[Trlog] IC-7800 / FTDX-9000D

[Ridgeworth]

Hi John

I am also contemplating a rig change and have been pondering which one to
purchase the IC-7800 or FTDX-9000D - so any comments sent to you on this
subject, would be of great interest to me

Kind Regards 

 

Alan Holdsworth F5VJK/G8OO 

-----Original Message-----
From: trlog-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:trlog-bounces at contesting.com] On
Behalf Of W1HIJCW at aol.com
Sent: 18 July 2005 16:37
To: jman at laser.com
Cc: trlog at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [Trlog] IC-7800 / FTDX-9000D

In a message dated 7/15/2005 5:17:44 PM Pacific Standard Time,
jman at laser.com 
writes:
I'm interested in getting one of these radios (at a somewhat substantial
cost I realise but you only live once!) and am curious which one is
"better".  I've had a look at the FTDX-9000D review on the ARRL website
but it doesn't really say much as to how it performs compared to the
IC-7800.  In the UK (where I am), the IC-7800 is available to buy but
the FTDX-9000D has not yet arrived in this country.

Of course, I realise that both rigs are no doubt very good and that any
differences may only be in the details and probably quite subjective
depending on an individual's requirements, preferences, etc.
Nevertheless, I was wondering whether after using both rigs, you and the
rest of your grop had a general consensus of opinion as to which rig was
felt to be better ?

Many thanks in advance for any insights you can offer.

Best regards and 73
John, G0NSI
John,

Following up on your query ...

You're right, the differences between the 7800 and the FTdx9000 are in the 
details.

After probably 8 or 10 hours in front of each of them, I am hard pressed to 
say that one is clearly better than the other. But here are a couple of 
observations:

The strength of the 7800 is in it's ability to virtually eliminate "noise" 
from a received signal. Manipulation of the the AGC threshold and
attack/delay 
times, the width and depth of the noise blanker, and other parameters makes
it 
possible to make a reasonably strong signal on SSB or CW sound like a full 
quieting FM signal. However, it takes time and attention to accomplish and
that 
time is usually ot available in the contest environment.

The strength of the FTdx9000 is in its ergonomics. For a contesting 
situation, I personally found the control layout on it to be vastly
superior. The RIT 
control is large and at the lower right hand corner of the radio. It's
perfect 
placement for the way I operate while "running" (find a frequency, lock the 
main tuning dial, and use the RIT to ferret out callers).

So my intuition would be that if I were going to use the rig for primarily 
contesting, then the Yaesu would definitely be the first choice. Were I to
use 
it primarily as a "rag-chewer's" radio then I would look harder at the 7800.

Other factors that contribute to that decision would be the choice of three 
settings for the roofing filter, and the fact that I "sense" (without any
real 
documentable proof) that it is better than the 7800 at coping with close in 
signals from an IMD point of view. The QST review seems to bear that out in 
terms of the the 5 kHz IMD numbers.

Just my observations and not intended to be anything remotely like a 
scientific comparison. 

YMMV.


73 de Bill, W1HIJ/6, aka FOØSCH (2000, 2001, 2002), FO8DX (WPXCW 2001)
Pina Colada Contest Club (KP2AA)
NA6Q Team, (WPXCW05)
Field Day Teams: NP4A (02), COØUS (03), KP2AA (04), KP2AA (05) 
_______________________________________________
Trlog mailing list
Trlog at contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/trlog