hate replying to myself...but i'm readin this on the idevice

to me, driving decision is 'what do you want to accomplish?'

1. get your feet wet experimenting with allstar, URI interfacing, interconnecting radio sites, etc?  You can build a reasonably workable local UHF system for under 500 if you already have the computer.  It won't be a flame-throwing monster covering half the continental US, but it will get you in the game.  couple gm300s, a flat pack 6 can duplexer (UHF), uri, some time...bingo.  You're there.  lots of experience with the radios, yeah they are getting up there, but good ones just keep chugging along, spares are plentiful, and if you hack a fan circuit together and drive it off a gpio pin on the uri, will keep the xmtr (don't run bollocks-to-the-wall power...you'd be surprised how well 30 or 35 w works...) nice and cool.

2. you already have experience with repeaters, allstar, can visualize signal transitions and audio waveform in your sleep?  no limit to what you can drain your walket with.

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