[222mhz] 220 Mobile Advice

[Phil Lefever]

>On the other hand, I use an Icom IC-37A in my vehicle and an Icom IC-38A=
 for
>fixed operation. I prefer the IC-38A over the IC-37A even though the=20
>IC-37A is
>smaller. The tone DECODER (UT-29) board for the IC-38A is rather difficult=
 to
>find (provided you can find the IC-38A!) but encode is included from the
>factory.

The old Icom radios were great radios. I have used a 38A a number of times.
The pity is that Icom totally abandoned 220MHz a number of years ago pulling
the 38A and their repeater as well as a nifty 2m/220 HT off the market.
Since the 37/38 have been out of production for around 5 years now I wonder
what service and parts are like. I have a neat old Icom IC-2330A which is a
2m/220 dual band mobile. I need to send it in for service I hope they can
still do it....

>I also have a Kenwood TM-321A and it runs a distant second to the Icom=
 rigs.
>I once owned a TM-331A but sold it shortly after it arrived as part of a
>package deal. I have seen some new Kenwood 331 rigs for $500 at AES. But,=
=20
>that
>seems to be a little bit much to me considering they are more than 10=20
>years old.

The 331 is an old design, it was done around the time the Icom 38A was. The
difference here is that it is still a current production model with all=
 parts
and support still available. They are stupid expensive though! I bought one
new for $479 years ago and have since bought one for $250. I have been=
 nothing
but pleased with both radios! My pick for a 220 radio is the 331....

I have used the ADI Premier mobile and it is a decent radio. I have heard of
a lot of problems with them though. A friend of mine has had his back to ADI
twice to get it right and the audio was WAY to hot. His was an older radio
so hopefully the newer ones are more comparable with the Kenwoods. I haven't
used an Alinco mobile but their HT is MUCH nicer then the ADI HT in my=
 opinion.
The Alinco looks like a copy of the old Kenwood 3SAT. The ADI has the most
painful programming and lacks a connector to feed it 12v...

It is great to see several companies step up to address the lack of new
equipment from the big three. I am happy that Kenwood is still remembering
that people in North America have an allocation on 220MHz though. We should
ALL email Icom and Yeasu and let them know there is still some demand for
220 equipment!

My matter what equipment you buy, the 220Mhz band is the BEST VHF band
available to us! It has the range of 2m without the noise levels and the
antennas are smaller too. On 220 sideband my range is every bit as good
as 2m sideband and the noise floor is below the receivers noise floor.
Also with no paging allocation close to the band there are no problems
with the receivers receiving all the junk that 2m radios do in the big
cities.

220MHz, Use it or loose more of it!

73

Phil
----------------------------------------------------------------------------=
--
Phil Lefever - KB=D8NES			Twin Cities Repeater Club www.tcrc.org
kb0nes@tcrc.org			Tech Team Co-Chairman
Burnsville,MN				53.37 147.21 224.54 444.30