[SixClub] Newly Licensed Operators & Sticker Shock

[Roger (K8RI) on Six]

I'm going to top post on this one:

Sticker shock and the other things you describe come from two things. 
Selective reading and not taking into context that most of these groups 
consist of hams specializing in what ever it is the groups .... well... 
specialize in.  That means whether it be a specific band, chasing DX, 
Towers, antennas, digital communications, or even QRP, the talk is going to 
get pretty specialized for the most part and due to the higher than average 
interest in said topic the equipment is also going to be more elaborate than 
normal. I truly believe that the average poster on any of these groups is a 
long way from being the average ham. OTOH we all come to these groups to 
learn and to share knowledge and some on the groups are leaders in those 
fields.

However a bit of reading through the Six Club posts and archives will show 
although lot of us use fairly elaborate stations there are also many using 
simple verticals and even wire antennas with used, and sometimes very old 
rigs. There is also a lot of innovation and modification going on.  So too 
are there a few non mainstream rigs that work quite well that are not 
terribly expensive.

Sticker shock is a relative thing.  With the exception of the top end rigs 
today and the entry level rigs (novice), when I came into ham radio, today's 
equipment does a lot more for less money into today's dollars than did the 
rigs 45 years ago. Other than the novice rigs the top end Heath Kit, (SB 
series) was down right pricy back then.  So was the Johnson line with the 
exception of the Novice transmitters.  However if you are a kid with a paper 
route $20 might cause sticker shock.  There are also many on fixed income 
and a lot of us old retired hams watching our pennies. It just depends on 
how many pennies you have to watch.

There is a tremendous amount of information on the net and many 
groups/reflectors with more specialized information.  One problem is there 
is so much information and so many groups it's difficult to find generalized 
information.

Out in my shop I have a complete Hallicrafters line consisting of an SX-101, 
HT-32, and HT-33B. Setting on top of that is an Icom V-8000 2-meter rig, A 
Kenwood TM-V7A duobander, and a Yaesu FT897D all band (1.8 through 440 MHz) 
all mode (including FM and repeater off set) rig.  I don't even have to use 
today's dollars when comparing the old equipment to the new.  That whole 
Hallicrafters line cost about as much in 1962 dollars as what I paid for 
everything setting on top of it in today's dollars. Or rephrased, that 
antique equipment cost five of six times as much as my entire present 
station and I'm including the one here in the ham shack.

The little FT897D runs 100 watts on 1.8 through the 50 MHz band. The antenna 
is a simple multi-band vertical. No the FT897D is not the best rig on the 
market but it is a small, compact, does everything, goes any where rig that 
works better and does more than that old Hallicrafters station.

Yes, my station in the ham shack is a bit more elaborate and typically it's 
the station I use.  The antenna system is far from typical, but has a long 
way to go to catch up with the serious contesters and DXers.  I assembled 
and installed the entire system myself. I did have help with other hams 
coming over to pull on the rope to the ginpole, but by doing that even 
though it took two years to finish I saved enough that I could afford to 
have a system like that.

The local hams tell me it's the largest and most elaborate antenna system in 
the county, but I only need drive about 10 to 12 miles into Saginaw county 
to find an antenna farm that makes mine look absolutely puny.

You won't fine any where that I've told another ham this is what's necessary 
to work DX on HF or 6-meters because it's not. I've worked the East, West, 
and Gulf coast states from the station in the shop using that multi-band 
vertical.  A couple years back I worked a station in Honduras who was just 
setting up his rig and had a piece of wire stuck into the antenna connector. 
The wire was roughly resonant on six and was laying on the floor so he could 
listen. BTW, he was running 5 watts PEP.

Yes there are some elaborate stations and really big antenna systems that 
are well engineered out there, but they are not typical.

 You can spot a number of rigs advertised that now run well into the 5 digit 
range, but they are not typical. In the same magazines that advertise those 
rigs you will find adds for the much less expensive rigs such as the 897D as 
well.

All in all, *most* of today's equipment is cheaper in today's dollars than 
anything but entry level novice rigs back in the mid 60's.  In 1960's 
dollars my 897D cost less than that old SX101 and I can pick up and carry 
the 897D.<:-))

Roger Halstead (K8RI and ARRL 40 year Life Member)
N833R - World's oldest Debonair CD-2
www.rogerhalstead.com