Re RE: [Icom] New Rig Price ????

Wed, 21 May 2003 09:04:18 -0400

Andy, the 781 does run hot, but either a fan as you have noted or
lowering the AC line input voltage via a variac works well.  I run mine
at about 105 VAC, which is down near the bottom of the rated range (100
to 120 VAC), and it is fairly cool.  Adding the fan really cools it
down.
As far as the sensitivity issue you note and noisy operation, I don't
see it on my end.  In fact I had a 756 in the shack which was lent to me
by a friend while he was away on vacation and I found it way too noisy
for me.  The DSP is very harsh to my ears, like someone running finger
nails down a chalk board.  If you had a problem with noise and high QRM
levels, I'll bet your noise blanker was on.  That's a common problem
people complain of.  
The small dots on the CRT indicating singles are small and move slowly,
but I really enjoy this type of display.  I don't care for the multi
color ones used on the new rigs; to each his own.  But that's why they
make all the new high buck rigs, to satisfy all the guys who want a new
rig.  I just like the 781 as is and find it will do anything I want and
much more.  If I cannot hear it on the 781 with my big antenna, then
it's probably too weak to really expect to work anyway, even if you
could hear it ever so slightly more on a new 7800.  Plus I'll bet the
guy on the other end doesn't have a 7800 and he cannot hear you.  So all
the calling in the night won't make a contact.
I'll stick with the 781, the Acom and the big antenna and bank the
difference for any long term deflationary cycle we may be entering.

73's Bruce

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On
Behalf Of [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2003 8:39 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Re RE: [Icom] New Rig Price ????

My 781 ran hot ( which I cured by placing a computer fan on the rear ),
had
a display comprised of a series of slow responding hard for me to read
dots
and, at least for me, was not even close to my 756 PRO II in receive
sensitivity on the same antenna system and with both feeding a 4KL. It
was
very "noisy" on weak signals, especially with any QRM present--the DSP
didn't seem too effective :-). The 781 was impressive in size and weight
though, quality built like the proverbial tank.

Andy K5VM

----- Original Message -----
From: "Lee Wical" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2003 6:30 AM
Subject: Re RE: [Icom] New Rig Price ????

Well stated!

At 08:12 AM 5/20/2003 -0400, you wrote:
>Bill,
>I own the 781 and a 751A, and after looking and reading at and about
the
>7800, I must say I am more content with the 781 than before.  One can
>purchase a mint 781 in the $2.8K range to $3K and still have one of the
>best rigs ever made.  The other $7K saved can be used to pick up a new
>in the box Acom 2000A super duper amp and still have enough to put up a
>new monster antenna and rotator.
>
>With the monster antenna, my 781 will out hear any 7800 on the planet
>running into an average antenna, and with the Acom, I will have a nice
>1.5KW+ fully automatic transceiver.  Not mention, I still like the CRT
>better than the color display of the new rigs.  All I am loosing out on
>is the dual display, which I find too busy for me anyway.
>
>73's
>Bruce K1XR

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