Best ham mobile...

Anything from the Big Three (Icom, Kenwood, and Yaesu) is good. Alinco is a very close fourth.

Two recommendations:

1. Forget 6m for now. A dual band (2m/440) mobile will get 99% of the activity. Most of the 6m repeaters I've been on are linked to the local 2m or 440 repeater anyway. (Same goes for 220 and 1.2 GHz.) You can get on 6m after you get your General ticket and put a mobile HF rig in your truck...

2. Don't be afraid of used gear. Most of my rigs have come from either Ebay or the local hamfest.

And a couple of advisories for the prospective ham:

1. Stay away from used commercial gear. Yes, the radios are fantastic performers, and can be had at fire sale prices with the new narrowband rules in effect for Part 90 gear. However, they are the exact opposite of "user friendly" when used on the ham bands. You don't want to have to get out your laptop to tune in a new simplex channel. However, as a local "commuter" rig, where you're on the same few repeaters, they are tough to beat, and you simply can't kill them.

2. Similarly, stay away from the cheap Chinese radios, for much the same reason. I have experience with the Baofang and Wouxun handhelds. While they can be programmed from the front panel, nearly everyone recommends using a computer. These radios are basically commercial radios with the added ability to program them from the keypad. In fact, disable that feature (via the computer) and they *are* Part 90 (business band) legal.

Have fun!

 

I find that the Yaesu FT-7800r/FT-7900r are very good radios. Just get a nice antenna. I would recommend the Jetstream JT 7505.

 

What Jamie said.

A Yaesu FT-7900R is a great starter radio, especially for a technician class license holder, as it covers 2 M and 70 CM. It'll set you back $300 plus.

However, if you think you may want to go for your general class license and/or your extra amateur license, save up and get you a Yaesu FT-857. It not only does 70 cm, 2 and 6 m, but also 10-160 m. They run over $900 new, and you may want to also invest in a screwdriver antenna for the HF side....that'll run you another $500, but you can tune in the world.

 

It's been my experience that the micro "do everything" rigs leave a bit to be desired in the user experience on the FM side. They tend to be harder to program, and are lacking in such niceties as automatic offset for repeaters. They also tend to be a bit lower powered than the typical mobile dual bander, particularly on 440.

Besides, you can always find a use for an FM rig. I like to monitor 146.52 simplex as I roam the countryside. There's a surprising amount of activity there. And, you can set up an APRS tracker...

 

I have the FT-7900 and it is a very good radio. I am planning on buying the FT-857D as soon as I can afford it along with a mini tarheel antenna. In the mean time, I am using an old Ranger AR-3500 with a Wilson 5000 for 10 meters.