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New old ham radio, need advice/opinions

T

tradefederation

Member
Apr 10, 2015
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Hello All,
I still don't have my ticket but I just traded lighting gear that was collecting dust for an Icom 737 in excellent condition. I am aware of its shortcomings but am open to specific pointers. It is in perfect shape, demoed and ready for use after: I get my ticket, I get a power supply, antenna, watt meter, dummy load and some other ditties. I saw what he had but am interested in other opinions. I know my power supply will not be a cheap china noisy box. Is a $100 MFJ 30 amp an okay choice? Is a Dosy TC-4001-P watt meter well regarded. Keep in mind I am entry level and I still have so much to learn. I know an antenna is based on room and location. With my future house located in Farmtown USA, I have space for a very long dipole (4.19 acres) or a reasonably priced tower mount being that my house has a 20 foot tower. Before yesterday I was just a mild daydreamer now I own a decent first radio with no money spent-yet.
Thanks
Dave
 
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For your power supply: http://www.12voltpowersupplies.us/
I have nothing but Megawatt power supplies on my test/repair bench. I have admittedly abused them using them for electrolysis and electroplating with great success and there has been no degradation in performance. Get the 50 amp model.
For a really good antenna http://www.ebay.com/itm/HF-End-Fed-...841457?hash=item3d188c1ff1:g:Sb8AAOSwstxU9kSi
I use the QSO-King version of this antenna, Had this one been around I would have bought it as well.
 
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As far as antenna, if you already have CB antenna, that will work well on 10 meter, with the tuner. Then when you upgrade to general you can put up something for more bands.
If you are using an A99 on 11 now, you have 10,15, and 17 covered already.
 
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Dave: get that ticket!...
The 737... I know an op who uses that radio on a Daily basis
( We chat on 75m almost Daily)...some time back he purchased a NIB IC-718/DSP model...
The 737 still on the bench...He swears the RX is better and I can tell you the TX Audio buries the IC-718....
So new does not always mean better...
Sure can't beat the Price....
Google...All Band Doublet...or Fan Dipole...hard to beat either and easy to build/Cheap and easy Install... And Preform well! (With a few handy trees :) ) or fence poles etc...
All the Best
Gary
 
BJ radionut said:
Dave: get that ticket!...
The 737... I know an op who uses that radio on a Daily basis
( We chat on 75m almost Daily)...some time back he purchased a NIB IC-718/DSP model...
The 737 still on the bench...He swears the RX is better and I can tell you the TX Audio buries the IC-718....
So new does not always mean better...
Sure can't beat the Price....
Google...All Band Doublet...or Fan Dipole...hard to beat either and easy to build/Cheap and easy Install... And Preform well! (With a few handy trees :) ) or fence poles etc...
All the Best
Gary
Click to expand...
Ya, the all band doublet is the way to go. Just cut a 1/2 wave dipole for the lowest band that will fit your place, feed it with 300 or 450 twin lead to that tuner I posted and play. I have one for 75/80 meter, and made contacts from 160-6 meter.
 
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I bought a Ft 450d new about a year ago now, which was recommended for me since I was just getting started out myself, and used it with a Imax 2k on 10m for a few months until I up graded to a general ticket...1st antenna I built was a 40m dipole, and it did really well......now I run a G5RV dipole, up 32' not the idea antenna for my location, but it does work.....also use a Imax 2k for 10-17m bands....

When you get the up grade to a general you will love the dx on the bands, its sweet working the dx all over the world on a piece of wire and a 100 watts or so, sometimes you don't need that much...

I'm also running a Megawatt 30 amp PS here and have the 450d hooked to it, and the auto tuner as well, and theres no noise or anything that affects the sound of the radio, this PS is a nice one for 65 bucks shipped to your door, can't go wrong with it...
 
tradefederation said:
Hello All,
I still don't have my ticket but I just traded lighting gear that was collecting dust for an Icom 737 in excellent condition. I am aware of its shortcomings but am open to specific pointers. It is in perfect shape, demoed and ready for use after: I get my ticket, I get a power supply, antenna, watt meter, dummy load and some other ditties. I saw what he had but am interested in other opinions. I know my power supply will not be a cheap china noisy box. Is a $100 MFJ 30 amp an okay choice? Is a Dosy TC-4001-P watt meter well regarded. Keep in mind I am entry level and I still have so much to learn. I know an antenna is based on room and location. With my future house located in Farmtown USA, I have space for a very long dipole (4.19 acres) or a reasonably priced tower mount being that my house has a 20 foot tower. Before yesterday I was just a mild daydreamer now I own a decent first radio with no money spent-yet.
Thanks
Dave
Click to expand...
Forget about Dosey. Get yourself a Dawia. It's a true pep reading meter.
Which means it has as, any true pep reading meter an internal power supply.
The only thing the power applied to a Dosey does is light the bulbs to illuminate the metters. At about $125 your going to get an accurate meter. Make sure you choose the one that's going to cover the bands that you will be using. I'm fairly sure there's one that covers 1.8 through 30 megahertz. Good luck. 73
 
I'm not really sure if you are asking for advice or just telling us what you are going to do - since you already went out and did it.
Forget the CB radio stuff - buy quality equipment.
Stay away from the MFJ - Mighty Fine Junk, equipment, they will only give you problems in the long run.
Stay away from the cheap switch mode power supplies, ASTRON RS 35M is what most people i know has in their shack.
Most Amateur Radio related gear has a duty cycle of about 50%.
A 100 watt transceiver will draw as much as 22 amps of power.
A RS 35M will put out about 18 watts continuous, or 30 watts - at least some of the time. Figure a dual band mobile on stand by, along with some lights in the display of your power watt meter, and you quickly run to the limit of the 35 amp power supply.
While the 30 amp may sound like alot, there is no headroom for anything more than your one transceiver in your radio shack.
Look for a good antenna tuner, even better yet, buy one of these - http://www.hypowerantenna.com/products/off-center-fed-antenna, full legal limit power on most bands - without an antenna tuner.. For a power meter, other than a BIRD, I would probably use a Daiwa. 2000 watts the whole way to 200 MHz.. http://www.gigaparts.com/Product-Li...Fy8nI0cr33QwDEz10ZCz2yRIJaJWLxE5YYaAvMR8P8HAQ Invest heavily in good low loss coax..
 
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w9cll said:
Wow this guy is whacked on prices. I could build one for 1/4 what he is charging. Build your own antenna, its easy, cheap, you learn something and if it breaks you know how to fix it.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Before I would buy ANY wire antenna, especially the hypower units at the outrageous prices, I would install a doublet fed with ladder line. Oh wait......I did that while waiting to populate the tower with antennas. :D A simple doublet (dipole) about 53 feet on each side fed with 450 ohm ladder line and a decent tuner with a balun is good for all bands from 80m to 6m. Work the world on all bands with a $10 antenna if you need to buy the wire.

As for MFJ it seems to be hit or miss. There are those that crucify MFJ without ever having bought a product and simply parrot others. There are peopl who swear by MFJ for making products cheaper than anyone else and often products made ONLY by MFJ. Then there is the middle of the roaders like me. I have issues with some of KFJ's quality especially when it comes to changing out hardware for cheaper crap on their antennas (Cushcraft and Hygain). MFJ has beefed up their quality control in the past several years and the instances of missing or loose screws or unsoldered joints has dropped dramatically.Having said all that I would not buy a meter from them simply because you can get better for the same amount or maybe slightly more. Diawa is great. I own a couple. Diamond is very good as well. I own the Diamond SX-1000 but it is only good for 200 watts but works on all bands from 160m to 1.2 GHz.
 
Soup-man said:
I'm not really sure if you are asking for advice or just telling us what you are going to do - since you already went out and did it.
Forget the CB radio stuff - buy quality equipment.
Stay away from the MFJ - Mighty Fine Junk, equipment, they will only give you problems in the long run.
Stay away from the cheap switch mode power supplies, ASTRON RS 35M is what most people i know has in their shack.
Most Amateur Radio related gear has a duty cycle of about 50%.
A 100 watt transceiver will draw as much as 22 amps of power.
A RS 35M will put out about 18 watts continuous, or 30 watts - at least some of the time. Figure a dual band mobile on stand by, along with some lights in the display of your power watt meter, and you quickly run to the limit of the 35 amp power supply.
While the 30 amp may sound like alot, there is no headroom for anything more than your one transceiver in your radio shack.
Look for a good antenna tuner, even better yet, buy one of these - http://www.hypowerantenna.com/products/off-center-fed-antenna, full legal limit power on most bands - without an antenna tuner.. For a power meter, other than a BIRD, I would probably use a Daiwa. 2000 watts the whole way to 200 MHz.. http://www.gigaparts.com/Product-Li...Fy8nI0cr33QwDEz10ZCz2yRIJaJWLxE5YYaAvMR8P8HAQ Invest heavily in good low loss coax..
Click to expand...
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/5691
Stay away, Looks Chinese. Nothing wrong with a MFJ-949, meter,tuner, and antenna switch all in one.
 
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