Available VHF/UHF Rigs

Icom IC706 Mk 2G

Primarily designed as a mobile all-mode rig, with 100W on HF and 50MHz, 50W on 144MHz and 20W on 432MHz, but widely used as a base station by many operators.
This rig is deservedly popular, but like all the compact rigs it has some frequency stability problems as the internal fan cycles on and off.

Icom IC910H

Icom's current base-station all-mode rig for 144MHz (100W), 432MHz (75W), and 1296MHz option (10W). Highly regarded by all users as far as I know.

Kenwood TS2000

Kenwood's current base-station all-mode rig for HF (100W), 50MHz (100W), 144MHz (100W), 432MHz (50W), and 1296MHz factory option (10W).

Yaesu FT736R

Yaesu's previous all-mode base-station for 144MHz (25W), 432MHz (25W), and 1296MHz option (10W). No longer available new, but still available second hand and still in widespread use.
No DSP, but this is one of the last rigs to have knobs big enough for your fingers, and circuit boards with discrete components you can replace.

Yaesu FT847

Yaesu's current base-station all-mode rig for HF (100W), 50MHz (100W), 144MHz (50W), and 432MHz (50W), but no option for 1296MHz.
This rig has been around now for a long time, suggesting that Yaesu have chosen to concentrate now on HF-50MHz rigs.

 

Brief reviews of these and any other serious VHF/UHF rigs by owners would be welcome.


VK2KU - 6 December 2009