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How many handhelds is too many?
24 April 2012 | by .JPG)
Julian, G4ILO once confessed to being fond of handheld radios. I’m the same! There’s something magic about having a bit of handheld radio kit which can make interesting radio contacts, in some cases around the globe.
When the postman delivered another handheld last week, Julie said, completely in fun, ‘you’ve got quite a few of those now’. And she’s right. Let’s see:
– Icom E92 144/432MHz FM/D-STAR
– Yaesu FT-817 1.8-432MHz All Modes (I sort of don’t *really* class this as a handheld, but technically….)
– Baofeng UV-3R 144/432MHz FM micro transceiver
– Yaesu VX-1 144/432MHz FM micro transceiver (battery not very well!)
– Baofeng UV-5R 144/432MHz FM
– Palstar KH-6 50MHz FM
All except the E-92 and FT-817 have been acquired at quite modest prices over the years, so there’s not an expense thing really.
The trouble is, that strictly speaking, there are a couple more I wouldn’t mind. Something like a Yaesu VX-8GR with APRS/GPS capability built in. That would be fun. And then there’s the Alinco DJ-G7 which does 144/432 and 1296MHz. I’d really like to try 1296MHz! By the way, check out Rob, MW0DNK’s review of the DJ-G7 on his very interesting new blog.
Maybe some consolidation would be good – but they all do different things.Honest!
5 Responses to “How many handhelds is too many?”
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I agree, You always need a back-up! In addition to my Yaesu FT-8800 in my truck, another one in my RACES Go-box, I have a Yaesu VX-3r & a VX-8GR and a Wouxun 144/440. It’s kind of addicting.
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Peter, there are many times that my XYL would say that one HT is too many!
🙂
You should buy one more ;p I got the same addiction ;(
I used to say ‘ a man can never have enough screwdrivers’ BUT maybe I should say ‘ a man can never have enough handhelds’. I have two and three rigs that could be used as mobile. And a brute of an FT990 which weighs 30lbs which is heavy by today’s standards and I have a lot of screwdrivers too.