CONCIDERING HF TRANSCEIVER(11 METER MOD)

[Stellasstillarat]

I've benn operating ssb for about 3 months now and I'm totally impressed with most hf transceiver I've heard. I'm not a licensed ham operator and my intrest stems from the beautiful audio the many hf transceivers I've heard on 1l meters. i can only imagine what a quad cconversation receive sounds like (must be like listening to god). I know not all hf transceivers have quad conversation receive but triple is fine by me. I've been asking many questions to the operator's using these transceivers but there's so many different brands and models available and not enough operators using them to get an unbiased opinion of which on is the best for my needs. Every operators transceiver is the one to get. According to him/her So I come to what I concider to be the best place to get information on this subject. WWDX. Obviously the transciver must be able to be moded for (General coverage) 11 meters. I perfer a base station as I dont want to have to run a power supply. Compact would be nice but not a must. I do ocastionaly work am so I would like one that sounds very nice on am (optional filter of cause). A 100 watts ssb is the max output im interested in as, I may like to run an amp on occastion. used preferred but if i can get a new one for my price range great. I want to spend between 300 and $700. this price range reflects the fact that I don't want to go all out and spend thousands on a transciver that requires a PhD to operate. I also can't see spending a small fortune on a radio that's gonna be used on 11 meters only (up to 27.9955) . Thanks

 

[222DBFL]

Don't know of many newer ones that don't have to be used with a power supply. Maybe an older hf radio in the price range you are talking about. Im sure there are some, just not sure how new they would be.

 

[222DBFL]

And I am referencing the price range on this so don't flame me if I am totally wrong. I did the same thing you are doing now by looking at HF radios. I bought 2 and both require a power supply and are about at each end of your price range is what I spent.

 

[Stellasstillarat]

Thanks I appreciate your responce. I will do more research. If a power supply is nesessery for most base hf transceivers I may go with a mobile rig. At least i will be able to set it up in the car if I decide to do so. I've noticed that many base transceivers can also run on a 12-13.8 voltage system . I have no problem purchesing an older transceiver. I actually heard a few yaesu 101's that sounded very Cherry on ssb and am. I have found an excellent tec who's work is top notch but id rather get something a bit newer. I will send him any used equitment for alignment and any nessaseray upgrade. Im just waiting for more suggestions before I make my dession. Absolutely no rush . My madison with the vfo and frequency counter is gerting me used to ssb operation. I'm sorry it took me so long to discover ssb. Besides a few idiots it's an excellent way to make friends all over the world. Thanks again

Don't know of many newer ones that don't have to be used with a power supply. Maybe an older hf radio in the price range you are talking about. Im sure there are some, just not sure how new they would be.

And I am referencing the price range on this so don't flame me if I am totally wrong. I did the same thing you are doing now by looking at HF radios. I bought 2 and both require a power supply and are about at each end of your price range is what I spent.

 

[Atlasta]

Most modern HF radios are easily modded for 11 m operation. Many of the classic HF radios were also modifiable with varying degrees of difficulty.

You mentioned that you are primarily an SSB operator. This mode is where HF rigs really shine. Although many of them do have an AM mode, they really aren't AM radios and won't sound as good on AM as they do on SSB. Watch your carrier level when running AM!

FWIW, the Icom IC 718 is a fine radio, very easy to mod and operate. They are a mobile and require a power supply. Shop around and you can find them used for around $450-500, maybe with some filters installed.

 

[binrat]

There are many HF rigs like the IC-718 that are on the small-ish side that are awesome rigs. My first HF radio was an IC-707 which I paid $325 for.
There are also many "swap shops" that many radios can be found at good honest prices.
Here is a link that sees a lot of Canadian radios going at a good price. http://www.kwarc.org/swapshop/

 

[wavrider]

Answer is simple and easy.

FOR SSB if you are serious then yes an amateur rig is the way to go, if you want it small them mobile rig with extrnal P/S, no way around that, the bigger base rigs have built in P/S and are bigger in size, goes without saying.

Let the flaming begin. VERY few HF amateur rigs will give the booming audio that 11 meter splatter box, super duel swing kits with clipped limiters, and top gun modulators all stuffed inside some little encapsulated silicone will.

With that said get a yahoo 11 meter splatter radio and use it for AM use and leave the Amateur rig for SSB, after all you may end up getting your license or selling the rig to a licensed amateur.

 

[psycho]

True HF amateur rigs sound quite meek and unimpressive on AM but on SSB, they are wonderful.
Using an HF rig on 11 Meters AM, is like drag racing in the Super Stock class with a Chevy Cruze.

 

[222DBFL]

Get a good power supply and look around. For 700 you should be able to find a good hf radio that isn't too old. Like posted above the icom 718 aren't expensive and will do a great job on SSB. Granted it's not a true mobile radio like your normal cb or export but it can be used as a mobile. Another radio to consider might be the icom 706 mk2 or the kenwood tx480. Yaseu makes some small mobile radios as well that can be used as a base or mobile. Good luck and take your time choosing.

 

[BJ radionut]

Don't look past the TS-450 Kenwood for a good SSB rig either, as long as it has not been butchered. I had one for like 11-12 years excellent receive and transmitter audio.
The optional SSB receive filters by INRAD really made it a nice rig.
The Yaesu FT-450 IMO is a good rig also...
Neither is what you would call a mobile rig...but I used both mobile and found them to work well....
But this is coming from someone who ran a SWAN 350, DRAKE TR-4C and FT-101 EE mobile also at one time...So you can do some interesting set-ups if you put your mind to it.
I am running an ICOM IC-7000 presently...It's OK but I still think the FT-100D Yaesu did a nicer job receive wise....
All the Best
Gary

 

[Stellasstillarat]

Im finding my 11 meter am use falling off rapidly. When i do operate am i switch from my madison to my sonar fs2340 (bypassed clipper board) with an unaplified d104 and demco modulator. Im pretty much down too weekend local am rag chew and never on am for skip. I understand this wonderful skip unfortunately isn't gonna last. That's when I'll have no choice but to operate local am. No locals operate ssb. I am hoping the hf transceiver I chose sound nice on am but then again I enjoy operating my many tube rigs.Thanks. great information from everyone who's so far replied. I'll let everyone know what I purchased and post some pictures. 27.5550 usb is excellent. Just discovered it. Very enjoyable. Contacts with south Africa and the west coast of Turkey.

Answer is simple and easy.

FOR SSB if you are serious then yes an amateur rig is the way to go, if you want it small them mobile rig with extrnal P/S, no way around that, the bigger base rigs have built in P/S and are bigger in size, goes without saying.

Let the flaming begin. VERY few HF amateur rigs will give the booming audio that 11 meter splatter box, super duel swing kits with clipped limiters, and top gun modulators all stuffed inside some little encapsulated silicone will.

With that said get a yahoo 11 meter splatter radio and use it for AM use and leave the Amateur rig for SSB, after all you may end up getting your license or selling the rig to a licensed amateur.

Answer is simple and easy.

FOR SSB if you are serious then yes an amateur rig is the way to go, if you want it small them mobile rig with extrnal P/S, no way around that, the bigger base rigs have built in P/S and are bigger in size, goes without saying.

Let the flaming begin. VERY few HF amateur rigs will give the booming audio that 11 meter splatter box, super duel swing kits with clipped limiters, and top gun modulators all stuffed inside some little encapsulated silicone will.

With that said get a yahoo 11 meter splatter radio and use it for AM use and leave the Amateur rig for SSB, after all you may end up getting your license or selling the rig to a licensed amateur.

 

[M0GVZ]

No radio has a quad conversion receiver and even triple conversion is relatively new in the market.

For good audio there's basically two solutions:

1) Buy Kenwood. Kenwoods have fantastic TX and RX audio straight out of the box. The Kenwood TS590 is the best bang per buck on the market. Absolutely fantastic. And all Kenwoods are very easy to operate.

2) Use external EQ and feed the audio in through the ACC port of the radio. If you watch the next 20 minute segment of this video it shows you how and what you should be setting your EQ up like.

 

[M0GVZ]

True HF amateur rigs sound quite meek and unimpressive on AM

By meek and unimpressive you mean they actually sound like a radio should on AM instead of a pile of overmodulated overdriven bassy unintelligible crud.

People on CB have been doing crap overdriven unintelligible audio on AM so long they think its how it should sound. Err, no.

 

[fourstringburn]

No radio has a quad conversion receiver and even triple conversion is relatively new in the market.

For good audio there's basically two solutions:

1) Buy Kenwood. Kenwoods have fantastic TX and RX audio straight out of the box. The Kenwood TS590 is the best bang per buck on the market. Absolutely fantastic. And all Kenwoods are very easy to operate.

2) Use external EQ and feed the audio in through the ACC port of the radio. If you watch the next 20 minute segment of this video it shows you how and what you should be setting your EQ up like.

I don't know why the video shows the hard way of doing things. It isn't necessary to use the ACC plug if you have the right mixer.

I use a Yamaha MG 10 small format mixer with 3 band EQ that has balanced XLR main outputs. I use a Heil XLR to 8 pin cable with the PTT pigtail jack wired for my Kenwood TS590 and plug straight to the mic input of the radio from the XLR output of the mixer.

Done!

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

No radio has a quad conversion receiver and even triple conversion is relatively new in the market.

For good audio there's basically two solutions:

1) Buy Kenwood. Kenwoods have fantastic TX and RX audio straight out of the box. The Kenwood TS590 is the best bang per buck on the market. Absolutely fantastic. And all Kenwoods are very easy to operate.

2) Use external EQ and feed the audio in through the ACC port of the radio. If you watch the next 20 minute segment of this video it shows you how and what you should be setting your EQ up like.

By "new in the market" I assume you mean "new in the market AGAIN. Triple conversion was around a few decades ago and YES the icom 751A DOES have quad conversion. The 751A used the following :

while the ICOM 735 used the following:



WOW! That turned out BIG.


I owned the IC-735 and can attest it had a fantastic receiver that was pretty much bullet proof. I have to laugh at all the "new" idea manufacturers are coming out with today like "roofing" filters, (all the quality OLDER radios had them before all this SDR stuff) and RF processors instead of AF types (my old Kenwood TS-820S has RF processing), tripple or quad conversion receivers ( Icom and others did it decades ago). What is REALLY happening is that manufacturers are FINALLY realizing that the quest to do something cheap with software is in fact inferior to the way it was done decades ago with hardware and are reverting to what should have been done in the first place.