Yaesu FT-857d
Well the FT857 was a radio I aspired to even before getting licensed first (back in 2005) and it was while on holiday in Normandy a few years back I decided the time had come. Being a very capable mobile radio with HF, VHF and UHF possible it just made sense to have a 'do-it-all' rig. Well the first outing was from the car park on South Hill the day it arrived plugged into an AMCO whip on 20 metres and a handful of 59 contacts into North America (conditions helped) with compliments on good audio and signal justified the purchase almost immediately! Well since then the addition of a 'gooseneck' microphone has made properly mobile use possible and it has been used extensively, even from Brittany whilst mobile to work through a number of UK repeaters under 'lift' conditions (see photo).
2020 and about 10 years into my ownership the radio suddenly lost all power on AM/SSB transmit though still fine on FM! Well it had to be returned to Yaesu but they still support these as it hadn't been too long since the 857 was phased out so soon repaired and returned to me for installation into the new to me Volvo C30, more information on the current mobile install can be found here!