[Elecraft] Are there any "bad radios"?

[Don Wilhelm]

The 50s and the 60s had a lot of radios that did not meet the current 
FCC requirements.  Clicks and chirps were quite evident on the bands.  
Some were gradually culled out as those radios were taken out of 
service, but I think it was not until the 90s that we saw a great 
reduction in those radios.
This was not operator faults, but deficiencies with the radios.

In modern times, many hams overdrive their radios resulting in bad 
performance, and that can be termed operator problems, assuming he is 
using a clean radio.

Those who intentionally produce clicks or turn the mic gain up so high 
as to splatter should be ashamed.  One can make plenty of contacts in a 
contest with a clean signal.
I have operated a K3 in crowded band conditions - Field Day - and there 
were only a few stations that could not be worked.

Now, if each radio had a hand to slap the operator in the forehead when 
he was transmitting a dirty signal, that might bring an end to this 
problem.  In the meantime, it is up to other operators to call out dirty 
signals.
Straight Key Night were some drag out their 1950s and 1960s rigs may be 
an exception to this "rule".

73,
Don W3FPR

On 6/14/2021 7:41 PM, Mark via Elecraft wrote:
> Those that think there are bad radios now don’t remember those of 60s.  I hear the same signals that sound bad on the bands.