Interesting news that I've picked up over the last couple of days is that both Wouxun and TYT will be offering a version of their quadbander mobiles which will include 70MHz.
In the case of the Wouxun KG-UV950PL you lose 28MHz, which makes good sense to me, giving you 50/70/144/432MHz. Although 28MHz is a great mobile band, - FM only is maybe a bit restricted. Martin Lynch & Sons' website carries a link to the new rig, which is not yet available - but hopefully not far off. There's talk of 50W output on 70MHz.
I have it on good authority that the TYT TH-9800 will also be available in a configuration which includes 68-88MHz. In the case of the TH-9800, this is at the expense of the 50MHz band - so you would have 28/70/144/432MHz. The TYT version will hopefully be in the UK from mid-December.
All of this sounds good for 70MHz FM activity - particularly being packaged with other bands - whereas PMR boxes used for the band tend to be big and don't do anything else for you (albeit they are the right price!)
I wonder if we'll see triband 70/144/432MHz mobile antennas available?
Interesting news.
ReplyDeleteMy 2m Icom failed and I considered and rejected the Wouxun multiband. I then tried a Leixen 2m, which went straight back. In the end I went for a Yaesu 2900 and kept my separate Anytone for 4m of course.
The issue here is not just the separate antennas. While pondering I tried the dualband handheld. It took ages to scan through all my 2m and 4m favourites. The art of 4m FM DX for me (11 DXCC so far) is scanning. And while I am yakking on 2m, I am not listening on 4m (though maybe some sort of multi-rx is available with these rigs).
A dual band rig might save a box, but does it really solve the problem of finding the DX?
You are right about the antennas, and what about a Diamond V2000 covering four bands at least?
Jim
GM4FVM
OK, I have read your August 2014 Practical Wireless review of the 10/6/2/70cm TYT again.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I was being too hasty.
I rejected the Wouxun on various counts, but the TYT seems to fit most of my requirements (pity I did not know about that before buying the 2m Yaesu, but life is like that).
The TYT's spec, especially using the two sides of the radio separately, one scanning and the other on the 2m calling freq, seems sensible. I could basically just load my 4m DX frequencies into the scanner, as I do now. And I have a diplexer which would sort of the 10m and 4m from the 2m/70cms.
So maybe I should think again when the TYT appears.
The transmit audio would have to be the other station's problem (!).
Thanks Tim.
Jim
GM4FVM