Yes sir! Lot of used stuff around these days that will work just fine on the current birds as well as terrestrial HF/VHF/UHF work. I have a couple of FT-100D's that are 160 thru 6 meters plus 2 M and 70 CM all mode. I was using them to replace the FT-847, as well as using them for backup HF rigs.
Those FT-100's and the IC-706 seem to be available used for reasonable prices if you shop around .. And a few IC-7000's are showing up, too. Nice little all-in-one radios. Folks who have not yet been on HF would be able to get some exposure, and possibly get interested enough to upgrade.
Well, 50 years ago, used HF rigs such as Heathkits, WRL, Hallicrafters, etc.could be gotten pretty cheap, even for a 14 year old kid, I think I paid probably $60 or $70 for a transmitter and receiver that worked well enough to get on the air. Made my own antennas.
I'm sorry I didn't bite the bullet and get a 70CM rig a long time ago. I bought probably 4 or 5 HF rigs while AO-10 and AO-13 were going strong and never got on AO-10 until it was on it's last legs. Missed AO-13 except for copying the bulletins from the beacon on RTTY!
73, John
On Fri, 04 Feb 2011 13:48:32 +1100 Tony Langdon vk3jed@gmail.com writes:
At 01:18 PM 2/4/2011, k6yk wrote:
I saw a mention of an issue of folks not wanting to make a big investment in satellite stuff to work SSB/CW.
ALL of the original ham satellites were SSB/CW birds. No FM. And most hams already had enough equipment to get started. The uplinks were on 2 meters or 70CM (that took a little more doing), the downlinks were on HF or 2 meters. Some of the RS birds where HF up and HF down, and HF up, 2 meters down. Interesting stuff!
70cm SSB radios weren't common here, only the serious UHF DXers and
satellite operators had one. Thankfully, this situation has changed
over the last 10 years, thanks to the all in one radios that are on
the market. I myself have gone from no 70cm SSB capability, to no fewer than 3 suitable radios in the last year. 2m SSB was a lot more common here, has been for many years. I've had 2m SSB myself for over 10 years, and have at least 4 radios now that can do it.
As you'd expect, HF is common down here, but are VHF/UHF FM only radios, both mobile and HTs, especially near the major cities.
Most folks had HF gear to start off in ham radio. I did not have
an HT
until I was a ham for probably 20 years.
I was the opposite. Economics made it easier for me to start with a
2m HT. I didn't have an all band HF transceiver until 2000, when secondhand prices had come down enough, and I had the money to pick
one up secondhand. Still got that radio too. :)
Nowadays there is a LOT of VHF/UHF multi mode gear floating
around
the used market for reasonable prices. Also the antennas are
available,
sometimes for real cheap, or haul it away for free. Keep your eyes and ears
open.
Many more opportunities now. There has never been a better time to
try SSB on the birds.
Hams are supposed to be resourceful and innovative!
And I went and sold my FT-847 which was about the most expensive
rig I
ever bought! Don't need it for these FM birds, I just use a dual-band
mobile
rig, works just as well.
I've just upgraded and got radios with VHF/UHF SSB capabilities. This will be used both terrestrially (I have used one
to gather telemetry from a balloon launch on 70cm) and hopefully on
the sats. These days it's good how a simply HF upgrade can give one
so much more. And there's the bonus FT-736 as a "hand me down" from
a ham friend, in appreciation for the help I've given him over the years with antennas and other projects. :)
73 de VK3JED / VK3IRL http://vkradio.com
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