[RSM] Radidios
ed_richardson at shaw.ca
ed_richardson at shaw.ca
Tue Mar 9 09:49:27 EST 2021
Hi Kelly
Everyone seems to have their favorite radio and for a variety of reason. Obviously receiver specs are important to you.
Besides rx performance, are you looking for
- 100W, 200W, or will a QRP rig with an amp work?
- Integrated AC power or external 12V
- A portable rig vs a desktop behemoth?
- Ease of PC interface (some smaller brands are not easily supported in some SW platforms)
- Number of RF ports? Will you use the rig to switch antennas or an external switch?
- Do you need RX only antennas?
- How about an RX antenna in and out?
- Do you want/need a reference clock input so all your radios can be driven by a single high quality Oscillator?
- Ergonomics, Big knobs vs tiny knobs and menus?
- Will the rig support your microphone/headset? Electret vs condenser mics?
- Do you want a useable bandscope?
I am sure you have considered all the above plus countless other criteria.
I started considering the same question, where would I spend my limited resources if I was going to purchase a new radio. Like you I also carefully reviewed the Sherwood labs receiver data.
I have a bias towards Icom since they interface with my existing station almost seamlessly. I haven’t sat in front of a 7600/7610 yet. The 7300 seemed like a very respectable radio. I used one in a field day environment and found its performance reasonable. Personally, with my eyesight, I found the radio a little small.
I have used the K3 in a contest environment. Folks rave about the RX in those radios. My only beefs were the ergonomics (too small and multiple menus) and the audio quality of the SSB on receive.
Just last weekend I had the opportunity to use a Flex 6400 via a remote. Initially, I was sceptical of using a mouse but was pleasantly surprised at its performance. The receiver had a very good set of filters and it was quite easy to work on a crowded band. Personally I would consider this radio along with a Maestro. The Maestro would be a great tool to travel with and connect to your radio back in Winnipeg or at the lake. You alternatively could get by with a laptop/desktop and an external USB tuning knob.
Clearly there is no perfect or single answer.
I wonder if we could get Bob Sherwood to give us a talk like he does at Dayton almost every year?
Ed Richardson
-----Original Message-----
From: RSM <rsm-bounces at contesting.com> On Behalf Of Kelly Taylor
Sent: March 6, 2021 12:12 PM
To: rsm at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [RSM] Radidios
Thanks, Jack, Dan,
Am looking at the specs again. Maybe I was too harsh on the 7300. From a newer radio perspective, the FTdx3k seems slightly better than the 7300. But the TS590SG is looking like a better and better value proposition, too. Outstanding specs for the price.
Heard lots of good stuff about Flex, but I think one with the Maestro is the only one I could live with. Real radios have knobs…
… other than the one sitting at the operating position, that is. I don’t think I could handle a mouse interface. Bad enough having to deal with mice at work all day… last thing I’d want is to need one for the radio, too.
73, kelly, ve4xt,
>
>
> While I'm not in the position to buy one ATM - I do have 2 older
> vintage Flex radios and they work well.
> I'd consider investigating the options and features of the flex line
> to see how they compare to the standard fare.
> an example of the mid-range one:
> https://www.radioworld.ca/flexradio-flex-6400m-atu
>
> Dan.
>
> On Fri, Mar 5, 2021 at 11:01 AM <rsm-request at contesting.com> wrote:
>
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>> 1. Radidios (Kelly Taylor)
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>> Message: 1
>> Date: Fri, 5 Mar 2021 09:36:34 -0600
>> From: Kelly Taylor <ve4xt at mymts.net>
>> To: rsm at contesting.com
>> Subject: [RSM] Radidios
>> Message-ID: <0B92CD07-16E2-4D4D-8610-DBFDA91AE4AD at mymts.net>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
>>
>> Hey all,
>>
>> So... I had thought my next radio, at least after I get the tower up
>> at the lake, was going to be the IC-7300. Then I?m hearing its major
>> limitation in a contest environment is a fairly wide-open front end.
>>
>> My dream rig may be the new TS890, with some fine receiver specs and
>> without the weird ergonomics of the FTDX101.
>>
>> Just wondering what others think: which radio would you buy? (That
>> isn?t the price of a new car...)
>>
>> 73, kelly, ve4xt
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>
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> Message: 2
> Date: Fri, 5 Mar 2021 12:22:01 -0600
> From: ve4dla at gmail.com
> To: rsm at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [RSM] RSM Digest, Vol 54, Issue 3
> Message-ID: <3D6A21E2-F4A6-4B89-A071-D1549796A1B8 at gmail.com>
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>
> New? Kenwood TS590SG. Better receiver than IC7300. Better ergonomics.
> Put all the extra cash burning holes in your pockets into the best
> directional antenna you can afford
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Mar 5, 2021, at 11:01, rsm-request at contesting.com wrote:
>>
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>> Today's Topics:
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>> 1. Radidios (Kelly Taylor)
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>> -
>>
>> Message: 1
>> Date: Fri, 5 Mar 2021 09:36:34 -0600
>> From: Kelly Taylor <ve4xt at mymts.net>
>> To: rsm at contesting.com
>> Subject: [RSM] Radidios
>> Message-ID: <0B92CD07-16E2-4D4D-8610-DBFDA91AE4AD at mymts.net>
>> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
>>
>> Hey all,
>>
>> So... I had thought my next radio, at least after I get the tower up at the lake, was going to be the IC-7300. Then I?m hearing its major limitation in a contest environment is a fairly wide-open front end.
>>
>> My dream rig may be the new TS890, with some fine receiver specs and without the weird ergonomics of the FTDX101.
>>
>> Just wondering what others think: which radio would you buy? (That
>> isn?t the price of a new car...)
>>
>> 73, kelly, ve4xt
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> Subject: Digest Footer
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> RSM mailing list
>> RSM at contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rsm
>>
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>> ------------------------------
>>
>> End of RSM Digest, Vol 54, Issue 3
>> **********************************
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 3
> Date: Fri, 5 Mar 2021 15:52:51 -0600
> From: Jack <vhfplus at gmail.com>
> To: Kelly Taylor <ve4xt at mymts.net>, rsm at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [RSM] Radidios
> Message-ID: <46f45fcf-30e3-b17a-8122-bb553af1f49f at gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
>
> Hi, Kelly:
>
> May I suggest you look at the Sherwood Engineering receiver tests to
> see how well the IC-7300 performs? In it's price class there is
> nothing better and it outperforms rigs two to three times as expensive.
>
> Conditions during contest weekends, especially on RTTY, have been
> difficult. In the NAQP RTTY 40-meters was an amazing sight on the
> '7300 bandmap (just a solid wall of stations). Shelley and I, using
> the proper DSP settings, had no issues with receiver performance at
> all. I've never seen a problem created by poor receiver performance in any contest.
>
> Over the years we've used many rigs from the FT450 to the TS590S and
> the Elecraft K3. The receiver performance is precisely why we selected
> the
> '7300 in late 2018 and we do not regret the choice for a moment.
>
> Here is the link to Rob Sherwood's web page:
>
> http://www.sherweng.com/table.html
>
> 73,
>
> Jack, VE3RUA/K0JP
>
> On 3/5/2021 9:36 AM, Kelly Taylor wrote:
>> Hey all,
>>
>> So... I had thought my next radio, at least after I get the tower up at the lake, was going to be the IC-7300. Then I?m hearing its major limitation in a contest environment is a fairly wide-open front end.
>>
>> My dream rig may be the new TS890, with some fine receiver specs and without the weird ergonomics of the FTDX101.
>>
>> Just wondering what others think: which radio would you buy? (That
>> isn?t the price of a new car...)
>>
>> 73, kelly, ve4xt
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> _______________________________________________
>> RSM mailing list
>> RSM at contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rsm
>
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