Towertalk
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: [TowerTalk] [Yaesu] The law of diminishing returns

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] [Yaesu] The law of diminishing returns
From: "K8RI on TowerTalk" <K8RI-on-TowerTalk@tm.net>
Date: Sat, 26 Aug 2006 00:30:51 -0400
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>


> Most of us are in the same boat with you.  I have an older "high end"
> transceiver.. it's darn good, even on bad days. So here comes the new ICOM
> 7800 and the Yeasu FTDX-9000.... big buck radios to say the very least. 
> Now
> the question is simply "is the cost differential offset by performance?"
> The answer is no.
>
> Were I not limited to a city lot, the place I'd spend my money is
> antennas... I have a Force12 XR-5 up at 62 feet.  Can't really put up

Were I not limited by money I'd have 10 acres, both the 7800 and 9000 along 
with seperate antenna systems on each band. <:-))

> anything bigger on this lot.  To me, antennas are to an amateur what
> speakers are to an audiophile... not the place to cut corners... and
> certainly the place where improvements probably yield the greatest
> performance gain.

Even then there is a point of diminishing returns.  The object is to be able 
to hit the knee of the curve for both equipment and antennas.  You don't 
have to get real big on antennas before that 7800 and 9000 look positively 
inexpensive.

But... I agree, when you are at or under the cost of that 7800 or 9000 I 
believe more can be gained for less with antennas.  A new 756 Pro III might 
be a good compromise<:-))

Roger Halstead (K8RI and ARRL 40 year Life Member)
N833R - World's oldest Debonair CD-2
www.rogerhalstead.com
>
> Just my $0.02
>
> Don Bozarth
> W6DRB
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "John Geiger" <johngeig@yahoo.com>
> To: <cq-contest@contesting.com>; <dx-list@yahoogroups.com>;
> <icom@mailman.qth.net>; <yaesu@contesting.com>; <yaesu@mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Friday, August 25, 2006 8:06 PM
> Subject: [Yaesu] The law of diminishing returns
>
>
>> Here is a question I have about station design, but
>> first let me set up the situation:
>>
>> Current setup-I recently picked up a rig in good
>> condition that does a pretty good job for me.  It
>> covers HF and 6 meters (my favorite band) and knocks
>> the noise out at my QTH as good as any rig I have
>> seen.  It is not considered a contesting rig or big
>> gun DX rig, but I do like it and it does all the
>> bands/modes that I am currently interested in.
>> I won't list the brand or model to avoid biasing
>> responses from people who love or don't like that
>> brand or model.
>>
>> Current operating-DXing, casual contesting, and some
>> ragchewing, plus hunting grid squares on 6m.  I have a
>> full time job, and a fairly young family with a 3 1/2
>> year old daughter. Just can't get alot of time in
>> front of the rig, especially for hard core contesting.
>> Plus I have a fairly simple antenna system (2 element
>> mini quad) but have worked 310 countries, and did 850
>> QSOs a few years ago in the 10 meter contest for my
>> best contest effort ever (pre daughter days).
>>
>> Now here is my question.  Given that I am a fairly
>> limited budget, when do I hit the point of diminishing
>> returns.  By that I mean, when does spending extra
>> money to upgrade to another radio not pay for itself
>> in the extra performance you buy.  Would spending an
>> extra $800 to upgrade to a 756PRO or FT1000MP really
>> be worth it?  Given my operating style, would I be
>> getting my money's worth out of that extra money?
>> That would be pushing things a bit financially, but it
>> wouldn't make up homeless or starving, or anything
>> like.
>>
>> I am sure that others have similiar situations and
>> similar questions.  So when do you hit the point where
>> the extra money isn't worth the extra performance?
>>
>> 73s John
>>
>> __________________________________________________
>> Do You Yahoo!?
>> Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
>> http://mail.yahoo.com
>> _______________________________________________
>> Yaesu mailing list
>> Yaesu@mailman.qth.net
>> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/yaesu
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> 

_______________________________________________



_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>