What radio- how and why?

[KD8TUT]

Hi everyone,

I'm always interested in talking to other hams about what radio they use- and why they decided on that radio based on operating style. Either the personal or technical reasons.

So... what radio and why?

Here's mine:

Currently using an Apache ANAN 100D. Was most attracted to it because of it's open source nature. The performance is good. And more importantly its a radio with a lot of depth regarding how you can configure it.

So from the standpoint of a long (and interesting) learning curve- that's what I went with.

My operating looks casual if you look at my logs. In reality I do something with radio every day- like tearing down and re-configuring my station. That's my hobby- set a technical goal... operate with it for a while, and set another goal.

Currently I've got a second OCF Windom going up to work with diversity. Before that it was setting up adaptive predistortion with my amp.

Later in the summer it's building and putting up a horizontal delta loop and refurbishing an old tube receiver (National NC-190)- want to try using the NC-190 as the receiver for a while.

[PA5COR]

3 Radio's, FT100 for mobile and hollidays we had in France, not used a lot now, no antenna on the car, added AM Xfilter.
FT847 with Collins filters used for 15 years as main home radio, when i also worked a lot on 2/70 all mode.
Now the FT 2000-D 200 watts the extra power lets me keep off the amplifier a lot, 200 watts mostly does it.
Inverted L 77 feet high, 77 feet to the side, autotuner at the feedpoint used for `160 - 20 ( MFJ 998 and Heathkit SB-1000, refurbished myself new 3-500ZG.

Fritzel FD-4 at 45 feet, vertical for 10-17 on the roof, that's it with homebrew amplified short wave antenna.

[KB3LAZ]

Well I have a few at the moment but I want to sell off my whole station once I am setup again from moving back to the states and get an Elecraft K3. There was a time when I liked a radio dedicated to each action. IE HF, VHF/UHF FM, VHF/UHF SSB, and short wave. However now that I am married and have no dedicated room for all of that, for the time being I want one radio that will do everything that I want.

I decided that I want to go with a K3 because it is compact but not as small as a shack in a box. It has always received great reviews and has one heck of a following. Most of what I hear about Elecraft customer service is good and it is a radio that is rather easy to accessorize. Also, I learned over the years that I do not use UHF, ever. I only use VHF for checking in to local nets and chatting with a local group on SSB so the 10w will do me just fine.

In the past I went through a lot of radios trying to find my preference. Kenwood TS-850 and 870, Yaesu-920, 100D and 857D, Icom-730, 746, 706MKII, 7000 and 756 proIII. (I still have the 7000 and ProIII.) I have also had a few older receivers such as the HQ-129x and a handful of others. I went with most of these because I almost knew what I wanted but not quite so I was influenced by what my grandfather liked, a lot. I was a teenager after all.

[W2NAP]

I got a Kenwood TS-570 for HF. Icom IC-706MK2G now working right that I am using for 440 ssb/fm (my repeater) I am working on a 706MK2 that I will use for 6/2ssb need to work on this 150 watt 144 amp and get it working again for 2 ssb also have a Kenwood TM-V7A FM 144/440 mobile, Icom IC-2720 144/440 mobile in the car that has no tx on 144. got a FT-60 HT and a TYT-MD-380 DMR radio.

[KD8TUT]

Well I have a few at the moment but I want to sell off my whole station once I am setup again from moving back to the states and get an Elecraft K3. There was a time when I liked a radio dedicated to each action. IE HF, VHF/UHF FM, VHF/UHF SSB, and short wave. However now that I am married and have no dedicated room for all of that, for the time being I want one radio that will do everything that I want.

I decided that I want to go with a K3 because it is compact but not as small as a shack in a box. It has always received great reviews and has one heck of a following. Most of what I hear about Elecraft customer service is good and it is a radio that is rather easy to accessorize. Also, I learned over the years that I do not use UHF, ever. I only use VHF for checking in to local nets and chatting with a local group on SSB so the 10w will do me just fine.

In the past I went through a lot of radios trying to find my preference. Kenwood TS-850 and 870, Yaesu-920, 100D and 857D, Icom-730, 746, 706MKII, 7000 and 756 proIII. (I still have the 7000 and ProIII.) I have also had a few older receivers such as the HQ-129x and a handful of others. I went with most of these because I almost knew what I wanted but not quite so I was influenced by what my grandfather liked, a lot. I was a teenager after all.

The K3 is really interesting to me. But I can't own them all... right? I've got a KAT500 and KPA500- both excellent equipment.

I noticed the 756 pro III- that was one of the first radios I ever used and is still one of my favorites.

[WØTKX]

Main HF rig is a Flex 3000, backup in place rig is a Kenwood TS-850SAT (w/DSP-100).
VHF/UHF all mode with a Yaesu FT-847. Like many, I have a bunch of radios.

I dig my Flex. SDR radios are the bomb. Even on Winders 10. :mrgreen:

Minor Ten Tec museum and a few tube goodies.

[N8YX]

I like twins.

TR7/R7, TS-820S/R-820, HR-1680/HX-1681, IC-751A/R-71A...and many more. In the project pile are several junker SB-104As, and two are getting turned into receivers for use with the transceivers...albeit with more interference-fighting features and more spectrum coverage.

Here's a pic of the latest setup plus peripherals. An earlier set of 101 twins left me less than impressed and I sold them. These (acquired individually) work darn well. Eventually I'll mod them with additional features and band coverage but for now I'll just enjoy the things.

14702

[w2amr]

Transmitters - Johnson 500, Valiant, Viking II, Viking Mobile, B&W 5100-b
Receivers - Hammarlund HQ-150, HQ-180, Superpro 400x, Superpro 400 SX, National NC303, NC173, GRC-9 military receiver, Knight Star Roamer
Tranceivers - Icom 706, 706 markII G
VHF- Kenwood 7950, Yaesu FT2500

[K4PIH]

I like twins.

TR7/R7, TS-820S/R-820, HR-1680/HX-1681, IC-751A/R-71A...and many more. In the project pile are several junker SB-104As, and two are getting turned into receivers for use with the transceivers...albeit with more interference-fighting features and more spectrum coverage.

Here's a pic of the latest setup plus peripherals. An earlier set of 101 twins left me less than impressed and I sold them. These (acquired individually) work darn well. Eventually I'll mod them with additional features and band coverage but for now I'll just enjoy the things.

14702

That's what I'm talking about!

Got rid of the FT1000 (wasn't mine in the first place) now all hollow state for HF.

[N8YX]

That's what I'm talking about!

Got rid of the FT1000 (wasn't mine in the first place) now all hollow state for HF.

I'm going to drag one set of my 820 twins out of storage and swap them into the lineup in place of my Corsair II. That'll give me dual receive, some SWBC coverage and an SM-220/BS-8 for the panadapter function.

The left and rightmost stations will still be Ten-Tec, and with computer control of both.

Wish I had a full basement to set all of the various vintage stuff up alongside the modern radios. As it is now, I just rotate it in and out.

[w2amr]

Can't wait for Pat to post in this thread.:mrgreen:

[NQ6U]

Can't wait for Pat to post in this thread.:mrgreen:

He'll include a picture of his entire garage.

[KC2UGV]

I have two main radios: FT-857D and the 817ND.

Went with Yaesu, because prior, I had an FT-840, and it was solid as a rock, and took whatever abuse I tossed at it. Sold it to get the 857. Needed a QRP rig, so got the sister 817.

There's one main reason I went with the FT-8x7 radios: They are related, so if something works on A, it'll work on B as well (Interfaces, cables, programming, etc etc).

Nextly, Yaesu is the only one that offers an all-band radio, at a reasonable price (For a hobby).

Lastly, I'm used to the ergonomics of the Yaesu brand. It's likely not the best way to lay out the interface, but better the devil I know, rather than the devil I don't.

[KC2UGV]

He'll include a picture of his entire garage.

And house. And secondary shed.

[N8YX]

I would love to have a waterproof version of the 817ND whose VHF RX coverage went to 174MHz and which also covers 1.25M.

Would make for a perfect bicycle mobile rig with which to monitor numerous VHF services (e.g., railroads) that are in use close to my favorite bike trails.

[WZ7U]

ICOM 706 llg, for the utility of the thing having all mode up to 70cm in a relatively small package. It's the only rig I have, at least until the unobtanium parts catch up to me. Besides, I've had it 16+ years without problem, except the time I crunched the volume & rf/squelch pots when I dropped it on the semi truck carpeting, goofing around with an antenna switch install. I'm lucky that's all I've done to it.

[w2amr]

ICOM 706 llg, for the utility of the thing having all mode up to 70cm in a relatively small package. It's the only rig I have, at least until the unobtanium parts catch up to me. Besides, I've had it 16+ years without problem, except the time I crunched the volume & rf/squelch pots when I dropped it on the semi truck carpeting, goofing around with an antenna switch install. I'm lucky that's all I've done to it.I got my 706 in 1995. It still works great.

[w2amr]

He'll include a picture of his entire garage.As long as he includes the cats.

[WZ7U]

No shit, huh?

[KG4NEL]

Right now? Just an FT-60, because I'm broke as shit from the new truck.

But, when I get back on HF, it'll be a KX3. Why - simple. I don't own a home, so putting up a large home shack is a bit out of the question at the moment. I have no desires to chase DX or contact East Pango-Pango on twenty-six different band modes for ClubLog, so QRP is fine. I like having ham radio as being part of a bigger destination or experience, instead of being stuck in the same chair day after day.

Plus, I've used them (as well as K3s) before and I love the way the ergonomics work.

[KF2M]

756Pro, and ID-800 in the house, IC-7000 in the Jeep, and a 91AD for walking around.

[KC2UGV]

I would love to have a waterproof version of the 817ND whose VHF RX coverage went to 174MHz and which also covers 1.25M.

Would make for a perfect bicycle mobile rig with which to monitor numerous VHF services (e.g., railroads) that are in use close to my favorite bike trails.

I would love such an animal as well... Like the FT-10R(?) that was motorcycle-ready, but with the 817's coverage.

[N8YX]

I would love such an animal as well... Like the FT-10R(?) that was motorcycle-ready, but with the 817's coverage.

FTM-10SR.

I have them on three of my four bikes, and have one in reserve for use on a dual-sport when I acquire such.

Every year at Dayton I made the statement to Yaesu corporate: "Nice radio - now add 10, 6 and 1.25M to the thing along with 25-995MHz reception and I'll be first in line to buy 6!"

I'm not joking, either. Such an offering addresses all of my HF/VHF/UHF communications needs; wouldn't matter if it included the lower HF bands. Every motorcycle I own plus the cars would get one.

[KD8TUT]

FTM-10SR.

I have them on three of my four bikes, and have one in reserve for use on a dual-sport when I acquire such.

Every year at Dayton I made the statement to Yaesu corporate: "Nice radio - now add 10, 6 and 1.25M to the thing along with 25-995MHz reception and I'll be first in line to buy 6!"

I'm not joking, either. Such an offering addresses all of my HF/VHF/UHF communications needs; wouldn't matter if it included the lower HF bands. Every motorcycle I own plus the cars would get one.

Gosh I agree with you on this. I have two Yaesu 736r which I keep in tip top shape (with 220 and 6 meter modules) because I love VHF/UHF all mode operation. Right now they are offline because I'm being a lazy ham. But VHF/UHF is such a challenging part of the hobby- every contact is a thrill!

Need to get motivated to throw the loops up and plug them in.

[n6hcm]

i have a FT-857D and a VX-7R ... the 857D has never been on HF (for lack of antennae). i'm in the process of getting it all back into usable condition (i've neglected it all for a while). i like the menu orientation of the yaesu gear (even though i always use software to make it work).

i'm in the market for a handheld scanner ... there is some flux in that market at the moment so i'm going to wait until the autumn to reconsider this.

[N8YX]

Gosh I agree with you on this. I have two Yaesu 736r which I keep in tip top shape (with 220 and 6 meter modules) because I love VHF/UHF all mode operation. Right now they are offline because I'm being a lazy ham. But VHF/UHF is such a challenging part of the hobby- every contact is a thrill!

Need to get motivated to throw the loops up and plug them in.

4x 726R here: One set up with HF (15 through 10M), 2M and 432MHz module, Satellite Module and CW filter. The other with 6, 2 and 440, CW filter and a Piexx CTCSS encoder.

One "pair" is a backup to the other and is kept in storage.

Some day I'm going to figure out how to convert the 2M module to 222...