Where would you recommend a newbie start researching HAM radios for use in the Jeep?
Any recommendations on what to look for or avoid?
www.hamradio.com is a very popular sales site. I do believe they also have a lot of info on getting licensed. It is good for browsing and they list the promos of the MFGs.
I run an ICOM IC2200H (Bought in 2008). I think the current version is 2300. It is a mil spec radio with a non-mil spec faceplate. ICOM are the least user friendly of the big three. ICOM, YAESU, KENWOOD. Do not by any Chinese radio. they are cheap (but not that cheap) and there are issues I need not go into here about... Lets just say, most of us run the big 3 and no failures. Those running Chinese can not say the same.
If you have a basic license (Tech), a basic VHF HAM radio is good enough. I would get one of the 55W Yaesu units (Yaesu is probably the most user friendly that I have seen). A few of my club members have them and they work just fine. You would only run it on 5 or 10W most of the time. I only go up to max power when I really need to reach out and touch someone on simplex. I live in a mountain area
If you get your General, you can then run UHF as well. UHF is not used much, but it opens up a fun toy. The Kenwood 710 (or a new number now) allows you to connect to your GPS to transmit and receive GPS location pings. And it also connects to the internet so others can follow you. Think SPOT but better and FREE. Just google APRS for all kinds of info on that bit.
Of the 40+ Licensed HAMs in my 4x4 club, only 3 have made it their hobby. The rest of us just program the few freq we use, name them and lock the radio. Kind of like most people with super phones. I use mine to make phone calls, others well... it is their life...