[Elecraft] Help me choose my first HF rig

[Walter Underwood]

I think there were plenty of hints. I expect that was a TS-2000, though the price sounds like a good deal.

My first rig was an IC-756 (non-Pro). A pretty good radio, really, and totally sold me on the spectrum display. I think the used price on those is depressed because the LCD display had reliability problems and is too expensive to replace. But…$600 on eBay for an IC-756? Not bad at all. That will give a ham a taste of a modern rig, with NR, spectrum display, etc. Dang, an IC-703 goes for the same price. That’s a sweet QRP rig, but for a shack, I’d go with the IC-756.

But if you really want an IC-703, talk to me. I have an early non-plus (no 6m) version with a CW filter. Lovely rig, but it is gathering dust since I got the KX3.

wunder
Walter Underwood
wunder at wunderwood.org
http://observer.wunderwood.org/  (my blog)


> On Apr 13, 2017, at 3:57 PM, Phil Wheeler <w7ox at socal.rr.com> wrote:
> 
> Re "I am not naming radio names.": Ah, come on George -- give us some hints so we can guess :-)
> 
> Phil W7OX
> 
> On 4/13/17 3:43 PM, George Thornton wrote:
>> My experience was different.
>> 
>> My first HF radio was one of those that had all the features including VHF/UHF.  I thought it was a good buy at under $2000 because it was so versatile.   I am not naming radio names.
>> 
>> The problem is the receiver on that rig was absolutely horrible.  As a new HF operator in an urban location, I already had a handicap because I did not have a top quality antenna.  End result was the HF operation on that rig proved mostly useless.  I ended up selling the rig after about two years, complete waste of money.
>> 
>> I would say that, looking at Sherwood Engineering test data, any of those rigs in the first 10-20 is going to perform more than adequately for casual use.
>> 
>> New HAMS often waste a lot of money on purchases they later regret.
>> 
>> I have never been dissatisfied with any Elecraft purchase.
>> 
>> From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Eric J
>> Sent: Thursday, April 13, 2017 2:26 PM
>> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Help me choose my first HF rig
>> 
>> Best advice so far, Lynn. To the OP: Get something, then GET ON THE AIR.
>> Nobody learns from reading specs and opinions. It isn't the way to find
>> your first rig, and probably wasn't the way you picked your first
>> girlfriend. Play the field. The learning starts when you take the
>> plunge. You'll know what you want out of the next rig.
>> 
>> Good used rigs aren't expensive, and if you buy wisely, you can get most
>> if not all your money back for the next rig.
>> 
>> Eric
>> 
>> KE6US
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On 4/13/2017 12:31 PM, Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT wrote:
>>> 
>>> But if we're really talking "first radio" then any good clean
>>> semi-recent HF rig would do nicely.
>> 
>> 
> 
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