With the additional remote kit, you can even attach the front panel to the windscreen of your car. It's easy to use indoors, but you can also take it out camping ( on a gel battery) or set it up in your car. Through a series of simple, graduated tasks the Ham operator will be introduced to key operating concepts and actually operate the FT-857D. However, I'm really reluctant to move away from the 7300 because it's so universally applauded as a great radio. Versatility and portability is where the FT-857D really shines. Basic Operation of the Yaesu FT-857D Multi-Band Amateur Radio The purpose of this document is to learn by doing. Alternatively I could also go with the Yaesu 991 shack in a box. This seems like it would be a pain and wouldn't give me access to a lot of the more advanced features inherent in a nicer dual band radio. Other options would be using my uv5r as my base VHF/UHF and take it along for portable use (if needed). Is this a good plan? Being that I am so new I don't know exactly what I will wind up doing but this seems like a pretty flexible combination. Ive pretty new to HAM but am digging in and learning more every day.

I was going to get a dual band VHF of some sort to accompany the 7300 but lately have been thinking instead about getting a FT-857D used (or something similar if there is anything else out there) to cover VHF/HF base and portable use. Base and Mobile Antenna Setup for FT-857D. I have all but settled on going the ICOM 7300 route for the HF base. Any by portable I mean car camping so I want it to be compact and portable but ultralightweight is not needed. I would estimate the usage would be 95% base and 5% portable. My goal is to be able to do base operations as well as go portable at times. I just got my general a couple days ago and am looking to setup a shack.

Ft 857 d setup