This past weekend was the Support Your Parks on the Air Weekend. My local radio club, the West Georgia Amateur Radio Society (WGARS – https://wgars.com) operated from Cheaha State Park which is the tallest point in Alabama. While there I spent some time with a new ham and we got on the subject of CW paddles. He asked for a recommendation and at the time I didn’t really have a good answer. On the way home from the event I thought about it and if I was to make a recommendation today, it would be a Begali Simplex Begali Simplex Paddle. Currently they cost about $163 USD and are built to last a lifetime. I am a fan of their paddles and own 5. Begali paddles are built like tanks with the precision of a Ferrari. Their customer service is bar none.
While at the park, I set up my IC-705/AH-705 with a Chameleon Delta Loop. The 705 is a fun and very capable radio. The paddles I used were made by Modern Morse. These are very nice paddles and well built. However, during the operation, I was having trouble adapting to them. I made a lot of mistakes. It just didn’t feel right. I decided to check the paddle force or the amount of pressure it took to depress the paddles. I had been holding off getting a dynamometer but pulled the plug and I am glad I did. I first measured a set of paddles that I use well which were my Begali Expedition. They measured about 25 grams of force. As I went through my other paddles I discovered a wide range of forces between them. Some as high as 50+ grams.
One by one, I got them all adjusted to 25 grams and switching between paddles has become much easier. Why didn’t I do this sooner? I got the gauge from amazon Amazon – Dynamometer.
QSK vs Semi-Break in. In CW, QSK means the the radio quickly switches between transmit and receive so you can hear dits and dahs from another station in between your characters and words you are sending. Some people love QSK, some people hate it. I like it because a good operator can send a dit at the right time to make you stop and listen for them. An example might be you calling CQ too fast and a well placed dit will get you to pause long enough to allow the other station to send their call and start a QSO or exchange. Some radios have noisy relays and QSK makes too much of a racket. Adding a little delay to make it semi-break in will cut down the chatter.
QSL. I no longer send out QSL cards. Life has gotten rather busy and I find myself not being able to keep up with QSL cards. I am usually very diligent about updating LOTW. Thanks to everyone who visits my blog and YouTube channel. I hope you are enjoying this fall weather as much as I am. 73 de Scott
I have a stable of radios. I like radios. I have spent the past couple of years going through radios and finding the ones I like to use. I think I am getting close. In the shack, I like my IC-7610 and TS-890. They are big and all the controls I use are easy to get to. There performance is top notch. I am content.
QRP radios. This has been my greatest controversy. When I retired, I thought I was going to do a lot of QRP with little radios and maybe even do some SOTA. It didn’t turn out that way. I found myself using big radios at low power. They are easy to use and because of their heatsinks, they never overheat at low power. I did keep one little radio the IC-705, of all the little radios I had, the 705 was the one I grabbed the most.
Field radios. I went through a bunch of radios here too. I kept my IC-7300 which I bought new and has stayed with me over the years. I may sell it off for the new IC-7300MK2. I recently acquired a TS-590sg which went with me on my recent POTA activation at Black Rock Mountain State Park.
It was definitely a fun radio and I look forward to using it more in the future. Yesterday, an IC-7200 was delivered by UPS. The was a trade I had in the works. I always wanted an IC-7200. It’s a basic radio that has a military vibe to it. Being a Veteran, it appealed to me. The radio came with the rails and the MARS mod was already done. The radio is pristine. Power draw at idle is about 1 amp and at 20 watts it draws about 8 amps. Lowering the power level does not overly change the amp draw. Above 20 watts and the amp draw increases. Twenty watts is the happy medium. Here in the shack I had it turned on and was able to work N0SA. I have a set of his SOTA paddles from his last run before he retired. They are fun to use. I plan on taking the 7200 on my next POTA adventure.
During the past couple of years after making many POTA activations, Field Days (winter and summer), Army MARS, and SHARES I was able to shape how I operate. Some of it was a surprise as I was led in a different direction than when I started. I guess when it comes to radios, I may march to the beat of a different drummer. I prefer big radios (IC-7300 size) over little radios. I like that the controls are easier to get to and they don’t overheat. In the field I usually run around 20-35 watts. Most of the time I am in my micro-camper so I am not carrying the radios very far. I may have to lug them 50 feet to a picnic table. I recently bought one of those folding wagons so weight is no problem.
Another surprise was my use of FT8. Band conditions on many of my outings was poor. If it wasn’t for FT8, I may not have had a valid activation. Plus, I discovered I could work a lot of DX while in a park using FT8.
Yaesu’s. I don’t have any Yaesu’s. I have tried to like them, but they are just not for me. I had an FTDX10 for about 18 months, a FT-710 for about a year total, and a FTX1 for a couple of months. To me they are kind of quirky. The Icom’s and the Kenwood’s are solid performers and the ergonomics are superior. I know how to make them dance and sing. I know there are those who love Yaesu and I get it. To each his own. Find the radios that suit you best and enjoy them as I have. The journey is half the fun. 73 de Scott
It’s been a busy summer for me. I had a lot of to-do and honey-do things to take care of. My wife’s best friends husband was killed in a car crash and she drove to Louisiana and helped with the arrangements. She was gone 10 days. That left me home with our special needs daughter. Not much me time.
Today I cruised over to the Yaesu website to see if there was an update for the FTx1 and there was. I was home alone and took the opportunity to update the firmware. Since I had the radio on my desk I decided to make a few CW contacts and give my new paddles from Modern Morse a try. I hooked up the FTX1 to my 270′ OCF dipole and fired up Hamrs Pro on the computer. It’s been a while since I operated and I was a little shaky, but hey, this is for fun right. I made about half a dozen contacts before I had to move on to other things. It was fun and felt good to get on the air again with CW. I am hoping to take a mini rove within the next month or two.
The radio did fine. It hears well. Probably on par with my IC-705 and KX2.The CW relays are a little loud and the screen flashes in cadence with the CW being sent. It takes a little getting used to, it can be distracting. The menus are still a little quirky, I prefer the ergonomics of my Icoms, but again it’s not a deal breaker.
The paddles are great, they are a little pricey, but I had no trouble using them. I held the paddles in my left hand and sent with my right. The action is nice and smooth. I have large hands and this paddle is larger than my N0SA SOTA paddles; they are easier to hold.
The FTX1’s audio is good once you get it adjusted. Up the treble quite a bit, up the Mid a little and take a lot out of the bass. There is plenty of volume even for us hard of hearing types.
I have some advice about computers. I mainly use Apple products for most of my computer work. I have a couple of Windows machines I use for Amateur Radio. I always hear people complaining about Windows automatically updating at an inopportune time. The solution is easy. You pick a time during the week and update manually when you or the machine are not busy. I update mine about once a week or before an event like a POTA activation or Field Day. I also don’t fiddle with the OS much. My machines run extremely well. Let them do their job.
It is hot, hot, hot here in Georgia. The heat along with the humidity can make things miserable. My eastern European blood has a low tolerance for the heat so I get my outside work done in the mornings. Everyone be careful in this heat, this time of year it can reach dangerous levels. Y’all stay safe and 72 de Scott
Dear Yaesu, What has happened? Have you forgotten us? I don’t understand your thinking when it comes to the FTX1. The FT-817 and its variants sold well for over 20 years. It is still a cherished radio and has a strong following. The FTX1 is an okay radio. It would appear to compete with the IC-705 and as I have said, it doesn’t really compare. In the realm of QRP radios the IC-705 is still better then the FTX1.
I think many of us were hoping for an improved FT-817/FT-818. The FT-817 had a nice form factor and only weighed ~2.5 lbs with a battery and antenna. The FTX1 is clunky and weighs ~4 pounds without an antenna. I still haven’t figured out the best way to carry it.
What would be a nice QRP radio? My suggestion is taking the form factor of the FT-891 and making it a 10 watt radio (20 might even be better). Replace the the 100 watt finals with a battery or a decent antenna tuner (10:1 matching?). You could even go so far as make it an SDR radio. Make a nice pouch with a shoulder strap to carry it. Most people who run QRP don’t have a need for a waterfall. Instead use the USB port to send the signal to a a tablet/cell phone/laptop to view the waterfall there. You can also allow connectivity to a tablet/cell phone/laptop for digital modes and logging. That might put you on top again.
I don’t understand the Optima option. ~$1,900. Right now, I can get a FT-710 for $955. That would leave almost $1,000 for another radio or two. The FT-710 is a better radio. I have an FT-710 and I think it is one of your better efforts. I recently used it for Field day and it did very well. I have an FTX1 and I’m keeping it for a while to see what you do with it.
Yes, I have a preference for Icom radios, they work better for me. I have had other Yaesu radios namely FTDX10, FTDX3000, FT-950 and years ago an FT-817. I also run a Kenwood. I use what works best for me. I am not necessarily bashing you, I am offering my opinion for your consideration.
Sincerely, Scott KK4Z
Note: right now I am not sure how the FTX1 fits into my lineup. As I said earlier, I think the IC-705 is better (at least for me YMMV). If I need something lighter I have a KX2. For Field Days and bigger events I can bring either an FT-710 or IC-7300. When I purchased this radio I was also looking at a KX3 with KXAT3 and KXFL3. Maybe if the right trade comes along…
Working on the farm. I have been busy on my property. I have 6 acres to take care of and there is always something to do. Right now I have to start getting firewood ready for winter. That means dragging downed trees to the process area, bucking, splitting and stacking. I have a John Deere 3025 tractor to help me out. A problem I was running into was how do I get my gear out to where I am working. The front end loader is okay to carry things until you need it for something else. Besides the steel of the bucket is not good for a chainsaw blade. In the past I would sometimes use my wife’s UTV. That has it’s own set of problems namely, she uses it for her stuff and it stays full. So I decided to build a cargo box for the 3 point hitch on my tractor. I got a carry-all from King Cutter which allows me to use my iMatch quick hitch.
I stopped by my local welder and had a 2″ receiver welded on along with some grab hooks. The finished project looks like this.
I can flip the tailgate up and turn it into a workbench.
I drilled a few holes so I can mount a chainsaw vise to sharpen my chainsaw in the field.
You can see the chainsaw sheath behind the vise. It will hold my 68cc chainsaw with a 27″ bar safely.
I use a 20′ shipping container for my maintenance shed. It’s hasn’t been reorganized since we initially filled it up almost 6 years ago. Another project is to get things in the shop sorted and non-essential stuff moved to one of our other outbuildings. I need to make it more of a workshop and less of a storage shed. There are always projects to work on.
New Paddles I just received a new set of paddles from Modern Morse. I haven’t taken them out to the field yet, but in house testing shows them to be very promising. They are asy to grip, comfortable in the hand and have a very smooth touch. Workmanship is superb. The paddle body and the arms are Ceracoated and the finger pieces appear to be passivated. The arms pivot on 4 small ball bearings and tension is magnetic. There is a switch inside the paddle to switch dit-dah polarity. This is nice for left handers or “booby-footed” right handers. You can now plug and play with any radio. The paddles come in a nice metal case and two hex keys. The smaller key adjusts the tension and contact spacing and the larger one is for the 4 crews that holds the top of the case to the bottom. The paddle mechanism is sealed with a plastic lid. to get to the switch, you have to loosen the four bolts and carefully lift the top off. Be careful as there are tiny washers on the paddle arm pivots. Another nice feature is the paddles come with 4 magnets on the bottom.
The colors have a nice retro feel and are pleasant to look at. They will certainly be easy to find in a pack or on the ground if dropped. The paddles fit nicely in my hand and I have no trouble sending. These are rugged paddles designed for field use. They are made in the USA by a Veteran. The first run is sold out and there will be a pause before the next run is available. You can check the status here https://www.modernmorse.com. These paddles are pricey but if you appreciate the feel of fine workmanship, they are worth it. I am happy with mine.
Final Summer got busy and hot. Hopefully as fall approaches I will have more time to get my radios out in the field. I did manage to make it to Field Day with my club and my FT-710. I thought retirement was for leisure but I have never been busier. So much to do, so little time. 73 de Scott
Last year I took a CWI course to help improve my CW — and it did. During the process I had a couple of code buddies and I got involved with straight key stuff — which was fun. However, I discovered a flaw in my thinking.
When I started with CW it was back in the 90’s. We had cassette tapes to listen to and to advance your license you had to pass a code test. I read somewhere that you should start with whatever sending device you plan on using. I chose paddles. I used the Ultimatic mode for a while but eventually settled on Iambic B. I became pretty proficient with squeeze keying. Most of of my CW career was with paddles. Over the past year I was not operating CW as much for different reasons and allowed myself to get a little rusty. I love the mode and thought it was time to get back into it.
The other day I got on the air to try a few POTA contacts. It was a bit of a mess. My brain had trouble wrapping around sideswiper cootie keying and squeeze keying. You can’t do both at once. I fumbled through a few contacts and then did some off line practice. I am getting it worked out. When I am in full practice I can send at close to 30 wpm and copy an exchange at about 25 or so. Conversational CW is a bit slower at 18 to 20 wpm.
Fortunately, I can train myself out of this. First I am going back to 100% Iambic B mode. Then it’s practice both offline and online. A few minutes warmup offline and a minimum of 5 CW contacts a day. My goal is to get myself really comfortable above 25 wpm. Life’s an adventure and is more so when we are having fun living it. 73 de Scott
I have a set of Begali Adventure Paddles. They are wonderful paddles. I have the mount for my IC-705, KX2, and desktop. Each mount works well. However, there are times when I do not have a stable platform for my radios or the paddles. At these times I usually hold the paddles in my hands. My go to handheld paddles are my N0SA SOTA paddles. I got mine from his last run. They are an excellent paddle.
I tried holding the Adventure paddles in my hand but I would cause errant dits and dahs. I first thought I would 3D print a box for the paddles–to much thought. I then thought about getting some square aluminum tubing. Too expensive. I scrouged around in my shop and found some 1″ angle aluminum. Perfect. Before I go on let me explain, that this was done with hand tools. A hacksaw, files, hand drill and drill bits. I also used a Dremel tool a little. This project is far from perfect. I never let perfection be the enemy of good enough.
Here is the piece roughed out.
The slot is where the finger guard mounts to the bottom of the paddler using a 4-40 screw. Mounted it looks something like this.
The guard extends past the end of the paddles to help protect the cable where it enters the paddle.
In use the paddle/guard combo looks like this.The guard keeps my index finger from touching the paddle lever and allows me to put my thumb below the paddle lever on the other side. It is very comfortable to use even with my large mitts.
A coat of primer, followed by paint and a clear coat and viola!, it is finished.
I will let it cure overnight and it will be ready for the next adventure. 73-de Scott
I’ve had the Yaesu FT710 for a while now and used it mainly in the field. That was and is my intent for this radio. In general, I feel if I am doing an activity like Field Day or a multi-day POTA activation, and I am not carrying my gear more than a few feet, why not bring a full sized but compact radio. These radios have more operating options and the controls are generally easier to use. In addition, running a 100 watt radio at low power (20 watts or less), the radio doesn’t even get warm. The radio works well with digital modes. It wasn’t that long ago that Yaesu’s were a real pain to run digital. Icom’s have had an easy interface since the IC-7100. Today, the FTDX10 and the FT710 both are on par with the Icom’s when it comes to digital modes. With CW, both brands are about equal. In general, I feel both radios are interchangeable and it would be the matter of personal preference which would determine which is best for you. In the next couple of paragraphs I will describe the pluses and minus’ of the FT710 and the IC-7300. John WD8LQT provided input from his use of my radio during the WGARS Spring Fling.
Attenuation. The IC-7300 only gives you 18dB of attenuation while the FT710 give you 3: 6dB, 12dB, and 18db. Your more expensive radios typically have 3 like the FT710. In an SDR radio, attenuation is your friend. Preamp should almost never be used. The nod goes to the FT710.
CW Tune. Both radios have autotune but the FT710 has a CW tuning indicator right below the S-meter. I find myself using it quit a bit. Some CW ops crank their filters way down and if you are a little off frequency, they won’t hear you. My buddy John WD8LQT, also liked this feature. Nod goes to the FT710.
Sound quality. The FT710 sounds a little better, but the IC-7300 has a lower noise floor. I do not find either one objectionable. YMMV. Draw
Waterfall. The IC-7300 has an averaging waterfall and the FT710 does not. That means that the FT710’s waterfall has to be manually adjusted every time band conditions change. John noticed that when sending CW the waterfall would flash rather brightly, enough to be a little distracting. This may have been due to the waterfall level not being adjusted properly, but it is not an issue with the Icom. Nod to the Icom.
Ergonomics. Here the IC-7300 is the clear winner. It has more of the right buttons on the control panel and it is easier to get to the most needed controls. The 7300 gives you 3 adjustable filters and the Yaesu gives you 2. To adjust the Icom, grab a knob and give it a twist. On the Yaesu, push a knob, twist the knob, push the knob, twist the knob.
Power consumption. The FT710 uses about 1.2 to 1.3 amps at idle with normal volume. The IC-7300 uses about 0.85 amps. This doesn’t matter if mains power or generator power is available but when working off of batteries this can become an issue.
Sensitivity and Selectivity. The Icom has a lower noise floor, -133 vs -127 dBm for the Yaesu. Before I get into selectivity let me explain a little about Rob Sherwoods numbers. Most people quote the 2 KHz blocking number, that comes with a couple of caveats. First, for the most part Rob measures 2 KHz blocking with a 500 Hz filter. That’s a CW filter. Sideband filters usually run 2.4 KHz plus. Unless you’re a CW op, this number is irrelevant. Here is what Rod Sherwood says, “I decided to sort the table on my website by close-in dynamic range at 2-kHz spacing. This was the “acid test” for CW contest / DX pile up operation.” He further quantifies his research with the following numbers. “What do you need in the way of close-in dynamic range? You want a number of at least 70 dB for SSB, and at least 80 dB for CW. A 10 dB safety factor would be nice, so that means you would prefer 80 dB for SSB and 90 dB for CW.” In the past I have compared the IC-7300 with the FTDX10 and the FT710 during a CW contest. What ever I could hear with one, I could hear with the other. The Yaesu’s had a little less ringing but I had no problem copying the signal from any of the radios.
What this means is either radio will serve the vast majority of operators well. Whatever your personal preference is, go for it. There are things I love about the FT710 and there are things I love about the IC-7300. I never feel at a disadvantage with either radio. I plan on keeping both.
Where do I go from here? That’s a good question. I don’t have anything in line to review. I have decided to take a step back from EmComm for a while. I’ve been doing a lot of digital lately and need to get back to the joys of CW. I also have a couple of QRP radios that need to be taken out and used. I still enjoy the smaller radios. I’ll take a big radio on a camping trips/Field Days and may take a little radio for a quick activation. Sometimes it’s nice to grab a small box or bag and go. I have some antennas I haven’t used in a while, I need to get them out.
Thanks for hanging with me. I appreciate your company. 73 de Scott
Today was the club’s semi-annual outing and this spring it was one of our old haunts, Cheaha State Park US-1037 in the fine state of Alabama. There are 3 things we as a club like to do, we like to eat, we like to socialize, and once in a while we talk on the radio.
As usual, food was in abundance.
We had several stations set up under the pavilion. QRM was held to a minimum. We had Xeigu G90’s, Tru-SDR, Icom IC-705, and my Yaesu FT-710. I set the radio up and turned it over to the club President John WD8LQT. John, like me is a CW op and I wanted his opinion of the FT-710. I didn’t have to twist his arm too hard. The setup was the radio feeding a Chameleon micro transformer with a 12’ whip and about a 20’ counterpoise. The radio was powered by a 20 amp-hour Bioenno battery and the paddles were a Begali Expedition.
Band conditions were poor and it took John most of the time at the park to get his 10 contacts. There were stops for eating and chatting. Early in the activation, I decided to change antennas to be sure we had an atmospheric issue and not an equipment one. I had my Diamond RHM-12 which recently proved itself to be a good performer. Once the switch was made and some searching through the bands, John started making contacts on 20 meters. I believe it was atmospherics and not the equipment. John got his 10 contacts and we called it good.
John’s comments about the FT-710 were quite favorable. Like any radio, there are pluses and minuses. In general he thought it was a very good radio for CW. There is more commentary from John on the YouTube video posted below. John did have one epic fail. The ear buds he was using which looked rather ancient finally gave up the ghost. I took it upon myself to intervene and unceremoniously threw them in the trash. John will thank me.
My review of the FT-710 is drawling to a close. I find that I like the radio. It performs well for its price point and has some features found on more expensive radios. It has its quirks as all radios do, but none that I find overly objectionable. I plan on keeping the radio and it has found a place among my field radios. I imagine the radio may make an appearance during this year’s Field Day.
Life is full of changes. Some are expected and some are not. Over the past couple of weeks I have had some changes for the good. One is that 2025 is shaping up to be a better year than 2024. My wife and I had some trials and tribulations which hampered my radio-activity. We had deaths, surgeries, and a few other health issues that slowed us down. This year, things have appeared to clear up and I am already enjoying more amateur radio activity.
To start off, I have had another shack shake-up. In a prior post I had my SPE Expert 1.5K FA up for sale or trade. It is a great amp but I needed an amp that would do MARS and SHARES frequencies so I ended up with an SPE 2.0 K FA. When I get back from Hamcation, I had a trade offer. My amp for a TS-890s. I have never owned a Kenwood HF radio so I thought I would give it a go. The trade went smoothly.
Before installing it in the shack I added the 270 Hz Roofing Filter and while I was inside, I did the MARS modification. I do not intend to use this radio for MARS, but in pinch, I am ready. My intention is to use the radio for fun and CW. I located it front and center on my desk. The IC-7610 was moved to the left which is where I set up for MARS operation. The 7610 plays very well for MARS.
As you can see in the above photo, I am using a Windows machine for radio control and logging. I really enjoy my Mac for everything else but when it comes to things radio, Windows machines are easier.
This weekend was the ARRL DX contest and the CW bands were crowded. this gave me a good opportunity to test the TS-890s. It performed very well.
The scale on the waterfall is 5 KHz on either side of the frequency. I had the 270 Hz Roofing Filter and a filter bandwidth of 250 Hz. The TS-890 easily blocked an adjacent S9+10 signal less than 500 Hz away. Even at less than 200 Hz away I could easily copy the target signal though there was some ringing. That is pretty impressive.
I am hoping to get back into CW this year. I made about 10 POTA contacts this morning with the TS-890s. It is a very pleasant experience. The TS-890s has more buttons and controls than my IC-7610 and even though I think the 7610’s ergonomics are great, The TS-890s’ is better. The 890 is a big radio and it is heavy. It’s built like a brick…
Tools of the trade for CW are my Begali Magnetic Signature and Sculpture Swing.
I joined SKCC last year but didn’t do much because of stuff. I hope to do better this year. A lofty goal I have in mind is to get my CW above 25 wpm. I think I am close. I need to practice. Hopefully this year will allow that to happen.
I hope everybody else is doing well and I hope to hear you on the air. I have a couple of camping trips coming up which should be me and the key trips. The IC-7300? It has gone back to being a field radio. Which is one arena it really shines. 73 – de Scott
This was my first Hamcation and it was a lot of fun. Lots of people, lots of food and lots of ham gear. I only spent one day there, but it was a fun-filled, packed. day.
One of the highlights of my day was the Begali Booth. Up until this point, I had 4 Begali paddles in my collection. Each one purchased directly from Begali and each one through Bruna. Buying a Begali key/paddle is like being adopted into a family. That’s how Begali treats their customers. I finally got to meet Bruna in person.
They had many of their paddles there — so many to choose from. I like to dabble with straight keys and my preference being a cootie key since they have the same back and forth motion as a paddle. Bruna had a Sculpture Swing and after sending a couple of characters, I was smitten, and I was lucky to get the last one, the display model. I also got to meet Bruna’s husband Roberto who packaged up my prize for me.
I hope to get a review done on the Sculpture Swing in the near future.
Diamond Antennas, one of my favorite brands for mobile/portable VHF/UHF antennas has a new portable HF antenna for the US market. I have seen this antenna on European website but this was the first time I have seen it in the U.S. It is a portable HF/UHF/VHF antenna that covers 7-440 MHz. With optional coils, it also covers the 3.5 and 1.8 bands.
The screwdriver portion of the antenna is 15″ long and the 1.8 MHz coil is 17″. For comparison the yellow packaging is 21″. This will be a great antenna for POTA/SOTA. I can’t wait to get this on the air.
Kenwood had a teaser for their new VHF/UHF mobile. Looks like it might be out by the end of the year. Here is a shot of a non-working model.
It looks pretty cool. I am mainly an HF guy and I stopped there to look at the TS-890. That is my current dream radio. I brought one of my amps down there to trade but the stars were not aligned. I have a nice lightly used SPE 1.5K FA up for sale or trade. I would like to get a TS-890 and may consider a FTDX101MP. I would also consider an Elecraft KPA/KAT500. It’s a great amp but it doesn’t do MARS so I had to get another amp that would (SPE 2.0K FA).
While cruisng the swap building, I came across this book:
I bought on a whim and Grayson autographed the book for me. I may never build anything out of tubes, but I thought the book would be a fun read.
I got to talk to a lot of people while I was there. I talked to one guy there that was looking to get a radio after being absent from amateur radio for many years. He was thinking about getting an IC-705. I asked him if he had any other radios and he said no. I suggested he look into getting an IC-7300 first. The 7300 is still my “if i could only have one HF radio” radio. Many times new or returning hams opt for the QRP route, not knowing how frustrating QRP can be for the less experienced. For a first or only radio I recommend a 100 watt radio. You can always turn a 100 watt radio down to 5 watts but a 5 watt radio is already at its max. A lot of times when camping, I am running CW at 20 watts.
It was fun seeing all the stuff, meeting people, and bringing home a few things. Hope to see you at the next one. 73- de Scott
KK4Z 