[SixClub] Newly Licensed Operators & Sticker Shock

Tue Jun 6 19:21:07 EDT 2006

	I am sorry, but I just have to weigh in on this discussion of New
Hams and sticker shock.  First, my personal recommendation radio wise and
then a bit of an observation or comment on this whole discussion thread.
	First, my recommendation; one may want to give consideration to an
Icom IC-551D.  It is 80watts out and has USB, LSB, AM, CW and FM capability.
I picked mine up on Ebay last spring for $150.00.  I am now a little over
half way to my VUCC with that and a dipole 25 ft up in the trees.  This
spring I put up a 65ft longwire with an impedance matching unit and a 4ft
counterpoise and I worked and XE2 station all the way into DL82!  
	I am currently in process of putting up a 50ft tower that will be
topped off with a KMA 5054.  Maybe later I will be able to afford BIG
ANTENNA and amplifier, but I am still enjoying myself on Six.  
	My point is you don't need to drop a bag of cash on the newest and
latest, with the most gadgets and widgets and bells and whistles on it.
Beside the fact that you will probably never use them all, it means just one
more thing to go wrong and then you have to send the WHOLE thing in to be
fixed because you don't have the time to fix it yourself, because you have
to pay off the second mortgage you took out to buy the stupid thing.  
	If a new HAM wants to get into six or HF, or APRS, or whatever
aspect of HAM radio; there are ways to go about it and do it on a small
budget.  Check the local swap meets and take your Elmer with you if you are
not sure what you are looking at or for.  
	For you "new" HAMs that may be on this list lurking in the wings,
don't let the sticker price of new equipment scare you.  If you can afford
the newest a flashiest and that's what you want buy and enjoy.  If you
can't, find something that works for what you can afford and enjoy it, save
your lunch money and the money for cutting the neighbors grass for a little
while and you can afford the newest and flashiest. 
	To the "Old Men" here on the list, just remember that you were a New
Ham once and couldn't always afford the newest and the best equipment.
Encourage the new HAMS to enjoy the hobby, don't add to the problem by
telling them they need the newest and best of the multi-band, multi-mode
rigs.  Perhaps you even have an old Sixer in the back of your closet or out
in the garage; pull it out dust it off and use it to teach the new Ham down
the street.  Be an Elmer to these guys and help them enjoy the hobby, don't
terrorize them.
	Ham Radio is not about having the latest and the greatest gizmos and
toys, it is about enjoying the fun that can be had, and the experience
gained, by talking to a total stranger half way around the world on half a
watt and a piece of baling wire, or getting help to a stranded motorist, or
providing emergency communication for your friends and neighbors after a
tornado or some other disaster.  It is about learning something new and
experimenting on the edge of new technology with only an idea and a couple
of bucks.  Just have fun!  Damn the sticker prices and full speed ahead!
	My apologies to all who may be offended to these comments, I will
step down out of my "pulpit" now.  If you want to counter my comments they
are certainly welcome, but I think it would be more appropriate to do so
off-list.  

Rev. Lawrence N. Bradt, KC5QWO
Ste. Genevieve County - EM47xx
pastorbradt at sbcglobal.net

-----Original Message-----
From: martin glazer [mailto:martinsglazer at yahoo.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2006 12:41 PM
To: World Wide Six Meter Club
Subject: Re: [SixClub] Newly Licensed Operators & Sticker Shock

well enjoy your ranger. That would NOT be my choice

Howard Bingham <howardb at hal-pc.org> wrote: At 02:25 AM 6/6/2006, martin
glazer wrote:
>I think I would look at either a used Icom 706 or Icom 706mk2(g) or 
>the Yaesu ft-817 or Yaesu 857 or Yaesu 897, or the Yaesu ft-100d. I 
>have allways like compact radios.  I would get a subscription to the 
>QST magazine and download the  ARRL Labs equiptment review  for any 
>radio that I was interested in buying. There is a ham radio 
>newsgroup for ham radio stuff for sale, I woudl subscribe to that 
>group also. I have the advantage that the TRW swapmeet, is not very 
>far from my home QTH. Some pretty good deals show up there also.I am 
>sure that all kinds of good deals show up at the Dayton Ham 
>convention. I think that you should look into sybscribing to the 
>eham.net and look at the classifieds section there. I think that the 
>radios sold on the eham.net classified section are Far better 
>deals  that some of the radios advertised on ebay.
>
>Good luck

--

Which is fine and dandy IF one has a "General" or "Extra" ticket, 
many new hams are only Technician Class and would have little 
immediate use for all the extra features found on HF bands.

Meanwhile as I try to learn the "Morse Code" (Which is not easy for a 
person of my age who has NOT had to study in a very long time.), then 
pass the General ticket..

Meanwhile getting back to 6 meters.....!

Howard Bingham  :-)

PS: I do have several hand me down HF radios that a member of one of 
the clubs I belong to gave me & said I could have them IF I could fix 
them...  (Anyone have a schematic & operating manual for a Kenwood 
TS-120S to spare or copy...?  [Is not 6 meter compatible] )..

--

>Howard Bingham  wrote: At 04:55 PM 6/5/2006, you wrote:
> >I would strongly recommend that you avoid the ranger. Get the best
> >radio that  you can afford
> >
> >"Clark B. Manor"  wrote:  Hey you guys!
>--
>
>Suggest anything in the under $ 500. price bracket that beginners
>could afford..!
>
>The only thing I have found is the Yaesu FT-8900 (Which I would have
>bought IF I didn't already have other VHF & UHF equipment.).
>
>Other than the Yaesu, there are few choices & those are mostly HF
>radios costing $ 1,000. and above, with the emphasis on ABOVE..!
>
>Howard Bingham
>KE5APJ
-- 

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