HF rig advice needed

[KG4YUV]

Hey guys.

I'm looking around for a cheap, up to date, 160-10 all mode xcvr.

The IC-718 looks the best to me, so far.

If you guys have any suggestions, they would be appreciated! #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

P.S. Cheap means less than $700!

[KG4WRA]

While not a General yet, my dad is, and we have an ICOM-706. It's basic, but that's probably best for a new General. It should be affordable, most likely well under $700. Just check it out on the web a little and see if you find it at all interesting.

73,

kg4wra

[KG4ZQZ]

- kinda hard to make a suggestion, although your $700 pricepoint certainly sets a limit on your choices... some things to consider:

- DC-to-daylight required? (IOW, do you want 2M, etc. in the rig?)
- size considerations?
- will you use the rig base, mobile, or portable?
- would a 20W or QRP rig suffice?
- are you going to operate CW? (the Alinco base comes w/CW filter built in)
- do you want an HF rig with a built-in tuner?
- do you want to buy new or used?
- do you want to buy a rig made in America?

(one way to save some money is to buy a used rig from a dealer, such as through HRO - you'll get a 10-day money-back... you can also email sales@tentec.com to get the current list of used/demo rigs, which have a 30-day money-back)

[KA4DPO]

Pat, the IC-718 is a nice rig for the money. Another good buy is the Yaesu FT-840 which also has an FM option for those 10 meter repeaters. If you wan't more whistles and bells, there are some nice, older, high end rigs on the used market. Buying an HF rig is a tough choice but theres nothing wrong with your first choice, the IC-718.

[W4CGP]

The 718 is a great bang for the buck. I seriously considered buying one. I opted for the 706 MKIIG because it has 6 meter, 2 meter, and 440 capabilities. I would have actually preferred it to be in a cabinet the size of the 718 (it's a base radio here) for the sake of heating, but I'm pretty happy with it. If you can find someone locally who has one slightly used, I'd look into it. On the other hand, if you don't want 2 meter all mode, get the 718.

[k9kjm]

A proven good starter type radio is the good old Icom
IC-735, About $350 bucks in todays marketplace.
The IC 706 is also a good proven radio, And we hear lots
of good reports about the new IC 718!
Other proven rigs are the IC 761 and IC 765, Older "muscle" rigs, Now selling in the $700 buck range.
Read the reviews on Eham. I would avoid the IC 746 series, They seem to have lots of problems with the transmitter........ #
Good Luck!

[w8amd]

The 718 has served me well. Don't have many bells and whistles but then again I don't use many of the options it does have. It is a great basic rig at a great price if you are looking new.

[WB2WIK]

Don't forget to allocate a portion of your budget to antennas...the world's greatest radio equipment connected to lousy antennas will work as lousy as the antennas.

On the other hand, the world's best antennas will provide solid 24/7 contacts irrespective of the equipment connected to them.

I don't know if $700 was your entire budget, or only the "transceiver" part; but if it's the entire budget, I'd allocate $500 to antennas and find a good used rig for $200...investing in those proportions will make more contacts on the air than the other way around will.

WB2WIK/6

[W5HTW]

Steve is right - if you want to chase DX, go after the weak ones, or do contesting, the answer is antenna, antenna, antenna, antenna, rig.

The other side of that coin, though, is hundreds of thousands of hams do, and have done for 50 plus years, operate mediocre to good radios on wire antennas that cost ten bucks at most.

The answer is what do you expect? Your budget will not likely allow for a monobander at 90 feet on each HF band, let alone toss in a radio. So what do you consider fun? Are you highly competitive? If so, spend the whole $700 on an antenna and borrow enough money for a radio. The 718 will work well, as will the FT840, and a whole lot of others.

If competition is not your bag, get a nice (but not super nice!) radio and put up a dipole. You'll have more hours of fun than you can imagine, and you'll work a lot of DX, too. This way you can put $650 in the radio and $50 in enough wire and rope and coax to make some antennas - like a fan dipole, which will get you on all the HF bands with no additional expense for a tuner.

In my early days in ham radio, I think perhaps only one out of 20 hams had a beam and tower. The rest did wires. Today, with Mom, Pop and the kids all working, and credit cards and big mortgates, I think that figure is more like 6 out of 10 have big towers and beams. Yet a lot still have wire antennas as their only way to talk to the world. And talk to the world they do.

It's all up to you! And that's the nice thing about ham radio! You can do it your way!

73
Ed

[KG4YUV]

Thanks guys, but I'm mainly concerned with the rig right now. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

My antenna regiment will be consisting of several dipoles (G5RV included) and maybe two verticals.

But like I say, rigs only at the moment!

Thanks, and keep 'em coming! #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

P.S.
You must remember, I'm 14 (a week from 15), not 30! Don't have a job, so must wait on summer job this year to save up for rig, so taking suggestions for rig as we go!

[nz3m]

I'll second the used Icom 735. Then you will have money for tuner, etc. etc.

Dave

[KA4DPO]

Patrick, I've been following your post with some interest. If you like the IC-718 then by all means go for it. You can buy a lot of other radios but I doubt if they would perform much better. As for antennas, all of the posts regarding antennas are essentialy correct. All the radio in the world won't make up for a crummy antenna system.

Some good advice from an old timer who got lots of advice from even older timers. The best performing antenna for the bucks invested is a plain old 133 ft or 67 ft doublett fed with ladder line. You'll need a tuner of course so look for a johnson matchbox or the new MFJ balanced tuner if you don't expect to run more than 100 W. This will work really well and you won't need a fortune to put it up.

Avoid verticle antennas since they require a lot of radials to really perform at all. Those vertical manufactuers that claim you don't need radials are just blowing smoke. Hope to work you on the air......For what it's worth.

Do not forget to write your anti-BPL letters,
encourage new amateur radio participation and generally be nice
to one another. That is all.