I find the SSB/CW reception capability of the THF6 to be extremely handy. I was hoping that Yaesu would mimic this feature in the new VX offering.
Does anyone really use the 6m features of these radios? I confess, I've never used the 220 mhz features of the kenwood.
The VX-7R has 6 meters, and 300mw 222. I used the 222 more than the full 5 watt 6. There just isn't much for a handheld to do on 6 meters. Then again, I never hooked it up to a real 6 meter antenna.
Whatever happened to the days of dual band HTs (and mobile radios, for that matter) with frontends that actually worked?
__________________
If you're the only one crusading about something here, you probably don't have a leg to stand on.
"He's dead, Jim. You take his Tricorder and I'll get his wallet."
"The problem with America is stupidity. I'm not saying there should be a capital punishment for stupidity, but why don't we just take the safety labels off of everything and let the problem solve itself?"
The problem with SSB/CW reception (or any SW/MW reception) is the lack of a decent antenna.
I didn't say that I used it as a "handheld", although, the loop antenna will pick up wwv outside. Moreover, the yaesu does HF receive, just no CW/SSB so Yaesu obviously doesn't think that the antenna issue is an issue. I have a little homebrew miracle whip type antenna that I use to just take a quick listen now and then. I also find it works quite well with the simple roll up longwire that came with my sony sw radio. I use it ALL THE TIME on the bench and while I'm working on antennas. It's much more portable than the FT-817 and a little clip of wire will let me get some code copy practice in over lunch.
As I said, it's extremely handy and is a deal breaker for me for the Yaesu. It obviously can't add that much to the cost of the second receiver because the kenwood isn't any more expensive than the Yaesu.
I hope it has APRS capability similar to the Kenwood THD7. I expect to be ni the market for a new HT, and I've wanted to get the D7, but frankly, it has a few warts - it is also fairly ancient technology, but nobody can come close to the APRS capability it has. I also wonder if the GPS unit can be installed in or on the HT. An internal unit with provision for external antenna would be a wonderful thing.
I've always been a bit disappointed with 6 meter FM, but I live in a place with very little such activity. Oddly enough, years ago, I had occasion to compare commercial 6 meter 'packsets' to 2 meter FM, and found many situations where the 6 meters got through much better. It seems that ham 6 meter FM rigs don't have effective limiters in the receivers, because they are all susceptible to ignition noise and other sorts of impulse noise. Commercial radios for the 40-Mhz. band don't have this problem.
__________________
EchoLink - adding interest to dead repeaters worldwide 24X7
Yaesu VX-8R
Linear Mode
