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[spincycle]

So I've been poking around, searching the forums (and elsewhere), reading up on mobile radios for HAMs. It seems that the 2 meter band is the most applicable for offroaders, although 2m, 10m, and 70cm might come into play as well.

As a soon-to-be licensed HAM (technician class, and soon after, general class), I've been doing some preliminary research to try and identify a well-considered choice for a mobile rig. I may well choose a handheld to start, but I suspect that I'll want a permanently installed unit with a detachable front face for use in the FJ.

So what I'm hoping is that our resident HAMs might be willing to post some thoughts about a good mobile rig, and perhaps some good antenna choices. I'm posting this as a separate thread in the hopes that it might serve as a place to distill some collective wisdom for folks like me who are new to amateur radio and are looking for answers. A note about my personal preferences: I tend to try to 'purchase ahead', meaning that while I might only need feature X right now (and not features Y and Z), I prefer to buy a product that has X, Y and Z *now*, rather than have to sell and re-purchase later when Y and Z become important.

So, what say you, HAMs? Thanks in advance for any and all comments and advice