Robert,
My experiences though are with the FM easysats (including AO-51 of happy memory). Has anyone had any luck with this radio's SSB receivers for the linear birds?
I have a TH-F6A, and have used it as the downlink receiver when working SSB via satellite. I use an FT-817ND as my uplink transmitter, and will occasionally use the TH-F6A as the downlink receiver in place of another FT-817ND. The all-mode receiver in the TH-F6A is not as sensitive nor as selective as the receiver in the FT-817ND for SSB and CW, but it can work. I don't work the lowest passes on VO-52 with the TH-F6A as my receiver, and only look at the higher passes for FO-29 - but it can work this way.
I have recently purchased the 2m/70cm broadband preamp from AMSAT, but have not had a chance to try it out. As long as I don't swamp the front end of the TH-F6A's receiver, that HT with the preamp may be my ticket to a better receive setup with the HT. Even without the preamp, I have done demonstrations using an FT-817ND with a TH-F6A, making for a very small and portable all-mode satellite station.
73!
Patrick WD9EWK/VA7EWK http://www.wd9ewk.net/