[VHFcontesting] Want comments about Icom IC-471A

[Todd and Sandy Sprinkmann]

   Hello VHF'ers,

   I am Todd in EN63, about 50 miles NNW of Milwaukee.  

   I am now able to start planning a first-rate VHF/UHF station.  Got a good QTH, got permission for a 100' tower and have a little scratch to devote to the hobby.  What I don't have is a lot of practical experience.  But you folks will be hearing from me in the following weeks and I look forward to hearing as much wisdom as you can share with me.  Antennas, amps, transverters, rigs... it's all stuff I need to learn about.  The archives here have already helped me quite a bit.

   For today, I am curious about anyone's experience with the Icom IC-471A.  I don't have a 432 rig and this radio is available.  It would also come with the IC-AG1 mast mount preamp.  Is the preamp a worthwhile addition?  I don't live near any other RF sources that I am aware of.  Pretty quiet area here in the countryside.  So anyone with experience with this rig or any comparisons to other 432 rigs please share your experience.

   (FWIW, this rig would probably not end up being my main contesting rig.  I'm leaning toward transverters now ((which I wish I understood more about)).  But I'm wondering if the IC-471A is fairly sensitive, and would be OK for hooking up to a stack of horizontal loops for general monitoring of the 432.)

    Thanks for reading and 73,
    Todd  KC9BQA  EN63