Need opinions on my first HF rig

[unit_399]

My location in Georgia was in a deep valley between two 2500' mountains that were less than 3 miles apart side to side. Your described location seems fine. Getting the best radio is a consideration, but without a 100% setup on your antenna and the rest of your station, your results will be less than good. What are you planning to run antenna-wise? How high is your antenna, and what bands are you going to run. Let us know and we can point you in a direction that will make radioin' good for you.

- 399

 

[2315 Robert]

My location in Georgia was in a deep valley between two 2500' mountains that were less than 3 miles apart side to side. Your described location seems fine. Getting the best radio is a consideration, but without a 100% setup on your antenna and the rest of your station, your results will be less than good. What are you planning to run antenna-wise? How high is your antenna, and what bands are you going to run. Let us know and we can point you in a direction that will make radioin' good for you.

- 399

Uggh that canyon bottom.High KV power-lines overhead in the canyon where my station is located. You have my sympathies 399. Have a blast but, I know I could work those folks that are at my noise level. 73's.

 

[old goat 321]

That's actually one of the whiz bang antennas I was thinking of.

Oh boy, i figured 130' of wire had to be good for something.

 

[CB590]

Also the 718 can use and external LDG or MFJ auto antenna tuner. Which is a nice feature too..

If I did mine again I would have gone with 718 and not my current Alinco DXSR-8T

 

[old goat 321]

That

Also the 718 can use and external LDG or MFJ auto antenna tuner. Which is a nice feature too..

If I did mine again I would have gone with 718 and not my current Alinco DXSR-8T

That was a question i thinking about. The antenna tuner is external on the 718. I would need buy one. Dont the yaesu 1200, 3000 and ic7300 have internal antenna tuners? Im sure im showing my ignorance on the subject

 

[CB590]

That

That was a question i thinking about. The antenna tuner is external on the 718. I would need buy one. Dont the yaesu 1200, 3000 and ic7300 have internal antenna tuners? Im sure im showing my ignorance on the subject

External will always tune better then internal as they have a wider tune range. About $150-170 gets a good LDG and cable for plug and play.

Still way under the 7300..

 

[NightThumper]

Yes the the 1200, 3000 and I.C.-7300 have internal turners. However you won’t be able to match much greater than a 3:1 SWR whereas the LDG and MFJ or other tuner would match a greater range (i.e mis-match).

 

[binrat]

Yes the the 1200, 3000 and I.C.-7300 have internal turners. However you won’t be able to match much greater than a 3:1 SWR whereas the LDG and MFJ or other tuner would match a greater range (i.e mis-match).

I think the LDG IT-100 will do 10:1 max which is great in my books.

 

[sp5it]

1. If you like 7300, buy 7300.
2. Use resonant antennas, forget the tuner. No need for fancy, expensive antenna at the beginning. Copper wire or aluminium pipe in proper shape will work cheap and effective.
3. Enjoy hobby.
Mike

 

[357magnum]

Thanks for the info Chris ( w9) , I was leaning towards the 7300 also . Now i'm not sure ? But sure do like the options on the 7300 . But you have me thinking ! Great thread ! BTW I'm @ about 800' Above Sea Level all good , N, S , E , West is my nemesis but I think my antenna just squeaks over the hill behind me . Thanks ! 73 & God Bless , Leo

 

[w9cll]

That

That was a question i thinking about. The antenna tuner is external on the 718. I would need buy one. Dont the yaesu 1200, 3000 and ic7300 have internal antenna tuners? Im sure im showing my ignorance on the subject

Make your own antenna and make it resonant on the frequency you want to use. Build a fan dipole and add wires for the band's you want to use. You wont need a tuner with this type of setup. Keep it simple just starting out. The goal is to make contacts not to see how much equipment you can acquire.

 

[old goat 321]

Thanks for the info Chris ( w9) , I was leaning towards the 7300 also . Now i'm not sure ? But sure do like the options on the 7300 . But you have me thinking ! Great thread ! BTW I'm @ about 800' Above Sea Level all good , N, S , E , West is my nemesis but I think my antenna just squeaks over the hill behind me . Thanks ! 73 & God Bless , Leo

Im with you 357. Decisions, decisions . Ive been looking at the 718 since w9 recommended it. If i didnt have so much to buy to get a hf shack started it wouldnt matter about the radio within reason. Right now i have a spt 500, an a99, 40' tower that has to go up, and a 100 ' of lmr 400 thats still coiled. Also have a megawatt p/s. This all started this past winter planning to get my 11 meter system optomized. Next thing you know i have my ticket and am trying to complete both 11 meter optimization and set up for hf. Oh boy!

 

[543_Dallas]

Oh boy, i figured 130' of wire had to be good for something.

It can be, but there's more to it than how long the wire is. I'm sure you've done the research and made up your mind already. It's the right choice if you're ok with trading performance for convenience and don't mind paying for it.

I like to use a doublet and the proper tuner, but its 2019 and no one wants to do that. The fan dipole that w9cll mentioned will work much better than the $150 efhw and you probably have enough scrap laying around to build one.

 

[oldtymer]

I like to use a doublet and the proper tuner, but its 2019 and no one wants to do that. The fan dipole that w9cll mentioned will work much better than the $150 efhw and you probably have enough scrap laying around to build one.

A ladder line fed doublet with a good current balun will work 80-10 quite well OG
@357magnum To get over them hills don't go too high with your antennas.You get
a better take off angle that way. Height is for local work, DX keep em lower.

 

[W4KVW]

I thought it would be easy to pick out my first rig but i am wrong. I would like to keep the cost for a radio at around a grand or used and less. Im newly licensed and really dont know squat. I almost pulled the trigger on a used Yaesu 1200. $650. Leaving some room for antennas, tuners and such. Which i know will be more. Also i like the Yaesu 3000. All the rave is for the IC7300. That i would buy new. And im pushing the edge with looking at used IC 7600. But isnt the 7600 getting a bit old? We have no stores around here to check radios out. All i have is you guys to kind of steer me away from a mistake. So, just some opinions, all will be welcomed.

I have an ICOM 7600 & I would not trade it for all of the others combined that you listed. It is an AWESOME transceiver & it has not got those stupid touch screens. It is by far the best transceiver I have ever owned or used. I also have an ICOM 746 & a KENWOOD TS-2000 & the 7600 blows those two away on HF/6 meters with ease. I see the used 7600 going for $1300 or so & if I needed another HF/6 meter radio I would buy another without any hesitation.

SIX-SHOOTER