Looking for a Base station - Open Roads Radio forum for Ham, Amateur Radio and RV camping

N7OQ · 02-01-2008, 12:04 AM

Well I have been in the market for a Base station HF rig. I want a rig that has some size to it, I have 706mkiig and it is a great rig for portable or mobile but to small for a base rig. Most of the new better size HF rigs are a little pricey, I did like the looks and price of the Yeasu FT 950 but didn't like the reviews I read I'm looking hard at the Icom 746 pro like the price, maybe a Kenwood 2000.

I also have been thinking about a used rig might be able to get a high end rig for a good price. I really don't know what are the better used rigs any ideas? My last bigger size rigs were Kenwood TS-520s, and Yeasu FT-101e so as far as used rigs go I don't know what is a good choice and what I should stay clear of. So any ideas are welcome.

Richard Stouffer · 02-01-2008, 04:38 AM

If you are good with computers and really like to tinker, you might find the Flex-Radio SDR 1000 a lot of fun and a great HF radio. With the 5000 now shipping, many of the hams who upgraded from the 1000 have/are selling theres. I did that. I got $1250 for mine and it had the 100 watts amp, Down East transverter, and the Delt 44 breakout box with the cables.

I've seen them sell for less than $1000 on the Flex-Radio reflecter. You can get to that through Flex' web site. http://www.flex-radio.com/

Now if you prefer plug and play, this is NOT the way to go. But if you like to tinker it has got to be the absolute best HF radio in that price range, in-my-humble opinion.

Andy N1ORK · 02-01-2008, 06:24 AM

Hi Rich! I have an Yeasu FT-847 in my home QTH and I like it alot. It goes from HF to 432 mhz. 160m -6m is 100w, 2m is 50w 70cm is 20w. I also use the Yeasu FC-20 Auto tuner with it which tunes my G5RVjr from 40 to 10m just fine. I've seen the 847 used on eBay from $800 to $1200. Good amount of controls on the front panel so you don't have to go into the menu items too often. Google it and check it out. Good luck.
73
Andy - N1ORK

wa8yxm · 02-01-2008, 07:41 AM

Well...I use a Kenwood TS-2000 and am happy with it, One of the considerations was the size of the radio.. IT fits where I wanted to mount it The Big Yesau is a bit bigger (And a lot more expensive)

For motor home use 100 watts (The power of the TS-2000) is about right, the house electrical systems have no problem supporting it (I mounted it very close to the 12 volt panel) and it works well Higher power might not (Though in theory I can do almost a full thousand watts off that panel (80 amps limit on batteries 160 on converter + batteries) I'd rather not push it. The TS-2000 works great

Radio · 02-01-2008, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N7OQ

I really don't know what are the better used rigs any ideas? My last bigger size rigs were Kenwood TS-520s, and Yeasu FT-101e so as far as used rigs go I don't know what is a good choice and what I should stay clear of. So any ideas are welcome.

If I wanted to get a seperate rig to camp with (and I just might, someday) I'd get another used TS-570. Rugged, simple, not to big and easy on batteries. As this is my only HF rig, save the old HW-101, I just drag it around where ever I want to with a wire antenna. Besides, in my case anyway I would not have to "learn" another radio

If I ever get another one, I'll go for the 6 meter option.

I have accumulated all the stuff for the camper, like power supplies, VHF/UHF radio w/antenna, so that all I need to do is drop my TS-570 in place and I'm ready to go. All the other stuff will just stay in the trailer.

Radio

KE5NWT · 02-01-2008, 07:59 AM

I use a FT-77 for my HF in the house and if I ever get a new house rig the FT-77 will go to the fiver. It is a mid 1980's rig but I really like it. Nothing fancy, but I get excellent audio reports from around the world with 100 watts. In it's day, it was advertised as 100% solid state and could be mounted in a vehicle, but by today's standards it is big for a mobile. Mine was given to me, so I could not beat the price.

w7wv · 02-01-2008, 08:03 AM

I sold my last rig for the house recently. It was an FT-990.
They can be had for around $800.
It was the best radio I had and I have had a few of them.
Just too big to take in the RV though when we hit the road full time.
I picked up an FT-897D that will fit the bill nicely.

N7OQ · 02-01-2008, 09:03 PM

Thanks for the replies I will check these radios out.

TXiceman · 02-02-2008, 08:51 PM

A good older radio is the Kenwood TS830-S Gold. Mine is solid, but you do have to tune it manually.

Ken

Manual Garcia O'Kely · 02-09-2008, 07:04 PM

I do have a bit of a Yaesu jones, so forgive me, but I think the FT-950 and the FT-2000 are pretty good rigs, although I wish they would put a band scope on 'em cause I know a couple of guys with that IC-756 Pro III that really like that feature.

I'm considering the Pro III for my next big rig - I'd buy the Yaesu in a minute if you did not have to drop another $1000 for the band scope.

I have an FT-847 currently, and it's a great radio for all bands, although to be honest, I have several radios on since I monitor FM simplex and repeater frequencies all the time. Of course this radio is out of production now [and due, I was told, to the loss of suppliers for parts, not lack of demand], and used ones command a premium on E-bay.

Really not all that many bad choices out there.

WA6IRQ · 02-10-2008, 01:05 PM

Bill,

I have had the FT-847 for years at the home QTH and could not be more pleased.

It is all band and all mode... so it fits every need that I have...HF, VHF, UHF as well as SAT.

I have found them on EBAY from $500 and up depending on filters and other options.

Wes
WA6IRQ

N7OQ · 02-10-2008, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WA6IRQ

Bill,

I have had the FT-847 for years at the home QTH and could not be more pleased.

It is all band and all mode... so it fits every need that I have...HF, VHF, UHF as well as SAT.

I have found them on EBAY from $500 and up depending on filters and other options.

Wes
WA6IRQ

Thanks Wes I will add it to my list sounds like a cool radio.

k3mp · 02-21-2008, 12:30 PM

I started with a Kenwood TS-450 and wish I would have kept it....I traded up for Kenwood TS-940....and then sold that and bought my late elmer's (W3IYG) estate which included a Yaesu FT-1000D...now that was a radio..too much radio and since we are moving I sold it last year and now just have a pair of Icom 706's...If I was to get another radio once we move, I would seriously look at the Icom 746 Pro...talk to many with that..great sounding radio

emu · 03-02-2008, 03:11 PM

Look for a used IC-756 Pro II. A lot of new Pro III owners are selling off their old rigs. I've seen them offered for $1500 to $1600, a little more than half the cost of a new Pro III. Friend of mine just bought a used Pro II and loves it. If you gotta have new, the best desktop-sized HF bang for the buck I know of is the IC-718, about $550. Now has DSP as a standard feature, but not the bells and whistles of the 756 series. Just a good basic 100-watt HF all-modes rig for much less money than the alternatives. The FT-897 series, intermediate in size between the mobile rigs and the desktop rigs, gives you 2 meters and 430 in addition to HF, but new ones start at about $830.

Radio · 03-02-2008, 08:03 PM

Oh, another plug for the TS-570 is the display can be seen quite clearly in direct sunlight. A lot of older rigs with LED displays are overwhelmed by ambient sunlight and difficult/impossible to read. If you plan on operating outdoors, or even in front of large windows, make sure the rig you're looking at has a display you can see. A lot of older rigs don't.

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