[This followup was posted to rec.radio.amateur.equipment and a copy was
sent to the cited author.]

In article ,
says...
It's not for me, I have all vintage Halli-scratchers -- but one of the
recent college grads who will be going to somewhere in Africa doing
agricultural/arbiculture work. He's not a ham yet, but I talked to him and
he wants to be "hammitized".

I would suggest checking out the FT-817, FT-857 and FT-897 rigs from
Yaesu. The FT-817 is the best in terms of portability and power
consumption, but QRP operation requires a bit of work on the antenna
side of things to ensure decent communications. The other two have
higher power output levels but are a little bit bulkier (not by a huge
amount, but somewhat).

A good idea would be to purchase a Pelican case to keep the radio gear
in when being transported or stored. They seal up very well to protect
against the elements, are available in a wide range of sizes, and come
with foam cushioning that can be cut to fit whatever it is you're
transporting. I =think= I remember seeing them at Home Depot.

--

-- //Steve//

Steve Silverwood, KB6OJS
Fountain Valley, CA
Email: