[VHFcontesting] Looking for input on multiband VHF/UHF all mode rigs

[Nate Duehr]

Ellen Rugowski wrote:
> Hi Everybody,
> 
> On Thursday, I will be geting a nice, big, fat profit sharing bonus at work.  It'll be for several hundred dollars, and possibly as much as $1300.  Soooo, I'm looking to enhance my 2m, and get back my 432 capability.  With that in mind, I'm looking for the first time in 9 years, to purchase a multi-mode, multi-band rig (no, I don't want transverters if I can help it - my space is at a premium, and I don't feel like having to screw around with umpteen cables).  I'm looking to get my hands on at least a dual band, 2m & 432 rig.  Expandability via a 1296 module like I used to have in my FT-736R back in the 90s would be nice, but isn't absolutely necessary.  What do the esteemed members of this list recommend?  The FT-736R like I used to use years ago, or something else?

Ellen,

Glad to see you coming back to the high ground (frequency wise)!

I would throw an odd-ball, but hopefully good comment out there that 
isn't directly an answer to your question, but it'll lead there...

Antennas, antennas, antennas.

We ALL know that the people that WIN contests at VHF+ have incredible 
antenna systems.  Most run all nature of old, new, 
whatever-they-can-get-their-hands-on rigs to drive transverters, or rigs 
that can go to the bands directly, or whatever they can find.  But they 
ALL have incredible antenna systems.

Make sure some of your budget goes into the antenna system!  A nice 100W 
SSB rig at VHF is useless into a wet noodle, right?

That said, I see folks using a LOT of FT-736R's that contest seriously, 
and they all have bricks or bigger amps, pre-amps on receive and great 
antenna systems.

I see the same from folks who win who have other newer rigs.  Pre-amps 
on receive, amplifiers, etc.

And then there's a lot of folks who are "also-rans" who have PLENTY of 
fun (don't get me wrong) with their brand new rigs... into antennas that 
just don't have any gain.

(For me, as a Rover station, and one who never seems to get around to 
putting up the tower at home -- it's the perennial problem -- how much 
antenna to drag around with me as I wander around.)

It really seems to me that as long as the rig is sound and working 
correctly, the real answer to your question is:  "Whatever gets you on 
the band the cheapest that's reliable, so you can spend some 
money/time/effort on the antennas, feedline, pre-amps, sequencer, yadda 
yadda yadda."  Your station is an RF system, and it's only as good as 
its weakest element (pun intended).

Another thought -- a small but dedicated bunch of very successful folks 
do focus on their rigs as they upgrade their stations, and use *HF* rigs 
with transverters at 28 MHz.  They get the HF rigs with NICE IF-centric 
filters, scopes, etc... and then employ them for use with great quality 
  transverters.

So... keep all of the above in mind as you spend your "crazy money" 
there... if an antenna upgrade would get you lots of dB for your bucks 
versus buying a brand-new whiz-bang rig... you know what will get you 
heard, and it will also allow you to hear the weak ones!

Nate WY0X