Output Power?

Mobile ham radios are more powerful than their handheld siblings, but there’s still a range of power in this radio class.

I’d recommend getting a mobile radio that has a minimum maximum power of 25 watts. That’s the most electricity you can get out of a car’s cigarette lighter and is good enough, when paired with an antenna, to send your transmissions out for dozens of miles.

Anything less is good for only simple operations. Sure, talking to another car in your convoy is good, but that won’t help if your vehicle breaks down on the side of the road.

More power is better, though not linearly so. 50 watts is a good amount of output. 65 watts will get you a little more range, but in practice, it might not be very noticeable.

Remember, you don’t need to use your radio at maximum power all the time. In fact, that can be rude since you’ll broadcast to people further away than your intended recipient. It can also drain your car’s battery if you use the radio without the engine on.

Actually, I’ve drained a truck battery in minutes from using the radio transceiver with the engine off. That was a busy channel, though.

So, it’s a good idea to only use your mobile ham radio when the vehicle’s engine is running and generating electricity.