A first HF rig...advice & opinions.....

[WX2MIG]

I'm shopping & researching the market for what I hope to be my first all band HF rig. Not interested in anything for mobile use, it'll be for the shack, and my budget is narrow, so I'll probably have to buy stuff one piece at a time until I have the radio, power supply, antenna tuner, and antenna....

At this point in time I'm leaning towards.....

For an HF rig, the Icom IC-718
Antenna tuner, the Icom AH-4
Antenna, a G5RV
Power supply, any good brand that delivers minimum 25 amps continuous power.

The IC-718 comes with a built-in control circuit for the AH-4 automatic antenna tuner, and this is going on the assumption that this tuner will work properly with the G5RV antenna....if I'm wrong on this, please enlighten me.....

I'd like to keep the whole package at or as close to $1,000.00 as possible, and I prefer going with new equipment so I don't get stuck with someone else's mistakes or problems.......

Any thoughts, opinions, or recomendations welcomed.......

 

[Highlander_821]

I see no reason why that tuner would not handle a G5RV.

I think you would have a very nice HF station with that equipment.

For the power supply, I run a Samlex SEC1223 switching supply for my 100 watt FT-847, and am very pleased with it. You can get them for under 100 bucks at RADIODAN, Henry RF power amplifiers, BIRD wattmeter, watt meter, Tohtsu coaxial relays, RFI interference chokes, Samlex powersupplies.

You might also go to R&L Electronics 800-221-7735)

and check out the Jetstream and Alinco models.

If you prefer a traditional, transformer type supply, I'd go with Ameritron over Pyramid, buts that's because I've had trouble with the two Pyramids I've owned.

You might also check out the Yaesu FT-450 with the built in auto-tuner, they are running about 799. I am partial to Yaesu over Icom, but that's just me! Nothing wrong with that 718, alot of guys on the bands with those and they do a good job.

For your G5RV, if you want to save a little money and build one, they sell a kit at The WireMan - Your source for coax, connectors, wire, baluns,and more! that is a good option, and you will have fun building your own!

 

[N9RZD]

dont know if you saw my previous post
you might wanna take a look at the w5gi mystery antenna

W5GI Website -  Home of the Mystery Antenna

if youve got the real estate , then this is a nice multiband colinear

rich

 

[W5LZ]

I understand your reasoning about thinking in terms of new equipment, but don't rule out the used market completely. As long as you are buying from a reputable dealer, there's really little chance of getting ripped. There are quite a bunch of very nice radios on that used market, and when you combine that with the lower cost, it sort of provides for a few extras, sort of.
If you're going to be using a G5RV, I would seriously either think of a 'built-in' tuner or one of those manual ones (they really aren't that difficult to use). Typically, for the price of that AH-4, you can find a manual tuner that will also handle legal limit power, besides having a larger/wider tuning range.
I think the key word in your original post was "first". It's almost a 'given' that you will just have to have another radio at some point! ... Especially since if it ain't Kenwood, you got squat! (couldn't resist)
- 'Doc

 

[Wire Weasel]

I agree with W5LZ,

For what you would pay for a new 718 & tuner, you could get a used Icom 746, which is what I use, and have a heck of a lot more radio. 746 is HF + 6M + VHF all in one and has a built in antenna tuner. After the one mod, TX's 1.6~60mhz straight thru and again 108~174 straight thru. Obviously does 11 meters with the mod. Tunes down to SINGLE HERTZ increments on ssb. Tuner works on 6 meters and SWR meter works on 2 meters and all of the VHF portion. So it also does all of the MURS freqs. as well. 40 watts swings to 80 on AM and 100W on SSB & FM. Heckofa radio.

Good luck with whatever you get!

 

[Happy_Hamer]

Same answer as i gave on the zed, Nice AVATAR here, that movie kills me LOL

Only to keep the price down I would look at the YAESU FT-450AT since it has the tuner built in.

As for a power supply, look at the SAMLEX 1223

With that radio and power supply, your on the air with a G5RV and ready to go.

OR

Go with the 718, an LDG Z-100 tuner for $149 dollars which now includes a Free Dipole Antenna Kit!

Get the Samlex and your money in the bank

 

[Highlander_821]

I'll bet that FT-450 sounds sick with the MD100 mic!

 

[dxhound]

Im a true believer in buying radio accessories you can use with later expansion. The on board tuners are nice but are very limited. They can usually only tune below a 10:1 SWR, and most require reduced power on vhf frequencies. I would buy a nice used outboard LEGAL LIMIT tuner for 300$ and keep it forever. Check out Ham Radio Home Page - QTH.COM by KA9FOX! Classified swap ads for amateur radio, ham radio and more for all kinds of equipment!

 

[74IN]

Especially since if it ain't Kenwood, you got squat! (couldn't resist)

That was expected.

I only have two for HF, and my old Kenwood 430 is the preferred rig I have, over my Icom 706MKIIG.

It was a surprise to me, I've had a few Icoms for VHF that were great.

 

[Wire Weasel]

Im a true believer in buying radio accessories you can use with later expansion. The on board tuners are nice but are very limited. They can usually only tune below a 10:1 SWR, and most require reduced power on vhf frequencies. I would buy a nice used outboard LEGAL LIMIT tuner for 300$ and keep it forever. Check out Ham Radio Home Page - QTH.COM by KA9FOX! Classified swap ads for amateur radio, ham radio and more for all kinds of equipment!

I wouldn't term HF rig internal tuners as being "very limited." That's not my experience. And the tuning a 10:1 SWR is way off. If you'll check any specs it's more like no greater than 3:1 SWR that they will tune. I use a 80M horizontal loop for all my HF work 80-17M and the Icom's tuner takes it anywhere within those bands. I use an all aluminum 1/2 wave vertical for 11M and the Icom-O-Tune will take it anywhere from 15 thru 10 meters. And most radio folks use resonant or near resonant antennas to start with so radical antenna matching typically isn't an issue.

It all depends on what you want your station to do and what antennas you get. You can go with a cheaper radio and an outboard tuner, but then you've got an extra big box on your table taking up space. The Yaesu 450 is a cheaper starter HF rig with a tuner. You get more AM power with Icoms. So you just have to decide what all ya want to do. And good luck with that!

 

[WX2MIG]

I'd like to thank everyone for their feedback, advice and opinions, it all helps....

I ran some numbers today based on what Ham Radio Outlet has listed on their website, and I figured it based on starting out with a Van Gorden G5RV VAN-G antenna. They claim no tuner is neccessary with this antenna, if that's eronious information please let me know.....

Ham Radio Outlet only sells the Yaesu FT-450 with the installed AT-450 tuner, so getting it without apparently is not an option from them, and I would most likely purchase my equipment from them since the New Castle, DE store is about an hour's drive away....

With that said.....

Yaesu FT-450AT............................$687.95
Samlex SEC-1223.............................$92.95
Van Gorden G5RV (VAN -G)................$43.95
Total HF starter kit.........................$850.85

Icom IC-718..................................$559.95
Samlex SEC-1223.............................$92.95
Van Gorden G5RV (VAN-G).................$43.95
Total HF starter kit.........................$669.85 (without antenna tuner)
..................................................$926.80 (with AH-4 antenna tuner)

Assuming I can safely transmit on most of the HF bands with this Van Gorden G5RV without an antenna tuner, I could save a $181.00 by going with the Icom sans the tuner, and either add the AH-4 later on down the road as money allows, or go with a different unit.
However, if using this G5RV really does require an antenna tuner of some sort or it'll blow the radio out....then getting the Yaesu with the built-in tuner would be the better deal with a savings of $75.95 over the Icom with the AH-4...

My gut feeling is that I should probably have an auto tuner between any antenna and a brand new HF rig, no matter what the antenna manufacturer claims.......

The other consideration is, being a Tech, I will for the most part be doing a lot of listening until I upgrade to General, so there really is no concern about transmitting right away, and by the time I get my General ticket, I should saved enough to get whatever tuner I want....


what say the rest of you seasoned HAM's.......???

 

[Highlander_821]

I say go with the Yaesu with the tuner. I think the Yaesu is a better radio than the ICOM, it is certainly full of much newer technology.

You'll likely end up playing with different HF antennas, so the tuner is bound to come in handy eventually (field day, camping, mobile, etc).

 

[Wire Weasel]

Yeah Tony you're going to need a tuner one way or another. While the G5RV will have resonant areas in each band it covers, it will not be resonant throughout the whole bands. No antenna is. That would be a Super Magical La La 2000 Antenna. And no one has invented it yet. My wire horizontal loop has resonant areas on each band 80 and up, but is not resonant on each band top to bottom. So I must supplement with a tuner.

And it's still suggested not to dismiss used gear. A budget seems to be part of your equation, so why not save some money and buy used. Tons of hams buy stuff to try it out, keep it six months and then sell. All this stuff you're looking at is on ebay right now. The sellers will state the condition, and you can trust folks with over 50 or so sales and a good feedback rating. Then you'll have moola left over for something else.

You can probably find that 450 for $200 less used over new.

Good luck

 

[WX2MIG]

And it's still suggested not to dismiss used gear. A budget seems to be part of your equation, so why not save some money and buy used. Tons of hams buy stuff to try it out, keep it six months and then sell. All this stuff you're looking at is on ebay right now. The sellers will state the condition, and you can trust folks with over 50 or so sales and a good feedback rating. Then you'll have moola left over for something else.

You can probably find that 450 for $200 less used over new.

Good luck

WW....I've looked at both units on eBay, there's a couple of IC-718's for sale, one is 7 years old and has been used in field events, the other gives no purchase date, and the guy wants close to the price of what HRO wants when you include shipping.
As for the FT-450/AT there are no used one's listed, and the new one's listed are fetching higher prices than HRO plus shipping....

I'm kinda funny this way about a lot of things, I don't like buying used guns or auto's, but have on occassion, I refuse to buy a used surfboard, or any expensive electronic device. No warrantee to fall back on if the thing takes a crap on you when you plug it in. I know it's an avenue taken by many cash strapped HAM's, but I prefer to go new. Nickle and dime items I'll buy used, but an amateur transceiver that costs $559.95 I think is a better route than a used one selling for 50 bucks less with no warrantee.....

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the advice, and I know you have my best interest in mind, it's just the way I roll......

I'm also thinking that if all I do for the first couple of months is just listen, then perhaps an end fed long wire would be better than a G5RV, and if I cut it right, I could just add the tuner when I can afford to buy one.....

 

[packrat]

hf

My problem with internal tuners is that they are limited ti PL250 antennas. Go with a good manual tuner and you can tune up a wire, ladder line or the aluminum siding.