Okay. it's been really fucking annoying trying to pick a mobile rig for a manpack-style go bag.
My dream broadcast setup, I want the following:
-an ideally-mobile rig I can just open up, screw the antenna on, and transmit just like that, powered from battery.
-I can transmit either via handheld PTT mic, or headset.
-If I want to, I can hook this rig up to external power, and switch transmit power to a higher setting.
-I can listen from UHF, all the way down to the low frequency bands (15Mhz and below), and I can listen to FM station broadcasts (108mhz downwards)
-I can transmit voice UHF or VHF.
-Use case is for vacation, PotA, DXpeditions, and SHTF just in case.
Naturally, this had me lean to the Yaesu FT-817nd or 818nd... The problem is. Those are not only discontinued models, they're discontinued because of component shortages, and I don't know if Yaesu will ever bring them back. To make matters worse, most of the US stock for 81(7/8)nd series has been exhausted completely due to the sheer demand.
Furthermore, it seems like that all strictly-VHF/UHF mobile rigs, no matter the manufacturer, will NEVER let you listen to the FM-radio broadcast spectrum (108mhz and below), despite the fact that most handhelds WILL let you listen to that. The exception, is the IC-705. It is the only one that actually gives me the level of spectrum-listen that I want, but it has way more features/gimmicks than I want/need, and is way too fucking expensive.
I briefly-considered getting a hackRF w. Portapack, but getting to transmit voice on that is gonna be more trouble than it's worth, especially since 1. it's got a quarter of the power of my HTs and 2. it's more of a wireless/security tool than it is a ham radio transceiver. Looking into actual military manpacks, it's clear that they're FAR beyond the price range a consumer can afford, and they are absolutely beyond my price range just by sheer virtue of never dipping into less than quad digits in cost.