First HF rig advice

[W4LKR]

I'm new to ham radio and looking to buy a modest HF base unit for DXing. Just curious if anyone has any advice or feedback if I'm choosing between two used Kenwood units on ebay:

TS-690S and TS-450S

Both have many 5/5 reviews on Eham. In fact, that's true for a lot of the models I've found on ebay. With so many positive reviews on so man models I get the feeling a lot of hams out there buy a radio and it does what they want it to do for years so they give 5/5. Hopefully that will be my experience too.

Please feel free to suggest something else, those are just the two models that jumped out at me for being in really good condition and more recent than many I've seen on ebay. There's a lot of late 1970's Kenwoods and Yaesu's on ebay found in estate sales or "I'm selling this for a friend who's husband died". I'm sure there are some great deals to be had but I'm wary of buying from a seller who really has no idea of the unit still RX and TX. All they know is a few lights come on, you know?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Mudfoot]

Both of those rigs are nice, but they are getting old. What's your budget? Might be a few more modern rigs that would make a better investment.

You kinda got to keep an open mind when referring to Eham reviews, they tend to be skewed.

 

[W4LKR]

I was hoping to stay under $1,000 for radio + antenna + cabling. I already have power supply.

I'm open to a newer radio its just so overwhelming at the beginner level. I noticed this radio early on for being one of the most affordable brand new radios available right now, but again I'm coming from a total lack of experience.

Icom....Yaesu....Kenwood.....ehhh ?

I hear nothing but rave reviews about Ten-Tec but I think they're beyond my reach right now.

 

[Mudfoot]

There are so many options.

Here's a decent little rig that's NEW and cheap. I'm sure you will get many other ideas for good used rigs.

Alinco DX-SR8T Alinco DX-SR8 Transceiver

 

[KM3F]

Im' sure you already know you can only use these radios on 10 meters between 28.300 and 28.500 SSB, and on 6 meters for SSB, FM and AM phone with a tech ticket besides the CW portions of 80, 40, 15 and 10 meters until you upgrade to General class..
The Kenwood TS 480 is one of the best performers vs the cost you can get in a late model radio.
Good luck.

 

[vagrant]

If your antenna isn't tuned, you'll need a tuner as well. Add that to the cost, or pickup a vertical that's pre tuned to keep the SWR low, but I would presume you're going to have a loss with one of those compromise antennas.
- Jetstream JTV680 (I would choose this over the Diamond)
- Diamond BB7V

I forgot about those Icom and Alinco radios. I recommend, and use, a Kenwood 480SAT with the built-in tuner, but you're trying to keep the price down.

 

[wavrider]

I was hoping to stay under $1,000 for radio + antenna + cabling. I already have power supply.

I'm open to a newer radio its just so overwhelming at the beginner level. I noticed this radio early on for being one of the most affordable brand new radios available right now, but again I'm coming from a total lack of experience.

Icom....Yaesu....Kenwood.....ehhh ?

I hear nothing but rave reviews about Ten-Tec but I think they're beyond my reach right now.

Antenna is 95% of your station.

Think biggest percentage of cost should go to the antenna/tower/rotor etc.etc.

If DX is all you are wanting to work then a vertical is nice, good dx antenna and not to expensive. Just depends on what you want to do.

Research, study and become familier with radio wave propogations.

The rig itself is not the biggest part of your station. Unless of course you just want to say you have an Kenwood 7000 or Yaesu 9000 something or another and feel lke you are bragging about how much is spent on the rig.

Simple starter rig is one which has a notch filter, one you can work split on for DX, nice recieiver.

If you are a SWL you may want a full HF coverage receiver also,

The rig really does not matter, I have worked as much DX on my $50.00 TS-120 as I have the FT-1000MP. The antenna is the important part of any station.

 

[n8fgb]

You can find the FT 450 used for for 6-800 bucks. It has hf and 6 meter, so u have 2 bands right off. Yo can use a MFJ 949 for a tuner, and put a 80 meter wire dipole fed with 300 or 450 ohm twin lead to the tuner. That will give you 75-6 meter. All for under 1000.
Rich

 

[W4LKR]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I'm sitting for the General exam very soon in case anyone was concerned.

I came across the TS-480SAT and its by far my favorite mobile HF of those I've seen. I've given some serious thought to splurging for this radio. It would be a stretch for me but I know I wouldn't be disappointed.

 

[W4LKR]

You can find the FT 450 used for for 6-800 bucks. It has hf and 6 meter, so u have 2 bands right off. Yo can use a MFJ 949 for a tuner, and put a 80 meter wire dipole fed with 300 or 450 ohm twin lead to the tuner. That will give you 75-6 meter. All for under 1000.
Rich

Thanks, I do have enough room in my backyard to string up a dipole for 80 meters and I assumed it would be fairly inexpensive. Why twin lead instead of coax?

 

[W4LKR]

I realize this is the question I probably should have asked:

In your experience, what features are must-haves for a beginner to get started DXing? Which filter(s) do you use the most and which one(s) do you consider a must-have, or would have killed your fun if you didn't have them?

This would help me zero in on a rig, be it new or used. Thanks again for your help.

 

[n8fgb]

Thanks, I do have enough room in my backyard to string up a dipole for 80 meters and I assumed it would be fairly inexpensive. Why twin lead instead of coax?

Twin lead will allow you tune multibands from the same antenna. You also do not have the losses that u do from coax. If you have the room to go with a 160 dipole, then you will have everything to 6 meter covered. If you can only go an 80 meter dipole, then if you run a 125 ft counterpoise, you can connect both leads of the feed line to the single wire ant connecter, and tune 160.
Rich

 

[n8fgb]

I was looking at your location online.I see no powerlines or antennas anywhere in your neighborhood. I hope you own some of the woods behind your home. You might have to sneek out there afterdark and string some wire.
Rich

 

[W4LKR]

I was looking at your location online.I see no powerlines or antennas anywhere in your neighborhood. I hope you own some of the woods behind your home. You might have to sneek out there afterdark and string some wire.
Rich

That's right, no powerlines running through the neighborhood. Unfortunately I do not own the woods behind my house. It's a huge nature preserve owned by the county. I'd be in big trouble if I strung wires back there.

Update on my dipole situation - my eyeballing the available space was way off. I had hopes a 80m dipole would be possible but I've only got room for a 40m dipole and it would be a goofy one at that. Instead I'm considering a vertical like this stuck in the ground in my backyard. I have a small oak tree about halfway between my house and the preserve fence. If I stick the vertical in the ground between the tree trunk and the fence it will be invisible from almost every angle except from the southeast looking northwest. Even at that angle you'd have to be looking for it to notice I think. I could paint it olive green to help it be less noticeable. How bad of an idea is this really? Will the trees and the fact that its base is at ground level be a major negative impact on performance?

 

[n8fgb]

Ground mounted verticals can work quite well.but you will need ground radials in the grass. I do not see enough room, but you can try and just make them as many, and long as possible.
Rich