Hi Scott - No need to spend $500. Check out the Grundig Yachtboy YB400 on eBay. There is one on there right now for $9.99! This is the "standard" SSB radio used for years as an alternative to a transceiver by cruising sailors and will give excellent results. We have one as a backup on the sailboat. It uses AA batteries and they will last a long time. No problem pulling in Herb or any of the nets - I find it is as sensitive as a "real" radio. But if you decide to go with a transceiver, check out the SEA 235R at _www.sea-dmi.com_ (http://www.sea-dmi.com) These radios have long been a favorite of fishing and commercial boats - we bought one after a bad experience with SGC and have never regretted it. Used with the AT1630 tuner, all you need to do is ground tuner and transceiver to the same place (ours is grounded to the main engine) and you're in business. Yards of copper foil running throughout the boat is unnecessary for good performance the frequencies most used today (4-12 megs). Regards, John "Seahorse" ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com