[Milsurplus] [MMRCG] [MRCA] Field opps and frequencies

[mstangelo at comcast.net]

The G90 is versatile but not idiot proof. You have to learn how to use it and some features have changed with the firmware. It is also tricky to upgrade the firmware to the head and body. 

I do lots of portable operation and have three setups. I will list them according to weight and power and point out the pros and cons. I find if I can't get out with a certain power I double the power.

- Elecraft KX2 10 watts 80-10 built-in tuner.
- Xeigu G90 20 watts 80-10 built-in tuner
- Yaesu FT-857 50-100 watts 160-10, 6, 2, 70cm. no tuner.

All three radios are surface mount. Reading about the issues with them it appears the Xeigu is the easiest to repair of the three if you can find the schematics but I would not want to find out. There are a couple of places to get them repaired.

The quality of the buttons, rotary shaft encoders and connectors for the Elecraft and Xeigu are fragile. The Yaesu has higher quality connectors and controls, which still seems to be the case with Japanese radios. Because of this I prefer to control the radios via the microphone since I am usually hunched over the radio in the field with sunscreen on my hands. The up/down buttons on the KX2 are touchy. The FT-857 up/down buttons are good with fast response. The Mic buttons on the Xeigu are excellent and provide lots of features. I've asked Elecraft to find the manufacturer and adopt the  Xeigu mic for their radios.

The G90 receiver can overload from strong BCB stations. This is an issue at the home station but not in the field. The FT-857 has a decent receiver and has better than average Noise Reduction and Noise Blanking.  The KX2 receiver is excellent and has excellent Noise Reduction and Noise Blanking. Because of the receiver I basically use the KX2 as my home QRP rig.

I seriously considered getting a mil radio for the field. I have a Harris and SEA radios at home but find older radios have a high failure rate, mostly tantalum and electrolytic capacitors, with daily use so I only use them infrequently.

Enough. Even though I am retired I'm busier than ever but usually have a break around noontime so the Moose and Squirrel net is convenient for me. If you want to try a 60 or 40 meter contact on the off-net days or try 40 meters after the M&S net contact me a day or two before.

I haven't been able to make the 7296 net. Is a mil radio required for that net?

Mike N2MS


> On 07/22/2024 10:13 AM EDT Ray Fantini via groups.io <rafantini=salisbury.edu at groups.io> wrote:
> 
>  
> I need to go back and look at the manual, the clarifier has two functions. One where you can turn it to copy SSB on receive and some weird thing where you push it in and zero beat it or something? I don't know. On Saturday when N2MS told me I was off channel I turned it a quarter turn and that appeared to help. Don't know if you are supposed to push in and zero beat it first and then use it to adjust the received frequency or what. Have a bad habit of just picking up radios and playing with them and not reading the manual first, and then learning that on some radios if you don't do things by the book you're in for trouble.
> Maybe I should  just get one of those G90 things that are idiot proof? Maybe not, don't think I can live with myself with a radio that built in China and would suspect is impossible to work on. Sorry if I offended anyone running them, would think that it's a fine radio but just my thing.
> 
> Ray F/KA3EKH