What is your favourite 6mtr radio and why?

[VK4ABW]

1st is the IC756 pro 3. The spectrum display is a useful tool for finding signals and the receiver is on a par with the FT650. Versatile scanning features for VFO, memory and selectable band edge work well. Audio is good and the TX audio can be tailored. Puts out the quoted 100watts. 2 receivers is a treat and cover 48mhz and 50mhz at the same time (but only in the same mode). 100 memories easily filled.
2nd is the FT650. The receiver in this radio is the receiver to compare all other's against. Although a 'dated' radio, it still rates very high on my list. Scanning features are versatile and work well. The squelch is precise and the audio is not far behind the IC756. A good selection of in-built filters for all modes too. The NB needs to be modified if PLI is a problem in your area as factory standard does nothing. Never has put out the quoted 100 watts. 95 watts for the last 15 years. Very easy radio to service. 100 memories which you will fill.
3rd is the original IC756. Again a nice spectrum display but not as 'goochy' or refined as the pro 3. Has a good variety of scanning features, selectable filters and 100 memories to fill. Problematic display since new in 1999, which has just been replaced with a pro III display (around $900). 100 watts but has now dropped to 87 watts after 8 years of operation.
4th is the FT736R. Another 'dated' radio which the receiver is hard to quantify but seems to work quite well when no PLI is present. Although quoted as 10watts out, mine has consistently put out 13watts since 1989 (since new). 100 memories easily filled and when the programming mod is done, will receive down to 48mhz. Audio is above average on TX/RX. 2 faults in 18 years of operation.
5th is the FT847. A good 'all rounder' but fails in the scanning/audio departments. Covers the necessary spectrum from 30mhz upwards and scans very quickly. The squelch is not user friendly and neither is the volume control despite doing the mods to rectify this. Pre amp on 6mtrs gives a guarranteed S9 but in reality over exagerates the signal. Tuning to a quiet part of the spectrum still has it bouncing around S3. 100 watts out reliably for the last 7 years. Needs more than 84 memories.
6th is the VX5000. Although its a receiver only, it has a few nice tricks up its sleeve. 2 receivers which work within +/- 20mhz of each other, a barrage of scanning features and display tricks and all mode too. Optional DSP works well but is not user friendly. The spectrum display is a gem and is great for monitoring up to 10mhz at a time eg: 30 - 40, etc. The display also has a few other tricks which is handy for watching large chunks of spectrum or up to 50 spot frequencies at once. Sensitivity is down but still quite acceptable for a broadband unit. A gazzillion memories which you will never fill.
7th Last and least is the FT767GXII. I've got 2 of them on my bench and no boat to attach them too. Audio on tx/rx is below par. Scanning the 10 memories is very slow and the receiver is questionable regarding sensitivity. The best part of this radio is the NB as it actually works well. Still puts out 10 watts after 16 years.

I have compared old radio's with old and new with new, feature for feature and audio characterics, etc and allowed for a progression of technology but the IC756 pro 3 still wins in my books. The FT650 is a very close 2nd.

[VK5PJ]

I guess being an ICOM slave,
I have to say my favourite is still the humble IC 575. Yes I know its ancient and has its fair share of quirks but the ability to RX and TX continuously from below 28 MHz all the way through to 55 MHz puts it up there for me. (Ask steve 3OT about the many nites spend chasing the MUF using my 575 and a home made 28-55 MHz LPY) While I use my IC 736 most of the time these days for on air contacts, I can not bare to part with my IC 575A, it just does everything a good dedicated 6mx radio should and at a fair price. ( I can not justify a > $3,000 radio for 6mx operation ). I am not sure if any of the modern crop of HF & 6mx radios can handle a standard 1MHz repeater offset without lots of knob twiddling and using both VFO's.. the 575 does that and much more in a breeze.... why is a repeater offset so important... well thats a story I can not tell you in this medium... catch me in person one day and ask about the repeaters out in S.E asia

[VK4GHZ]

I like the way manufacturers have been fitting HF to 6M radios in the last 20 years or so.

Without doubt, the Icom IC-756.
I have the original, but I would expect the MkII and MkIII models perform even better.
Wide RX coverage, unlike the FT-920 (bad mistake there Mr Yaesu!), and twin RX all essential.
As Gary mentions, 100 memories is insufficient though, once you load in early warnings, beacons, repeaters, and channelise the subband for easy QSY.
On a sour note, the LCD (manufactured by Sharp) was a disaster. After several years, lines would appear across the screen, and with age, even more lines appear. I'm glad I purchased a brand new spare when they were available.

Once you have operated a rig with a spectrum display (and I don't mean the toy spectrum displays found in an IC-706, or FT-100 etc) then, it's pretty hard going back to rig that does not have this feature. I feel totally blind, not being able to "see" what is going on.

The IC-736 had a smooth receiver, whilst the IC-575 was very harsh, and difficult to listen to.

Going back a bit further, the TS-680... hmmm that was a budget priced HF/6 rig with ordinary performance.
In addition to the 756, I also have an FT-847, and that is a budget rig too.

Now the Kenwood TS-660 (circa early-mid 80's), that was a fun box!
The most annoying thing about it was blowing finals, and the 2SC1971 and 2SC1972's were hard to get and not cheap.

In a few years time, when Cycle 24 is picking up, and F2 opportunities start appearing, lets hope the manufacturers have included digital voice modes as standard. It's a bit like the early days of DSP. Who remembers the Timewave DSP9? An external DSP audio filter box... now DSP is fitted as standard.

Can't see much point in upgrading the 6M box until, hmmm... 2010 maybe.

[VK4BKP]

I started out with a TS660. Just using an IC706 now but a real spectrum scope would be handy. Also use an IC-R7000 RX.

[VK4ABW]

yes Adam...i do remember the Timewave DSP +9 and for the life of me....can't remember where i hid it. Probably well and truly buried in a dark cupboard.

But, as technology goes and the way manufacturers work i would almost put money on an 'external digital voice box' for amateur radio. And....there is no reason why current radio audio can't be piped into a pc and decoded as Digital audio, just like psk, jt, fsk, ecetera. It will be just another updated 'mode' and will probably end up like JT65 on 6 mtrs....no 2 countries will agree on where it can be used on 6m.

Bet you they are working on it already -----------IC756 pro 4 ?????

[VK2JDS]

well i started out on 6 with a converted MR10 fm valve carphone. worked all states on 52.525.
That was 1978, after several fm rigs and an early icom hf/6m set the best i have owned is the new icom 746pro.
Its great, spectrum scope shows the beacons when the band is wide open, inbuilt atu for working up on the 52 end to make the 5 element load up etc. the noise blanker works as does the dsp and the display is nice and big so its easy to see. one of the best features i use constantly is the ability to have 3 frequencies stacked under the band button , just press and instant qsy to check the north qld beacon then press again for 50.11 , press again for 50.15 etc. 46.172 is stacked in the gen button to the left of the 50 megs band button. its a pleasure to work dx with.
73

[VK4BKP]

Wish I had a noise blanker that worked. I get S9 powerline noise on 6m when it's windy and the NB on the 706 is useless...

[VK4GHZ]

Wish I had a noise blanker that worked. I get S9 powerline noise on 6m when it's windy and the NB on the 706 is useless...

Kevin, have you considered one of those ANC-4 Noise cancellers made by JPS?
Providing there is only one source of noise, they are quite effective against powerline type noise.

[VK2KRR]

My fav 6m rig is a Icom IC-746 PRO. Works really well. Its my favourite cause its the only radio I have with 6m, its got a lot of features.

[VK4BKP]

Thanks Adam, I shall look into one of those.

[VK4APN]

My old Icom IC-736 is still my favourite radio for 6m. I have the optional cw filters (2) - makes listening for weak beacons a pleasure. The RX/TX audio are both very good, nice big clear display, inbuilt atu & psu (pa is run at 28volts). Noise blanker is only let down - I have significant electrical noise on this band and the NB is hit and miss. I have an original JPS ANC-4 which kills the noise completely 99.9% of the time - you do have to get the hang of using it tho. Timewave have taken over JPS and it is still a current product.

[VK3SIX]

Without a doubt the TS670 Kenwood Circa 1987 with internally fitted WB6NMT U309 LUNAR pre-amp.
With its VFO and zero phase noise the input was a staggering minus 127 dBM preamp on for 12dB SINAD. This was measured at CSIRO by VK3ATQ who was a born again skeptic after he tested the rig to see why I heard stuff so deep in the noise without DSP.
Fed with RG10FB and the 11 el M2 this combination permitted the first two way eme 6M contacts and the first VK0 antarctic qso not to mention all of the cycle 22 1989-1991 EU DX contacts from 38 South.
The rig was simple with only 30 memories, did not suffer cross mod and had a noise blanker that you only dream about.
It had a CW filter of 500 hz but that made the listening for CW in the noise perfectly pitched.
The Noise Blanker in it was the Drake SPR4 design and It killed all line noise and permitted eme qso's beaming at a 22KV line 150 feet away.
Using this rig I missed the world eme record only due to moonset and have tapes of VE3ONT on 50.053 at 539 CW off the moon in 1995.
The rig was used to set all the VK3 distance records during Cycle 23 including long path to 9Q5 and LU7.
It could hear stuff undetectable on the TS680S I bought and discarded in favour of the 670.
The only reason I dont have it is it got zapped by static one day and the front end is dead.

The FT650 with no line noise and pre-amp on can emulate the 2dB NF of the TS670, which equals this performance but does not better it.
Once the line noise comes the FT650 goes pear shaped.


Joel VK9LG 9el to 9el using a TS680 and TS670 worked scatter every day during March April 1990.
VK2QF and I could work TS670 to TS570 by extended g/w scatter from Mudgee to Hamilton any time we cared to day or night.
I heard Adelaide beacon VK5VF all the time at 220 NM 450km on this rig as well as VK7 Launceston.
I could work anyone in Adelaide Canberra or Melbourne at my will.
I could work any station on the east coast VK2 region by morning M/S and
VK3ANP in Tallangatta at 220 nM 450Km in the mountains near Albury.


I am just reminded how I used to enjoy using that radio whereas these days I hear line noise after turn on, tune in and throw up.

With the lastest rigs I have not worked any further and managed only to re-work everyone in Europe I heard on the 670 in 1989 with a FT650/ 690 in 2002.

[VK6SIX]

kenwood ts680s.... best noise blanker ever

cheers graham

[VK4TU]

Well I'm still using my FT650. A capacitor in the PA exploded a while back but that's the only time that it's needed some TLC, was very worried for a while that it was the PA itself. It does suffer from passthrough of the 13MHz I.F. when monitoring out of band and I'd love to have a 2nd receiver to run and s&p at the same time, although that was in GJ, not sure whether I'd use it much here. I'd like to hook a DSP inline and put the CW filter in, maybe swap the roofing filter for something narrower (I'm not using FM often enough to warrant 12KHz). Of course it's all built on plug in daughterboards so that should make it easy to mod once I pluck up the courage.
I reckon the ultimate would probably be the FT-1000MP5 with matching transverter. Anyone actually used one?
2nd thoughts.. How about the Omni VII - cos if you're not in front of the rig you can't work them, and this you can remote from work?
or the Elecraft K3 with it's famous performance now on 6m,
or an SDR with bandscope and DSP. So much choice, so little money.....

[vk3six]

By Yaesu 1998:
FTV1000:
Converts effectively an FT1000 MP HF DXers radio with all the bells and whistles of working weak dx
into a very effective weak signal 6M radio by doing the following.
Display converts to 50 megs with dual receivers:
High intercept design using four 310 J fets in the front end of a double balanced mixer at 28 meg IF.

6M:
Preamp 1 is J Fet 310 quad with high dynamic range.
Preamp 2 is in cascade and has extremely low noise figure using p/p 2016 GASFETS.
Mixer 4 j fet 310's double balanced.
Claimed sensitivity preamps on is better than minus 140dbm.
N0 <1.2 db.


TX: BLF145 MOSFET into 2 BLF147 FETS at 30VDC can be CLASS A if desired.:

Cost even second hand not for the faint hearted.
You could buy a whole rig for the price.

ARRL REVIEW

Table 2
Yaesu FTV-1000, serial number 10040047
Manufacturer’s Claimed Specifications Measured in the ARRL Lab
Frequency coverage: Receive and transmit, Receive, 35-54 MHz; transmit, as specified.
50-54 MHz.
Power requirement: Receive, 0.5 A, 13.8 V dc; As specified.
transmit, 14.5 A, 30 V dc and 0.5 A, 13.8 V dc
(200 W output).
Receiver Receiver Dynamic Testing
SSB/CW sensitivity: n/a. Noise floor (MDS), 500-Hz filter:1
Preamp off Preamp one Preamp two
50 MHz –127 dBm –136 dBm –141 dBm
AM sensitivity, 10 dB S/N: n/a. 10 dB (S+N)/N, 1-kHz tone, 30% modulation:1
Preamp off Preamp one Preamp two
53 MHz 1.95 μV 1.02 μV 0.56 μV
FM sensitivity, 12 dB SINAD: 1.8-30 MHz, <0.5 μV. For 12 dB SINAD:1
Preamp off Preamp one Preamp two
52 MHz 0.69 μV 0.35 μV 0.19 μV
Blocking dynamic range: Not specified. Blocking dynamic range, 500-Hz filter:1
Preamp off Preamp one Preamp two
50 MHz 125 dB 123 dB 118 dB
Two-tone, third-order IMD dynamic range: Two-tone, third-order IMD dynamic range, 500-Hz filter:1
Not specified. Preamp off Preamp one Preamp two
50 MHz 85 dB 84 dB 81 dB
Third-order intercept: Not specified. Preamp off Preamp one Preamp two
50 MHz +6.2 dBm –6.1 dBm –15.7 dBm
FM adjacent channel rejection: Not specified. 20 kHz channel spacing, both preamps on: 52 MHz, 80 dB.
FM two-tone, third-order IMD dynamic range: 20 kHz channel spacing, both preamps on: 52 MHz, 62 dB.
Not specified.
IF and image rejection: n/a. First IF rejection, 79 dB; image rejection, 142 dB.
Transmitter Transmitter Dynamic Testing
Power output: 200 W. CW, SSB, FM, typically 180 W high, < 1 W low.
Spurious-signal and harmonic suppression: 60 dB. 64 dB. Meets FCC requirements for spectral purity.
SSB carrier suppression: n/a >75 dB.
Undesired sideband suppression: n/a >80 dB.
Third-order intermodulation distortion (IMD) products: n/a. See Figures 6 and 7.
Composite transmitted noise: Not specified. See Figure 8.
Size (HWD): 5.4×9.6×13 inches; weight, 16.5 pounds.
Note: Unless otherwise noted, all dynamic range measurements are taken at the ARRL Lab standard spacing of 20 kHz.
Third-order intercept points were determined using S5 reference.
1Tested with MARK-V FT-1000MP.

[VK6OX]

It's been 18 months since the last post on this subject and as there appears to be some renewed interest in 6m as we approach cycle 24 I've decided to bump this post, with some personal observations.

Back in '78 I had a TV506 to match my 520S - I wked ~2000 JAs in 78-79 before working my 1st "long distance" VK! (I don't count VK6ZCC Colin as he was located about 200m from me!!). Back then I was somewhat of a tyro, and didn't appreciate/understand the finer points of small-signal wking.

Anyway, in late '79 I acquired an FT680R and that, coupled with a Lunar (Anglelinear) PA50 preamp enabled me to work 10 DXCC (yep, a whole TEN) countries, culminating in the (arguably) first VK6-G crossband (me on 52.005, 3 G stations on 28.885) contact the following year. Of course this has no relevance for the receive performance of the FT680R/PA50 combo but I thought I'd mention it anyway!!

I left north-west WA in 1981 and set up in northern VK2 and by this time had a acquired a TS600. With this rig I wked several W stations amongst other stuff, before returning to VK6 in '82. Remained QRT until 2 yrs ago.

I now have a TS2K and have added another 3 DXCC countries from Perth.

So how do I rate the rigs I've owned? Pretty easy really...the TV506, FT680R and TS600 were OK, but certainly not a patch receive-wise on some of the rigs mentioned in previous posts. Not to mention the lack of memories, bandscope, dual rx etc. etc.

The TS2000 has done a FB job for me to date, but agn probably does not cut it with "late model" rigs with more facilities along with a much higher price! Serious operations as cycle 24 gets serious will tell the story I suppose...nonetheless I look fwd to that time, as do we all!

As a final remark, has anyone used a Kenwood TS60s? Reports I've read seem to suggest that this rig (as expensive as a fully fledged HF rig when it was released) had a "hot" receiver. Altho' touted as a mobile, I think this rig, notwithstanding its age, would make a very nice backup to the main unit in shacks.

Cheers
Andy

[VK4XA]

I am an ex owner of an FT847.
As a 6M radio it was pretty damned good, now I have a better 6M radio.
An Elecraft K3 fitted with the internal 2M transvertor and most of the other options. (Everything but the second receiver)
It's 6M performance was measured by the ARRL at -135db with the internal pre-amp on.
I also have the Elecraft PR6 external pre-amp too.
I am anticipating some seriously good performance on 6M. (As well as all the HF bands and 2M!)
The review is here: http://www.elecraft.com/K3/K3%20QST%20p ... ev%201.pdf

Enjoy!

[VK4ABW]

The IC7700 is the top of the list for me now. Had it for 2 years and it hasn't missed a beat. Receiver does not exhibit the 13mhz IF pass-through on 30 - 50mhz that the FT650 does. More filter and noise reduction settings than you can 'poke a stick at'.
The 'centre' setting for the spectrum scope makes life a breeze for watching your favourite segment.
The days of spinning a dial are long gone

Gary
VK4ABW

[VK4FP]

My Icom IC7600 is great.
Dual receive function is very useful.
Monitor 50.110 along with either memory scan or frequency scan ,
all simultaneously..
The spectrum scope is useful tool as well.
The noise blanker works very well.
The IC 7600 has most of the bells and whistles of its more expensive big brother models
with considerably less damage to the 'Hip Pocket Nerve'.
Highly recommended for 'The 6M Gun'..

[VK6SIX]

Favourite?

My 1988 Kenwood TS 680S

The best noise blanker of any rig ever made

The noise blanker can not be beaten.

It has been scanning every day all day in the shack since day 1.

cheers graham