why don't they make HTs that can do SSB?

[kd7jym]

I know they have been made in the past, I'm wondering why not now?

I look at my FT817 and wonder, how hard would it be to shrink it some more and make an HT with the same or at least some of the capabilities it has?

If they made something like a VX8 that had SSB too, I would buy one in a heartbeat.

 

[Beetle]

I know they have been made in the past, I'm wondering why not now?

I look at my FT817 and wonder, how hard would it be to shrink it some more and make an HT with the same or at least some of the capabilities it has?

If they made something like a VX8 that had SSB too, I would buy one in a heartbeat.

Made in the past; why not now? Maybe because they didn't work well and nobody bought them.

How hard to shrink an 817 to the size of an HT and keep the capabilities? Let's see: 160 + HF + WARC + 6M + 2M + 70cm, AM/FM/CW/SSB, same power levels...

Tell you what: think about it. If it sounds like it should be possible, then build it!

 

[towerdog]

ever heard of a Magnum 1012 NEW!!! Magnum 1012 Handheld Battery Powered 10/12 Meter Radio with SSB - magnum-1012

or Cherokee AH-100(CB ver), Eagle Spitfire 454, and about a dozen other names it was sold under.

I even recall seeing a radio built on this chassis for 6 meters with SSB.

You will not do much with the rubber ducky antenna but get a 4' tall telescopic eye poker and you'll make contacts. do alot better with external antenna.

Anything lower than 12 meter and antenna size would make it very impractical so dont expect such a thing to be built.

 

[Mudfoot]

They can do it, but it's expensive. Since most HAM's are cheap and usually want something for nothing who's gonna buy it?

 

[IMD262]

I even recall seeing a radio built on this chassis for 6 meters with SSB.

The Cherokee AH-50 6 meter HT was FM only.

 

[towerdog]

thats lame, would have thought for sure it was SSB

 

[TonyV225]

its all about what sells and where to invest money into building which particular radios. The manufactures sell worlwide and know whats selling and whats not so they know where to invest money into their manufacturing.

if its a hot item it would certainly be made and distributed. :glare:

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Back in the '90's Tokyo High Power made an HT that worked on 6,15, and 40m in SSB and CW modes. It ran 3 watts on HF and 2 watts on 6m. Very few were made but they were and still are highly sought after.

RigPix Database - Tokyo Hy-power - HT-750

 

[Moleculo]

The new Elecraft KX3 is almost an HT. It certainly can be used handheld.

 

[mackmobile43]

Tough to be Q-5 on no watts.

 

[TonyV225]

Tough to be Q-5 on no watts.

LMAO!! I AGREE!!

 

[towerdog]

Back in the '90's Tokyo High Power made an HT that worked on 6,15, and 40m in SSB and CW modes. It ran 3 watts on HF and 2 watts on 6m. Very few were made but they were and still are highly sought after.

RigPix Database - Tokyo Hy-power - HT-750

thats an odd radio, 6m, 15 and 40. Kinda skips a few bands, I wonder why?
Does japan not have 10m and WARC bands? I had no idea they had tokyo radios that put out more than half a watt and didnt run off rocks.

Honestly, I think the 817 can fill the niche of most any HT. Never actually seen one but pretty sure it could fit in one hand, the antenna can attach to the top/front, it takes batteries.
To be an HT,all it needs is a PTT button and built in mic.

 

[eagle1911]

Made in the past; why not now? Maybe because they didn't work well and nobody bought them.

How hard to shrink an 817 to the size of an HT and keep the capabilities? Let's see: 160 + HF + WARC + 6M + 2M + 70cm, AM/FM/CW/SSB, same power levels...

Tell you what: think about it. If it sounds like it should be possible, then build it!

I'm sitting here looking at my Android phone and as I am I'm thinking that there's really no reason that we don't have incredible full-featured multimode handheld radios other than supply and demand. 2011 technology would easily permit a full-featured software-defined QRP radio in a package just like my phone here, maybe a tiny bit bigger.. with an SMA connector. It's 100% possible.. My phone has a dual-core processor with PLENTY of memory in it.. so computing power is no problem. The RF parts, being QRP can be found in extremely tiny packages, and smartphones are already set up for RF from the get go. You won't be seeing 2011 technology applied to a niche market like us radio enthusiasts any time soon though. Supply and demand.

 

[AudioShockwav]

right now, this is about as close as you can get, compare how small the transceiver is compared to the guys hand, and in the other picture, compared to the Microphone.
Power requirements:

The KX3's current drain is low enough that it can function well with
an extremely light battery pack (8 AA cells, internally, or your
choice of external batteries). We went with AA cells because of their
flexibility and ubiquity. You can always borrow some from other
electronic devices in a pinch. You can power the radio for 5-10 hours
of typical transceive operation or 16 hours receive-only from a set of
nonrechargeable lithium camera batteries. Or you can use NiMH, with
the internal charger keeping them ready to go.

Power output:

Note that the KX3 will have an effective SSB
clipper/compressor/processor to give an average of at least 6 dB of
"talk power" without significant impairment of the speech quality,
making 10W seem like 25 or more to the receiving station.

And the little thing that looks like some kind of bracket on the bottom???
That is the paddles for CW.( Option)

(See video in next post)


73
Jeff

 

[AudioShockwav]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbtyRyEEADo&feature=related