If the material is that flimsy, suction cups will pop off at the first deformation if it!  (BTW, I do realize you were being a bit 'off the wall.')

There are vehicles now that have plastic panels, not sheet metal, and vehicles where the sheet metal is actually sheet aluminum!  Corvettes have fibreglass panels, and there is some experimentation going on with composite carbon materials--although that process is still prohibitively expensive for mass production of cars.

Those days aren't in the future, they're here NOW!

You would be better off making a wire dipole for the CB.  Something that you could toss up into a tree or string between the trailer and a near by support.  The range you'll get trying to use it on a 2 meter antenna will be nil--that is, nobody beyond a few hundred feet will hear you.  Been there, done that.

In case you missed it, 'VUL, I said I was issued an agency radio.  NOT a ham radio.  Please don't read things into what others say, it makes you look like a fool.

Agreed that they're hard to program--but the upside to that is that you can actually name the repeater instead of just seeing the frequency of it.

Once you DO get it set up, however, the radio is hard to beat.  Plenty of power and it doesn't heat up like some of the other 2 meter rigs because of its massive heatsink.  I wouldn't recommend it to a beginner ham, but to someone who either gets the programming cable and software or who is used to programming Icom products, the V8000 is great!

It's like I said in other threads where recommendations for a rig are asked for--it's personal preference.

Skimping, as you call it, is done on just about every manufactured thing made.  It can be as simple as using a cheaper ink and printing method on a panel--that wears off before the device end life or using the smallest gauge wire that will work instead of using heavier wire that will last.  These days its all about the profit margin of the manufacturers.  It may cost them an extra 2 cents to do something a way that will last a lot longer, and to us, that 2 cents is not a good enough reason for it to be done the cheaper way.  To them, however, on a run of 100,000 units, that 2 cents translates to $2000.00!

They're going to save money one way or the other, and if they can save $2,000 on that run they're going to do it--whether we end users think it's a bad idea or not!

If you're close to a ham radio store, you can probably get one free--most of the rig makers put them out.  Some stores will even mail you one.  Or you can get a copy from the ARRL website as 'HA said.

Quite true, but you've got to remember one thing--for them (the XYLs) it's either black or white, there is no grey.  IOW, to them, either you're lost or you know EXACTLY where you are and where you're going!     I wonder if any of them even believe in sight seeing!

Magmounts are not such a good idea--especially on a new car.  One time is all it takes for that magmount to come off while the car is moving, and you'll probably have marks and dings in your new cars finish.  And they don't have to actually come off--just move.  AND if they don't and they stay in one place for a while, you may end up with stains or discoloration of the paint!

Also, anything thicker than a sheet of writing paper between the magmount and the matal its holding onto risks serious degradation of the holding power of the magnet.  Magmounts were originally made for use when a vehicle was not moving--and that is still all most of them are good for.  You take way too many chances with any antenna longer or heavier than a 2 meter quarter wave whip on a magnet mount when the car is moving.

All you detractors go ahead and flame and swear that magmounts are OK for use at highway speeds.  I've heard it all before, and nothing anyone says is going to change my mind--just as it won't change the minds of those who have had damage done to their rides by magmounts that have come off and did damage to their cars while they were moving.

Here we go again--promoting the use of these radios on frequencies where such frequencies have to be licensed to be used legally.

If bought as ham radios, it is ILLEGAL to use these radios outside of the ham radio bands unless the user is licensed for the frequency that they're going to use AND the radio is type accepted for that band.  We, as hams, are NOT supposed to be using or promoting such use according to the agreement we signed to get our ham license.  And yes--you DID sign it if you have your ham ticket--right on your application!

Its been said many, many times.  Ham radio transceivers are a small, small market.  Also, if compared to radios of years ago and keeping in mind inflation, ham radios today are CHEAP compared to older radios, and they have a lot more features.  It's been said that a good set of Collins radios would sell for much, MUCH more than a moderately priced ham rig today at today's prices.


Rig manufacturers do market studies, and include what the public wants on these rigs.  Saner hams don't want some of the bells and whistles that are available on rigs today, but there are those who do--and the manufacturers listen to them.  The multifunction designs are trying to do more for those hams and still keep the prices within reach of most.  Don't blame poor design--intricate menu systems are needed so the manufacturers can try to give the majority what they want while keeping the price of the rigs low. 

As far as the statements about skimping...  Well, the only thing that can be said about that is the makers of just about every electronic device made skimp on one or more things in their devices--ham radio sets aren't any different.

Gil--That link indicates that membership is needed.

Wow.  Someone who sees the light!


98% of the time, that is the plain simple truth, but there is always that other 2%--like what happened in NYC on 9-11.  Short range VHF/UHF ham help was needed and WELCOMED there since the local official communication infrastructure was first damaged, then destroyed when the towers came down.


Exactly.  However, it also must be pointed out that since the elimination of element 1 for higher grade licenses, a lot of the newer operators upgrade and go to the HF bandspaces.  They don't want to be bothered with short range--they're looking for long distance operating.  Also, use of the local repeaters which used to be used for local, incidental communications has dropped off because of the availability of cell phones.  Most of the time, for less than $30, you can walk into a store and walk out with a cell phone able to be used almost right away.  No licenses, no worries, no limited range, and so on.  

AAMOF, it could be well said that all repeaters are used for now is the informal social meeting net or some sort of unofficial communications.  There is nothing else that they're needed for--or, sadly, wanted for outside of Skywarn and other volunteer activities not connected with agencies that already have their own communications in place.

Why not simply look in the manual to see if a temperature range is indicated, and if the storage area you want to use can get outside of that range, look for another area to store your gear.  That would be the sane approach.

Look at one of the latest:

--from the Amazon feedback--

1 out of 5:
"item arrived witout extra battery as advertised, no note from seller. I contacted seller who said they would send the battery. 3 weeks later no battery, filed a claim and seller tried to get me to drop the claim before i received the battery. THIS SELLER IS SHADY, I WOULD AVOID. "

Sounds normal--for RadioMart!

Could be.  A few other sites I frequent were fine at that time, and as I said, a half hour later, so was this one.  73!