Mobile Ham Radio Selection?

[Krollyota]

Any Ham radio experts out there? I'm a Ham rookie, and need some guidance. I'm looking for a Moblie Ham for my 4Runner. I know this can turn into a deep rabbit hole... BUT...
I'm looking for something with a detachable control head, and preferably one that has the option to plug the microphone into the control head.
I'll be mounting the base either under the passenger seat or in the rear quarter panel area, so I'll need a good compatible small external speaker to mount to the dash as well.
I'm also trying to keep the overall footprint of the control head and speaker to a minimum up on the dash.
2m & 70cm capable.
True dual band/VFO.
I'd like to future proof this, for when my Ham skills improve, so digital is preferred? I think?


By front runners so far are:
Kenwood TM-D710GA
Yaesu FTM-300DR
Yaesu FTM-400XDR
Icom IC-2730A (for its simplicity and option to plug the mic into the controller)

Open to any and all advice.

Thanks,
Rick

 

[DRAX]

I'm partial to the FTM-400XDR, the display and touch screen work great. Makes navigating and reassigning soft buttons really easy. Beyond that, you need to decide if there are any digital modes that you want to use (based on repeaters in your area, etc), if you want to use APRS, etc. The Icom unit is relatively featureless in those areas. No APRS, no digital modes. There are higher-end Icom units that do have D-STAR and even touch screens but no APRS. I actually use APRS quite a bit and have used it in Colorado to send and receive SMS messages when I had no cell signal.

The Kenwood and Yaesu units listed both do APRS. The Yaesu also have System Fusion/Wires-X digital modes, but if you have no repeaters nearby or nobody else using the Yaesu digital modes then that would be of no use to you.

I have my FTM-400XDR control head mounted on my dash, the base is mounted to the knee bolster, and I use the built-in speaker. I have no problems with it hitting my knee or anything, but that is going to be vehicle-dependent. The speaker is/can be quite loud, so depending on where you mount it you may not need an external speaker.

Not really a comparison, but I have an AnyTone AT-D878UV HT for DMR and portable use, while it's not bad to navigate it is a bit of a pain compared to the FTM-400XDR due to limited display area and no touch screen. I'd buy the FTM-400XDR again in a heartbeat.

If all you want is a basic dual-band mobile radio with a detachable control head and don't care about the extra features such as GPS, APRS or digital modes then any one of those will get the job done.

Also, don't overlook using Bluetooth as a wireless mic and speaker option where supported. Good luck! There are definitely a lot of choices out there.

 

[M Rose]

Second vote for the Yasue FTM-400XDR with MARS/CAP mod.

 

[Sparksalot]

I come from a time when friends didn't let friends buy a brand Y radio. I have an IC2730 in each of my rigs. If I were going to upgrade, I'd go for a D710, to gain the APRS capabilities.

 

[DRAX]

with MARS/CAP mod.

I did that to my radio recently and almost had a couple of heart attacks thinking I messed something up because MAN are those guys tiny! First I went to power it up after putting everything together and the speaker made a tiny pop and the radio didn't turn on. Hit the power button again and it came to life, asking me to enter my callsign (expected). The next heart attack was because I kept getting an error trying to restore the radio from the SD card. Clickety-clack, found someone else had the same problem. Ultimately, the fix was to make sure you have your old/original config backed up to your computer, then you want to export the memories from each VFO to CSV files. Next, put the SD card back into the radio, backup to SD card, and read that into the software. Next, import your memories to the new radio config, make sure your optional settings (APRS, display, etc) are what you want, save back to SD card, and then restore the radio from the SD card.

Much easier to just buy from a reseller that will do the mod for a few bucks extra at the time of sale, but if you're capable then it's not hard. It's just like disarming a bomb built by small fairies. heh

 

[M Rose]

Much easier to just buy from a reseller that will do the mod for a few bucks extra at the time of sale, but if you're capable then it's not hard. It's just like disarming a bomb built by small fairies. heh

agreed... I’m thinking of sending my radio to the pros to do it... although I have done the mod to a couple of Kenwood TK-x90 radios to bring them out of the Comercial bands and into the 70cm/2m bands...

 

[Sparksalot]

Doing the MARS mod is usually pretty straightforward. It depends on your confidence in the information you have and your own tools. Almost always the difficult part is just getting the radio apart enough to do it. Then it’s 15 seconds.

 

[DRAX]

Doing the MARS mod is usually pretty straightforward. It depends on your confidence in the information you have and your own tools. Almost always the difficult part is just getting the radio apart enough to do it. Then it’s 15 seconds.

I don't have any experience with physically modding other radios, but with the FTM-400XDR the resistor is about the size of one of the contacts on an Apple Lightning connector and it's around others of the same size with little room between them. If you don't use Apple products, then it's probably about the size of 1/8 of a grain of rice. I wish I had a more universal thing to compare it to. Maybe roughly the size of the ball tip of a ball-point pen. That size combined with it having roughly that amount of space between it and other resistors made it feel like I was a giant trying to play Operation.

With my AnyTone HT it was a matter of switching modes in the software, tweaking the codeplug file by hand, and then writing it back to the radio. Crazy easy.

 

[M Rose]

Doing the MARS mod is usually pretty straightforward. It depends on your confidence in the information you have and your own tools. Almost always the difficult part is just getting the radio apart enough to do it. Then it’s 15 seconds.

Again depends on the radio... and what you’re willing/unwilling to do... the kenwood radio I mentioned was super easy... my Icom ic-7100 not such a straight forward process... two out of three resistors need to be clipped... and each combination results in a different frequency change, while I know what I want to accomplish, I would much rather have an Icom tech do the work where it would be under warranty by the shop... a 800 radio is a lot of radio to mess up by doing something wrong.

 

[Ubiety]

Kenwood. I have two TM-D700s that have been running strong for 10+ years. They won’t die and let me get a 710. One is MARS/CAP modded by myself and it was not too bad to do. Bonus with Kenwood is they allow access to the TNC so you can use them for WinLink, BBS, running an APRS igate, etc. - Yaesu, at least, does not allow access to TNC (on models equipped with TNC, read APRS radios). On mine the mic does not attach to faceplate but I just got a mic (and faceplate) extension cable that run to underneath the back seat where the radio proper lives. I have faceplate mounted to dash and and the mic pops out from under driver’s seat where I like it to be. I have a cheap external speaker mounted under driver’s seat. My use cases are APRS first, communicating on the trail second. There are pics of my setup here.

As @TahoePPV asserted - friends insist that friends buy Kenwood. Hahaha

 

[Sparksalot]

I don't have any experience with physically modding other radios, but with the FTM-400XDR the resistor is about the size of one of the contacts on an Apple Lightning connector and it's around others of the same size with little room between them. If you don't use Apple products, then it's probably about the size of 1/8 of a grain of rice. I wish I had a more universal thing to compare it to. Maybe roughly the size of the ball tip of a ball-point pen. That size combined with it having roughly that amount of space between it and other resistors made it feel like I was a giant trying to play Operation.

With my AnyTone HT it was a matter of switching modes in the software, tweaking the codeplug file by hand, and then writing it back to the radio. Crazy easy.

The chips on the 2730 are about the same as you described for the yeasu. I used a Weller WM120 12 watt iron with a very small tip to do it.

 

[Sparksalot]

@Ubiety you mentioned faceplates and extension cables. I used them quite liberally in thecopcar. The display for the 2730 is overhead, the mic below, and radio with speaker behind.

the speaker behind the display is for my IC2200. The speaker near the mics is for an hf rig if I’m carrying one.

ET stands guard.

BTW, the bracket the 2730 is in is for a Kenwood TM2530.

 

[DRAX]

As @TahoePPV asserted - friends insist that friends buy Kenwood. Hahaha

I have a Kenwood TM-V7A...in storage. Missing a couple of knobs, but still functions as far as I know! Maybe I should find a new home for it. What are the rules for someone that has both a Kenwood and Yaesu? Does this end up summoning Satan or something?

 

[Ubiety]

I have a Kenwood TM-V7A...in storage. Missing a couple of knobs, but still functions as far as I know! Maybe I should find a new home for it. What are the rules for someone that has both a Kenwood and Yaesu? Does this end up summoning Satan or something?

Yeah, but the Kenwood kicks the his butt so you will be ok.

Tried to do the MARS/CAP mod on the TM-D74 and gave up after I could not budge the resistor after dumping lots of heat into it for a while - tiny tiny resistor. Was scared I would cook something, considered snipping through resistor for a brief moment but wised up ;)

 

[M Rose]

I have a Kenwood TM-V7A...in storage. Missing a couple of knobs, but still functions as far as I know! Maybe I should find a new home for it. What are the rules for someone that has both a Kenwood and Yaesu? Does this end up summoning Satan or something?

No, but invokes the wrath of the Wires

 

[Sparksalot]

Yeah, but the Kenwood kicks the his butt so you will be ok.

Tried to do the MARS/CAP mod on the TM-D74 and gave up after I could not budge the resistor after dumping lots of heat into it for a while - tiny tiny resistor. Was scared I would cook something, considered snipping through resistor for a brief moment but wised up ;)

A while back i saw a video of a guy who did the mod using a LARGE flat blade screwdriver...as a chisel. He beat that sucker off the board. The comments to the video were hilarious.

 

[Ubiety]

No, but invokes the wrath of the Wires

What’s Wires? <runs for cover>

 

[Ubiety]

A while back i saw a video of a guy who did the mod using a LARGE flat blade screwdriver...as a chisel. He beat that sucker off the board. The comments to the video were hilarious.

The right tool for the job! There is another tiny component right next door to that resistor so I am not sure I could have gotten it with snips. Hmmmm, I do have some sharp chisels and a chain saw... Hold my beer...

 

[4L_Warrior]

Krollyota!

I agree that the Yaesu FTM-400 is a great radio, but I just purchased the FTM-300D about a week ago from HRO- Oakland for $419. That is about 100 off the FTM-400 price. What helped in my decision was that I'm using it for a base unit. The FTM-400 does not attach to the main base unit....must be separated for installation. Check out youtube for comparison of the two radios. I'm just south of you in San Lorenzo if you need help with the install. I run the FTM-100D in my truck and love it!

73
N6LRC

 

[pcstockton]

I vote for 15 watt GMRS