[50mhz] Alinco DX70 comments

[John Geiger]

I tried posting this last weekend, but the server was
apparently down, so will post it now:

I have been following the discussion of the Alinco
DX70 on this reflector, although I missed the original
message asking about it.  Having owned a DX70 in the
past-as well as almost all of the other HF/VHF/UHF
rigs, I can offer the following comments on it.

First, the Alinco is pretty easy to use.  You rarely
need to go into menus with it, as everything can be
done off of the front panel.  Mobile ops like this. 
However, the remote mounting kit isn't as good as the
Icom one is.

Second, the Alinco has some things that they other
models don't-like a 2 stage attenuator.  You can
select 10DB or 20db attenuation.  All of the other
models are fixed at 18db or 20db.  And the Alinco has
XIT to shift your transmit frequency.  Don't recall
seeing this in any of the other mobiles-only RIT.

And the Alinco comes with built in filters.  The 500hz
CW filter does ok, and the 1khz SSB filter will cut
down on QRM, but stations are still fully copiable at
this narrow bandwidth.  Leads me to believe that there
is some filter blowby occurring.

The receiver in the Alinco is about average for a rig
of this class.  Not as good as the FT100D, but
probably about equal to the 706 series or the FT857
series.  It doesn't have the screwed up SWR cutback
problems that the FT857 series has.

The noise blanker didn't do alot on the mobile noise I
had-but Peg mentions that it is good on electrical
fence noise.  The Icom NB and the FT857 NB is
acceptable on mobile and local noise, but nothing to
write home about.  The NB in the FT100D is in a class
of its own-truely legandary.

Now the Alinco lacks several things you get in the
other models-like 2 meters, 70cm, DSP, a built in
keyer, and fully adjustable output power.  It is
either 10 watts or 100 watts, unless you go into the
inside of the rig and flip a switch-then it is 5 watts
or 50 watts.  However, if you are using an amp that
requires 10 watts or 5 watts input it is easy to get
to the right power level, just press the HI/LO button.
 Or it is easy to go from 50 watts straight to QRP.

If you plan on using alot of 10 meter or 6 meter
repeaters that require CTCSS access (or use it on 2 FM
with a Ten Tec transverter) you probably want to pass
on the ALinco.  Yes it has a CTCSS encoder, but the
tone frequency is changed by a set of dip switches
located on the bottom of the rig-not very easy to get
to while mobile or in the base.

Overall, I would expect to pay around $400 for a used
DX70TH or about $300 for a used DX70T (10 watts on 6).
Once you get past that price range I would start
looking for a used Yaesu FT100D, or if you can find an
Icom 706 for the same price as the Alinco, you would
get 2 meters and a built in keyer also-but probably a
somewhat noisier receiver.

73s John W5TD





 
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