Now that is the problem. Cost.

I personally use a Kenwood TMD-700A in my car, but it was over $500  
just for the radio, and another $50 for the parts to build the cable  
to connect my gps to the radio (although now they can be had on ebay  
for $20 premade)

what exactly are you looking for as a portable unit?  you said you  
need your radio for use as a radio not a beacon, the vx-7r is a tri  
bander if i recall, but having cabled hanging all over would be a  
hassle. maybe you can still find a used pockettracker, or i just  
looked at byonics website and they have a NEW product a MikroTrak300  
that may fit your need, that is if you can solder or know someone who  
can, its a kit.

i've been wanting a th-d7ag for some time now to replace my aging  
Kenwood TH-79a, they are very nice radio's but i cant even spare the  
$325 sale price right now!

good luck finding what you need.

Chris - Nero
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:02:29 -0700
> From: ShadowAce <shadowace.az@gmail.com>
> Subject: [Az-Geocaching] mobile APRS system
> To: listserv@azgeocaching.com
> Message-ID:
> 	<29fc9f950701241402l3b775a4rde79f342d214d118@mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
> Evening all. Not to go off topic, but I wonder if any HAMs out  
> there might
> have a portable/mobile APRS system that I could arrange to meet with?
>
>  I am trying (without much success) to get a good portable (hiking)  
> APRS
> system going for use mostly for our recreation hikes but also to be  
> used for
> SAR missions.
>
> Any information would be great. I am looking at a Kenwood TH-D7AG  
> but I
> cannot afford one at this time. I have volunteered along with  
> Elmosmelmo to
> assist with this years 24hour in the old pueblo ride and I thought  
> this
> would be a great time to break out a unit.
>
>  I have access to an older tinytrak, but I cannot get a cable for  
> the Yeasu
> VX-7R that I own and the fact I need the radio to be a radio not a  
> beacon :)
>
>  Anyways, if you have built or know of a portable APRS system, that  
> would
> not take food from the mouths of my kids, can you contact me?
>
> Thanks
>
> -Dirk / ShadowAce / KE7GKF