What would be considered the ‘Rolls Royce’ of all mode 2m rigs? I don’t want to be getting my IC-705 out of the rucksack and hooking up to the house antenna now every time I’m chasing an LD contact, what would complement the FTDX-5000MP in 2m form?
I’ve only been in amateur radio for the past eight years so all those amazing 70s-90s 2m rigs are a complete unknown to me.
Mark.
Don’t forget you’ll want a cheeky side order of 70cm too! You could always get a 70cm All Mode as well. Can’t leave UHF out, that’s like forgetting about the dinner plate at the bottom of the stack in the cupboard that never gets used. Dig it out once in a while! 
Andy would be an expert on the 2m stuff I’d wager, he’s got loads of good ones.
Did you know the FT-290R does packet radio too?
Get a 290! 
It’s definitely a contender!
Top of the shop…
Kuhne 2m transverter very closely followed by G4DDK Anglian Transverter
Then we get fullsized rigs
IC-275 (any output power)
TS-711
FT-225RD+Mutek
Mobile rigs
TM-255
TR-751
Special mention
TR-7010 (Gerald @G4OIG knows why)
The Kuhne plus a high-end HF IF driver is something to experience. Sam G4DDK’s Anglian is only a midge’s whatsit behind in performance.
The Elecraft XV144 is meant to be a super transverter. Mine has been given the old “In through the out door” treatment (IF TX into the 2m RX port 
) so is a bit poorly but is a very high performance unit.
Mark,if you now find a TM255 for a bargain price I will have to give you a damn good shoeing as I have always wanted one but never could afford one. And now always seem to miss when they appear for sale
Anyone know if these are any good: Dual Band 144 + 432 to 28 MHz ASSEMBLED Highly Stable TRANSVERTER VHF UHF 28mhz | eBay UK
Transverters are way outside my comfort zone, but I’m keen to learn more!
I had a brainwave over lunch for a possible FT-290R CW solution. I drew a very accurate and detailed schematic (attached). Basic premis is thus:
A little 3D printed template of some sort, that you can hook the microphone on to sideways, with a little lip at the bottom to hold the mic in the horizontal position. This way you can hold the mic and paddle (attached on the other side with a magnet) like a deck of cards with your thumb holding the PTT down and your other hand free to operate the paddle or straight key!
Yes yes I know it’s worthy of a Red Dot Design award. 
Anyway, here’s my very accurate and detailed schematic. I’ll try and make a mock up in TinkerCAD at some point and see can I make this startling brainwave a reality!
A = Mic attached to the 3D printed holdery thing. PTT button shown facing towards you
B = The other side of the 3D printed holdery thing with a paddle attached to a magnetic plate (or recessed magnets)
C = The mic removed from the 3D printed holdery thing, showing the mic hook (not shown would be a raised lip at the bottom to hold the mic in place horizontally.
D = Adrian’s Mod (my version of it with the right angle thing and the surfacy sticky on switch thing (which might not be needed now, it’s just there to show Adrian’s mod 2.0)
Staying in the 290 period, possibly the FT-726, its a meaty brute weighing 11kg but has loads of bells and whistles for its meagre 10 watts. It was succeeded by the FT-736R, lighter at 9kg and 25 watts output on 2m and 70cm. I don’t know about more recent rigs that are single band, I preferred the “shack in a box” route, probably not the ultimate in performance but fine for a noisy urban environment.
Unreliable, unobtanium, unloved and low performance.
Not much better,
Avoid both unless they’re working and under £100.
They’re functional. Not the best, not the worst. Someone called them the Baofeng of transverters which is harsh criticism. There will be better gear lurking.
Mark if you go and rattle the local clubs in your area expressing an interest to buy 2m gear you will find someone with some half-decent 2m stuff that they’ve been thinking of selling. Someone with money and desire will push them over the edge into action.
You just know he’ll come back from a club night with an FT-290R tucked under his arm! 
Another IC-705 dedicated to the home station, or an IC-9700.
Edit: actually, since you asked for something outrageously expensive, an IC-905 would fit the bill.
I had a go at putting together a little prototype mic and paddle holder (following my incredibly detailed Red Dot Design award winning schematic I dreamt up over lunch yesterday).
I originally had a mic holder added to the middle, but it’s a bit redundant really when all you want to do is have the mic in hand with access to squeeze the PTT with your thumb. On the other side are two small magnet holes added. You can glue a couple in if you like and then slap a paddle on the top.
The ridgystickieoutie bit is so the mic stays horizontal. The recessed part next to it should let the mic sit comfy enough within it. Sure your palm will be doing the rest of the work. It still needs a bit of fettling to get things right, but it’s halfway there.
Introducing…
Bits to add:
Just a quick one to keep it in the same thread. The parts order for the ‘Adiemod FT-290 CW Turbo 6000’ arrived today.
Given the straight key I made a while back worked as a PoC, the caveat being it was a momentary switch, I set to work on a little rocker switch as a v2.0 to Adrian’s juicy straight key throw switch mod.
At first I tried with a 90 degree mono jack and used the existing rocker switch wiring. It worked for about five minutes before it filled its pants and gave up. Looks like it was the jack because a test with my snazzy multimeter showed it was working.
This is the carcass of the mono plug and the new stereo jack pre-wired that I had lying around would be transplanted in.
I desoldered the existing switch wiring and replaced it with the stereo jack, leaving out the right channel and using left and ground instead.
After a quick test on the divine FT-290R, I buttoned it back up.
Here is the ‘Adiemod FT-290 CW Turbo 6000’ in action, switch in the ON position so On Air is lit up like a Christmas tree on the buxom beaut that is the Yaesu FT-290R!
I was going to velcro it to the side or top of the 290, but I actually like how the 30cm cable sits in front of the radio in direct reach. It just seems to work nicer.
Once you spent 4 hours calling CQ and had no reply, you can give up safe in the knowledge that you only need unplug the switch from the side and chuck it your bag. Best of all, you don’t need the mic connected to the radio, so if you fancy making zero contacts, leave the mic at home and save weight!
Lovely jubbly! 
Hope this has helped someone and thanks to Adrian for the inspiration. 
I’ll take that with pleasure, thanks Ian, but I think it is pretty much what Yaesu intended!
I doubt that their original conceptual diagram was as detailed as yours, though…
I have approached Yaesu to ask if they want me to do their service manuals, but I’ve not heard back… 
I’ve had another idea for the 290, im going to work on it over the weekend.
I tried 2 mic holder prototypes but to be honest, with the Adiemod FT-290 CW Turbo 6000 in my pack, it has made the project a bit redundant. I’ve parked it for now and am going to work on the other idea I had this afternoon. Watch this space…!
Indeed I do. Mine has over 250 locator squares under its belt through its use (with a QQV06/40A linear) on 2m HSCW (high speed CW) in the 1980s and 1990s.. The rig keys nicely at 2000lpm. Unfortunately the mode has been superceded by data modes, but the rig is of course fine for that as well.
As for the FT-290R, I bought one from a friend and used it with a Microwave Modules 25W linear for my first year in SOTA. It was only when I fancied trying HF did I buy an 817. Whether I have any regrets selling it is debateable. I guess the fact that the 817 gave me so much more cushioned the loss, but I still remember the 290 with fondness, unlike some rigs I’ve owned.
Comment: If I was looking for a nostalgia rig, I’d be after a Liner 430. Ugh, a dreaded Belcom I hear people cry…. but it wasn’t anything like the dreadful Liner 2, the only good thing about which was that it helped kickstart SSB on 2m.
Rightly so!
I took the old girl out for her maiden voyage in Ireland this afternoon and had a bizarre, but great time. Even though I only made 2 contacts!
Started out at my favourite 145/433 Alive point by the sea. FT-290, 7m Mast and a Slim G.
My linear amps are not working for some reason so all I had was 8 x C cell batteries for power, so running about 3 Watts?
Called CQ for a bit on 145.500 and finally got a response. @MW0KZN who was listening on his HT while hiking up Snowdonia! QSY to 475. He was 59 with a lot of wind noise as he was hiking up though and I received a 51. Chuffed with that considering the power we were both running!
I was gutted I couldn’t chase him to help his activation but it was great to get the contact each. Definitely a bit of lift going on today I’d say.
Tried a bit of 2m CW but no replies. I forgot my Pico Keyer cable but was able to use the Palm Pico as a straight key along with the Adie Turbo 6000 mod. Had my bathtub key with me but the cable came undone so I left it for now. Called CQ some more, there were voices on 500 way down in the noise but nowhere near enough to make a QSO alas.
2 chaps stopped by to ask me what I was up to. We got to talking, they were two fishermen who sail from the nearby harbour so we got to talking about VHF. Another lady stopped by to ask was I fishing, then I explained and she said its amazing e.g. Talking to a chap on Snowdonia earlier, ISS SSTV and so on. Selling 2m and 70cm hard!
I called it a day and went off to Tesco for a bit.
About an hour or so later, I had about 30 minutes to kill before I had to be somewhere so time was very tight.
I went over to my favourite POTA spot, IE-0136 and tried once more to call CQ on the old girl. This time with the radio sat upright on a picnic bench with the telescopic extended. Nothing. Tried CW on 144.050 but nothing alas.
Another lady came up to me with her kids who were intrigued and asked what I was up to. They all left amazed when you tell them the stuff you can do (per the previous conversation I had with the two fishermen and the other lady). 2m and 70cm was the hot ticket today! Everyone seemed attracted to the FT-290R and said it looked great!
Time was really running out and I had to pack up quick and get out of there. As I was packing up I found my Diamond RH770 in my bag. Argh! I didn’t try 70cm all day so decided to dig out my FT-65 and try CQ and a local repeater quickly, but nothing.
On the walk across the car park back to the car, I had a quick scan on 2 meters , and stumbled upon someone calling CQ SOTA on 145.400.
It was @MW0KZN calling CQ SOTA from the summit of Snodonia. He had made it! I dropped my bag and stood in the middle of the car park making a QSO, 59 each way!
What a bizarre turn of events! I wished Jonathan 73 and a safe trip back down Snowdonia and headed for my car. On the drive back I was delighted. The FT-290 made it to Wales on about 2.5 to 3 Watts, and I got to eventually help later with his SOTA activation and bagged myself some chaser points.
A really odd turn of events and some might go what a load of cobblers you only got 2 contacts. It isn’t about bagging billions of contacts for me. The joy I find comes from the unexpected and the surprises that amateur radio can bring. The low power, the niche bands, the people that come over to talk to you and walk away amazed at what amateur radio can do. That’s where the fun is for me.
As for the FT-290, she seemed delighted to be outdoors on the Emerald Isle doing what she does best. Didn’t let me down once and proved a talking point for all the people I spoke to today.
…and I will not give up trying on 2m CW!
73
Such an evenfull activity Ian! Congrats!
I had a Liner 2 before I got an FT290R1, and though the tuning got some getting used to, it seemed to work OK for me. Previous to that SSB on 2m was exclusively by transverter around here. Later I got a Liner 430, but it was too late, 70cms had long lost its sparkle and I got few contacts with it and my 8/8 slot yagi.
