Yaesu 3200dr/General Mobile Ham Setup Plans. Input needed.

[jmoney]

I am finally getting around to comms/Nav in my truck. I have a Cobra 29lx sitting in the chair that will have a 3 foot firestick mounted to the left of my hood on a spring mount sometime this weekend.

Now its onto HAM. I planned to stick with 2m since there seems to be 2m repeaters everywhere in the US. I am looking at the Yaesu 3200dr. It is the only unit that has 65watts of output.

Should I be looking at a different unit? Does one exist with more output power?

Additionally, I plan to mount the 2m antenna dead center of my roof (Ram2500). What antenna should I be looking at for this system? My only care is that it can fold/spring out of the way going underneath trees.

 

[Frdmskr]

Antenna I'd look at the Larsen NMO270B. Indestructible antenna with good pattern. You do not want mega high gain, you want good pattern. High gain means lobes and lobes mean nulls.

Drill a hole and install an NMO mount. You do it right it won't leak and the antenna won't break.

Rig wise I'd consider a mobile with 2/70. There are good linked repeater systems around the country that can be worth using on road trips. The difference between 50 and 65w is insignificant. To gain 1 S-Unit on the meter you need to double your power and double it again. So you need to run 200w. Double from 50-100 is 3db or 1/2 S-unit. 100-200 is a full S-Unit from 50.

As a rule I have no issue with Yaesu hardware. Ran an 8900 for years without complaint. Their menus and software did not get better over time. But that's me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jmoney]

What unit would be a comparable/better than the 8900 in your opinion?

 

[bajarat]

I have a Yaesu 2900r in a Jeep JKUR that I picked up for $129 shipped 6 months ago.

75w on high power. Larsen NMO-150

I had a long QSO from 6330' in Death Valley with a trucker that was 110 miles north of Las Vegas on Hwy 95.

The 2900r is a very robust unit and no fan due to the huge heat sink. I like it.

Two faceplate screws vibrated loose after some bomb runs in the Jeep over rough roads so I hit them with blue LT.

 

[v_man]

I have a Yaesu 2900 as well and although it can do 75w, I really only transit at 30w and below. The unit is built like a safe ....

 

[jmoney]

I have a Yaesu 2900r in a Jeep JKUR that I picked up for $129 shipped 6 months ago.

75w on high power. Larsen NMO-150

I had a long QSO from 6330' in Death Valley with a trucker that was 110 miles north of Las Vegas on Hwy 95.

The 2900r is a very robust unit and no fan due to the huge heat sink. I like it.

Two faceplate screws vibrated loose after some bomb runs in the Jeep over rough roads so I hit them with blue LT.

I have a Yaesu 2900 as well and although it can do 75w, I really only transit at 30w and below. The unit is built like a safe ....

I believe the unit I'm looking at is the "new version" of the 2900. Have either of you ever felt that you needed 70cm or has 2m always been sufficient for USA/Alaska?

 

[bajarat]

My travels take place in mostly the western states and 2m has always been reliable.