The perfect HF tranceiver

[RKILE at delphi.com]

                In Response to Requests For The Perfect HF
                              Tranceiver
    To date perhaps the best HF tranceivers offered were that of 10 years
ago. The venerable TS-930S and TS-940S remain today as perhaps the radios of
choice with the FT-1000, TS-950SDX, TS-850S, IC751A and IC-765 being good
enough to cut the grade. All of these radios offer things wanted and needed
by the active contester. Features such as: RF speech processor, transmit
monitor, QSK, adjustable noise blanker, TX audio tailoring, good
selectivity, passband/variable bandwidth tuning, notch, IF shift, simple
crossband operation, good 2nd and 3rd order intercept points, with lower
phase noise and high dynamic range desirable.
    Finding one of these 10 year old jewels in primo condition is getting
kinda tuff. Kind of like trying to find a Porshe 911S that was only driven on
weekends by a little old lady from Pasadena. Most will need some periodic
maintainance and parts are becoming a problem. Time will tell if the newer
tranceivers can cut the grade and continue beyond the 10 year point with the
tidal waves of component changes. In the mean time trying to fix a TTL level
digital control unit on a phenolic board with blown out through holes can be
tedious and expensive.
    Because many of us are suffering from diverse hobby syndrome, (too many
and too expensive) I would suggest modest approach to tranceiver budget,
with primary emphasis on the antenna system and real estate. You can't work
them if you can't hear them. Buy only what you need for your intended
purpose.
    If I had a choice today it would be a 50lb black box with power supply,
Rf deck, mixer, tx switching, and all the inputs and outputs dreamed of with
suitable connectors mounted on the wall of the hamshack. Coupled to a PC
with fiber optic cable for control, shielded cable for RF to a $200 throw
away DSP board in my computer. Any one out there want to start a project?


73, Bob KG7D

via internet"rkile at delphi.com"

>From Robert Penneys <penneys at brahms.udel.edu>  Sat Jul  2 13:36:07 1994
From: Robert Penneys <penneys at brahms.udel.edu> (Robert Penneys)
Date: Sat, 2 Jul 1994 08:36:07 -0400
Subject: Complaining abt FD ops
Message-ID: <199407021236.IAA25061 at brahms.udel.edu>


It's strange and disconcerting to see all the whining about slow and 
inexperienced Field Day operators. They are not supposed to be professional
contesters; this is an event for the public and the uninitiated, too.

>From Steve Harrison <sharriso at sysplan.com>  Sat Jul  2 15:55:48 1994
From: Steve Harrison <sharriso at sysplan.com> (Steve Harrison)
Date: Sat, 2 Jul 1994 10:55:48 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: packet digi-peaters and FD
Message-ID: <Pine.3.87.9407021048.F968-0100000 at eagle>



On Fri, 1 Jul 1994 dcurtis at mipos2.intel.com wrote:

> What if we fling two or three
> of these babies out on mountain tops during the FD drill, and
> use those for our digipeater contacts?  That should count,
> seems to me.
> 
> 73, Dave NG0X
> dcurtis at mipos2.intel.com
> 
Oh, sheesh...the Rover mindset is about to invade Field Day, too...Steve 
KO0U/4



>From Charles Fulp Jr <0006313915 at mcimail.com>  Sat Jul  2 21:47:00 1994
From: Charles Fulp Jr <0006313915 at mcimail.com> (Charles Fulp Jr)
Date: Sat, 2 Jul 94 15:47 EST
Subject: K3WW FD 1B the whole story
Message-ID: <51940702204715/0006313915PK1EM at mcimail.com>

Date: Sat Jul 02, 1994   8:30 PM GMT
To: CQ-CONTEST at TGV.COM
Subject: K3WW 1B FIELD DAY 

K3WW 1 B battery 1 operator, just recovering from FD.
80  178 cw  17 ssb
40  298 cw   3 ssb
20  145 cw   6 ssb
15   37 cw   0 ssb
10    6 cw   5 ssb
PKT  81
7605 plus 600 bonus points 8205 points (may still do press release)
This was my 4th operation from the Pennridge High School Field,
next door to my home.  Antennas as always, inverted V 80/40 at 52 feet,
inverted V 20-15-10 at 49 ft.  Both on a push up mast.  2 feedlines, no
baluns.  Rig was an Icom 751A with a Diawa Watt Meter.  I use 3 deep cycle
marine batteries, one for the laptop, one for the 751A and one for the 
packet station.  All stayed well above 12 volts for the entire weekend.
For the first time in 4 years I worked some SSB and proved to myself that
with my antenna system it is unlikely that even during my worst CW rates, 
that I can work twice as fast on SSB.  I took advantage of the slow rates
to plead for PACKET QSOS, somewhat demeaning, and the operating tactics
on the Cluster System are not slick at all,but probably better than on the
SSB bands.  I am line of site to a Cluster Node so  use the mobile whip
on my van to connect on 2 meters (forgot to plug in antenna one year and 
did not notice the difference...pretty close to hard wired packet I guess)
My philosophy is to not wear myself out putting up elaborate antennas, once
the guy ropes are laid out the antenna more or less  pops up by itself. 
I operated the entire 24 hours...it was nice and hot, so only had to leave
the chair once around 2 am for non sweat fluid removal.  This was the first
year I had visitors to my "booth"- both technicians, one a local police 
officer who showed up a second time around 7 AM with Coffee, I didn't have
the nerve to ask where the doughnuts were.  He also did not ask if I had
permission to set up in the field.  Both guests were impressed with the
ability to make contacts with such a simple set up and left vowing to
upgrade (and start computer logging).  The best part of QRP 1 transmitter is
that you do not run out of relatively decent operators to work, and can
avoid  SSB without hurting your score at all.  An hour after FD, everything
was packed away in the garage, ready for a real emergency or next year.  73
Chas K3WW       (I managed to find a way to keep FD fun after 35 yrs.)