Jeff, The VX-6R is an FM only HT. That being said most of the activity in this contest is on SSB/CW. The majority of stations are also using horizontally polarized antennas. Not that your J-pole would not work but you would suffer a loss trying to work stations that are horizontal. As far as being on 432.100 you are correct to listen there, but not on FM. The FM simplex frequencies such as: 445.9125  445.9250  445.9375  445.9500  445.9625  445.9750  445.9875  446.0000446.0125  446.0250  446.0375  446.0500  446.0625  446.0750  446.0875  446.1000446.1125  446.1250  446.1375  446.1500 446.1625  446.1750 on 70 CM and: 223.400      223.420      223.440      223.460      223.480      223.500 223.520      223.540      223.560      223.580      223.600      223.620      223.640 for 222-225 Mhz. A lot of folks use FM for coordination with another group or club. I use it occasionally when I am out operating contests as a Rover station (No I do not bring my dog with me). I am sure others can chime in here with more info on VHF+ contesting as I am new to it myself and have only been active for 2 years. Good Luck, Mike Drake KC2PLJ 

I have a TS-2000 that I am currently setting up for use on weak signal VHF/UHF. This was an upgrade from my old multi-mode FT-857D. The nice thing is that I will have a little more power on VHF (100 watts) and 50 watts on UHF. The FT-857(d) only boasted about 50 watts on VHF and 20 max on UHF. I think the Icom 706 (MK etc.) has about the same specs.

With all that being said I have also invested in better feed line and antennas. I was using a small loop for both VHF/UHF and only lousy RG-8X for my feed (appx. 70 feet). Not very efficient is what most of the weak signal guys are thinking as they read this.

As I said above my improvements are better antenna's, on 2 I will have a 7 element beam and on 70 cm a 18 element beam, the feed for the 2 meter side is LMR-400 and the UHF beam will have LMR-600UF (expensive by the way, cant afford to eat for a week after this purchase!!)

The whole point of this was to improve where it counts. The radio means very little as I would have done just fine with my FT-857D and the feed line and antennas that I mentioned. Having the TS-2000 and dedicated ports (one for VHF and the other an "N" connector on UHF will be a very nice change.

Every improvement helps, feed line and antennas, height are all big considerations on VHF and above.

Others please feel free to correct or add to my comments.

Mike KC2PLJ

I have both. The FT-817ND and the FT-857 are different in many ways, the first and most noticeable is size. The FT-857 boasts 100 watts on HF/6 and 50 watts on 2 meters, 20 watts on 70cm.....all mode. The FT-817 covers the same bands however with only 5 watts max. The other difference is operational ergonomics. The FT-817's tuning dial is very small and the menu keys are very close together making it a lot harder for one with big hand/fingers to access the functions. The FT-817 also has the ability to run off internal cells where the FT-857(D) has no option for this, unlike its bigger brother FT-897D(however electrically similar the bigger FT-897D that has provisions for this). It all comes down to choice, if you already own a 100 watt rig and want a QRP/backpack radio then the FT-817 will surprise you. If you are looking for a more powerful and more permanent rig the FT-857 will fill that role nicely. 73 de KC2PLJ

"Hey guys it the grammer azz hole making an azz out of themselves again.

HOW ABOUT THAT ANTENNA statement. Care to take me on grammar azz hole."
 

No....I am calling you out to play your own game. You said that if you can't do it and be the best then don't do it at all. Your education level is that of a 4 year old. Hiding behind a keyboard and making statements that you can not support with facts is the only game you will win at.

If the moderators on this site deem your comments productive I am ashamed to have posted responses to you and eat up bandwidth with the trash you heave at other decent people.

Checkmate my 4 y/o friend.

You Said:


"re PLJ...

OK Ill be fair...

You and I will have a virgual face off with "Score Board Points" to determine the WINNER and the liar.

I will take that 60 ft tower with a full size triband beam and a full max power amp (which I will use every contact).

"YOU will take say hmmm that less than quarter wave dipole in the attic with no amp running just what the back of the normal radio puts out.

Same day, same atmospheric conditions, same point system (1 contact = 1 point), same model radio, same mic, same time limit....

Wanna BET that me and my max power with tribander has a overwealming advantage over your puney peanut whistle when we talley up the TOTAL Points on the scoreboard. Because 'Life' IS scoreboard babbbbbby! All scoreboard.

HEY lets make it even more interesting by putting a virtual double meat whopper meal with desert--loser pays.

And I Say: How about a spelling and grammar contest?

As stated:

His previous posts dug a huge hole and I will not be surprised to see this unfortunate individuals poor attempt for a response.

Thus:

"And I bet you worked your azz of for those few contacts. BUT IF IF IF IF IF IF you had the courage to live where you could put up a nice tower and a nice triband beam or better yet a nice stacked monoband rack of 3 element beams into which you ran a max power amp you would be a hell of a lot better off..hear them, call them, work them, NOOOOOOO Sweat.

There is a reason that the true WINNER big guns become big guns...they never live in appartments, HOAS or anywhere that has antenna restrictions. That and a very large credit card with the willingingness to spend whatever is necessary to achieve and maintain their status."
 
Hence:

The World is full of us "non courageous types" The real point is that you can not judge or regulate a hobby / facet by the means in which one uses to achieve the desired result. The fact is that the desired result and satisfaction level is different for everyone and has nothing to do with achieving the status that you think is acceptable rather the status that is desired with the current means to achieve it.

Let me put this into language that you can understand: Everyone has a unique situation and this should not deter them from doing something that they enjoy. I know that you like bold truth and facts and think that answer will suffice.

Please Humor the rest of us again.

KC2PLJ

I have worked 37 countries and most of them were with 50 watts or less from my old QTH that was an apartment, all with a simple vertical and a loading coil with a counterpoise hanging out the window. I knew that my small vertical was no 3 element tri-bander at 50 feet...but I still made contacts, and I still had fun! The real point of this hobby and the first idiot to answer you totally missed it. His previous posts dug a huge hole and I will not be surprised to see this unfortunate individuals poor attempt for a response.

"Unfortunately Appartment Living automaticly rules out completely Amateur Radio as a hobby UNLESS one is also interested in camping and can take their hobby with them to the great out of doors"

Sorry to be blunt with you but I find this response insulting to so many of us that work for a living and have to rough it a while until things take off. Apartment living is not a choice in many circumstances and does not by any means rule out Ham radio or any of it's offerings including HF. I personally have worked Satellites, HF down to 40 meters, VHF/UHF SSB and a number of digital modes from my old QTH that was a 2 bedroom apartment.  

I also was amused by this:

"Do NOT do anything unless you have the time, money and circumstances to do it right and proper."

 If doing things proper is the way you answered this gentleman looking for help, consider myself and all the rest of us that improvise and prevail improper.

And lets not forget this:

Should he just quit? If UHF and VHF are his only bands of daily guaranteed practicality then probably he should quit until and as to when he gets his damn ass out that appartment and into a half way decent home with a couple of acres in the country completely free of any anti antenna laws.

Question: What about those of us who are in college or just starting out. Oh wait, we should get our "asses out and live in the antenna free country.Coming from an obvious socially unaccepted and Mentally delayed individual I will rest my case and let your responses in the previous posts do the talking.

Do not take advice from this un-educated individual. He will only bring your spirits down. Keep trying! Do whatever works the best for you. Like I mentioned above, 37 countries....not bragging but that's not bad from a apartment and I did not give-up. Even though my situation has improved now I am not able to put a large array or any stretch of wire greater than 50-60 feet. But I have an antenna up an enjoy operating just as much as the next guy with his point and shoot laser beam. Please don't be discouraged and at all costs don't give up. I do not usually partake in the flaming or nasty posts to others and have no interest in doing so any further. When I opened this up and seen the idiot response this guy gave you my usual calm was hard to maintain. Take Care Mike KC2PLJ

The FT-857(D) model uses a 8 pin jack to connect to HRD. The "Linear" jack is the actual name of the device and a third party cable may be used as well as rolling your own. I went ahead and built my own cable as this is simple to do with the right components. Cheap USB to radio devices can be purchased on Flea Bay for around 20.00. Mine of course uses the older serial port connection. This made it easier to handle and build. Either way you go HRD and the FT-857D works great and will make the radio a little more user friendly as you won't be diving into the menu each time you need to change something. Good Luck! KC2PLJ Mike

Yes, The subjective reports from the field are what I listen to. Hype has it's place and this antenna is a great performer in my book. Just today I threw it up into a small pine outside and placed my FT-817 and 10' of coax to the antenna. I worked 18 stations on 20 and 40 in less than 2 hours with 5 watts SSB and many with just 1/2 a watt!!! Needless to say the thing works and I don' really care how it achieves this. Some may argue that it is a compromise antenna and others may say that the antenna is JUST A SIMPLE END-FED, this is not the case at all, check the reviews. 5/5 on every single one!! A very hard thing to do with a bunch of tech savvy folks that are more than happy to pick apart a product and find it's worst qualities just so they can moan about it on E-ham. That being said I will use mine every time I am portable, no need for a tuner and counterpoises just throw it into a tree and have a pile of contacts waiting for you. By now you get that I am recommending the antenna to you as I have tried it and it works and works well plain and simple. Take Care Mike KC2PLJ