Elite: Dangerous PvE - Mobius

I would like to become an "if-opportunity" Fuel Rat, meaning I would hang around the RatChat when I am bounty hunting and just hop in if need be in a reachable vicinity.
First of all, in general but also especially to any Mobius Rats: Which IRC client would you recommend? is it possible to get the chat on TeamSpeak (I couldn't get a connection up and running with the RatChat address)?

Then: I know an ASP should be a wise choice. Anyone tried a Courier? It has a decent jump range but is capable of fighting if need be, so refitting from a Rat to a fighter is not a big issue. It even could tank come damage and might possibly divert fire through intense chaffing.
This is the build: http://coriolis.io/outfit/imperial_cour ... %20Courier

I now settled for the Diamontback Explorer for I can use that one (slightly modified) for some Silent Running covert attacks as well. ratted up with Spare Tire and a mouthful of torpedoes to scare off any wannabe waylayers and Chaff to earn enough time to do the job of refuelling.

An ASP in comparison:
http://coriolis.io/outfit/asp/05D5D5A4D ... lRat%20ASP

I somehow dislike the ship, don't exactly know why ... while the thought being able to launch a volley of 6 torpedoes against any waylayer HAS a certain charm.

I'm also just started looking into become a Fuel Rat.

I've had a good look around their site and they recommend mIRC (for a Windows box).

According the the official mIRC site, it is free for one month before you're meant to register it. However googling about it mentions that you don't have to register and that you may just have to put up with a nag screen if you don't.

If anyone that actually uses mIRC could confirm this, that would be great.

As I use Chrome there is an app for it called CIRC, which I'm going to try first as it's free.

edit:
just tried CIRC... don't bother

Haven't used mIRC in a decade (havent been using IRC either) or so but i guess it's still the defacto IRC program.

Yes after a month you get a nag screen but its just a matter of clicking it away when you launch.
IRC is still pretty much all over the plafe, there are web clients and I am sure someone made a ts3 plugin for it but I haven't tested any of these.

mIRC is the oldest you will probably find more "click that, type this" tutorials for it if you need, and its just a nag screen after a month.