What is your favorite Ham or CB Radio of all time?

[1Major Paine]

Hi! Kenwood Ts 990, more than I will ever need except, hey I'm retired. Once you retire you lose all sensation of reality! It's fun.

 

[mhawley]

My favorite is my Kenwood TS-830. It is exceptionally reliable, has great audio and most importantly to me it is serviceable because it has discrete components that are large enough to see without a microscope.

 

[AG5ND]

Icom IC-735, it was my first HF rig. Simple to operate, very reliable.

 

[Orion1160]

Hello WorldWde,
My favorite Transceiver is the ICOM 746 Pro 2. The last model of this series. My reasons:

1) The band coverage is excellent
2) The receiver is super sensitive and clean
3) The Transmitter has a 100% duty cycle
4) The Transmitter RF output is 130 Watts on SSB. 2 Meter RF output is 100 Watts.
5) The Menu structure is easy to navigate.
6) The supplied hand microphone performace is excellent.
7) It is an excellent Transceiver.
4) I have QSL's from all over the world

I am sure there are others that share my Opinion!

Best Regards!
Orion1160
W1JSL

 

[renegade109]

Hard to decide which is my favorite, Yaesu FT101EX was my first base radio and still works great, but also love my FT950, it just works.

 

[Orion1160]

Hello WorldWde,
My favorite Transceiver is the ICOM 746 Pro 2. The last model of this series. My reasons:

1) The band coverage is excellent
2) The receiver is super sensitive and clean
3) The Transmitter has a 100% duty cycle
4) The Transmitter RF output is 130 Watts on SSB. 2 Meter RF output is 100 Watts.
5) The Menu structure is easy to navigate.
6) The supplied hand microphone performace is excellent.
7) It is an excellent Transceiver.
4) I have QSL's from all over the world

I am sure there are others that share my Opinion!

Best Regards!
Orion1160

 

[Orion1160]

Hello WorldWde,
My favorite Transceiver is the ICOM 746 Pro 2. The last model of this series. My reasons:

1) The band coverage is excellent
2) The receiver is super sensitive and clean
3) The Transmitter has a 100% duty cycle
4) The Transmitter RF output is 130 Watts on SSB. 2 Meter RF output is 100 Watts.
5) The Menu structure is easy to navigate.
6) The supplied hand microphone performace is excellent.
7) It is an excellent Transceiver.
4) I have QSL's from all over the world

I am sure there are others that share my Opinion!

Best Regards!
Orion1160

 

[w9cll]

My favorite HF is the Yaesu 101ZDMKIII, favorite VHF is the ICOM 275A. As for 11 meters, that would be the Uniden Grant, excellent RX with good audio and clear SSB TX.

 

[GlocknSpiel]

Favorite CB was the good old President Washington with the uPD858 PLL. Lots of rigs had that chip back then, but the Washington "treated it right" and had a sensitive, yet discriminating front end.

My favorite ham rig for the the home is the Kenwood TS850SAT. I still have my OG 850, purchased when they first debuted (and one other with the aftermarket "CAR" unit installed). Yaesu's FT920 is a close second. I have two of also, and one is my 'daily driver'.

For mobile werk, I like the Icoms... In-particular, the IC7000 and the IC706MKIIg.
Wish I had either one in my mobile right now.

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

I have so many favorites! But I have a big soft spot for the Icom IC-735.

Built like a tank. Super-reliable. Easy to use, even for a beginner. Easily modified for all-band transmit. Pretty hard to damage with SWR foldback etc. Still pops up on e-bay and other sites from time to time at a reasonable price.
It doesn't have the world's nicest receive audio, and it's definately not a monster on AM, but it does what it does do very very well.

Back in the 90's and early 2000's it was also the go-to HF radio for all the commercial fisherman out here on the west coast of Canada; and those guys don't mess around when it comes to gear. The 735 had a very solid reputation!

I'll second the IC-735. I had one years ago and sold it when I bought an FT-857. Biggest radio mistake I ever made. That triple conversion front-end was absolutely bulletproof and the filter skirts were very tight. It was simple to operate and sounded good on the air. I wish I still had it.

 

[W3TDH]

Like the title says, what is your favorite ham or CB radio of all time (so far) and why? Please don't just give us a make/model - tell us why you like it!


P.S. If you're replying to this thread, you could win a new radio! Check this link to find out how!

You didn't say current radio so My all time favorite radio is a Hammerland HQ180AC General coverage Receiver that I used as my Novice receiver. It was paired with a Johnson Viking Ranger transmitter, Johnson Viking Matchbox antenna tuner, home brew VFO for the Ranger when that became legal. I don't remember what key I used.

(Those were the days my friend, We thought they'd never end,
We'd sing and dance for ever and a day,
We lived a life we choose-d we'd fight and never loose,
Those were the days Oh yes those were the days)

 

[VE2HEW]

I really enjoy my Kenwood TH-K20A, an underrated HT that often gets overlooked.

It has a wicked good receiver, and I've used it for AMSAT for many years.

 

[sunbulls]

In 1979 I sold my Drake TR4-C with W-4 watt meter and E-TEK FR-4TR frequency readout all for $500 dollars. I replaced it with a Ten-Tec Omni D that had a better receiver, but I still missed my TR-4C afterwards. All the Drake really needed was a quality preamp to boost sensitivity on 15 and 10 meters. I let the Drake go way too cheap and regretted it ever since.

 

[Weird Beard]

My Cobra AM/FM/TAPE/CB thats in my 74 K5 Blazer. I havent found a model number on it, but it's the greatest thing since sliced bread.

 

[TM86]

My Cobra AM/FM/TAPE/CB thats in my 74 K5 Blazer. I havent found a model number on it, but it's the greatest thing since sliced bread.

If it's 40 channels and cassette tape, it's a 50XLR. 40 channels and 8-track it's a 55XLR. 23 channels, no idea.