Well...I am buying a new HF transceiver...FT-2000 or IC-7600?

[WB2WIK]

To be fair, I've never used the IC-7600. I understand it's very good, but I haven't had my hands on one for more than 5 minutes at HRO.

But I have used the FT-2000 quite a bit and wasn't impressed. Even more telling is my neighbor Dave WA6DKN, who owns just about everything (!) bought an FT-2000, used it on the air about one week or so, and sold it. He has an IC-7800, FT-9000DX, FT-5000DX, K3 and lots of stuff, so he knows his way around radio gear and has been licensed over 50 years. Dave didn't like the FT-2000 much and was happy to sell it very quickly.

As with most things, if it's the only thing you have, it's perfect. It's probably also a huge step up from an "old" rig, if that's the standard of comparison. But I suspect it doesn't hold its own well against an IC-7600 or many other modern rigs.

Yaesu has a huge winner in the 5000, everyone seems to like it.

[N5XM]

I would go with the IC-7600. I've had 25 HF rigs in my 16 years of being a Ham, and loved just about all of them. I like Yeasu equipment, but for some reason I always felt like you needed every filter offered by Yaesu to have the kind of selectivity you need. DSPs are getting better, and the one in the 7600 works great. I've never used a K3 but I'm sure I would love it. I like big radios too. I also have an Orion, and an Omni VI+, and they do a great job for me. I bet you'll be happy whatever path you choose.

[K7MH]

I've had 25 HF rigs in my 16 years of being a Ham

I haven't had half that many in over 40 years!
I tend to stay the course for a long while with stuff though, radios, cars etc...other than my first wife anyway!!

The only ergonomic annoyances (which are only slight annoyances) with the 7600 that I have noticed
is the mic gain and RF power knobs under the AF/RF gain knob are a bit inconvenient. Also, the buttons
along the left side of the display could be a little more noticeable. Even just a white dot of some sort on them would be better.
Small stuff really.
I like the split indicator it has. Up top, in the middle, and twice as wide as any other indicator up there. Pretty hard to not know if you are or aren't using a split!! I think the menus are well thought out, easy to know what's where with them.
The 7600 comes with everything there is for it, high stability TCXO, the 3 roofing filters, and the speech board for what that is really worth to most ops.

[WB2WIK]

Every rig I can think of displays the TX frequency as dominant whether you're simplex or split, so unless you're paying no attention at all to the display, you know you're split the moment you hit the button (or key).

But I like the Icom display.

I like a TFT display in general, and have no idea why all rigs don't have one. They're cheap and versatile and can be programmed to display anything, including, "Good morning, lardass, you should have turned me on an hour ago -- you missed the DX."

[N0AZZ]

I have owned several of the radios mentioned (2) FT-2000's one a D first one in 2007, a K3 which I owned about 5 mo and sold was to small and menu driven, several other HF rigs including the IC-7700 I had it till I bought my FTDX-5000MP in 2010. It has been The very best preforming radio that I have ever owned bar none and has the numbers to prove it. I should say that I had a FT-847 loaded with filters for 6 yrs sold it this year after buying an IC-9100 loaded excellent radio and better than my FT-847, much better on HF.

If it were me I would add a few dollars more to the cost of the IC-7600 and buy the FTDX-5000 a lot more features, much better receiver, 200w output and Class A transmitter, better filters and a DNR that is the best on the market. Way to many more features to list over the 7600 but worth every penny and you will forget the price every time you turn the radio on. You will hear signals that you would never have heard before weak signal work is where it shines. The base unit is less than $5000 and the few other options can be added later if desired the 300HZ filter and scope/speakers.

Good luck on what ever you decide but if you buy the IC-7600 look on the used market there are a lot of them for sale at good prices almost new.

[NW9R]

First, determine what kind of operation you want to do (i.e. contesting, rag chewing, DXing, etc.). Then go and read some user feedbacks off EHam, taking into consideration, not everyone posts factual information so you have to take it with a grain of salt. Ask around some of your local DXers, and Elmers.

If I were to have to chose between the 847, 7600 and 2000, I would go the 7600. The rcvr in the 847 is poor for HF and the 2000 isn't much better. Read some product reviews from QST paying attention to blocking dynamic range figures and IMD figures, then look deeper at other than 20 kHz spacing. I had the 2000 and if suffers badly in a crowded band.

Also, check Sherwood Engineering and pull up some of Rob's data, heck, drop him an e-mail with questions.

All in all, you really need to know your need, how you plan on using your radio, factoring in some of the aforementioned info from reliable sources, consider dollars spent, and go from there.

GL and let us know how it goes once you have something on the air!

Take care!

[KJ3N]

FT-2000 or IC-7600?

Well, that's easy...neither..get a K3...

Works for me.

(of course, I own a K3, so I'm biased)

[N8YX]

Works for me.

(of course, I own a K3, so I'm biased)

The K3 is the correct choice here.

[K8AG]

I was exactly like you. Still am to some extent. I am entirely self taught as a ham. I taught myself and brought myself to 20 WPM back when you had to test at the FCC office for Extra. I even obtained a First Class Radiotelephone Operator license with radar endorsement back then, beacame a broadcast engineer for a time and tutored various individuals who made careers out of what I had learned. One thing I have learned is to listen to the advice of others then consider what you are really trying to do. If you like contests then go for that. If you like public service go there. If you like QRP (as I do) then proceed in that direction.

Be careful NOT to just buy what the specifications or even reviews says is the best. It is what is the best for you that is important.

I could take my cell phone and call any pretty much anywhere in the world right now. It's not that we communicate, its how we communicate.

73, JP, K8AG

[KO6WB]

There are problems when asking others what you should do. There are so many directions they will try to pull you. The thing is you have basically narrowed it down to two units. Here in lays the problem, if you buy one will you always be wondering what if I bought the other one? That little nagging voice ringing ever so silently in your mind always there. So you have to convince that little voice that you have made up your mind and you are happy with the decision, that's that. If the rig you settled on turns out to be a dog, well, just chalk it up as a learning experience, get used to that little voice that has returned saying "I told you so" and get another rig. Don't forget to return here for advice so we can all tell you what wonderful rigs we have and how foolish you would be not to take our advice.
Interesting World, have fun
73
Gary