Products, I like:

• Yeasu VX-5r. Good all around hand held radio. Covers 6M. Has good audio. I dont like the none standard key pad layout...
• Yeasu FT-100d. Good all around mobile radio. Disconiued. Has better receiver than the Icom IC-706, as seen during a side by side comparisons. I dont like that I cant computer program it...
• Kenwood F6a. Good all around hand held radio. Covers 222 MHz. Dose SSB Rx on SW.
• Don Johnson Screwdriver HF (mobile) antenna (DK-3c). Good& vary inexpensive screwdriver antenna. Needs to be serviced at least once a year. Finger stock assembly must be replaced. You should add OX-Gard (see below) to, under the finger stock, and all connections on the antenna. Drill a small water vent hole on the bottom of the antenna, below the 10t coil. When disassembled also, make sure jack screw has anti-seze, or other grease on it...
• Typical cost, $160.
• Gain (estimate, I.e. loss):
• -20db (80M, no capacity hat, 6ft whip),
• -14db (80M, with a cap hat, 6ft whip),

• HAM stiks, Iron Horse, etc. All seem to work ok. About 10db less gain (more lossy) than DK-3.
• The other brands (non HAM Stik), are chrome plated and have a 3/8-24 threaded center splice, that could have an extra quick disconnect added for extra quick band change...
• Cost about $120 for 80-6M that the DK covers. HAM Stiks are coated with black chrome, and dose not brake down easily into to pieces.
• Most Diamond or Comet Antennas (See note below) HAM brand. Stiff, usually dont have springs); Commercial brand can have springs, are flexible. I think are better than HAM brand antennas. Antennex, and MaxRad; Larsons are ok, but tend to fail, every 2-4 years. Check SWR regularly. When this brand fail, it usually not vary noticeable, till your radios transmitter fails.
• GB OX-Gard (OG) And other brands).  This is a "Conductive" grease. Unlike silicon grease, that a dielectric (non conductive). This conductive grease originally came out to protect aluminum to copper connections, that will oxidize quickly, if not treated. Is commonly found in any Hardware Stores (ACE, OSH, Home Depot, etc) electrical section...
• I use OG on all electrical connections, that dont have HV or RF, across the junction.
• ON all; Antennas, Quick disconnects, DC, signal bulbs, grounds, battery, and fuses (etc.), and connections...
• Use enough to prevent water to get into any connections.
• Ok if some grease gets across 12V circuits,
• Dont use on spark plug boots,
• Mangnecor Spark plug wires. These are designed to radiate less interference (EMI/RFI). And mostlikly, will last twice as long. Cost typically, $100. Mail order only (CN-25 type for vary low RFI)...
• (difficult) to use. I can transmit near the phones and they dont flip out or drop the call...
• Jacob's ignitions, Works good; But, cases RFI/EMI. Don't use the ProStreet. Maybe the MilageMaster, or just the coil. I think 80% of the gains, is from the coils...
• WireMan Coax. Coax and other antenna stuff...
• Comark Distributing. Radio Communications (2-way radio. Antennas etc.) suff. 800-777-2708.
• Motorola Cell phones. Usually works (sensitivity. selectivity, call drops less) better than the average. Usually the interface, is harder to use...
• "Real Soda" Get that old classic soda you used to like (a HAM owned business)...

Products, I do not like (Usually because, it did not work, broke, or did not meet published spec's):

• Icom IC-706. I had one. I Exchanged the first one, on the second day. It Died several times, blew up once (almost caught fire), was replaced by Icom with a refurbished radio (I went through three radios, total). Radio is sensitive to interference, and insensitive to FM signals, especially on 10 and 6 meters. And is intermod prone.
• Please do not Buy, ANY, ICOM products, ANY MORE, EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Diamond CR-8900. No 6M specific SWR adjustment. Could not get below 2.6 SWR, on six meters (2 and 70cm detuned, to get that 2.6 SWR, otherwise was, 3-5 SWR on six). It was mounted directly, on the back upper edge, on the body, near the tail gate, of a Toyota 4runner. Unit was sent back to RF Parts, evaluation, was sent back to us NPF.
• I'd try a Comet UHV-4, instead. If you have to have an, all in one, antenna,
• Or better yet; 10M HAM stik, 2M 5/8 antenna for 6M and 2M (and diplexer), and a collinear 440 MHz (70cm) antenna...
• Hustler, SSM-1 and SSM-2, ball mounts. They brake lose at the feral that holds the 3/8-24 antenna connection, to the ball.
• It should be welded. I have gone through many of these antenna mounts. It could brake off...
• Yeasu VX-7r. User interface total different than VX-5r. This radio looks like a VX-5r, but operates totally differently.
• Transmit audio sounds weak, muffled, and distorted, by the too high CTCSS. External mic has too much audio and is distorted. The external/ internal mic settings needs to be adjustable separately. A fix is needed for the internal mic...
• If you don't need 6M, try a Kenwood F6a, otherwise stick with the VX-5r...
• Kyocera Cell phones. Usually work poorer (more call drops) than the average. Usually the interface much easier to use. If transmit near the phones, it will usually flip out, or drop the call.
• Nokia Cell phones (CDMA types). Easy to use, seem to work poorer. Cant force to analog (AMPS).