Other manufacturers would have a hard time making a mobile microphone that was as nicely matched to your radio than that made by your radio's maker.  And, if they could, they could not be very competitive on price.  So the mobile mic that comes with the radio is often (not always) pretty hard to beat.

Most of the major amateur equipment manufactures also offer a basic mobile microphone for their radio that doesn't feature the DTMF and other buttons.  If you want just the basics, check with your dealer.

73,

Terry, WØFM

I agree.  That mount will be fine for the faceplate of the radio, but not much more.  Back in the '80's, when cell phone transceivers were trunk-mounted and the handset/cradle were on the transmission hump, I used the goose neck mount for the lightweight handset/cradle.  I screwed two different lengths of flexible goose neck together to make the neck a bit longer and that gave me sufficient range to move the handset into position for me without impacting the passenger seat.  The stock goose neck is a standard size available at most music stores for microphone stands, so it's easy to get another short piece to add on.

73,

Terry, WØFM

The FCC narrow banding (12.5 kHz) initiative for 2013 does not apply to amateur radio.  If you get a handheld that allows you to also listen on VHF and/or UHF public safety and business bands, you might look for 12.5 KHz receive capability for best results.  Just no NEED for it for your new hobby.

73, Terry, WØFM

Found my manual.  Thanks for looking.

Terry, WØFM

Hi Pete,

The one thing that everyone here would like to see you take away from this exchange is that in your "I was mainly trying to see if this radio was even operational anymore" you were, in fact, transmitting illegally.  Transmitting a little bit, just to check something is still transmitting.  I'm sure you got that part now.

The HT-40 was one of my first rigs in the '60's, and I have many of the "old" style mic connectors (ala Bogen PA amps) from my early musical days.  Stick with the original connector and enjoy your nice chunk of amateur radio history when the time is right.  I hope to hear that rig on the air soon.

73,

Terry, WØFM

Hi Don,

Your 6BTV should do just fine witout the SGC-237.  The internal tuner in my old TS-850S-AT gave me plenty of useable bandwidth on the 6BTV.  So did my FT-1000MP's internal tuner and, most recently, the tuner in my K3.  I agree that my SGC-230 had some quirky issues with trapped verticals.  I think it just complicated things.

Good luck and have fun.

73,

Terry, WØFM

This is what happens when you tell a "hyphen" to ........wait for it........


"get DOWN, boogie, oogie, oogie"  !!

Dick,

Or "Five-Five" "Five Five"....."Double Nickels"!

Terry

OK, it didn't take until Saturday after all......  

Alan E. Strauss, WA4JTK
The "Two Four Seven DX Net"..

http://us.cactii.net/pipermail/members/2002-April/000245.html

A blurb on QSL.net indicated Alan is a SK.

Terry, WØFM

WA4JTK is sounding familiar.  Something like that.

I can hear him now...."Last two"  "Last two".

Terry, WØFM

A fellow named Alan (WA2 or WA4) ran a DX net around the 80's and 90's near 14.256. 

If my memory serves me as it normally does, I will remember his full call and last name around 3AM Saturday!   

Even my brand new Heath Two-er (in 1962) needed the receiver touched up a bit after anything but a very brief transmission.  I just chalked it up to being a regen receiver and inexpensive radio.  Also, your Two-er is an AM rig, not designed to receive or transmit FM.  If you are having QSOs with it chances are fairly good that the other station is having trouble hearing your AM signal on his FM rig as well (unless he's using a multi-mode radio).

Spray the pots and switches with some contact cleaner and run them back and forth to "wipe" the contacts.  If that doesn't improve the noisy controls, they might need replacing.

Follow the suggestions previously given on the caps.

Good luck with the restoration.  Wish I still had mine.  

Terry, WØFM

I wasn't clear on this.  Is the "other piece to plug into a car" a cigarette lighter or accessory plug?  If so, you can get a power supply (with the correct rating) that has a matching socket on the front panel.  Some Samlex and MFJ supplies, among others, have this feature.  No cutting required.

73,

Terry, WØFM

Allen, I think Steve's selling off ham equipment in anticipation of the cost of all those weddings!   

Terry

If you really want the low-pass filter Jeff, then buy the one that WB2WIK's trying to get rid of.  It's probably really clean, cause Steve wouldn't have transmitted any junk through it. 

Take it away, Steve! 

Terry, WØFM