At a radio club junk auction a year ago, I bought an Icom 
IC260 all mode 2 meter rig circa 1980 for a whole $5.00. I 
then spent another $5.00 on a DC power cord.

I just talked with a station in Waterproof LA, and another
in St. Francisville, LA on SSB using that radio and my
2 meter/440 vertical.

One station was about 70 miles away, the other about 125 
miles. Both of them had strong local sounding signals.

Not bad for ten watts and a total investment of $10.

One of those guys asked if this contact was going to be like
that first hot air balloon ride. The first one is free, the
second cost a chunk of change when you go out and buy your
own balloon.

I don't know about that, but the first 2 meter SSB contact
was fun, even though the radio isn't exactly blind friendly.



Mike Duke, K5XU
American Council of Blind Radio Amateurs