[CQ-Contest] Good Contesting Rig Under $1300

[James R. Duffey]

Mark - I would suggest the TS850AT, used. It has one of the best ham
receivers ever, excellent in strong signal handling capbilities, and tehy
can be had used for less than the $1300 you quote. With the addition of
narrow CW filters from InRad it is a good way to get into a contest class CW
rig pretty cheaply. Add an outboard DSP, and  CMOS LOGIC III keyer, and you
have all the features of most modern transceivers, while having expended
quite a bit less than the price of a new super rig.

It is not a perfect rig. There is no center off or quick way to reset the
RIT and XIT to zero without shutting them, the keyer, while good does not
have an automatic increment serial number feature, and there is no separate
receive antenna capability,a othough there is a straight forward mod to add
this. In retrospect these seem like minor nits, but they stick out like
giant zits on an otherwise superb receiver.

Other rigs to consider in your price range would be a TS940.

Keep the Argosy and Argo for two radio operations.

By the way I operate QRP and the 850 is superb for that purpose.
-- 
James R. Duffey KK6MC/5
30 Casa Loma Road
Cedar Crest, NM 87008


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