How would you spend $1000 on freeband stuff?

[BammBamm]

I had a family member over today who seen my antenna and questioned my radio hobby and after a few minutes of his explaining he use to have a cobra 148 gtl a long time ago I showed him my setup. I think the magnum 257hp overwhelmed him a little but he really liked the fact that I have a few 148's in my collection along with a dx959. I explained that I wasn't interested in selling any of my radios but would be willing to help him if he decided to get a radio. A few beers and hours later him and his wife went home. Well I just got off the phone with him and he admitted that he now can't get the thought of hearing stations 1000's of miles away and talking back to them out of his head and has been looking online but doesn't know enough as to what he is looking at. He then told me he wants a radio and can spend a maximum of about $1000 to which I told him that is more than enough .....to start. Now the nightmare begins. What radio do I advise for him? He wants new not used and feels he needs a frequency counter to track where he is on the radio. This will all be used as a base but he does want the ability of using it mobile if he travels. Would a radio with an internal amp be easier for him such as a RCI 2970 N2 or a radio with a separate amp like a magnum S-9 with a Texas star amp? My thoughts are a RCI 2970 N2 with a 50 amp power supply a Imax 2000 and some LMR-400. But I also keep thinking a DX959 with an amp would be closer to what he remembers using. I'm so confused!

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

if he wants a cb style radio id suggest a 45hp with a jetstream jpts28 power supply , a 2018 xtreme mic and a gainmaster at least several feet above the roofline and a wm1 meter davis bury flex coax and a ice/morgan impulse suppressor .

if he likes ham style a 2970DX with a iota DLS 55 powersupply and the rest of the equipment listed above .

 

[Mudfoot]

I bet he'd be happy with the 2970N2.

He'll eventually read all the internet bitchings of the Galaxy drift and regret buying it.

I myself, don't mind fine tuning every so often.

 

[Robb]

I have a RCI-2995DX and a S45HP.
The S45HP has a receive that won't annoy you like the RCI receive will.

I'd still agree with both of your statements - though.

But I would have to say that the best free band stations are all of the ones that are running Ham rigs.
Sounds clean and professional . . .

 

[Happy_Hamer]

I would have him get a 857D or a 7000, he can listen to a hell of a lot more and may peak his interest enough to get his license

 

[74IN]

I would have him get a 857D or a 7000, he can listen to a hell of a lot more and may peak his interest enough to get his license

I second that.

100W all mode HF and 6M, high power on UHF and VHF.

Oh yeah, that freeband stuff too. I have heard RTTY on freeband, it wasn't coming from an RCI, I bet.

Bamm Bamm, you get your ticket?

I'm well within range of LO4S on 146.520 simplex or any repeater in NWI.

 

[wavrider]

Get an amateur rig for the transceiver, better receive and filtering 100 watts.

40 to 50' of tower and a three or four element yagi, make it a three element as broader band width, horizontal install and then an Imax 2000 above the yagi.

The antenna and coax is 95% of your station. You can not work them if you can not hear them.

 

[binrat]

Well, I would suggest a HF rig as well, but that may overwhelm him. So 257HP into a TNT350HD through 213 / 400 to a good 5/8 wave antenna on top of a tower.

 

[Wiskey Delta-40]

But I would have to say that the best free band stations are all of the ones that are running Ham rigs.
Sounds clean and professional . . .

I also have to agree with this statement to a Point...

I run a Galaxy 88 H/L with a Kenwood MC-60 Mic and get GREAT radio reports.

If your radio is "properly tuned" not all tweeked and geeked for blast me out of the cab audio it can sound great also. (Again a GOOD quality Mic helps me also)

Now on the other hand I also have a TS 430 (sick at docs) The recieve rejection of interferiance is second to none,(In my case QRMexico splattering 20Kc's) And the ability to go to lets say .600.0 on SSB for that DX contact and be right on freq is awsome (hard to do with most 5 digit export radio's)

As we all know the vicousness of the radio bug once bit is very deadly.. You will ALWAYS want something bigger and better..


So I also would say a good used HF rig(100 watts) with the IMAX and he would be talking around the world without a problem.
And if he ever did decide to get his ticket he would not have to upgrade again.

But then there still is that radio bug floating around

 

[mackmobile43]

I'd buy beer.

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

keep in mind he wants everything brand new and he has $1000 maximum budget . if he was overwhelmed by the 257 im sure a ham rig will have his eyes spinning like a blackjack machine . just the pics of some of them do it to me

 

[RatsoW8]

I would have him get a 857D or a 7000, he can listen to a hell of a lot more and may peak his interest enough to get his license

Amen. Too easy to do it legally to not get licensed.

 

[Robb]

A four element Sirio Yagi
A push-up pole
A TV rotor and thrust bearing support
Some decent coax
Kenwood TS-430/440
Nice mic

That should come in under budget . . .

Sooo . . . An eternal antenna tuner, material to build a dipole and a study guide for Tech/General Ham ticket can also be in the budget too.
lol!

 

[BOOTY MONSTER]

dont forget a tuner for the ham rigs and either a very expensive multi-band antenna or a very long wire with the tuner .

 

[Robb]

dont forget a tuner for the ham rigs and either a very expensive multi-band antenna or a very long wire with the tuner .

I would say that the dipole is still used by 90% of Hams.
That cost is negligible.
How much does scrap wire for making a dipole cost - if you already have it?!?


Ham verticals are a nice option but not essential; beams are more prized.
More horizontal polarization than vertical polarization is used.
That varies.

A used manual tuner in great shape can be had for ~$70.