Trying this again; first attempt Saturday did not go through, must not
have used the right word - "contest".
For those who plan to wait until after Christmas for a new HF + VHF rig,
there are two more new rigs on the way from Icom and Yaesu. So save that
IRS refund (if you are lucky enough to get one!) and check out the
Icom-746 and Yaesu FT-846 (interesting that the numbers are similar)
Just received the latest AES catalog (Winter 97/98) and the Icom 746 is
featured on the back cover and inside with their other HF rigs. The
Yaesu has just a small photo and description on page 88 inside, separate
from the other Yaesu equipment.
Both operate HF thru 2 meters with a 100 watts out; the FT846 even
operates 430 MHz with 50 watts. Both have DSP circuitry. The FT846 is
already 1200/9600 Packet ready. The 846's styling is similar to the 920
although smaller, apparently using the same long-narrow LCD display;
while the 746 looks just like a smaller 756 with a few less switches and
a slightly smaller LCD display screen (no analog S-meter either). The
746 has a built-in antenna tuner, while the description of the 846 does
not mention one; however, there is a button on the front of the 846
labeled "Tuner". The 746 is physically 11.3 x 4.7 x 12.5 inches (not
quite as big as the 756); no dimensions were given for the 846.
I did call AES, and due to pending FCC approval, no price has been
established yet. Hopefully, there will be ads for these in the January
issues of QST and CQ.
73 and Happy Holidays,
Henry Pollock - WB4HFL
Raleigh, NC
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