazy world.

Thanks much!

That sounds amazing. Good for you.

 

[cockpitbob]

Actually, one "S" unit is a 4 to 1 change in power. Don't worry about small power differences. When operating you'll find one "S" unit isn't a big change in signal strength.

 

[drgrant]

Icom V8000s are great radios if you can get your hands on one. No intermod bullshit. Unlockable for MURS, etc. (Everyone knows this is illegal but the reality is nobody gives a rats ass, including the FCC). Bulletproof radios.

-Mike

 

[CatSnoutSoup]

As it happens HRO has the FT-2900 on sale at $119.95 till Monday

http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-010078

A good deal, going cheaper than the FT-1900 usually sells for (I have one of those it is bulletproof )

 

[OutdoorFanatic]

As it happens HRO has the FT-2900 on sale at $119.95 till Monday

http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-010078

A good deal, going cheaper than the FT-1900 usually sells for (I have one of those it is bulletproof )

Thanks much for this! I couldn't resist that price and ordered one. Feel like I bought a hunting rifle before I got the hunting license but for $120 I'll take the chance.

What do you think of that JPole antenna I remarked on a couple of remarks ago? Do you think it will work for me up in a pine tree about 30' with about 50ft of coax?

 

[OutdoorFanatic]

Icom V8000s are great radios if you can get your hands on one. No intermod bullshit. Unlockable for MURS, etc. (Everyone knows this is illegal but the reality is nobody gives a rats ass, including the FCC). Bulletproof radios.


Thanks much DRGrant, I will take a look at that. I have a feeling that I will end up with a shitload of Ham gear before this is over.

 

[ToddDubya]

Thanks much for this! I couldn't resist that price and ordered one. Feel like I bought a hunting rifle before I got the hunting license but for $120 I'll take the chance.

What do you think of that JPole antenna I remarked on a couple of remarks ago? Do you think it will work for me up in a pine tree about 30' with about 50ft of coax?

A J-Pole will give you omnidirectional coverage. They are simple and work very well. For my HT I use a roll-up one that I bought on eBay (might be this one) and it works great. I can't tell you how great because my HT doesn't have an s-meter, but it's significantly better than either of the rubber ducks. There's a thread somewhere of people putting these inside schedule 200 PVC pipes for outdoor use. That's another great option.

To be really effective you need to get the antenna above major obstacles such as hills/mountains. If you have a 200' cliff nearby then that's obviously not realistic so you have to do the best you can. It's kind of black magic so you just need to experiment a little to see what works for you. If you want omnidirectional, a J-Pole is a great way to go. A friend with an antenna tuner will help you fine tune the lengths, but you can get it pretty good by following the directions and measuring accurately. I say a friend because they're expensive for a new ham.

Keep in mind that the type of cable you use can have a significant impact on how much of your signal gets to/from the antenna (see below). Since you're running ~50' of cable it's not super critical which cable type you use; just use it as a guide to help you buy something that works well at your frequency (2m is ~ 146MHz) and doesn't deflate your wallet. I also recommend using the fancy tape to keep your connections dry (see below). It's nice because it only sticks to itself and when it does, it's on there. This will save you from having to climb up the tree to fix/clean your connections.

TLR - J-Poles are great, height depends on your surroundings, get decent cable for your budget, keep connections dry, experiment.

Good luck!

Cable reference: http://www.hamuniverse.com/coaxdata.html
Tape: http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=h0-010683

 

[AHM]

...; I found this on the web. Homemade J pole for 2M.
http://www.i1wqrlinkradio.com/antype/ch13/chiave896.htm

Do you think the J pole would work up in a tall tree? It seems to be the easiest to build for me.
I like the idea of using copper since it will turn green over time.

If you transmit through an uninsulated antenna hoisted into close proximity to a branch full of pine needles, you may just burn the tree down before the copper has a chance to acquire a patina.. Plenty of operators string wire antennas past tree branches and sometimes they find the RF has burned away foliage.

You may find a tree attenuates the signal from even a well-insulated J-pole. But allowing an element to make electrical contact with brush may suck big-time (particularly when the tree is more conductive).


More generally, if you're located deep in a valley, whether you can reach a station on 2m may depend at least as much upon the elevation of the horizon along the azimuth as it does upon the distance.

Also, while I agree that your best bet for finding some random person to talk to on 2m will be a repeater, not all 2m repeaters have the same level of activity.

So before you decide that you are going to solve all your communication problems in the middle of nowhere by using some particular antenna at some particular power to work some particular repeater, you should get someone to help you conduct some experiments with borrowed gear. Asking users of your ideal repeater if someone wants to make some field trials at your cabin (maybe fueled by some pizza and 807's) may answer a bunch of questions in one fell swoop. You may even find that the repeater is run by a club which you want to join.

Good luck with your studies.

 

[OutdoorFanatic]

If you transmit through an uninsulated antenna hoisted into close proximity to a branch full of pine needles, you may just burn the tree down before the copper has a chance to acquire a patina.. Plenty of operators string wire antennas past tree branches and sometimes they find the RF has burned away foliage.

You may find a tree attenuates the signal from even a well-insulated J-pole. But allowing an element to make electrical contact with brush may suck big-time (particularly when the tree is more conductive).


More generally, if you're located deep in a valley, whether you can reach a station on 2m may depend at least as much upon the elevation of the horizon along the azimuth as it does upon the distance.

Also, while I agree that your best bet for finding some random person to talk to on 2m will be a repeater, not all 2m repeaters have the same level of activity.

So before you decide that you are going to solve all your communication problems in the middle of nowhere by using some particular antenna at some particular power to work some particular repeater, you should get someone to help you conduct some experiments with borrowed gear. Asking users of your ideal repeater if someone wants to make some field trials at your cabin (maybe fueled by some pizza and 807's(*)) may answer a bunch of questions in one fell swoop. You may even find that the repeater is run by a club which you want to join.

Good luck with your studies.

(*) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/807_(vacuum_tube)#Slang

Thanks much! Aint much up here. I tried to e-mail the local ham club and got no response.
Certainly, dont want to kill the tree over my indulgence.
Trees are alive just like you and me.
Maybe Go with a roof top or pole before I kill something thats been here as long as I have.