SSB 2m & 70cm

[VK4HJI]

I currently have an Alinco Dx-70th HF & 6m all mode & only able to operate 2m & 70cm on FM.

I'm interested in SSB operation on 2m & 70cm.

What would be the better choice and most cost effective in the long run ...
Should I buy outright or buy transverter kits for 2m & 70cm, or buy a radio that already has that capability built in.
Or take a carton or Carona beer with me and make friends with a ham buddy close by and just use their equipment?



Suggestions?

Thanks VK4HJI

[VK3DXE]

Really depends on whether you want: portability, complexity of the system, outright performance, how much you want to spend, what is your RF environment like? etc., etc.

Probably the first question should be about your budget.

How much power do you plan to run?

IC-7000 is an excellent "starter" rig for 2m/70cm. You could also pick up an older IC706MkIIG for a reasonable price and have plenty of fun with that. OR you could pick up dedicated boxes for each of the bands.

IC-910H is another option. Cheaper for the 2 bands than buying comparable dedicated boxes, but the reciever won't handle strong local signals as well as some of the older radios.

IC-275H is an excellent 2m box. Plenty of power for semi-serious operation. I've seen them go for around $700-800.

Some of the Kenwoods are a decent proposition too.

[VK3BJM]

G'day Jevon.

I'd suggest that, for someone wanting to "dip their toes in the water" with 2/70 SSB, the transverter option is probably not the best. Well, particularly if you are looking at getting one new. The current ones available like Kuhne/DB6NT and Elecraft will be brilliant, but not cheap. Perhaps you might find something secondhand, but from what I've seen they're even rarer than commercial multi-mode 2 & 70 rigs. You could be waiting a long time.

If you're looking for new stuff, I think your cheapest option is the FT817ND. It is low powered, but you can always build/buy/add amplifiers. It has the benefit that, should the bug bite and you start getting involved in microwave stuff, you can use it as a driver for microwave transverters!

The other new stuff, like Icom IC-9100 and whatever else they have, Kenwood TS-2000 and Yaesu FT857/897 will give you bigger, more powerful rigs - but with a bigger price, of course! That upgrade -and investment - might be better for when you're sure 2/70 SSB is what you want to emmerse yourself more deeply in.

Some find the lack a of depreciation on the prices of secondhand 2/70 m multi-mode either daunting or annoying. But keeping your eyes peeled for an old IC275/271, or the FT290/FT726/FT736 on VK-Ham, or the classifieds in AR, or... eBay? would be a good idea. Getting in early to your local hamfests would increase your chances of picking up a bargain.

I'd suggest that getting something that has 2m SSB only in it, if one becomes available, is probably a better option than passing on it in the hope that something secondhand with both 2 & 70 might come up eventually. There is more activity on 2 by a long way; and, again, if the bug bites, having completely separate 2 & 70 rigs can very handy - compared to switching between bands on a single multi-band rig. You can add a 70 cm rig later.

Good hunting!

73,
Barry
VK3BJM

[VK3BQ]

or an older ic-706mk2G.

they are sub $1000 on the second hand market, and perform well on hf/6m as well.. what alan says, if only I stopped speed reading and concentrated on what he said.

im using a 706mk2G, and have for a long time.

when the conditions are in, it works well.

[VK3BJM]

True - I neglected the IC-706 - which is funny, since I've used a MkIIG in my Land Rover for just over ten years now... Yes, it's been a fine work-horse through a lot of mobile and portable activity. And corrugated roads. Though it'll probably never speak to me again after this episode!

If you can find one at the right price -

73,
Barry
VK3BJM

[VK2AAH]

Hi Justin,

I'm just in the process of organising antennas for 2 & 70cm. How would the IC7000 compare to the older single band radios? I started with an FT290R on 2m SSB and they had a lousy receiver that was only improved with the after market upgrade modification. At that stage I had a Microwave Modules MML-100L (I think) which needed 3W in for 100W drive, which combined with a 15 element home brew yagi seemed OK but was never competitive with the "big guns". Has the provision of DSP based radios such as the IC7000 improved the receive performance possible? Any disadvantages?

Cheers,


Richard

[VK3DXE]

Richard,

DSP makes a huge difference if you live in an area with a lot of noise. But it's not going to magically pull weak signals out of a quiet band. For my QTH, I simply coudln't hear half of what I do here with out DSP.

Here's a link to some relative measurements of reciever performance for some of the more popular rigs about:

http://www.df9ic.de/tech/trxtest/trxtest.html

A bit of an eye-opener as far as some of them go.

[VK4HJI]

Hi guys,

Thank you for the information above.
I've had a good think about what woud suit me best.

Prefer to buy new with warranty, less likely to be DOA.
Most second hand equipment I have brought has had issues of somekind.

A base radio all mode & all bands (23cm option) with or without a built in power supply, preferably with out fans.
Be happy to spend up to $2500 for a new radio.

Am I asking or expecting too much?

Or would I be better off with a HF base radio and a tri-band mobile or a 6m mono bander and dual band for 2/70?




Thanks VK4HJI

[VK1MA]

Hi guys,

Thank you for the information above.
I've had a good think about what woud suit me best.

Prefer to buy new with warranty, less likely to be DOA.
Most second hand equipment I have brought has had issues of somekind.

A base radio all mode & all bands (23cm option) with or without a built in power supply, preferably with out fans.
Be happy to spend up to $2500 for a new radio.

Am I asking or expecting too much?

Or would I be better off with a HF base radio and a tri-band mobile or a 6m mono bander and dual band for 2/70?


Thanks VK4HJI

All bands to me means there will be some compromise in some area of its performance. For example, my FT847 is a very nice performing radio on VHF and UHF, but average on HF (my perceptions/experience only). My suggestion is to get the best performing radio you can afford for HF and a second one for VHF/UHF - the added benefit is that you can leave the VHF/UHF radio listening whilst playing HF - or vice versa.


Matt
VK1MA