That's why I run commercial radios as long as I have the frequencies needed
ahead of time, the broad band radios, ICT-90, THF6A, really are nice if you
want all band coverage or a scanner though not with the stock rubber duck
but I much prefer commercial Kenwood radios or icom commercial gear. I sold
the TH-F6A because I really wasn't using it opting for my commercial
equipment. The ICT90A is really only along in case of a last minute
frequency change, it is down from the others in performance as are all the
wide band coverage radios I and others have used and honestly if someone
made me the right offer, I'd probably sell it gladly and go for something
with not as much out of band coverage. I don't really push the sale because
of the cheap radios out there, I don't think I could sell it. Actually, if I
remember to bring it along, the old FT-51 is a better performing radio, it's
big and heavy but considering most of what I use them for is public service
events, and I'm used to walking around with a motorola MTX9250 or MTS2000 on
my belt to keep an ear on my 900 MHz repeater most of the time most places I
go, I dont' even notice a bigger heavier radio. My wife's baofeng hasn't yet
but I have seen the Baofeng UV5R radios fail, and usually when you need them
most at public service events. At the Boston Marathon, I know 2 people who
had them for some reason go to where they'd only transmit for a few seconds
suddenly as if someone set the time out timer to 10 seconds or so all of a
sudden. I've heard of other insidents as well where I had to loan a spare
hand held to someone because their chinese radio went flakey or failed at an
event and when I do 3 or more a month sometimes, I want something proven.
The FT-51 has been in the shop twice in it's 14 years but it's been dropped,
stepped on, over heated, and about everything else that can happen to a hand
held and it still works the little I use it. I'm told it looks almost brand
new too. If I went with one of the little light radios clipped to my belt
I'd probably be checking every 2 seconds to see if it was still there.
|