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What's your New Ham Radio Toy for 2021 ?

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  • 24-12-2020 2:21pm
    #1
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭


    What are People thinking of getting in 2021 ?

    I would really love to try out a Loop antenna, maybe one of the Chameleon loops or alexloop. Has anyone any experience with loops ?

    I know they are a compromise antenna but for ease of setting up I think they work ok when you just want to make some contacts.

    I have the Chameleon MPAS 2.0 and I love it, it's quick to deploy and it performs extremely well for a portable antenna. I need to add more radials as I'm currently still working off the single supplied radial.

    However, I'm still keen to try out a loop.


Comments

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    #2
    martinedwards
    Registered Users Posts: 2,043 ✭✭✭martinedwards


    I want a new (to me) HF rig.

    my FT101B works well, but doesn't cover all the bands......

    my FT747GX is starting to drift.......


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    #3
    Storm 10
    Registered Users Posts: 5,873 ✭✭✭Storm 10


    Dear God can we get a radio to decode Tetra


  • Options
    #4
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    martinedwards wrote: »
    I want a new (to me) HF rig.

    my FT101B works well, but doesn't cover all the bands......

    my FT747GX is starting to drift.......

    If you don’t want to spend big bucks the FT-450D is a really nice radio, I love the way it lights up.

    The FT-891 is also a great radio, very good receiver and great audio via headphones, the 450d is worth a look though.


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    #5
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Storm 10 wrote: »
    Dear God can we get a radio to decode Tetra

    You can listen to tetra with an sdr but not encrypted.


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    #6
    orm0nd
    Registered Users Posts: 4,174 ✭✭✭orm0nd


    no plans for any new rigs , found out many years ago that you can hear and work as much on an old inexpensive radio as one costing 10k or more

    as far as dsp goes i have an external unit I bought in the US more than 25 years ago that would match any modern kit.

    for me the aerial is far more important and I've bought some fibre glass poles and wire etc with view to upgrading the low band aerials but so far haven't done so.

    i've messing around with end fed wires for the last year or so but have come to the conclusion that they don't match dipoles for performance , they do work but are noise collectors ,

    the salt mine situation will get extremely busy here in a couple of weeks & I reckon I will be taking my annual qrt leave

    HNY to all and GD DX in 2021


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  • Options
    #7
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 21,179 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    orm0nd wrote: »
    no plans for any new rigs , found out many years ago that you can hear and work as much on an old inexpensive radio as one costing 10k or more

    as far as dsp goes i have an external unit I bought in the US more than 25 years ago that would match any modern kit.

    for me the aerial is far more important and I've bought some fibre glass poles and wire etc with view to upgrading the low band aerials but so far haven't done so.

    i've messing around with end fed wires for the last year or so but have come to the conclusion that they don't match dipoles for performance , they do work but are noise collectors ,

    the salt mine situation will get extremely busy here in a couple of weeks & I reckon I will be taking my annual qrt leave

    HNY to all and GD DX in 2021

    Which end fed are you using ? 9:1 or 48:1 ?

    I'm a bog fan of the EFHW 49:1 have 2 of them and they perform great.

    I have the myantennas.com EFHW-8010 and it's a great antenna and I get great DX on it and it's pretty quiet to be honest. I got way lower noise floor than a lot of People I talk to on 80m using Dipoles and Doublets.

    The other EFHW is the hyendcompany.nl 5 Band MK III which uses a coil for 80m but it performs great for a 21m long antenna on 80m not as good as the myantennas.com EFHW 8010 of course but I was surprised, it's got a coil for 80m and bandwidth is narrow but I have it shortened for the higher part of 80m. It's my sitting room antenna with the FT-891.

    I'm listening to TI2CF on 7.142 booming in now from Costa Rica with the hyendcompany 5 band MK III and the noise floor is practically 0. I'm calling but with 100 watts, big pileup. Haven't really used this antenna for much DX. Just heard Chinese station talk to him booming in 40m is hopping tonight.

    I agree, Antenna is most important but some radios sound a lot better than others and my FT-891 sounds a lot better than my 7300 and has better filters.

    Eventually got TI2CF on 40m 8,200 Kms after calling a long time lol but hey, he got me, some major pileup, I think that's the furthest I got on this hyendfed.nl 5 band MK III and the FT-891 100 Watts.

    I got great DX in the Summer in the evenings on 20m with the Chameleon MPAS 2.0.

    Love this hobby!

    Happy New Year to you too. :-)


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