Good stuff Shadow...Keep it coming.
I should have my general ticket shortly. Any thoughts on what receiver/transceiver one should get in the under $500- range. I have no problems with "hand me downs" either. Just want to know what I should be looking for.
Johnny, I wouldn't screw you like that, giving you advice for something you really don't want to buy.
In my honest opinion, there isn't any good transceivers out there in the $500 range.
Most of the older stuff on eBay is way over priced and junk!
The only transceiver I know of that works and costs less than $500 is the Yaesu FT 101 - which was used as a CB radio, and most times the reason it is for sale is because it was abused and broke. Unlike a broke watch - that tells the correct time twice a day, a broke old transceiver isn't worth much and usually costs more to repair - if you can find someone to repair it than what it is worth!
I'm Jaded by the Kenwood TS 590S or SG - depending upon how much money you have to spend!
I have seen them used for as little as $1100.00
I paid $1850 for mine and I know that it works when other models fails to pull a weak signal out of a noisy environment.
You would have to spend twice that amount to find another transceiver in the same bracket as far as performance goes.
I would stay away from ICOM or Yaesu or Alinco or Beofung or Woshun right now.
Anyone with a limited budget needs to make wise purchases according to quality and not price.
If TSHTF you got to believe that the band conditions are probably going to be noisy or non existent - especially after a EMP and that you would want something that can filter out the noise and can work digital modes without a Signalink - sound card.
The less you have to carry, the further back into the boonies you can go.
This means that you want to have a Transceiver that has a built in tuner.
This eliminates the Yaesu FT 101 from my list.
While transmitting SSB I only notice a 12 amp draw on my power supply when I am running 100 watts with my Kenwood TS 590S. My 50 watt FM Yaesu 8900R draws as much power as my 100 watt HF transceiver... If you are operating on emergency power, you want a transceiver that can punch though if necessary - DSP - and yet can run as little as 5 watts transmit if you need to save your batteries... The 590 in that regard is almost as good as the Yaesu, Icom QRP mobiles.