W9OJ wrote:
Is the "few db" in receiver performance worth the considerable
extra expense if one is not a contester or dx chaser ?
In a word...NO...unless you have a very close neighbor
or operate Field Day which isn't a contest according to ARRL. ;-)
The difference in front-end performance would probably never
be noticeable unless you operate in situations that have very
strong nearby signals. But remember that "very strong" to
Orion means >S9+30 and "very strong" for lesser receivers
may be 25 dB less before they begin creating IMD products in
the passband. You may never be aware of these unless you
are trying to copy weak signals. If your normal usage is rag-
chewing, I would doubt that most would ever notice any difference.
It also depends on your antenna system. If you are using low
or no gain antennas, it is unlikely that many signals will be strong
enough at your RX to create IMD problems. My 10 meter
system (3X6el) creates peak gain of 22 dBi, so signals are over
20 dB stronger at my RX than someone using a simple vertical.
The low bands (80 but especially 160) are another area where
signal strengths are extremely strong just because of propagation.
Also remember that many people choose high
performance products just because they like them. I have a
car whose top speed is limited at 155 MPH. Have I ever driven
that fast? No (...in Germany yes, but not in the USA). From a
practical standpoint, an old VW Beetle is a much better value.
As someone said, the first run of IC-7800's is sold out, so not
all of us are rational!
73, Bill W4ZV
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