Buying Your First HF Ham Radio
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- Опубликовано: 13 дек 2021
- With all of the HF radios out there to choose from, it can be stressful in trying to choose which one is best for you especially if it is your first HF radio. In this video, I want to try and lessen the stress and all of the choices based on my experience with some of the most popular and best choices for a first HF radio. There are more radios out there, but these will be solid choices for you if you are just getting into radio for whatever you want to use it for. As always, if you have questions please reach out to me. 73!
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My Current Shack Setup:
ICOM IC-7300
Yaesu FT-991A
DX Commander Classic
Diamond X-30A Antenna - www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?p...
Diamond GZV4000 Power Supply - www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?p...
LDG AT200 PROII Tuner
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#hr4nt
#ki5npl
#hamradiofornontechies
I passed my exams (all 3) last week. My 7300 should be here Saturday and I'm so freaking excited to get on the air
WOW!!!!!! CONGRATULATONS!!!! That is the best thing I have heard a day! You will absolutely enjoy that 7300. There is a guy who has a great step by step tutorial on the 7300 among other radios. Here is the link to his channel: ruclips.net/p/PL48JZWhCJoH3bGOyfmZVxgRHFqs2VUG8P I think you will find that to be a great help in getting the 7300 up and running. Congrats again! Ham Harder! Have an awesome week!!!! 74 de KI5NPL
Great hands on review Scott, glad to see your well. Take care and that you and your family have a safe and healthy holiday season. 73
Thank you very much Ferdinand!!! I really appreciate that! Just truckin' along and trying to bring you all good videos and new information as I find stuff. Have a fantastic and safe holiday to you and your family as well! 73!
I have the IC 7100 (great radio underrated) I also have the FT 991A, FT 950, and just delivered today is an IC 7300. Being retired is fun. Hopefully, I'll learn how to use them. ~Mark - W9MSM
That's an impressive collection of radios there! When you dive in to that 7300 you will absolutely love it. That would have been my first HF radio had I known more about it back when I made my first radio purchase. Thanks for watching and for the comment! Let me know how you like that 7300 when you fire it up! 73!
Great video. My Foundation licence came thru yesterday and hopefully I'll have a hf radio between Xmas and New year's. Love your channel!
Thank you very much Wayne! That is much appreciated! I try to bring real value to you all that take the time to watch my videos. Awesome to hear that you will be getting an HF rig shortly! I wish you the best of luck on that and hope that my videos will aid in your decision. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!
We all have our own experiences - and this is mine...
Along with a few older rigs I own an 818, 891, dx10, 590SG, 7100, and 7300. If I could only keep one it would be the 7300. It's not the best at everything, others have more highs - but they also have lower lows. *For me* the 7300 is the most consistent. The most balanced. The most versatile overall.
If I could only keep one other in addition? The 818 with its Collins 500Hz filter and bhi DSP. Along with the 590, it has the best construction. It's a miracle in a tiny box! It's the only rig that consistently leaves me speechless. How can so much performance come from such a tiny package? Greater than the sum of its parts. I would never sell this one, they'll have to bury it with me!
WOW, sounds like you have a nice collection of radios there! I have to agree that the 7300 is the best overall for the reasons you outlined. It just is a very consistent radio and for the price you really can't beat it. I have not had the opportunity to play with an 818 yet, but hopefully down the road. Unfortunately they are discontinued so maybe I have a friend that has one...LOL Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!
Dude, great to hear about the fitness kick, that’s awesome. I realize I’m posting a year later, so hopefully it’s gone well since. This is the first video from your page I’m seeing. Good content brother, much appreciated info.
First welcome to the channel! Glad to have you! I hope you find value in the videos and make sure to check out my website for a ton of ham radio references that will also help out. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!!!
Good Stuff. Stay healthy! I have been licensed for a little over a year. My first HF radio is an KX-2. Mainly because I am in an apartment, and setting up antennas is a no go, but I can go out to parks or out to friends and family's places that have land to operate. Great radio, built in tuner. The AX-1 antenna is great. I did build the qrpguys efhw for 20M for another option as well. It's working great for ft8 and ssb. Working on my cw as well. 73!
Thank you for the comment. Sounds like you have a good system down for operating. I understand the pain of living in an apartment and being limited. Just glad there are parks and other places to go and do our thing. Thanks for watching. 73!
Keep up the health regime, you will never regret that. Todays radio prices and value for money, never before in the history of this hobby could u get so much, for so little. The 991a is super, its my goto radio, I only work portable, with it setup, never need to go into the menu. The G90 is a very interesting low cost option. And Yes Solar can be a menace!! Always a pleasure watching yr videos. Happy Holidays Scott 🎅
Hey Tom! Thank you very much! You are 100% correct. We live in an amazing time for ham radio right now. There is so much out there to do and the gear has far surpassed what was available 20-30 years ago by a long shot. I have yet to take my 991a out for POTA stuff, but that might be a good idea to run it through its paces and see what I can do. Good to know that you don't have to hunt through menus for changes when operating out in the field. I appreciate the feedback! Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!
When i became a General Ham in 09/2019 my first HF radio was a Kenwood TS-430S, matching PS-430 power supply, an auto tuner & a 2 meter Yaesu rig which I gave away when I got my Yaesu FT-991a. I gave it to a new Ham that couldn't afford a rig. Love my Yaesu 991a and yep the waterfall is nice to track down others on the air. Cheers & 73 from K9POW in eastern TN
Thanks for sharing that! I am definitely spoiled by the waterfall feature now that I have it. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!
Bought new, IC-7100, for use as a primary in my shack that can also mount in my truck for mobile. Bought an extra power line and remote cord dedicated to truck. Can move unit from my shack and install in my truck in about 15 minutes. Still learning but this works for me!
Sounds like a working solution for the time being! Thank you for the comment and for watching. 73!
I'm learning now to get my tech. Not a lot of people like me in the HAM stuff so it should be interesting. I'm learning alot, thanks! I plan on making shorts to document me learning HAM radio, as well as some gardening and wildlife stuff around my house. Subscribe to help me get the number I need to livestream! Thanks whoever may read this. And Thank you for the video, I think I'm just about ready to purchase my first HF unit(Just to listen until I get my testing done of course!)
Hey that is a fantastic idea and is also how my channel got started. I was documenting my journey in radio and also saw a need for clarification to simplify the explanation of things in radio that others just weren't doing. So best of luck! Knock out that license test and join the community! Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!
@@HR4NT passed my tech yesterday! Studying ham study app now for the general. Think I'm gonna take 3 or 4 weeks before I go test, though honestly I feel like I could pass it nearly now I just wanna understand it more. They told me around Tuesday my call sign would be up on the website. Thanks for your videos I'll keep watching them all!
I would like to see ft 991A on your next videos. I have done a lot of research on the past few months and maybe that's my choice both for HF & V/U.
Thanks for your helpful videos, 73 from Greece!!!
I will definitely see what I can do. I am planning on trying it out in a park and see what I can do with it there for a POTA activation. Thanks for the comment and for your support. 73!
Good video. Keep up the health regime, I'm doing the same and feeling soooo much better. I've been using the IC7300 for just over five years now, feeding an SPE linear and a hexbeam at about 30ft. It gets me round the world, so far 153 countries from Cairns, Far North Queensland, Australia. Just bought an FT891 and put it in my SUV feeding through a mAT30 tuner to a Diamond SD330 screwdriver antenna. First contact on this setup yesterday was to Finland on 15 metres, over 8000 miles from my local shopping centre carpark. Yes, the menus on the Yaesu are nowhere as intuitive as Icom but better than my old FT857. Bob VK4BOB
Hey Bob! Thank you for the words of encouragement!!! I appreciate it. Getting started in exercising was hard, then each day it becomes easier and easier! I have yet to play with a hexbeam. I hear that they are a lot of fun to use and you get excellent performance from them. Reaching 153 countries is very impressive. You have given me a new goal to reach! Finland on 15M??? WOW!!! And from your vehicle no less!! You definitely have set a bar for goals to reach. I appreciate that! Thank you for watching and for the comment! Have a great holiday! 73!
My first choice was the icom ic-7300 for my base radio and the ic-7100 for my mobile/ portable radio . I love both radio's as they are easy to learn how to use and set up .
Hi Joe! I agree with you. The way Icom sets up their radios for us makes it super easy to navigate through and operate with minimal issues. Thanks you for watching and for the comment. 73!
Great review with lot of facts covered. Thanks.👏👏👏👍👍
Glad you liked it! I appreciate you watching and commenting. 73!
I think the Xiegu g90 is an ideal radio to start with for someone who like myself enjoys experimenting with antenna building. The lower power encourages creativity, but it's not so low that you'll never reach anyone. I've spoken to the Canary Islands from New Hampshire with my g90. Another advantage is that it is small enough to be portable, so you can use it in the shack and bringing it on vacation along with a battery, antenna, feed line etc is not difficult at all, I crammed everything I needed into a tote bag.
Very well said. I agree, but if someone is new, the 20watts might be more frustrating to them at first. You can definitely make contacts all over. My friend has one and makes contacts everywhere. I think it might just be more of a patience game at that point. Of all the HF rigs available i think that this is a good choice if you are on a budget. I enjoy making antennas and testing them out as well. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!
@@HR4NT i agree 100%. I think in my case that frustration was valuable though, it pushed me to innovate, and now I can wind my own transformers and have learned hoe to get antennas up in the trees
You touched on this when you talked about the FT-991a, filter control by knobs and buttons or menu/software/ digital control.
If you want that old school feel and look then buttons and knobs only con with that is the rig is usually larger. Nice vid
True and I have kind of accepted that. The 7300 is by no means a small rig, but easy to navigate and operate "if" I need to make changes. What I have found is that after I have set it up the way I like, I rarely mess with any of the filters or options unless I need to adjust something, but most of the time operating is simple. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!!
I too own a G90, and love it, along with Yaesu and Kenwood HF rigs, and I also have Solar on my roof as well, and I have no abnormal noise levels at all on any band I operate. The most noise level I have at any time is less than a 3 on the meter.
If that is the case then bravo! The company that installed your solar did it right and had RFI prevention in place. Not all companies do that either out of ignorance, or incompetence. It seems to be hit or miss sometimes. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!
Good video Scott, I bought a Kenwood TS-520s, 200 bucks then re tubes and re capped it my self ! Another 175 bucks! Good radio. Watch out with the 50 lb. Sack on your back for walking. I had both knees replaced, but for different reason 45 years of snow skiing, still I am good for 74 yr old. 73’s JohnBoyUtah KJ7TBR chow😎🇺🇸📡🎙
That is an awesome story! Thank you very much for sharing. There is something satisfying about restoring something and using it again. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!!!
Thanks so much sir!
Most welcome! Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!
I have been looking at the XIEGU G90 HF RADIO as a first HF system.
It is a good inexpensive starter radio. Well worth it. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!
For a beginner on a limited budget I suggest you start by joining your local radio club. You get access to a pile of help and experience for almost no cost. Members can often help you find what you really need at low cost.
The Yaesu FT857D "Shack in a box" is a good place to start looking.
Excellent tip for those with an active club nearby. It is always a plus when you can take a few different radios for a test drive before buying one or have the opportunity to buy a used one from a club member. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!!
Happy to help
Ian G4JIU.
Really great advice.
Thank you Anthony as always! 73!
The screen on the G 90 is as big as your head?? 8:23 😂😂
Love the video and thank you for the advice.
That may have been misspoken. The G90 screen is small. Glad you enjoyed the video! Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!
I started with a plain FT-991 NOT 991A and have been using it since 2016...my base station radio. I love it and it really has some great capabilities that the reviewers don't touch or even know about. The IC-7300 really sounds great and it certainly has a great reputation. But, don't short change the FT-991A. It may not have as big fancy touch screen....but the FT-991 has more all around capability and not just more bands. Anyway the ones you picked are great. I also hav a FT-991 for portable operation....lots of bang for the buck.
Thank you for the comment. I wanted to give a nice selection of radio that would fit any budget that are reliable and relatively easy to operate. I have pretty much al of the radios minus the G90. At some point I am thinking about bringing out my 991A to do POTA and see how it performs. Thanks for watching. 73!
FT991 also has C4FM.
FT991, IC7300, and Xiegu all have built in antenna tuners.
Those are all good points that I probably should have included in my presentation. Thank you for the comment and for watching. 73!
Hey, thanks for the video. I’m starting to look like a ham. I’ve been interested in it for years. But it seems like there’s so much to know it’s overwhelming. I don’t have anything to offer other than to say I am a huge fan of the nanuk cases. In my opinion, they’re far superior to pelican cases, it’s what I use for all my drone and my drone equipment. The latching system in particular is much easier to use than a pelican case so especially for an older person a person with arthritis but it’s even more secure. Thanks again for the video.
I am glad you enjoyed the video. Ham radio "can" be a bit overwhelming, but don't rush it. Take your time, do your research and have a plan. That will take a lot of the stress off you. Also don't fall into the trap of trying to keep up with the Jones's. Find a radio you like and can afford. Have good coax and an excellent antenna (which is the most important part) and you will be fine. The most important part of ham radio is to have fun and learn by experimentation to see what works for you and what doesn't . I wish you the best of luck. Make sure to check out my website and well as I have a ton of info for new hams there and it is all free!! Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!
I have a G90 on the way based on your video of a good PotA radio. I chose it over he FT-891 because it is $250 cheaper here in Canada, and it has the waterfall. The compromise was I had to give up 6m and 80W, but I get a waterfall, which I got addicted to with my SDRs which led me to Ham Radio in the first place. Still nervous that I made the right decision, but I'm committed to it now. I may spring for their amp later down the road when budget allows, but the $250 I saved went a LONG way to a good antenna, which is almost as important or more than a good radio in my understanding.
Everyone has to start somewhere. You made a great decision. However, the G90 will NOT be your last radio. Over the years I ended up buying two 7300's, a 705 and an 891. Use what you have, master it and then upgrade when you feel the need to do so. It is not a contest. It is a hobby and you participate in whatever way works for you and your budget at the time. Hope to hear you on the air some time. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!!
Just passed my general about a month ago. I bought a yaesu ftdx101d, expensive yes but great price on black friday. Im now shopping for a sota setup and leaning toward the 705.
CONGRATULATIONS on passing your General!!!! OUTSTANDING!!!!! the 101 is a lot of radio, but a good future proof investment. I have a 705 and for what it does it would be a perfect SOTA radio for you! Best of luck! Enjoy HF!!! Thank you for the comment and for watching. 73!
I love my 7300 for in the shack, but I just ordered the IC-705 for use in the field since the menus system is almost identical. I already have a 100 watt amplifier that I bought for my X5105 that I can use with the 705 which basically turns it into a combination of a 7300 and a 9700 in one small box. I was not aware of the Expedition model of the DX Commander which is faster to set up than the Classic model, that will make POTA activations easier for me, so I just placed an order for one, thanks for the suggestion.
I am glad to help as always. Sounds like you have a killer setup on the way! The DX Commander Expedition, once you have it built and start setting it up, you will find that your setup time is faster and faster. I can get it up in under 15 minutes by myself, which makes it a valuable asset in my radio work outdoors. Thank you for watching and for your support! 73!
@@HR4NT I have the DX Commander Classic with the added inverted Las one of my base antennas at the house. Figuring out all the wire lengths and getting it built is a real pain since soldering is difficult with my shaky hands, lol
Great advice👍😀🇺🇸
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!
Awesome info and content. Good luck exercising. I go mountain bike riding with a backpack with an HT, antenna, etc, and try to see who I can reach. I have my test scheduled for my general, and I am looking forward to it. KN6PWH... 73
Glad you enjoyed the video! I miss my mountain bike...Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!
Great vid!
Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!
Love my IC-7300!👍🇺🇸😀
They are fantastic radios! Loved them so much I bought two...LOL Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!
Ma'am Ria N2RJ has some good advise too, in her "Which ham radio to buy" video on her Ria's Shack channel. She recommends getting a modern solid-state 100 watt rig for HF to avoid QRP frustration at not being able to make easily start making contacts so you can start having fun and learning technique, and putting most of your ham radio budget into putting up the best antenna you can and spending what's left over on the radio: a so-so rig connected to a great antenna will outperform the best rig on the market if it's connected to a mediocre antenna. Sounds like great tips to me.
I agree that buying a full 100w rig is better, but I wanted to add ideas for those with a limited budget which is the only reason I suggested any QRP rigs like the G-90. I am all for having 100 watts at your figertips at all times, but they tend to be quite expensive. Even the Yaesu 891 is a good option and under $700. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!
You have a twin brother called James tiny vest on you tube. Health is important unless you only want to be heard by a paranormal investigator listening to white noise.
LOL...he is a heck of a lot larger than I am!!!! Holy cow! Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!!
My first radio was a Yaesu ft 857 when I first got licensed 12 years ago
That is a great radio. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!!!!
Gracias por sus comentarios, yo aca en Chile estamos muy lejos de esos precios y es una buena opción precio/opciones el G90, por ahora realizando POTA, pero estoy evaluando un amplificador de 100 W adicionar. Los equipos ICOM o Yaesu que mendocino por acá están a más de 1.500 USD, 73, CD3VKL
Muchas gracias por el comentario. Sé que los precios varían entre países, pero me sería imposible cotizar con precisión los precios de todo el mundo. Espero que encuentres una solución para una buena radio más adelante. ¡Gracias por ver! 73 KI5NPL
My first radio I have now is the yaesu 817d with mars mod I'm using it for cb and just for listening on all the other bands as I'm still working on getting my foundation done I'm almost ready to book it any Time now when I pass I'm gonna buy an 897 I think I just like the look of them
That sounds like a great plan! I wish you the best of luck passing your exam. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!!
Just a quick thought... I know you activate POTA. As a POTA hunter I find the bandscope on the 7300 pretty useless. "Most" signals coming out of these parks are so weak they don't even blip on the scope. I find it interesting how poor POTA signals are from the hunter aspect and I digress. With that said the 7300 is a good radio for a first radio or portable. Don't forget the basic no frills Icom IC-718. Still buy it new after 20 years so you get a warranty and it's about the size of the 7300 at about half the cost. My advice would be to attend a field day and get some hands on with different radios. See what fits you. It's all about fit at the end of the day. Excellent video as always 73.
Hey Radio Active! Thanks for the comment. It is definitely imperative that if you are shopping around for a radio that you find someone who has one and get a chance to play with it a bit to see if it is a good fit for you. I have not had too many issues with hunting POTA activators...every once in a while I get a few weak signals, but just for fun, I usually activate my park by hunting others to get up to 10 QSO's, then I start my CQ and the pileups begin. If money wasn't an issue, I guess an amp would be nice to have to boost signal a bit, but I just go out to have fun and get away from the city. I am glad you enjoyed my presentation. Thanks again for watching and for the comment. 73!
I've been anguishing over the ft 891 and the ic 7300.
For what I want, which is, old school.
I think I will get the ic 7300.
I think you will be very happy with the 7300. I liked it so much I bought two. One for home and one for POTA (too lazy to disconnect every time I go out...LOL). Both are solid radios and you can't go wrong, but the 7300 has that waterfall which is addictive. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!
As a new General with limited budget, I got the G90 for the house because I intended to eventually use it at the park. I plan on getting the IC-7300 eventually - once the wife gets over the G90's sticker price LOL.
Hey John! I totally get it! LOL...the dilemma of being a ham! The G90 is a good solid radio, hence why I included it in the show. If you are able to use it and make contacts and it makes you happy....mission accomplished. The 7300 is a very nice radio and it will spoil you once you have one. I fought it for a long time and when I finally got approval to buy one from the wife, it was game on! Icom has sales throughout the year, so even if you do not get it this time around...wait a few months, save up the $$$ and they will have another promotion down the road. You are on the right track now! Thanks for watching and for the comment. Have a great holiday! 73!
Thanks for your excellent videos. I’m new to ham radio, getting ready to take the Technician exam. The Icom 7300 looks like like it runs on a battery, but does it also require its own power supply as well?
Hi Gary, welcome to the channel!!! I wish you the best of luck on passing your Technician exams! All radios (Mobile & Base) give you an option to run from a battery or a dedicated plug in power supply. Some hams like to bring their radios out in the field and operate there, so they will use battery power to accomplish that. The 7300 is no exception. You can run it either way by making a set of Anderson power pole wires that allow you to choose between battery or power supply. I hope this helps. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!!!
Did he say the ic-7300 is the ultimate radio.... sorry... I like my YAESU FTDX5000MP. I could filter out the solar panel noise with it instead of waiting until its dark. My portable is a ICOM IC-706MKII ... My handheld is a YAESU FT-530. And a antenna farm out back.
I learned back in the CB days to purchase as close to Top Of the Line as you can so you don't end up with 4 or 5 radio's to get the one you really want. OH, my CB is a HR-2510 with a chipswitch at home.... I use a AR-3500 in my vehicle.
In my videos, I try my best to be practical. I try to keep in consideration that the majority have various budgets that may not allow for a higher end radio. I do believe in the buy once cry once mantra. For the money, the IC-7300 is versatile, reliable and an overall great radio. The FTDX5000MP is an awesome radio, but it is also $4000 compared to $1100 which will satisfy the majority of hams out there. Sounds like you have a good setup of radios and antennas on your end! Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!
As you said, find out what usage you are going to put your HF radio to before making a decision. As you and I spoke previously (in text), I've been operating fully mobile in a big truck on HF for in excess of 4 decades.
For my big truck, I just installed a Yaesu FT 891 after having had issues for some years from RF generated by the Engine Management Systems in ALL heavy diesels these days. I'm kind of lucky, I have a Cummins in this Kenworth T909, which is bad enough, but the Volvos, Scanias and other European engined trucks are infinitely WORSE!
I was advised that the FT 891 had an awesome noise blanker, so I thought I would give it a try - and it DOES! It totally kills the crap coming out of the EMS/ECM .... although you still have to pay attention to bonding!
Additionally, I have installed an ATAS120 antenna (screwdriver style) with modifications and it is working extremely well! More on that in a future communication.
Things I like:-
I want a dead set simple radio to use whilst on the run! You can move frequency on it via the mic, you can set the antenna "tuning"/communications with the ATAS with a single button press and you can basically ignore everything else, ONCE YOU'VE set the menus because 99% are simply set and forget when you're mobile! The memories and all the filtering and all that crap is just unnecessary in a mobile capacity, because whether you had knobs and dials or a menu system, they ALL would be dangerous to operate whilst TRULY mobile in one of these (go to my QRZ.com page - VK2XB to see photo of the truck). Thus you set and forget all that crap!
The noise blanker is simply too good to believe and, again, it is easily adjustable on the fly
Things I do NOT like, but they don't matter once you've set them up is the ridiculous menu system! Would I get an FT 891 for home base! Not in your life, despite it being incredibly capable!! Likewise, I suppose, for portable, but I think it is hands down the best for MY application, mobile in a big truck without prevarication. Much better than ANYTHING else I've seen, with the added bonus of the ATAS (once you reduce vibration with a customised base I made)
So, as I said, it's horses for courses!
Kindest regards
Indy VK2XB/mobile
Hi Indy! Thank you for that comment! It sounds like you have your setup tuned specifically for your needs. I love my 891, but as you said i would never use it as a base station radio in the QTH just because of the menu system. Out in the field it performs flawlessly for doing my POTA ops. Thanks for sharing and for watching as always. 73!
Warranties are nice but when I bought new gear it was always my experience the rigs broke after the warranty expired, or in the case of one Icon m HT fast charger, it just stopped charging 1 month after the warranty expired. I go homebrew now. I’m the best warranty I have.
If you have the knowledge and ability to do that, then that is absolutely awesome. I am a long way away from being that good. And you are right warranties aren't everything. Every time I buy some electronic item, the cashier is like, would you like to buy an extended warranty with that? and my answer is no...if the products does what is advertised, i don't need a warranty. Then I get "the look" like I am nuts...Homebrew is nice...someday I may reach tat level of expertise. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!
@@HR4NT so far I've only gotten as far as the Tuna Tin II and the Herring Aid 5 DC receiver. I built the Herring Aid 5 when I was in high school 46 years ago and the Tuna Tin II 33 years ago. The TT II works. The Herring Aid 5's local oscillator still doesn't work. It's out of frustration with commercial gear reliability, my old gear being stolen and wanting to be able to repair what I have that I went this route. I'm nowhere near being an EE but just wanted to go this route. I Will be building a 75 meter SSB homebrew rig so far only have kits and kits are what I've mostly built. Don't even want to do kits anymore.
I have a FTdx-101d. If I had to suggest a radio, new ham or other, the 7300 for the current sale prices is where it's at. I like my FTdx but for the money I don't think the 7300 can be beat.
I agree 110%. I like what I have seen from the DX-101, but that price tag might spook a newbie which is why I wanted to offer options that were not only reliable, but cost efficient for just about anyone. As you said though, you really can't go wrong with a 7300 especially at the current price. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!
Thanks for the info! Im sold on the 7300 and will sit for my general next week. I just looked on eBay and see new 7300s for like $780. What am I missing?
The 7300 is a great radio. However, if you see a price that is too good to be true, it most likely is. There could be some hidden issues that the seller is NOT disclosing. I do not know enough about the internals of the new radios to determine what is good or bad, so my go to is to always buy new UNLESS I personally know the person selling the item. That way I get a warranty and a company that if I do have an issue, I can deal with and make my purchase a sound and happy one. Keep a watch now for Black Friday sales. Those will be your best bet to get the radio you want for a fantastic price. HRO, Gigaparts, DX Engineering and so on will al have sales most likely. Best of luck on passing your General and let me know if you have any questions. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!
Thank you for this video. I am an absolute beginner! I have signed up for a course, but haven't started yet. At 13:52 you mention that you can plug in a USB cable, I assume to program it. Do you know if this is Mac compatible?
Some of the programming software may be Mac compatible. When you are researching a radio you like, check and see if they have software that would be compatible with your setup. Thanks for watching and for the comment., 73!
Thanks for the video, I want the 7300 but finding it hard to find a good used one that's affordable. And new ones are about $1500+. Anyway, thanks for the advice. 73s KZ5MLS
Keep a watch on the market. Icom frequently has rebates and price drops. June 30 was the last day of the previous sale. I picked up my second 7300 for $1000 after a $100 rebate. They do these sales and specials all the time and with fall approaching I think we will see another son every soon. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!
Check out gigaparts.com They have a couple refurbished 7300's for around $1250ish. Also looks like Icom has a $150 rebate running until 9/30/2022. Hope this helps!
@@HR4NT Thanks, I'll check it out
I just ran across your channel thinking about my first radio. Taking my tech then general tests soon. Ive seen others mention the ICom 7xxx series and will probbaly go with that. You mentioned having interference from a neighbors solar panel system. I have a fairly large system on my roof. Is there anyway around the issues you mentioned you were having? Thanks.
Hi Steve! Most of the issues with solar panels on a house relates to the solar charge controller emitting RFI. If you have that issue with yours, the installers of your system are liable to fix it by law with no cost to you. If they give you grief, you can contact the ARRL and they will assist you in getting it resolved. Most of the time it is a matter of putting a few ferrites on the charge controller wires to suppress the RFI. The direct link to the ARRL relating to RFI is: arrl.org/solar AND www.arrl.org/information-for-the-neighbors-of-hams . I hope this helps you out. Thanks for watching and for the comment! 73!
@@HR4NT thanks for the followup and links.I will look into that when it comes time. I do believe they used ferrules when installing it so hopefully wont be an issue.
Join a club and buy used forever. You'll save 50 percent all the time. The times you get burned aren't important, you will save so much over time.
Thanks for the comment an for watching. 73!!!
I have a power supply questionI have limited mobility, and won’t be taking my radio into the field. I’ve decided to purchase the ICOM 7300. My question is how power supplies are charged. Do they just plug into a standard household out, or do they require a dedicated circuit with an amp level equal to that of the PS?
They plug into the wall directly. Then you usually add your radio's power wires to the back of the power supply to power your radio and other peripherals. I soldered and crimped some wire fork connectors to mine to make it easier to connect to my power supply. I hope this helps a bit. Let me know if I can help in any other way. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!
Hello what's your thoughts on the icom7300,yaesu 991a or the yaesu ftdx10....what would you buy out of them 3 radio's? Thanks I'm new going to just get into the hobby
Hi Kevin!! Welcome to the channel. That is a good question. It is going to depend on what you want to do with radio. If you want everything all in one solution, then the 991A will have HF/VHF/UHF all in one. If you don't care for the VHF/UFH stuff, then you have the 7300 or the DX10. I have not personally played with the DX10 yet, so I can't say much about it except from what I have heard others say. Those who have the DX10 love it and swear by it, but you are also talking about $1600 -vs- $999 for the 7300. They are both 100w units, both are HF rigs, you get the 3D waterfall with the DX10, whereas the 7300 is the standard waterfall. I'd say do a bit more research on RUclips and see if someone has a side-by-side comparison of the two models to help you decide. You can't really go wrong with any of them, it will come down to what you want out of the radio and your budget to buy one. I hope this helps. Thanks for watching and for the question., 73!
I have solar panels on my roof. There went that
Actually, you can get a solar panel rfi kit from Palomar engineering that you just clip to the wires on your charge controller. That should fix that quick. Thanks for watching and the comment. 73
Yaesu FT-710… $899. Compare this to the Icom 7300. It’s cheaper, far better receive, 3 year warranty vs Icom’s one year.
I have not had the chance to play with the 710 as of yet. At the time of this video that radio didn't exist. I may add it on my update video down the road. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!
I dont even have a license yet, I just picked up the 710. $899 seemed like a very good deal for a capable radio that will last me for a long time
😃👍👏👏👏
BROTHER
Thanks for watching. 73!
I can't afford to buy one...
Take your time and save up for it. You do not have to get the high end expensive radios to enjoy ham radio. You can sometimes find used equipment that will be way cheaper than buying new, but make sure it is in good working order before handing over your hard earned money. Remember, there is no race here. Piece together what you can when you can and then go play radio and have fun. If you saved $100 a month for your radio, in 7 months you could buy a Yaesu FT-891 and be very happy with it. I wish you the best of luck. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!!
Congrats on weight loss. The key is metabolic syndrome and insulin. Not exercise. Watch dr ken berry
Thanks for the tips! Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!
I'm enjoying your videos. As a long time ham, I think the advice you're giving to newcomers to ham radio is solid and useful. A suggestion, if you haven't already done so...you might want to consider a video on the advantages of home brewing your own antennas over buying commercial products in order to save money. I've been licensed a long time and have mostly used easily constructed antennas such as random wires, dipoles, etc. Using such simple antennas has allowed me to work all over the world and have a ton of enjoyment for almost 4 decades. Ivan VE7IVN
Thank you very much Ivan! I actually have a few videos on DIY antenna builds and I am in the process of adding more down the road. I am glad you are enjoying my videos and find value in them! It means a lot. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!