Not a thread about things which specifically cover 144-148 MHz, though one of them does.
Rather, some 80s-era equipment...beginning with the FT-One. That's the only rig of the style I don't own (and frankly, I'm not sure I want one - given its various design quirks).
This week finally saw me putting the last of those acquisitions into the lineup. When I first operated an FT-726R in my friend Jim's (KA8HAK) shack in the early 90s I became impressed with the thing. The mid 2000s saw several of them make their way into the lineup. I had to have a matching HF rig, and an equal number of FT-980s arrived here one by one. As did their peripherals.
Based on user observations, I then took the plunge and got hold of a couple of FT-102s plus peripherals. Although the rig will put out close to 200w PEP on 40, it was only "loud" on the low bands. I wanted to be LOUD. Or at least audible above the noise floor.
What sparked the latest arrival was the purchase of a new-old-stock FT-980 to FL-7000 control cable. I didn't think I could find an FL-7000 readily, but...The Ham Station came through. That is, until UPS managed to lose the friggin' package in transit from the seller to here.
Refund in hand, I found another and finally got it into the lineup yesterday. The leftmost operating position is now predominately Yaesu: FT-980/FL-7000 for 80-40-20-15, FT-102 for 20-17-12-10, FT-726R for 15-12-10-2-432 and an FT-726R for 6-2-440. All of this stuff has 'two meters' - S meter, Power Out, ALC and various other functions monitored concurrently. The style disappeared until the FT-9000, DZ-Kit Sienna and IC-7800 showed up in the marketplace.
A Stoner Pro-40 rounds out the operating position for use on 11M SSB...and it has dual meters as well. A pair of Kenwood SW-2000s monitor antenna conditions (see a pattern here?).
Hopefully I'll get to work some Islanders on the bands with the gear.
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