Topband: Receivers

[Tom Rauch]

> Tom, do you have any opinions on how a TenTec Omni VI+
compares to an
> FT1000D as far as the receiver is concerned?
>

http://www.sherweng.com/table.html

shows the Omni 6+ pretty good at 2kHz spacing. A 2 kHz
spacing test checks the receiver with two signals, one up
(or down) 2 and one up (or down) 4 kHz.

IMO, even a 2kHz test is pretty wide for normal CW
operation. When spacing moves closer in testing, rigs like
the Orion and Omni get much better than DSP-only based
radios.

The Drake falls apart when you get unwanted signals inside
the roofing filter because the second mixer is so terrible.
So do rigs like the 7800 and 756PRO series, although not as
badly as the Drake. My FT1000 (with simple mods) limits on
phase noise in close, but remains adequate as long as I am
about 1kHz away from strong signals. There are other radios
that are not good at 25kHz from strong signals! Look down
the wide spaced column. At my QTH anything less than very
high 80 dB wide spaced IM3 is unreliable on CW. Mid-80's is
OK at narrow spacing.

73 Tom