I like 11 meter radios, and the band is far from dead for the next couple years. The 2517 is a great 11 meter radio that can be improved uppon with simple mods like locking the tx/rx frequency together with the clarifier mod.
I enjoy helping the licsensed hams that come in to the cb shop that have had their ticket for a couple years but have never talked dx. All it takes is a stryker 955, lincoln 2 or rcix9 and an active 11 meter freqency and they start making contacts. I will always remember the way one Gentlman who had just recently gotten his technicians license face lit up after I made a contact on .915 with his new 955. He said "You just picked up the mic and started talking" with a smile.