spend my money!

[Robb]

All great info.

But remember - there are budget restraints here.
He is putting together a new system w/o any previous radio equipment at all.

I doubt that anyone would disagree that a properly installed 10-80m dipole with a manual antenna tuner is anything to sneeze at . . .
:bdh:

 

[office888]

Seems like everyone has a beam and tower fetish I have a 135 foot OCF wire flat top at 25 feet and have worked over 40 countries and over 300 DX contacts. All since I upgraded to General last August.

Personally I would add an amp to the set up, a good used 1k AL-80B will cost ya just under a $1000.

I am all about the audio, I have a Flex SDR-1000 that will only be replaced by a Flex 5000. I also have a New TS-2000 that's an awesome radio as well and does all my satellite work. Anyway everyone will have their own idea of a perfect set up.

$1000 for 1 s-unit is a little costly for me.

Antenna height
Antenna type
Wattage / Radio

Upgrade in approximately that order.

 

[Redeye]

Thanks for all the good discussion here! So much to digest.

As for the rig, I'm leaning towards the TS-2000X and KT-100 (would love a K3, but that would cut me short on antenna $). Any consensus here on a G5RV? Also looking at a "W5GI Mystery Antenna".

 

[trucker]

While store bought dipole antennas are fine. You can roll your own much cheaper and learn some things in the process. There are plenty of articles on the web (Google) on building a dipole antenna. You can even build your own version of the G5RV.
You will be surprised at how much fun building a dipole antenna can be. Not to mention how simple and effective they can be. I mentioned a tower and beam antenna system earlier. You asked others to spend your money and that was what I did. BUT, a simple antenna such as a single band dipole or a multi-band fan dipole ( dipoles for several bands all attached to the same feed point) mounted 30 or 40 feet up, can make for a lot of fun.
trucker

 

[Redeye]

While store bought dipole antennas are fine. You can roll your own much cheaper and learn some things in the process. There are plenty of articles on the web (Google) on building a dipole antenna. You can even build your own version of the G5RV.
You will be surprised at how much fun building a dipole antenna can be. Not to mention how simple and effective they can be. I mentioned a tower and beam antenna system earlier. You asked others to spend your money and that was what I did. BUT, a simple antenna such as a single band dipole or a multi-band fan dipole ( dipoles for several bands all attached to the same feed point) mounted 30 or 40 feet up, can make for a lot of fun.
trucker

Thanks Trucker. Yes, I wanted to see the various ideas folks would come up with on spending my money. It's given me lots to think about. In the end, I'll have to pick a balance between a radio that I won't have to upgrade in the short term and a quality antenna system.

 

[bamacj]

I would do the "shack in a box" Ts-2000. A good manual tuner, and a multi band omni for 6 and up. Then throw up some wire for the lower bands. Then after you find out what bands you are enjoying more, spend your money on antennas for that band.

 

[wavrider]

The best radio ever manufactured is only as good as the antenna it is attached to.

With that being said height is might on HF.

Wire antennas can be and are good antennas if constructed, and installed properly.

Antenna couplers are OK and do what they are designed to do, but for a few hours more work on antenna construction you can have multi band capabilities without the use of a tuner. $$ money saved to put toward tower or whatever.

40' trees are not a bad thing, and will work as support, no cost there.

Nothing beats height on an installed antenna, wire, yagi etc unless it is 40 meters and lower in freq, then a nice ground mounted vert with a lot of radials works great DX.

It comes down to the old saying, if you can not hear them you can not work them.

Used tower is inexpensive and it will be an antenna support, shunt feed for a vertical ( may require antenna coupler unless you get creative for a matching network). Ground radials needed.

On the cheap side, IMAX 2000,($112.00 shipped to your door) covers 10/12/15 meters no tuner required.

Fan dipole for 20/40/80, one coax feed, resonant on above bands no tuner required. ( Less than $50 including 1:1 current balun at feed point) Can work 15 meters off of third harmonic of 40 meter leg. so one antennae feed, gives 15/20/40/80 meters.

Fan dipole for 12/17 and or whatever other bands you may be interested in working. ( little bit less than the other fan dipole in cost)

Basically less than $200 in cost gives all bands 10 through 80 on the antennas.

Three antennas will give you coverage from 10 through 80 meters, the IMAX is a really good antenna to have on the farm so you have vertical capabilities for polarization and that low angle of radiation for DX.

If the QTH is permanent location spend the $$ on tower, it will serve you well for many years and be a great support for all type of antennas and the future yagi.

Browse Craigslist, and other local advertising outlets to find some local tower for sale, 60' Rohn 25 can sometimes be bought pretty cheap.

Couple hundred for concrete tower base,re-bar, guy wires etc etc. so for around $600.00 or less the tower can be had including the antennas.

That leaves a lot in the budget for other things.

The antenna is 95% of the station, wattage and audio from the radio/amplifier is the rest.

 

[binrat]

I have to agree with Wav regarding checking out craiglist for towers. I have a Delhi DMX 48' I got for free last spring. 8 years old, just had to take it down and take it away. Also just picked up a 50' light duty tower, 2 years old for the same deal.
I persoanlly would not worry about a yagi yet, not until you know the bands where you are having fun. I would get a tower up to support your fan dipole and then figure out where you want to be. I put up a tribander last year and now I'm thinking of pulling it down and making a yagi for 10 meters.

 

[Redeye]

Well, after taking care of other business I am finally ready to begin working on my rig setup. Here's where I stand...

Elecraft K3/100 with built in ATU.

Now as for the antenna, I am restricted from any towers, so it will have to be a wire. My lot is 105' wide so I am thinking either a ZS6BKW (optimized G5RV), or a "Mystery" antenna fed with LMR-400DB.

Looking for suggestions on power supplies and other gear recommendations for this setup.

Thanks!