Amateur HF Transceiver Features Described and Sorted: AD #22

Are you in the market for an amateur radio HF rig? This video describes the various "must have," "good to have," and "nice to have" features. This is Episode 22 for the Ask Dave video series; the series is devoted to answering your questions about amateur radio, particularly those questions of interest to those new to the hobby. Thank you for watching my videos! My channel, "Ham Radio Answers," is here to help you become an active, on-the-air amateur radio operator! I am unique in that I provide the only set of KZbin videos that accompany the ARRL license manuals, section for section. I try hard to answer every question individually if I can.
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[@kylesnavely6165]

Must watch!

[@user-bx6vu]

Mega like!

[@douglaswilliams6834]

Another very useful video for new hams, and old hams who are returning to the hobby, like myself. I've been binge watching your videos this week. Thanks for all you do.

[@JosephMcParland]

The noise blanker may have initially served against car alternator noise, but it more recently saved me when I was working from a battery with a noisy solar charger :-) Thanks for the videos! 73s

[@douglaswilliams6834]

Two of my neighbors keep cattle and have electric fences. The noise blanker does a good job eliminating the annoying clicks I hear, especially on lower frequencies.

[@vw68autobug]

I have a Yaesu FTDX-3000 and after 3 years I am still discovering the features of this great Transceiver. The RX is just incredible, I am hearing stations during contests that the other stations are NOT hearing at all... The DSP , contour, notch, very adjustable Digital noise blanker that let You hear all those portable stations. My 40 meter dipole is only 5 meters high at the moment. Tx wise, Microphone gain, Processor etc all make this Radio incredible. It also has an internal antenna tuner. This Radio cost Me $3300AUS but I see them on special in the USA. My first antenna was an 80 meter inverted vee which is just a simple dipole but bent because it would not fit in My block. I also bought a 4 element Yagi for 10m & for 15m . I have a vertical 2m antenna which gets Me into two repeaters up to 80klms away.. Hand held radios are not able to be used in many country areas in Australia... unless You have a schedule to talk to someone local on a frequency... Highly Recommended, but when My kids were growing up I would not have been able to have a Radio this expensive. My first New Radio was a kenwood TS-440S which was a great Radio. I used to take it in the car for many years with a very large helical whip that I had made myself... I have an antenna tuner but I have never ever had it connected as all My antennas are Resonant , and I can use the Radio's antenna tuner to keep the SWR down. I get great reception and audio reports from My station even when using home made 20 & 40 meter dipoles & 80 meter inverted vee... It does take time to tune in a dipole, but it is well worth the effort when You transmit with 100 watts , and You know that 100 watts is also going up the antenna. I eventually got an old TV antenna tower for My antennas and the all expensive ROTATOR.. Once the kids have grown up You will find You can start to afford some of these items... Lee VK2LEE

[@fikretcolak6507]

Thank you for this great informative video. Learned a lot.

[@Aadiboyrocks]

thank you ! :) this helped a lot

[@nateo200]

Just made my first HF contact on my new ICOM 718! Well technically my first as this was my first single sideband 10 meter contact but I have used 10m FM on my TYT 9800. Indoor antenna so less than ideal but I got the 718 for $400 used so I'm so excited! Only 2 years after becoming licensed as a HAM and a General! Lol

[@davecasler]

Congrats on the first SSB QSO! Keep plugging away!

[@tylerdean980]

Holy shit that intro hit me like a ton of bricks.

[@hhampton]

Excellent explanations.

[@Drekkag]

Love the video Dave. I especially like how you have the most important to look for first and the stuff that just adds complication last. You describe the way I look for a rig. I went through 6 months before I bought my FT-450D of comparing it to other rigs around the same price and have to say that when it comes to the features you need and should have and the ones not a have to, this one does it great for a starter rig at a great value. Thanks again and I look forward to watching more of your videos.

[@Aikikris]

Good video! I recently bought a used Icom IC-706 for my first HF rig. The radio had everything I needed (must have) to get started on HF. The only thing I did was buy an external antenna tuner for it. 73.

[@richmondhillsangat]

great video

[@Richard2003]

I wish I had this to view when I was first licensed 24 years ago. Thanks for doing this.

[@RelentlessHomesteading]

Enjoyed the intro to modern rigs. Last HF rig I used was my folks all tube Collins in the early mid 70s.

[@RViscara]

This was one of your most useful videos I have seen. It broke things down to real world logic and simplicity with great analogies. Thank you I enjoyed the 1975 photo with the wood paneling and carved wooden horse on the desk as I had one myself and relished it as a boy in a time when Elvis was king and Johnny Cash along with the duke. Thank you good sir

[@francismcclaughry3794]

Dave you brought back memories with that one o one e. I could never get mine from drifting of frequencies

[@billashby2156]

Dave, I whole heartedly Agree with your recommendation of getting a “First Radio” that puts out 100W! I recently got one of the “New” Icom 7300’s and Absolutely Love It! It does Everything I would Ever Want/Need in A Base Rig, although it Can be used in a Mobile Application! I’d Recommend the 7300 to ANYONE New to the Hobby! It’s Reasonably Priced, and If a New (Or “Older” Ham) gets one Of these “Gems” they Won’t be disappointed!

[@davecasler]

I've heard good things about the 7300.

[@billashby2156]

David Casler Thanks for your reply Dave! I actually have had 3 separate Icom-756-Pro-3’s and Love them as well! I ended up with the 7300 about 6 months ago, “Trading” my last Pro-3 to a Local Ham that Really Really wanted the Pro-3!

[@DonDegidio]

Hi Dave, Nice video. Enjoy them all. I was licensed in '76 as WN3BJU, upgraded the Tech Plus in '77 as WB3BJU, and now a General. My first commercial rig was a Yaesu FT901DM bought new in '78, just before the 902DM appeared with the WARC bands. I did build the Heathkit HW16 and HG10B VFO. Been off the air since '91. You know, life gets in the way. Getting a shack setup to get back on the air. Still have the 901DM, but afraid the tubes and caps may be weak, so bought a used and working Flex1500 off Ebay for a very good price. I have a 30+ year old tribander on a 45' Wilson tubular crank up that needs maintenance since it is now out of resonance when tested with a YouKits FG-01 analyzer. Most likely moisture has wicked into the coax. Still have a 200' spool of 30 year old RG213. I'm preparing to bring the antenna down for a complete rebuild. Going to put up a ZS6BKW dipole (G5RV variant) so I have at least an antenna while waiting for the tribander. Wish I still had the stamina and flexibility when the tower and tribander was first installed. Tough getting old. :-)

[@herrwabbaloo937]

Dave is right about having to tune the radio. My first all-band HF radio was the awesome TS-520SE. Dipping the plate and all that stuff... Took a while to get it right.

[@stevewuelfing6326]

The 160 meter band is a MF (Medium Frequency 300 to 3000 KHz) band, not an HF band which is from 3 to 30 MHz. Lots of hams commonly, but mistakenly refer to the 160 meter band as HF.

[@davidedwards5088]

Enjoyed the video very much. What features of my new IC718 enhance TX? No problem with RX. Thanks KE5DME

[@joeddejohn]

Very detailed. Right now camping out on UHF/VHF but maybe if I go to HF will be useful.

[@patmb2011]

. . . and more fun :)

[@joblessalex]

My first radio needed tuning finals. It's not that hard, but it is necessary or you'll blow it up.

[@johnwmacdonald994]

Hi Dave. I guess I've come along quite a ways, because there wasn't too much you talked about that I didn't have at least some idea what it was about. I thought the breakdown between essential, good-to-have, nice-to-have, etc was good. I even understood the bits about the tubes! Some guys on a net that I frequent spent some time helping me adjust my audio. I was overdriving the input without knowing it, and they got me to find a wonderful little equalizer built into the menus. Controls like that are great when you find out how to use them. I'm wondering, as a topic, if there's something that could be said about bandwidth -- for example, some of these contesters seem to have signal spilling all over the place, and I wonder if it's scatter or something else. I read that have your mic compressor too high - if you have one -- can cause noise outside the frequency you're supposed to be occupying. Anyway, thanks and 73s. Great video, once again. - KC1DIW

[@davecasler]

+John W MacDonald Some contesters and DXers try to compress their speech more to get it through the pileup better, but what they're doing is counterproductive. They've mangled their speech to the point it can't be understood. Also, if the speech amplification is too high, it can cause some radios to create splatter, which is signal outside the allotted bandwidth. This signal looks to the originator as though higher power is going out. It is, but not into the intended signal, but is being wasted on the splatter. I have my radio set up the way the manual says to, and even with speech processing turned on I get good audio reports. 73, Dave

[@dan-ignacekafwimbi6551]

great video Dave, thank you for all, so could you pease make a video on VSAT?

[@davecasler]

+dan-ignace Kafwimbi Please clarify "VSAT." Do you mean "very small aperture terminal" as used in satellite communications?

[@Bernard-John]

great video,well explained,but my question is about power supply,i have a kenwood ts 450s at,very happy with it,i ve just brought a modern ,30/35 amp swichting power supply,even though the power suppy has a built in fan the unit runs almost silent,i havent noticed any extra interference ,why do they recive so much negitive press and reviews.

[@davecasler]

Reputable ham radio manufacturers create great power supplies that don't create interference. But sometimes super-inexpensive supplies from weird manufacturers show up on eBay or Amazon. They can be cheap because they're built without proper interference suppression.

[@billtheslink4541]

Dave, I was born in 1975 and we're both getting old. I was licensed about 26 or 27 years ago now and have been inactive about 24. Getting on the air soon. My first rig, and my best one ever and I owned quite a few, was a Yaesu ft - 101 ZD. The worst I ever had was a Kenwood TS - 440 which I bought new and thought I would be so happy with. My two cents: 160 m is a fun band in the winter as long as you don't have a leaky power line or bad Transformer nearby. This is especially true with CW, or I should say it was when I was active . I would suggest an amp for single Side Band. I also would try to get something with the current capabilities for 60 m that can be modified for Mars as I think it will not be long until we have some pretty good privileges for that band. 73 N8PEF Bill

[@scoopyall2996]

I started with a swan, didn’t have enough money for anything else, when I upgraded to a new Kenwood, I never got compliments on my signal like I did on the tube type.

[@davecasler]

The Swans were very well thought of back then.

[@mo_viking7075]

SDR radio thoughts, in general and as a first radio, thx.

[@davecasler]

+mo_viking SDR radios such as Flexradio and similar have incredible capabilities. They are expensive and require the use of a computer. At this point in their evolution, I would class them as high-end. Along with all that capability comes complexity, so I don't recommend them as a first radio. But from everything I hear, they work fine. I have a small FiFi-SDR receive-only unit (definitely low end!) that I use quite a bit in making videos. Its key feature is the spectrum scope. 73, Dave, KEØOG

[@MichaelWrightHIDiver]

+David Casler I started shopping around a bit after watching this and found what I think are a couple of candidates, but I'm not very confident in my ability to determine what a good amateur radio is just yet. Would an Icom IC-718 be a good radio for someone starting out on the HF bands? I worked out at sea for many years, and all our marine radios were Icom. Those models were awesome, but I don't know about their amateur models.

[@davecasler]

The choice of an HF rig is highly personal. Icom has an excellent reputation in the ham radio world. 73

[@TheBackpackingSailor]

Hello, Dave I have a week till I take my test. I don't understand the FCC rules that much, could you go over the important one please

[@davecasler]

See www.ke0og.net/training.

[@MaxShaposhnikoff]

dear David! What can you say about ft-891 Yaesu for beginner?

[@davecasler]

It’s a nice radio and low priced. You may get a bit frustrated at first having to go into the menus for everything, but you’ll soon get used to it.

[@MaxShaposhnikoff]

@@davecasler thanks

[@JennyEverywhere]

Doesn't 30m also allow digital modes? I've done some great FT8 on 30m. The recent RTTY contest was jumping on that band. So I don't think it's quite true that 30m is "all CW". Or is this a relatively new change?

[@davecasler]

You're correct. Digital modes are fine on 30. When it was first announced after the 1979 WARC conference, it was billed as CW. Given that digital modes are almost always done in the CW portion of the band, 30 saw plenty of digital action.

[@nickkendall3764]

If has New radios and old too and there's something to be said for the beautiful audio of a tube set. I still crave it if been silent key for years and now I want to get back on hf I just need a rig I still have an atu I built and Mic external speakers and such just need to get a new hf set problem is I just can't afford it .I see lots of web sdr recivers and some even slow tx for password holders I just have no idea how to get permission to tx and the appropriate passwords .I so so miss hf if never felt so excited in my life as working 40m local or dx I really don't mind I just miss the community it's lonely when your used to the guys on hf daily and you go silent key for years .anyways I have really enjoyed your videos and would love any advice on getting back on air is even go with a single band 40m set as that's all I ever worked in genral idk if there's anything you could do to help but withers way it's been grate just hearing someone so knowledgeable talk about my passion iv missed so well it's made me watch more and more of your videos just to hear tech talk from a fellow ham .so thank you indeed the work your doing is invaluable

[@davecasler]

Thank you for your kind words! If you're a CW guy, a 40m QRP rig can be had for not very much money, and if you can string up a 40m dipole outside, you could have many great contacts. SSB really needs 100 watts, though. Each of the major Japanese manufacturers has an entry level radio that's not too expensive, or, if you feel confident about buying used, there are many rigs on Ebay and such for good prices.

[@tywilliams7780]

Dave, I liked this episode. Can you do an episode like this on antennas? There is so much information online that it is a bit overwhelming to figure out what I "need" and what is nice to have. I recently passed my general exam and I'm about to make my first "real" investment in an HF Radio. I am interested in working 40 and 20 meteres. 73 KI7EDX

[@davecasler]

Sounds like a great idea! I'll ponder the idea and see what I can come up with.

[@RationallySkeptical]

Like Ty, I'm a new general also, although I have just completed my shack. Sounds like we have similar taste in rigs - I got the FTDX5000MP with SM-5000 and a FT-991 with an Astron RS-50M for UHF. When you make the antenna video, please don't forget those of us who are real-estate-challenged. Even though I bought my first home last year, I still only had a 60'x30' area to work with for my antenna, and had to either choose between a tower which would have taken up the middle of the back yard and been a horrible eye sore, or go with a multiband flagpole vertical. I chose the latter - a ZeroFive 30' flagpole that gives me 80m to 6m, and then I put a Diamond V2000A tri-band on the roof for 2m and 70cm.

[@dalemyers9265]

i would like the know what the circuitry is in solid state amps that isn't directly associated with amplification.. what i think i'm looking at, seems to be matching networks for input and transmit. then could i not build an basic ab class solid state amplifier and tune it with a transmatch on the input and transmit sides.

[@davecasler]

+dale myers You're right, the amplifier part of the amplifier is pretty straightforward. Other circuitry protects the devices and balances the load. There's circuitry for input matching networks, plus various circuits needed to distribute power. Usually there is an ALC feedback voltage developed to send back to the transceiver acting as the exciter to keep it from overdriving the amplifier. There may also be automatic band-switching circuitry. If the amp has triode tubes, then a neutralization circuit is needed. And so on. Amps may be conceptually simple, but in practice are complex and precise. 73, Dave

[@jpintek]

Thanks for sharing. 73 kc1ero

[@davecasler]

+jpintek You're welcome!

[@billashby2156]

Dave, The “Tip” isn’t working...Just FYI

[@davecasler]

Just checked--seems to be okay. www.ke0og.net/tip-jar

[@jeromewhite2347]

I love your videos. KI6TLK

[@alainserrat3289]

Parle français..... On comprend rien

[@eknaap8800]

Vous pouvez aussi simplement apprendre l'anglais ...