[NCC] Questions

[Scott Jones]

Have any of you done any mobile (State QSO parties) or Rover (VHF contests)
contests or any portable operating while camping, etc?  I am looking to do a
bit of portable/mobile/rover operating and am trying to figure out what
radio/radios to buy and what antennas to use.  I've looked at the
IC-706MKIIG, FT-100D, FT-847, IC-746 (pro?), and TS-2000.  There are big
price differences and performance differences amongst these radios.  It does
not take too long to get confused when reading all the reviews of these
radios either.  Someone out there has a horror story with all of them.  Wish
someone (Elecraft should do this) made a 6 band (6,2,220,440,902,1296) VHF
box.  

My current HF box is a IC-765 - Too big for mobile.
My current VHF box is a FT-736R (6, 2, 440) - Too big for mobile.  Only 15
watts or so of power too. 

Jim, K8MR uses the IC-746 and hamsticks for his mobile work.  Although he
has not yet done rovering, he is thinking about doing it soon.

K8AZ recently purchased a FT-100D that he has used portable.  I understand
N8TR also has a FT-100D.

Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated. 

Thanks in advance.