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Have fun at the Flea Market....because...

C-pher

C-pher

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I'm going to the Candy Store...

I'm up here in NH in Newton....which is 15 minutes from HRO...

SO, we're going to let the wives and kids go bowling and the boys are going to HRO....

This will be the first time I've been there...SO I'm excited.
 
C-pher said:
I'm going to the Candy Store...

I'm up here in NH in Newton....which is 15 minutes from HRO...

SO, we're going to let the wives and kids go bowling and the boys are going to HRO....

This will be the first time I've been there...SO I'm excited.
Click to expand...


I was 5 minutes from there earlier this morning but didn't stop in.
I have a good friend who lives in Newton, Tony KA1/LCR.
He's also a shooter, but not an NES'er.
I've shot with him at his club, Country Pond Gun Club in Newton.
He has keys to the indoor range and goes down there to shoot in the wee hours of the morning.
We almost set the place on fire once with some Dapkus Exploding Targets.

Dododo.gif
 
Zappa, my buddy belongs to that club as well. My buddy just got a can for his P99. We were just shooting off the back deck with no ears on. That thing is VERY cool.

R1ch, I was trying to call you most of the morning and this afternoon on the repeater you posted on the other thread...but I don't think that my HT is reaching very well. I'm getting a responce from the Repeater...so I"m hitting it..but I don't think that I'm going through. I'd say that we'd meet later on...but where I have the wife and kids...the guys are expected to stay close to home the rest of the evening...as we were allowed out for 40 minutes at HRO while the girls all went to Friendly's.

I think that I found the HF radio that I want...it's 1300...but they said I could open an account...pay into it...and when it's paid off, they will send it to me. I'm really thinking about it...LOL! That place is like CRACK! So much cool stuff in such a small place.


I"m thinking that we need to do an NES Ham Radio Club Field Trip!! [smile]
 
what radio? at that price I'm guessing Ft-950?

I like that one too... seems like it might be the only radio I would need for a long time. (go ahead and laugh...)
 
matt said:
what radio? at that price I'm guessing Ft-950?

I like that one too... seems like it might be the only radio I would need for a long time. (go ahead and laugh...)
Click to expand...

Yes, and that was what I was thinking...it would be a great radio...and one that I could use for a long time. I was also thinking that it would be the only one I would need for quite sometime.
 
C-pher said:
Yes, and that was what I was thinking...it would be a great radio...and one that I could use for a long time. I was also thinking that it would be the only one I would need for quite sometime.
Click to expand...

That's a sweet base rig, but don't forget you'll need something with the same capabilities for mobile/portable use, so don't forget to budget for something like an FT-897. You're not going to want to break down all the cables and dirty up the FT-950 on a picnic table somewhere. [smile]
 
tele_mark said:
That's a sweet base rig, but don't forget you'll need something with the same capabilities for mobile/portable use, so don't forget to budget for something like an FT-897. You're not going to want to break down all the cables and dirty up the FT-950 on a picnic table somewhere. [smile]
Click to expand...

<shaking fists>

CURSES!! CURSES ALL TO HELL!!
 
It has an internal tuner, but I've heard criticism of the yeasu tuner saying the don't have enough range. I know for the 897 the Ldg tuner is prefered. I think they do make a 450 without he tuner if you want to provide another.
 
YES.... and you can hook up whatever tuner you decide to buy to any other radio that you buy in the future. I would suggest the LDG z11 pro auto tuner ($130).


I still think you should go for the 950 though....
 
NX1Z said:
YES.... and you can hook up whatever tuner you decide to buy to any other radio that you buy in the future. I would suggest the LDG z11 pro auto tuner ($130).


I still think you should go for the 950 though....
Click to expand...

OK, I'll buy that...buy why? Because it's a killer radio for the price point? Or because you want to see me spend that kind of money and then see if my wife kicks my ass later?? [smile]
 
C-pher said:
OK, I'll buy that...buy why? Because it's a killer radio for the price point? Or because you want to see me spend that kind of money and then see if my wife kicks my ass later?? [smile]
Click to expand...

Because if you get the big purchase out of the way now (the 950) you will better be able to justify a smaller purchase later (the 450)......at least thats how it works out in my head.....LOL[smile]
 
C-pher said:
R1ch, I was trying to call you most of the morning and this afternoon on the repeater you posted on the other thread...but I don't think that my HT is reaching very well. I'm getting a responce from the Repeater...so I"m hitting it..but I don't think that I'm going through. I'd say that we'd meet later on...but where I have the wife and kids...the guys are expected to stay close to home the rest of the evening...as we were allowed out for 40 minutes at HRO while the girls all went to Friendly's.
Click to expand...

Sorry I missed you. If you are in NH today (Sunday), we can try again.
 
NX1Z said:
Because if you get the big purchase out of the way now (the 950) you will better be able to justify a smaller purchase later (the 450)......at least thats how it works out in my head.....LOL[smile]
Click to expand...

See, now that make more sense... I like the way that you think. LOL!

R1ch said:
Sorry I missed you. If you are in NH today (Sunday), we can try again.
Click to expand...

I know, I wish that I would have planned this better. We could have met up at some point...
 
Would I be better off getting the FT-897D for contesting rather than the 450??

Look at me...for some reason I think that I'm now rich... Buy the time I would pay off the "Account" at HRO for the 950 and they mail it too me....we'll have two more generations of radios by then. [smile]
 
I know a manager at HRO, and this week sometime I will speak with him and ask if we can get an NES account set up for the discounts.

FYI there isn't much of a markup in radios, thus little to no discount on them. Everything else is worth the visit.
 
C-pher said:
Would I be better off getting the FT-897D for contesting rather than the 450??

Look at me...for some reason I think that I'm now rich... Buy the time I would pay off the "Account" at HRO for the 950 and they mail it too me....we'll have two more generations of radios by then. [smile]
Click to expand...

I've been trying to figure out the difference in dsp between the 450 and 897. I love the idiot proof filtering display on the 450. I suspect the 897 has the same, but it's just hidden in menus because of the smaller screen. Perhaps Mark could tell us. I've also wondered, with radios like the 897 and 706, does HRD expand those options to a more usable screen? Actually, I have HRD installed... I'll give it a look.
 
matt said:
I've been trying to figure out the difference in dsp between the 450 and 897. I love the idiot proof filtering display on the 450. I suspect the 897 has the same, but it's just hidden in menus because of the smaller screen. Perhaps Mark could tell us. I've also wondered, with radios like the 897 and 706, does HRD expand those options to a more usable screen? Actually, I have HRD installed... I'll give it a look.
Click to expand...

I have the FT-450 with the auto tuner. I've been trying a bunch of the CAT programs. I just started using HRD and it does have sliders and buttons for the DSP and most of the other controls. FWIW I love the 450. Of course it's only my first radio so I really don't know what I'm missing in the better radios and at some point I'm sure I'll realize that it's only an entry level model but I'm having great luck with it and it's working really well.

ETA I paid $600 for a lightly used radio including shipping and a few accesories. I've heard they are ouit there for $500 if you look hard. I added the MD-100 desk mike for convenience.
 
C-pher said:
Would I be better off getting the FT-897D for contesting rather than the 450??

Look at me...for some reason I think that I'm now rich... Buy the time I would pay off the "Account" at HRO for the 950 and they mail it too me....we'll have two more generations of radios by then. [smile]
Click to expand...

matt said:
I've been trying to figure out the difference in dsp between the 450 and 897. I love the idiot proof filtering display on the 450. I suspect the 897 has the same, but it's just hidden in menus because of the smaller screen. Perhaps Mark could tell us. I've also wondered, with radios like the 897 and 706, does HRD expand those options to a more usable screen? Actually, I have HRD installed... I'll give it a look.
Click to expand...

The 897 has audio level DSP, which in a nutshell, works after the signal has been converted back to the original, intended information. Any interference that was added in the "rf domain" is still there. Audio DSP attempts to simply do what a skilled operator was once forced to do -- ignore what they didn't ant to hear in favor of the intended information. It can work well under certain conditions but it does little to help in a contest environment where there may be many stations operating close together.

The 450, 950, etc., use IF DSP, which occurs after the signal from the antenna has been knocked down in frequency a bit. The imprtant thing is, that it's operating on the signal in the rf domain, so it addresses all the stuff that's actually happening on the air, that is causing interference. The caveat is that it requires faster processing and careful design to minimize distortion by the DSP itself. Some radios have both.

If I were setting up a dedicated fixed station, I'd definitely go with something like the 450, 950, or better yet, an Elecraft K3 (one of the best amateur receivers availabe), or a TenTec Orion. My choice of the 897 was driven by limited space and the need for a radio that can "do it all" from 160m to 70cm.
 
tele_mark said:
The 897 has audio level DSP, which in a nutshell, works after the signal has been converted back to the original, intended information. Any interference that was added in the "rf domain" is still there. Audio DSP attempts to simply do what a skilled operator was once forced to do -- ignore what they didn't ant to hear in favor of the intended information. It can work well under certain conditions but it does little to help in a contest environment where there may be many stations operating close together.

The 450, 950, etc., use IF DSP, which occurs after the signal from the antenna has been knocked down in frequency a bit. The imprtant thing is, that it's operating on the signal in the rf domain, so it addresses all the stuff that's actually happening on the air, that is causing interference. The caveat is that it requires faster processing and careful design to minimize distortion by the DSP itself. Some radios have both.

If I were setting up a dedicated fixed station, I'd definitely go with something like the 450, 950, or better yet, an Elecraft K3 (one of the best amateur receivers availabe), or a TenTec Orion. My choice of the 897 was driven by limited space and the need for a radio that can "do it all" from 160m to 70cm.
Click to expand...

See my head spinning...just call me Linda Blair. Man, I still have a lot to learn.
 
C-pher said:
See my head spinning...just call me Linda Blair. Man, I still have a lot to learn.
Click to expand...

Audio DSP is the equivalent of a DSP box, going for maybe $70, that you plug into your rig, between the headphone jack and an external speaker. It improves the copy, but the damage has already been done before the signal gets to the radio because of crowded band conditions, and you're only manipulating the audio data, which contains the distortion from the airwaves that you don't want.

IF DSP is closer to the antenna jack, and works on the signals as they are coming into the radio, so it is acting on the interference you want to get rid of while it's in the form that it exists in on the air.

There's other, almost as effective features that are standard on rigs that were only on the higher end rigs just a little while ago, that also operate in the IF section. These include CW and SSB filters, and receiver pass band tuning.
 
Last edited:
SCRATCHING MY FLEAS

Well, I thought I got a good deal on a Yaesu FT-2600M at the Marlborough flea. I wasted several hours trying to figure out how to run the thing. Nothing seemed to behave consistently. I finally figured out that those rubber front panel buttons are shot. One was even repaired (poorly) with aluminum foil.

Anyone know where I might find a parts-radio to scavange a front panel from? (didn't think so)

Oh well, I got into ham partly for my 2 boys' education. They're going to help me fabricate a bracket to hold 4 push-buttons. It will ugly-up the radio, but they'll learn soldering and that fixing stuff can be good.
 
cockpitbob said:
Well, I thought I got a good deal on a Yaesu FT-2600M at the Marlborough flea. I wasted several hours trying to figure out how to run the thing. Nothing seemed to behave consistently. I finally figured out that those rubber front panel buttons are shot. One was even repaired (poorly) with aluminum foil.

Anyone know where I might find a parts-radio to scavange a front panel from? (didn't think so)

Oh well, I got into ham partly for my 2 boys' education. They're going to help me fabricate a bracket to hold 4 push-buttons. It will ugly-up the radio, but they'll learn soldering and that fixing stuff can be good.
Click to expand...

That sucks. The guy who sold it to you had to know that... If you know his call, I'd ding him on the "ham to ham references" on qrz.com.

But nice that you are making lemonade out of it.
 

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