[PPRAANet] Please advise on 2-meter all-mode

[Steve Schaarschmidt]

Dear Local Hams,

I'm thinking of shopping for a 2-meter all mode radio, and I would like
your input.

First of all, I would like to know that I'll have somebody to talk to!
I have been able to hear the presence of several stations on Doc's Thursday
net,
by listening to 144.200 MHz on my Radio Shack FM ht. They were transmitting
USB, so I couldn't understand what they were saying.
Is there a significant amount of 2-meter SSB or CW activity around Colorado
Springs?
I think I'm most interested in experimenting with antennas, at least to get
started.

As for equipment, I've looked at used transceivers on eBay ( I didn't know
what I was looking for at the MegaFest, so I may have missed some
opportunities ). I used to have an all-mode - I think it was an Icom-290 -
I sold it years ago to somebody who needed it more than I did. Years before
that, I had a Heathkit "Twoer" with which I met Doc W0MCT on 145.35 MHz AM!

I would like to stay with solid-state equipment that displays frequency
digitally, particularly since I would like to make use of band scanning and
maybe a dozen memories or so.
I would like to have CTCSS on transmit, as I do with my Radio Shack
handheld and mobile.
A built-in AC supply is nice, as I intend to have the radio set up in the
garage this summer and fall, until it gets too cold to hang out there.
And one thing I learned from doing all-day-long public service events is
that I really like a squelch that can be "tightened up" so that the
"kccchhhhh" noise on dropout is minimized. ( The Icom 22S transceiver and
the Bearcat 210 scanner were both easy on the ears in this way. ) I want to
be able to leave the radio on to monitor repeaters and simplex FM while I'm
puttering for hours in the garage.
I would prefer to have the microphone that goes with the radio.
I have no experience with VHF weak-signal work, so I don't have an opinion
on the Mutek preamplifiers I've read about for receiving.
I kinda like the idea of a single-band all mode radio, just for 2 meters;
I haven't thought of 70 cm yet... or 6 m.

Soooo, will you give me your opinions and share some of your experiences?

Thanks and 73,

 - Steve "Schaar..." K0CI

Steve Schaarschmidt
Colorado Springs, CO