If I were designing an HF mobile rig today...
I'd take the Argonaut V (not VI), with AT, update it to a hot receiver (ie the
Eagle's), and beef it up, if possible, from 20 to 50 W output.
If updating the PA wasn't a practical option, then I'd drop the output power to
10 W, and find some way to have an optional linear available to boost the
output power. Reasoning behind that is that during the time I owned a
TS-480SAT, I heard from a lot of people who wanted that TS-480HX for mobile
use, on the grounds that 200 W output for mobile was better than 100 W. (One
can argue with that reasoning; that the reasoning might be faulty or that
better solutions exist is not the point, that was the attitude a lot of people
had, right or wrong)
I'd add a dataport that could feed a remote control (same idea as a remote
head), so that those who wanted to use it as a true mobile would have the
option to mount the control/head by the driver, and the body of the rig under a
seat or in a trunk or somewhere else in the vehicle.
[ If I was REALLY inventive, I'd skip the dataport and do something on the
lines of a WiFi or Bluetooth connection to the rig, and have software developed
that would let a user control the radio from a SmartPhone, tablet, or other
software device. However, there are some inherent dangers that would come from
a driver, while driving, concentrating on controlling the rig from his mobile
device & not paying attention to driving, so this would take a LOT of thought
on how to accomplish the basic idea SAFELY. Since this is all blue-sky
thinking, though, that detail should not derail this wish list. ]
I'd try to keep the price point for the core rig in the general neighborhood of
the TS-480SAT, ie., retail just under $1K.
Now if this ended up being a 10 W (base) rig, it could be the next iteration of
the Argonaut. If it ended up being higher output, and if the Argonaut VI goes
back into production (either as is or as a "6+" with some improvements - and 12
meters), I'd resurrect another name from the past, from a rig that deserved
better than it got in it's time: I'd call it the Argosy 3.
That's what I'd want to do. But since I don't have any say in what's coming up
next, I can hope that someone in that position likes the general idea, if not
the specifics.
73, ron w3wn
On 01/13/16, John Henry wrote:
I remember seeing a key in Jack Burchfield's car.
He had it under the arm rest in the center of the seat, what I found
interesting, he had it facing forward.
I figured he turned it around to use it, well, I was wrong, He'd lay his
arm on the arm rest and drape his hand over the end, and key it, with it
being backwards. Sorta looked like it was being palmed and keyed.
He would also beta test units in his car that way.
fyi, the original name for the Argonaut VI? Not sure how many know this....
Omega
73, KI4JPL
John Henry
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