General Category > Amateur Radio
Equipment Recommendations?
ko4fki:
Hey, I'm new here and I wanted to know if anybody had some recommendations for a HF base station rig? Preferably something older to reduce the price. Another detail that should be noted is that I am not Extra Class yet, but I would like to have something that would last a while and that would still work well through different classes.
ThaDood:
Hmmmmmmmmmmm... My 1st HF rig was, (And I still have.), an Icom IC-745. Great receive on that rig, but very much just communication grade audio. I bought it from a friend in 1993 for $650.00 and later upgraded the VRAM board to the PIEXX battery-less VRAM re[placement. It has the same receive capabilities as the famed IC-R71A receiver, which is a big reason that I chose that. https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product?id=508 A somewhat newer rig is the Icom IC-735. Better audio here, especially in AM RX / TX. https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product?id=381 Going Kenwood, I still like my TS-50S, and that even has the CTCSS PL tones for 10M repeater work, when you get to that with Generals and Extra upgrade, but a very good 10M SSB rig for Tech Class. https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product?id=411 (I have the 6M TS-60S version of this rig as well.) If you want a Swiss Army Knife-type rig, there are a lot of Kenwood TS-2000's out there second and even third-hand. https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product?id=1249 BTW, try to find ones that are 2007, or newer, so that they have the updated softwares and not the DC voltage to TOKO IF filter problems. (Yaesus have been known to have that problem as well.) Mine serves me well on All-Modes. Another Kenwood considering is a decent TS-440. A good all-around older performer that I'd still take, today. They sound great. Yet another Kenwood rig that I've worked many stations that were mobile is the TS-480S, and the later flavors. https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product?id=8695 Every TS-480 that I've heard, and worked, sounded excellent just from their stock mics. Another Swiss Army Knife rig, that I use to have, was the Yaesu FT-857D. Very compact, punchy SSB. FM was OK, but AM just sucked. https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product?id=3046 All these rigs are the 100W variety, but if you don't mind stepping down to 20W, I'm diggin' the new Xiegu G90. https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product?id=14255 I have yet to write my Perks & Jerks review on this there on eham. If tubes don't scare ya, a Yaesu FT-101, (The 1970's version, not the FTDX-101 out now.), is a excellent all-around performer. https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product?id=4539 And, even the Tempo One. https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product?id=1239 Certainly, research these eham reviews and links. https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-category?id=14 BTW, I have used both those preceding tube rigs at friends' QTH's, and would take either one, today. Hopefully, this will help ya start-out. Good luck!!!!!!
Elf36:
Be careful with older rigs. They have a lot of miles on them and will likely need to be re-capped. IMO I'd advise an Icom IC-718. You could probably find one used for 400.00/425.00. You would have a much newer rig and DSP. I've owned one and liked it very well. Good solid rig and easy to use. If you decide later that you want to upgrade, you won't lose too much money. You will see a lot of older rigs on Ebay for sale. I tend to see a lot of Kenwood rigs, most of these are much older and will have lots of knobs and features that do things you wouldn't know how to set, being new to the hobby. I was QRP for many years, but I would never advise anyone to start this way. I currently run 50/100 watts into a low dipole and am able to work Europe/UK and SA most days. There is also the Xiegu option, but you would be in the 5 - 20 watt range. This could be aggravating and frustrating to a new person (To anyone really) In conclusion, buy the newest rig you can within your budget.
NJQA:
The IC-718 suffers from one problem - horrible fast AGC time constants on SSB. The audio “pumps” (especially on medium to strong signals) and is tiring to listen to for any length of time. You can make the radio tolerable by using the RF gain control to reduce the received signal strength so that the AVC isn’t so active.
I have never seen a mod to fix this. The only mod for the AGC I found was one that forced the radio to use the AGC settings for one of the other modes. It’s too bad as the radio is otherwise OK. I used one for MARS operation for a few years.
Despite the physical resemblance to the Icom R-75 receiver, the IC-718 receiver section is not the same. The R-75 is better.
Elf36:
I think that fault could be found in almost any transceiver. I worked plenty of DX with the 718 on CW, SSB, and PSK31 as well as using it as my shortwave receiver. I don't think a newer ham would notice. It's a perfectly capable rig. I can't think of a newer rig with a better price. I'd rather have a 2015 Honda civic than a 1983 Jaguar.
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