CB dead or alive

22-08-2022 11:56pm

This is a nice looking radio I have to say! Lots of buttons and switches I wish ham gear looked like this today, I'd gladly trade the waterfall for radios like this!

Check out his channel, got some great DX with old radios and low power.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkrhcAFwYCI

dubhlinn55 · 23-08-2022 4:01pm

Now that's a radio they just don't make them like that anymore sadly.

24-08-2022 3:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119511209#Comment_119511209

Yeah, if they made a HF radio like that I'd buy it tomorrow.

Screens are fine and all that if you have a radio like the FTdx-101 where the radio is large enough to have a screen and buttons, my dream radio, but when you have say a smaller radio like the FTdx-10 ergonomics suffer due to having nowhere to put buttons and knobs and then needing menus, same with the 7300, I'd gladly have a radio like that above that worked on HF with good performance, don't get me wrong, the FTdx-10 is an amazing radio but Yaesu and Icom seem to think endless menus are the way to go, I think they fear if a radio doesn't have a screen and waterfall then no one will want it.

The 450D is another radio that was both nice looking and had good ergonomics and I just bought a 2nd hand one and will hopefully have it by the weekend. I love the way it lights up the buttons.

Why can't they make a radio like above with a monitor out for those that care more about looking at the screen and flicking through menus than talking ?

I'm selling my FT-891 because I want a radio that caters more towards base use. It's widebanded too, 500 Euros. I think the 450D will meet my needs perfectly.

I love using the old FT-77, nice simple basic and easy to use, no bells and whistles, too little bells and whistles maybe but I like using it.

dubhlinn55 · 25-08-2022 2:17am

In a nutshell it a pure radio you want not a smartphone/radio lol prefer to turn a knob or flick a switch than go scrolling through menus, only menu I want is in a restaurant 😂😂

25-08-2022 6:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119518490#Comment_119518490

Yeah the radio manufacturers don't get it though, I mean, menus have their place for rarely used functions like Mic EQ etc but stuff like bands and mode should have dedicated buttons like the new FTDX-101, this is the way the FTDX-10 should be laid out, if they had just used a very small screen for frequency and s meter and simply use the monitor out for people who want the screen because ergonomics suffer the more screen and the less buttons you have.

One reason I'm sell the 891 for the 450D. For portable ops the 891 is fine but using it as much as I do it can be a chore.

The Kenwood TS-590 SG is another example of a great to use radio and they do it what I consider properly, have IF out to connect a proper SDR for those who want that and screen but the radio is perfectly usable and great to use without it because it has everything you need on the front panel and menu for those settings you only need to set once.

25-08-2022 6:03pm

Nice Radio you can still actually buy today, I suspect once production of this radio is finished they won't replace it as Kenwood seem to be getting out of Ham radio, that's the rumour, I hope that's not the case.

dubhlinn55 · 26-08-2022 2:32am

Kenwood always made great equipment for sure that's a really nice rig. You can't beat the older type for sure.

26-08-2022 11:06am

If you click the pic you get a larger view.

Yes, I don't know why Yaesu and Icom don't make radios like this with just monitor out for those who want the panadapter view or just IF out like on the 590SG so you can connect your SDR for a proper SDR experience using SDR Console, then you can control the radio from the computer screen using Omnirig. It works very well.

26-08-2022 7:30pm

11m pretty active now, Hearing South America.

26-08-2022 11:05pm

Listening on 27.555 if anyone wants to give a shout.

Was talking to a lad up in Kildare there a few mins ago.

26-08-2022 11:12pm

I got the FT-450 2nd hand today, in absolute mint condition. Very nice radio shame it's no longer in production, love the way it lights up.

Going to sell the FT-891 as I don't work much portable these days since I don't work shift any more don't have the days off as I used to.

The 450D is nicer to use as it has more buttons but Yaesu really need to make a radio like it for those who want a cheaper radio that's still a good performer.

I have her on the Imax 2000 at the minute and plan to swap it from the shack/Imax 2000 to the sitting room on the Chameleon MPAS 2.0. I have an old Yaesu FT-77 that I would love to mod for 11m, it's a lovely radio to use, I love that style of radio.

Anyway, see the 450D below, the camera of course wants to make everything brighter than it is, it looks a lot better in the flesh in a darker room.

Yaesu FT-450 Shortwave Transceiver - Imgur.jpg

28-08-2022 1:17pm

Had a great chat there last night, I fell asleep, was late and the Wine didn't help ! :-)

It's amazing how fast time goes when chatting on the radio but still liking the fact you can have a QSP with a couple of People and Know that half of Europe won't want to join in because they can't hear, not that that's bad but sometimes I just want to chat with 3 or 4 people max and not have 20 off People wanting to join in, of course when there's Skip it's another matter but most of the time it's fine.

20-09-2022 7:28pm

What's the craic lads ? gone quiet here.

jmcc · 20-09-2022 8:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119643305#Comment_119643305

Pehaps you might rephrase the question as "Breaker 11 for a copy"? :) Not sure about the skip situation at the moment but when it improves, it generally gets posters posting.

Regards...jmcc

23-11-2022 10:52pm

Anyone active on 11m lately ? haven't been on it in a while myself.

dubhlinn55 · 23-11-2022 11:09pm

No mate as i still haven't got setup tbh

tommiet · 28-02-2023 1:51pm

hello all..

I setup my Galaxy Saturn at the weekend. loads of skip. does anyone from Ireland be on any more

bassy · 28-02-2023 3:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120297520#Comment_120297520

What's your location

tommiet · 28-02-2023 3:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120297844#Comment_120297844

Hello, I'm in the south east, town called Clonmel. How about you.?

bassy · 28-02-2023 5:57pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120297872#Comment_120297872

co.laois here.

your probaly not going to be heard to well as you would at least need 100 watts output and that saturn i think only does 15 to 20 watts.

if you had a hf radio you would be putting out 100 watts and you be heard in different countys here.

you could always buy a little 100 oor 200 watt ampl from long communications and hook it to the saturn.

whats your antenna ?.

tommiet · 28-02-2023 10:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120298559#Comment_120298559

I've a siro thunder 27. Very small, but I can't put up a full size one. I have an amp. Capable of 100 watts.

jmcc · 02-03-2023 10:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120297520#Comment_120297520

Looks good. It is like a more modern version of the Ham Jumbo.

Regards...jmcc

tommiet · 03-03-2023 4:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120307317#Comment_120307317

Cheers mate. I'm mad to get back using it again, but no one seems to be on it, @bassy said I should try HAM radio, I've been looking into that, but I don't know where to start, between all the radios and the aerials. But I'm interested so I'll do some research.

jmcc · 03-03-2023 7:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120309930#Comment_120309930

It is a addictive hobby. There are some Irish Facebook groups covering CB (Irish CB Radio) and HAM (the IRTS group covers all Ireland and the South East Amateur Radio group covers the SE. It is fairly active). If you are interested in learning aobut the technology of radio then HAM is the way to go as the courses for licencing cover the basics of the technology, aerials, propagation and licencing.

Regards...jmcc