If the antenna is 5" shorter than it originally was, you will have high SWR problems.
It may seem to transmit and receive OK, but, it won't be. And eventually, you will
have problems with the finals in your radio. If you have an SWR meter for VHF, you
should check your antenna. The best bet is to replace it if you can.
james
WD5GWY

And it looks like they have a distributor in Dallas, Tx too.
Maybe they'll be at HAMCOM this year. I'm betting those
amps will be pretty expensive. Maybe not as expensive as
some, but, from the specs, along with a built-in autotuner,
they certainly won't be cheap.
james
WD5GWY

40 meters mobile can be lots of fun day or night. I've worked DX at night on 40 while mobile and regional during the day. There is a bunch of guys (some are truckers or retired truckers) that show up on 7.195 during the day that are very laid back and enjoyable to talk to. One guy runs a Flex 3000 from home. If you get a chance to talk to him(W5QI), ask him to give you a signal report. He'll record your audio with the Flex and play it back to you. That really gives you some idea of what others hear.
 I listen to 40 meters during the day (mostly 7.195) and occasionally go up to 17 meters as well. Sitting in line at a rock crusher waiting to get loaded can be boring. Talking to friends on 40 or working DX on 17 makes the time go by much better!
Hope to talk to you on 40 meters sometime!
james
WD5GWY
   

I have both the 706 (MKIIG) and the TS-480SAT. The 706 lives in my
Dodge pickup. And the 480SAT is in a 2007 Kenworth (day cab) diesel
rig. Both are fine radios and I would be hard pressed if I had to decide
on taking the 706 out of my pickup. I will say this, the 706's Noise Blanker
is not as good as the one in the 480SAT. Since my pickup is an older diesel
model with the mechanical fuel injector system,that is not an issue. Of course,
if someone drives by me with a noisy ignition system, I can hear it. Even with
the noise blanker on. But, everyone I talk to with the 706 comments on the
voice quality from the transmitted audio. (using the stock mic) And it is an easy
radio to use.
   The 480SAT in the Kenworth is a great radio too. I like it's filtering and Noise
Blanker as well. The fuel injection system in the truck (Caterpillar engine) is electronic and VERY noisy. The Noise Blanker works pretty good compared to the one in the
706. (I have an ICOM 7000 as well, that is better than both radios as far as handling
noise issues, just cannot bring myself to put it in a rock truck!!!)
The main thing I like about the 480SAT other than the noise handling & filtering, is
the HUGE display!! I can see it clearly in any lighting situation. The 706 and the 7000
cannot top it. (well, I guess, I could put a remote video display in the truck for the 7000
but, that would be too much of a distraction) And the most used functions while mobile
are easy to use (buttons) without having to look at the display and away from driving.
(I try not to make changes while driving anyway......too dangerous)
 The only real downside for the 480SAT, is the fact that the microphone can only be
connected to the body of the radio and not the remote head. Depending on where you
mount the body, that may or may not be an issue.
 If you can easily switch out radios, I'd give the 480 a run in the mobile. It is a fun radio
and it too has great audio. And you can adjust the output audio quite a bit too.
Either way, you cannot go wrong with either rig. Since you have both, I'd  say give it a
try!
james
WD5GWY
 

I can understand being happy with your current privileges and if that is enough for you then that is great. But, again, you are letting a "minority" of troublemakers, keep you from enjoying more privileges and chances to meet new and interesting people, simply because of a few misguided individuals. The so-called BS that is going on, is not as widespread and you make it sound. Far from it. As for the 11 meter comment, if you think what goes on there is not as bad as 14.313, then you must have antenna problems. And are not hearing anything. I can guarantee you that there is no difference between the two. And in fact, at least two of the people on 14.313 are also troublemakers on 36LSB on CB. And FREEBAND being nice and polite? I've listened in on a few of those conversations and it's not much different than CB. (or some ham op's as well) There are good and bad individuals in both, Amateur Radio and CB. That's just a fact of life. But, to let any of it keep you from upgrading in order to gain more operating privileges, makes no sense at all. You are missing out on so much more than you can imagine.
But, again, if you are happy where you are at, then stay at that point.
james
WD5GWY

Why would something that goes on , on 14.313 (or several other well know frequencies)
prevent you from wanting to upgrade?? There are idiots in every group and Amateur Radio is no exception. Why keep yourself from enjoying more privileges on HF because of a few bad apples? That makes no sense at all.
  There is a ton of other frequencies and modes that you can have available to you with an upgrade. Don't let what you hear a FEW people doing, cause you not to take advantage of what can be available to you with a simple written test and upgrade in license. Amateur Radio is FUN, just pass over the idiots and have some fun of your own.
james
WD5GWY
  

Now, that's a good one! Puerto Rico is fairly easy for me. But, I have not worked
Thailand yet. Maybe one of these days!!
james
WD5GWY
 

Don't forget the computer! Well, being an over the road driver and a ham
etc. I'm betting you already have a laptop! The Flex 1500 is a good 5 watt
qrp rig. I use one here at home and it is fun. It's not a pileup buster, but,
does surprisingly well. I drive a rock truck locally and use a Kenwood TS-480SAT
for HF. Of course, I have it hooked up to the battery. (my boss is fairly lenient
when it comes to radios. (CB and Ham gear) If you are limited to qrp, there are
other choices that don't require a computer to use them. Elecraft, ICOM both offer
rigs that run 5 watts or less and put no strain on the battery system.
If you haven't experienced qrp, it may or may not, be fun. There WILL be times that
you can hear a station just fine that cannot quite hear you.
Maybe, you can talk your boss into letting you run a rig with a bit more power.
Good luck.
james
WD5GWY

Don't know why people think the 7000 runs hot. The entire case is a heatsink
and having used mine for extended periods of time, it never gets so hot I cannot
touch it. And the Temp display on screen never gets into the red. It might get that
hot if used for extended periods in digital modes. Overall, the 7000 is a great rig
for the price and for the features it has. Most of the things you need to operate
the rig have buttons on the front and are easy to use. The rest are mostly set &
forget.
james
WD5GWY

Probably because their ads are submitted sometimes months in advance.
And if they want to run a sale, they don't want their competition to have
a leg up on them. Of course, their competition can just call and find out
current prices as easy as anyone else. But, My guess is that is one of the
major reasons. And it gets you to call them and listen to a salesman.
It kind of bugs me too, but, I can see their point in a way.
james
WD5GWY

I would like to have a Soft Rock, but every time I go to
the website, it says"Check Back Soon" on every one of
the kits. It is near impossible to get one, or so it seems.
james
WD5GWY

Not making excuses, but I believe something has happened to Bill.
I have two of his turbo tuners and one works and another does not.
He helped me (by phone on his dime) to try and get the non-working
Turbo Tuner working. It never quite made it. But, I did not buy them
from him (bought used from other hams) and did not, and do not expect
him to do any kind of warranty work.
  I think the best thing to do is, if your Turbo Tuner is out of warranty, is
to try to find someone who can fix it. Or go to another solution. If it still is
in warranty, contacting the Better Business Bureau and filing a complaint with
the state attorney general is about your only recourse.
  Sad that it has come to this, as it leaves only one manufacturer out there that
offers these type of controllers. And they are limited to the ICOM 7000 as far as
complete control. Maybe, they will offer controllers for other brands of radios in
the future.
james
WD5GWY

I have an SX-100 that looks better than new and works great. The person
that restored did a magnificent job of restoration. Including recapping and
a paint job, while the right colors, it looks better than the first SX-100 I owned
some 40 years ago. And the inside is polished to a shine that is probably nothing
like what came off the factory assembly line. Is it original? I doubt it, from what
I have seen growing up and years later. But, I will say this, I wouldn't sell it for
10X what I paid for it. ($250)
james
WD5GWY
 

I believe that I would put that code practice oscillator in a special
place just to remember your grandfather.
  The radios, while out of date, can be fun, if working. If you know
which one might have been his favorite, keep it and enjoy it.
None of them have any great monetary value, but, as a way to remember
your grandfather and all he taught you, some could be priceless.
Sorry for your loss, hope you have plenty of good memories of your
grandfather. (I know I have many of mine)
james
WD5GWY
 

My first "real" shortwave radio was a Hallicrafters SX-96 that I paid $25 for from
a TV shop that I worked part time in. The radio had to be repaired, and I also had
to clean out the storeroom in the back of the shop as part of the deal.
  In this part of Texas we have a monthly flea market called "First Monday".
When I cleaned out the storeroom, I got to haul off all the old tv's, radios and
small appliances. I repaired as many of those as I could and sold them at First Monday and more than made back what I paid for the SX-96. This was in 1966.
If I could go back and get some of the old tv's and radios that I sold or ended up dumping, I could have a LOT of money now. Several I remember are collector items now.
 At some point in time the SX-96 got traded or sold, don't remember which(getting old
is a PIA sometimes). And eventually, after my first son was born, I got another Hallicrafters receiver, an SX-100. Also, got a Heathkit DX-60 transmitter and some other gear for RTTY reception. I got my Novice License then too. But, at some point
(probably to raise money for bills) the SX-100 went away.
  Recently, I was at the Belton Texas Hamfest (is held twice a year) and found an
SX-100b, that had been fully restored and looks better than new! And works great.
That one, is not getting away from me. (might even be buried with me when the time
comes.)
james
WD5GWY