Equipment Question

[KD9TFX]

Hello, I am new to the world of HAM. I have a question about different mobile radios.  Does such a radio exsist:  I would like to have access to all Technician bands as well as the CB band too.  One other concer, about how much would such a radio cost?  Thanks!

[WB2WIK]

Nope, doesn't exist.

"All the Technician bands," even without the CB adder, doesn't exist, either -- mostly because "all the Technician bands" include 902 MHz, 1.2 GHz, 2.3 GHz, 5.6 GHz, 10.1 GHz, and higher, and higher, and higher...there's nothing made to cover all those microwave bands!

Also, amateur (ham) rigs don't cover CB for many valid reasons.  CB equipment must be type accepted for that service; ham equipment needn't be.  CB equipment has severe restrictions on what it can, and cannot do, by law.  Ham equipment hasn't such restrictions, except one restriction regarding commercially-manufactured amplifiers capable of operating between 25 and 50 MHz, or some such nonsense.  (Homebrew equipment, including amplifiers, can be built for any amateur band and used by any properly licensed amateur.  However, homebrew equipment is specifically not allowed for use in the CB band.)

You need a separate CB rig!  Sorry...

73 de Steve WB2WIK/6

[INITZERO]

> Does such a radio exsist: I would like to have access to all Technician bands as well as
> the CB band too. One other concer, about how much would such a radio cost?

  I'm going to tick off a lot of hams by actually answering your question. I have too
little space in my car as it is and appreciate not having to have a separate CB,
company radio and FRS in the car in addition to a 2/440 rig.

  What you probably want is an Icom 706MKIIG...

    http://www.icomamerica.com/amateur/hf/index.html

  It covers 160M through 440mHz (though unfortunately not 220mHz -- yet). With a
do-it-yourself modification, it'll TX on 11-meters where CB radio lives...

    http://www.mods.dk/mods.php3?model=ic-706&radio=icom

  In addition to covering what you're allowed to use now (6M, 2M and 440mHz), it
also gives you lots of room to play when you upgrade to General. It has huge
receive coverage and works fairly well as a scanner. Basically, buy this radio and
you won't be kicking yourself a year  from now when you upgrade and want a radio
that covers HF.

  There's a down-side of course. It ain't cheap if never plan to upgrade. The going
price is around $900. It doesn't cover 220mHz, or 1.2 gHz. Then again, at least
in my area, there is no one there to talk with anyway. (Same with 900mHz.)

  Standard disclaimers apply... the 706 is not type-accepted for anything but
the ham bands. If you are putting out 50W on FRS when the max allowed by
law is 0.5W, you're an idiot. If you break into police conversations to ask them
if their refrigerator is running, you're liable to be arrested. If you straddle the
antenna while transmitting, it's probably a good thing that your testicles are
getting nuked.

  Please, act responsibly.

  Matt (k4mls)