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choices

stevesm

Member
May 2, 2010
23
0
11
If all other features of a rig were the same, would you choose a 100 watt rig with an antenna tuner over a 200 watt rig without the tuner? ETA: I want to use it as both a mobile/base station.
 

The difference of 200 watts over 100 watts is slight and simple means you need a bigger power supply to run it. As for the builtin auto tuners, IMHO forget them. They do not tune nearly the range of an external tuner especially a manual tuner. Now for mobile operations a remote auto tuner mounted at the antenna feedpoint is the way to go. I ran an FT-857 with the FC-40 and it worked like a charm. Feedline losses on 40 and 80m are waaaaaayy too high to have the tuner at the radio end of the coax.
 
um, If you had a choice between a 100 watt rig with an antenna tuner or a 200 watt rig without, which would you choose? Thank you for the additional info.
 
100w w/ tuner

The amount of signal gain 200w has over 100w is minimal, and most amps are driven by 100w anyways.

I'd rather have the tuner. Just in case my antenna is slightly mismatched, the tuner can take of it.

As it sits, I really need one. I put my V58 in between 10-11m band...now my radio caps out at about 28.480 mhz before the SWR gets past what I can match at the tubes. An internal tuner could solve the slight mismatch without a problem.
 
Hmmmmm.... sounds like someone's considering either the Kenwood TS480SAT or the TS480HX.

I'd say go for the 200W rig because if you run mobile u will need all the help u can get because mobile antennas aren't all that efficient to begin with.

Having said that, for portable operations, the A/T is nice, but the choices u gave us were base or mobile.

I still think the 200W won't leave you disappointed in the slightest bit. You could always run an external tuner or L/C network or resonant antennas. The 200W rig w/an external speech processor will 'sound' like several hundred watts on the other end.

A 100W rig is a 100W rig.
 
i gotta agree, a mobile needs all the help it can get, use the 200 watt rig.

as far as a fixed station goes, get the 200 watt rig.
forget the built in A/T.
put the $$ from the A/T into a gain antenna;)
 
thanks for the replies:D I am considering the Kenwoods. As I said in the op, I have to use it Both mobile and fixed. Right now I wan't both options,but not the expense of two seperate units. Any other recommendations that would fit the bill? I don't mind paying for the quality as long as it is reasonable.
 
I made the choice you are looking at about a year ago. I did the 100 watt with tuner. I have to say that it's the best choice as far as my use of that radio (fixed/mobile). I also wouldn't willingly have a Kenwood without that internal tuner if I have a choice, it is very handy to have! It really will handle any 'reasonable' mismatch, but certainly not all of them (and some that I never thought it would handle either!). That's especially handy for mobile use. You still need to use a 'tuned' antenna, but they do make that last little tweak that can make a difference sometimes.
Why not another 100 watts output? As already said, in most cases it isn't going to make enough difference to warrant the 'double' expense of the required power supplies. I already have a power supply in the house that would be more than adequate for the 'HX' model. I also have an amplifier that just doesn't need 200 watts of drive (or that full 100 watts either). If that won't 'do-it', well, that's just tough, ain't it?
- 'Doc

(I've also got an external, manual, tuner at home, so don't use that internal tuner all the time. If the manual tuner won't 'do-it', something's wrong some where.)
 
$100 extra for the 100 extra watts that you get with the 200 watt version. $100 is worth it to me. In the mobile environment, you're probably going to use a screwdriver or other type of antenna that will allow you to tune it to resonance, so you don't need the tuner. In the base application, you can get an LDG auto tuner or an inexpensive manual tuner for a couple hundred bucks which will work better than the built-in tuner. Something to think about...
 
100 vs 200 watts?

Well it's an EASY choice for me.I would choose a 100 watt rig because the ONLY HF mobile I would choose is an ICOM 7000! Filtering & features like no other MOBIE rig on the market TODAY or EVER.I ran one for a year before selling it & buying another ICOM 746 PRO for my shack & stopped HF mobile operating.After running an ORIGINAL ICOM 706,706MII & a Yaesu 857D(PIECE OF JUNK)in my pickup the ICOM 7000 was like having my ICOM 756 PROII in my mobile.I have nothing against Kenwood but the DSP filtering & features of the ICOM 7000 KICKS them TO SLEEP with BOTH FEET! (y)

73,
SIX-SHOOTER
 
$100 extra for the 100 extra watts that you get with the 200 watt version. $100 is worth it to me. In the mobile environment, you're probably going to use a screwdriver or other type of antenna that will allow you to tune it to resonance, so you don't need the tuner. In the base application, you can get an LDG auto tuner or an inexpensive manual tuner for a couple hundred bucks which will work better than the built-in tuner. Something to think about...

A common sense approach.... I like it!
 
Well it's an EASY choice for me.I would choose a 100 watt rig because the ONLY HF mobile I would choose is an ICOM 7000! Filtering & features like no other MOBIE rig on the market TODAY or EVER.I ran one for a year before selling it & buying another ICOM 746 PRO for my shack & stopped HF mobile operating.After running an ORIGINAL ICOM 706,706MII & a Yaesu 857D(PIECE OF JUNK)in my pickup the ICOM 7000 was like having my ICOM 756 PROII in my mobile.I have nothing against Kenwood but the DSP filtering & features of the ICOM 7000 KICKS them TO SLEEP with BOTH FEET! (y)

73,
SIX-SHOOTER


Not having used either one I don't have an opinion. Somehow I missed the 7000 in my investigations. Now I'll have to research them.You do have a unique descriptive ability.;)
 
Not having used either one I don't have an opinion. Somehow I missed the 7000 in my investigations. Now I'll have to research them.You do have a unique descriptive ability.;)

I have an Icom 7000...it IS the best mobile all band rig available!
 
ICOM 7000

Not having used either one I don't have an opinion. Somehow I missed the 7000 in my investigations. Now I'll have to research them.You do have a unique descriptive ability.;)

ICOM 7000 has 100 watts HF.6 meters,50 watts 2 meters,& 35 watts 440 mhz.ALL bands are ALL modes.As I said with the OUT OF THIS WORLD "DSP" with the ICOM 7000 WHY would there be ANY question? Put the ICOM 7000 & an LDG auto tuner together & you have a DREAM STATION in your mobile.I dare ANYBODY find ANY mobile radio in it's class.As I said the 857D is a PIECE OF GARBAGE that cost me a BIG hunk of $$$$ just to get it back up & running & it ALWAYS had an S-6 noise level on 6 meters when the ICOM 756 PROII,ICOM 746 PRO,& ICOM 7000 had ZERO! The DSP was WORTHLESS in the YOHOO! Make your OWN MIND UP but remember it's a LOT of $$$ so choose the BEST "FIRST"! ICOM 7000 is "TOP DOG" over ANY mobile EVER built bar none my friend! :drool:

73,
SIX-SHOOTER
 

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