New Radio Blues?
Alan Jones (W4LGH)
on
November 2, 2007
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I have been reading a lot of articles lately about the like/dislike of several of the breed of radios. -- One in particular the Yaesu FT-2000. This is NOT a plug and play radio, and takes sometime, depending on your skill level, to set it up properly and make it do what it was designed to do. It is somewhat software defined, with the regular release of new firmware, about once a month. These are mostly bug fixes that get reported back to Yaesu. Once the radio is fully understood, there is nothing NOT to like about it. It operates as specified, if not better.
What my question is today, over the past 20 years, radios have become more on the appliance side, hence the reduction in the technical question arena on the FCC exams.
I find more and more operators who truly do not understand how to setup or operate these new breeds, which have gone back to being very technical, not only in setup, but in operating as well.
This is not meant to pick on anyone, but let's face it; the new generation of Ham operators do not have the technical savvy of Hams 25-30yrs ago. It's not required to be technical, so be it, I am fine with that.
However with the newer software defined radios becoming more and more, The Flex radio, Ten-Tec's Orion & Omni VII, Yaesu's FT-950, FT-2000 and FTDX-9000 class radios, and lets not leave out ICOMs 7800 and 7700.
I guess where I am going with this is every Ham operators wants to have the BEST shack he can afford, and there is nothing wrong with that, but before taking that big jump and spending all that money, a little research into the model you are looking at might save you a lot of grief. If you truly want to go with one of these top of the line radios, spend the time to learn how it all works, especially if you are going to review it for others to read. It's NOT a bad radio, because you do not know how to operate it. Now if its given lots of troubles, spent more time at the factory repair center, than in your shack, then it truly might be a bad radio, and there are lemons with everything.
Just wanted to see how others feel about this, and I am sure there WILL be those nasty comments, but remember, no one is picking on anyone, just trying to see how others feel about the way radios are going again.
74 de W4LGH - Alan
http://www.w4lgh.com
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New Radio Blues?
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by N0IU on November 2, 2007
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People are getting into the hobby that have no idea what it is or how it works. Its not the radios that are too complex, I think it is the hobby that is too complex for most people!
People read these news stories about how amateur radio gets through when all else fails and how it will be the last bastion of hope for the survival of mankind as we know it. So they memorize a few simple test questions and ask, "Now what do I do?"
Amateur radio used to be an outlet for those who were already technically minded, but that standard has long since gone away.
Scott N0IU
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New Radio Blues?
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by PE1NPG on November 2, 2007
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Nice article, good point. I have seen (and helped out) a lot of hams that struggled with digimodes. Using PC-based DSP technology is very simple, but still they need a little help to get up and running. Same with SDR, I use the softrock40. Technology apparently is the inhibition for starting experimentation. My advise: just do it!
Get help when you need, that's what Ham clubs are about. Experimenting broadens your horizon.
Just buying a hightech set does not....
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New Radio Blues?
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by AH6GI on November 2, 2007
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You can find "easy to operate" radios. Examples are the Ten Tec Argonaut V, the ICOM IC-718, and many boatanchor transceivers.
I operate older, boatanchor gear.
I recently had the chance to operate a modern contest station. I was surprised that once I got familiar with the radios, they were easy to use.
The noise blanker worked well; the auto-tuner got me going fast; the amplifier tracked the band changes. Separate settings for each band. Even the integrated keyer combined with silent QSK beat my old rig and my outboard, accukeyer.
There were buttons and knobs that I didn't need or use but once they pointed me at the main controls, it was great.
The station almost anticipated my needs. It seemed to "vanish" and I "felt" in direct contact with the aether and the DX stations.
I'm considering the Argonaut V as future purchase.
de ah6gi/4
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by NN4RH on November 2, 2007
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When All Else Fails . . . Wait While We Figure Out How To Program Our Radios ...
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New Radio Blues?
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by KD4KAC on November 2, 2007
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Why should someone buy a 500 or 600 dollar radio now and just turn around in a year or 2 and buy a "nice" rig and spend another 2000-2500 dollars? To me the most fun and challenging part of ham radio is LEARNING. Learning new technology. Learning what is and what is not good operating practices and yes even learning what my rig is capable of doing once my skills improve. This whole attitude of "These new hams dont deserve what we older hams have" kills me. I wonder if ham radio will survive another 20 or 30 years and when people have this attitutde I truly doubt it.
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by KT0DD on November 2, 2007
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I own an Orion II, and it is the best rig I have ever owned by far. I couldn't believe all the bad press the original Orion got on how hard it was to operate, but decided to wait for the second generation O II anyway, just in case. Within a couple of hours after getting my O II on the air, I found out how to use all the functions. The only one I still have trouble understanding is the AGC threshold adjustment, but it's no big deal to me and I'm sure I'll get it eventually.
When it comes to someone complaining about their new radio purchase, I'm often reminded of the movie "Horse Whisperer", where Robert Redford said "I don't work with people that have horse problems, I work with horses that have people problems". The expect it to behave like their old radio, just better. folks, It's a NEW radio design. YOU have to learn how to work it! It's not going to change it's behavior for you, it's an inanimate object!
Of course you will always have the Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge ego driven comparisons, that's just human nature. But as the original poster said, if the radio doesn't keep going back for repair, it's not a bad radio, it just may not be the right fit for you. 73. KT0DD
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New Radio Blues?
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by W4WSW on November 2, 2007
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I Am Totally Agree with you Alan, All depend on your skill level and how interested you are in learn,
I know Hams that just have a Novice or Tech class lic. and the have the Top line as you said or close to them but never use them.
What happend is that many peoples just want to remove the rig from the box placed in the shack plug it and that's it, even know where is the "Operator Manual"
Reading it's important to improove your "Skill Level", It's important to know as well that not all the Rigs work in the same way.....
73's
W4WSW / Luis
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by W4LGH on November 2, 2007
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Its not an atitude, its a fact. Ham radio started out as a hi-tech hobby. Then other bitched and wanted in, so they dropped the requirements. Todays Ham are not
hi-tech people, and thats fine! Some WILL become more technical, some won't, thats the way it is. They know who they are, so why buy something that you have no idea how to operate. Why not start out and GROW into it? Everyone of us is born into this world not knowing much, and we all have to learn. As the old saying goes, "you have to crawl before you can walk", but todays society doesn't want to go thru the learning process, they want to have it all, right now!
As I said in my original post, I am NOT picking on anyone, but over the past several months, how many times have you seen... "Hi I have been a Ham for 2 months now, and have owned a FT-2000 for 2 weeks and what a piece of junk. It doesn't do 1/2 the stuff the books said it would do." Well gee, I wonder why? Could some of this be contributed to "OE"? (operator error) And its gonna get worse! Radios started out hi-tech, then became user friendly, just about Plug and Play...now its swinging back the other way.
73 de W4LGH - Alan
http://www.w4lgh.com
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by VE3TMT on November 2, 2007
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Excellent article Alan,
I know of a few ops who have the latest and greatest gear, but when they sit down in front of it and try to operate, or figure out some of the controls, they may as well have a nice old TS520 sitting in front of them. No clue as to what half the controls are for, and they don't need them. Guys go out and buy a $10,000 radio and hook it up to a vertical. It truly is the "trailer in the driveway" mentality. The problem is most of them buy this gear for bragging rights, and have no need for such a complex radio. "Hey did you hear Joe got that new FTDX9000-XYZ-MKVIII", boy that sure is a nice radio." But watch Joe sit down and try and bust a pileup with it. That's the fun part!
VE3TMT
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New Radio Blues?
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by K9IUQ on November 2, 2007
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AL says :One in particular the Yaesu FT-2000.
Once the radio is fully understood, there is nothing NOT to like about it. It operates as specified, if not better.
....................................................
I suggest you do some further investigation and stop defending the FT-2000 like so many others. In particular check out Sherwood Engineering's review of the FT -2000.
http://www.sherweng.com/table.html
QST's review is similar.
Sherwood's results shows it performs little better than a 30 year old Kenwood TS-520. It doesn't matter how many knobs, bells and whistles a radio has. Its the performance that most hams are interested in......
Stan K9IUQ
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by WA2JJH on November 2, 2007
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Yup...The FT-2000 has many adjustments to get wrong.
Make matters worse....The ARRL says it is a dog!!!!
Sure glad I kept my TS-950SDX and TR-7!!!!!
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by WA8MEA on November 2, 2007
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This is not meant to pick on anyone, but let's face it; the new generation of Ham operators do not have the technical savvy of Hams 25-30yrs ago. It's not required to be technical, so be it, I am fine with that.
-----------------------------------------------------
"Technical" in what regard, Alan?
This "new generation of hams" can build, tear down, install, repair and rewire entire computer and networking systems.
When I have a technical problem, even with the rig, I don't go the the ARRL Handbook any more. I call one of my kids!
;-)
73, Bill - WA8MEA
http://HamRadioFun.com
tinytenna@hotmail.com
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by KT8K on November 2, 2007
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I don't know why the Tentec Orion ever got a bad rap. I still haven't tried adjusting the AGC threshold, but I love the rig and it works great. There are no more features than most other rigs, and the controls I've needed are mostly right there on the front panel. When I got it I scanned the manual and ran through the menus, which are pretty straight forward. AND the performance of the rig is just excellent.
Last Field Day I wound up trying operate an FT-857 or 897 (I don't remember which, but from what I've read they are almost identical). Now THAT rig was perplexing - too many/too deep menus, and controls that were anything but intuitive. A control design like that would make a lot of people "appliance ops", IMHO.
So I guess I agree with the author - as features have proliferated, few companies have accompanied them with improvements in intuitive control design. (Tentec has always been best at this, I feel, which is why I own 3 of them.)
73 de kt8k - Tim
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by W4LGH on November 2, 2007
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WA2JJH says...
Make matters worse....The ARRL says it is a dog!!!!
Oh yea, I am gonna believe what the ARRL says! NOT!!
-------------------------------------
K9IUQ Says....
Sherwood's results shows it performs little better than a 30 year old Kenwood TS-520.
Yep, and Sherwood says my 4B line performs better than an ICOM 756PROIII, providing I pay them mega-bucks to add all their mods, which pretty much rebuilds the receiver.
--------------------------------------
Radio tests are a farce at best. They can be made to look anyway the tester wants it to. Just like a good CPA can hide your income from the IRS.
And I am NOT defending the radio, I own one, but I still prefer my Drake TR-7. The FT-2000 is a GREAT radio, providing the operator knows how to operate it, as with all of the newer hi-tech radios.
73 de W4LGH - Alan
http://www.w4lgh.com
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by K0BG on November 2, 2007
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Let's get Microsoft and Yaesu together. They could develop a radio (let's call it an FT-X360), designed with a video game graphical interface. This would allow 90% of the teen world to master it in now time. Oh, and once they pass a certain skill level, they automatically get their ticket upgraded over the internet connection. Heck, they could even communicate over the net when the bands were dead.
Alan, KØBG
www.k0bg.com
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by KF4HR on November 2, 2007
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Alan, as usual, you bring up some good points. But I think there's more to the story than just increasing radio complexity.
Sure radio's have gotten more complex over the years, but most transceivers basically do the same thing, transmit and receive, on (mostly) the same bands, CTCSS, speech processing, memories, perhaps an internal tuner, filters, etc. Granted some rigs have more bells or whistles than others, but that's basically it.
I think the key to radio complexity is directly related to how a manufacturer decides to implement their hardware and software human factors efforts.
Case in point; the Kenwood TS-2000 and the ICOM IC-756 Pro series transceivers. I've owned both. Both are good transceivers, and for the most part they do about the same thing (TS-2000 has some different features). But there's a world of difference in how ICOM and Kenwood decided to lay out the operator controls and programming procedures for these two radio's.
Within a hour or so I felt comfortable enough with my ICOM IC-756ProII transceiver that I rarely needed to open its manual. Most everything is laid out in a fairly logical fashion, the controls and display options were easy to see and use, and programming was straight forward. And another plus; while ICOM has come out with newer and newer models over the years, they stayed with the same basic layout, so if you've owned a previous model in the line, much of the operation transfers to the new model. Nice human factors touch!
I had a totally different experience with my TS-2000. The way Kenwood designed this radio, it wasn't nearly easy to intially learn or program. Lot's of small buttons and knobs, (even smaller print), slow scrolling long menus, all on a fairly small display; my TS-2000 manual was never far from reach. And worst yet, being familiar with previous Kenwood transceiver models didn't offer me much of an advantage.
I've grown used to my TS-2000, and it does have a lot of features I enjoy, but even after 2 years, I still reach for the manual now and then. Does it get easier over time? Sure, but the bottom line is, some rigs are just easier to learn and operate than others. And this isn't necessarily because of the complexity of the radio, but rather because of how the manufacturer decides to implement the same basic functionality.
Of course there's a learning curve with any radio, and a new operator has an even larger challenge to learn the various functions, but over time most every amateur eventually becomes familiar with the operation of their equipment. Whether manufacturer's decide to design their equipment to make it easy or more difficult to learn and operate; now that's different story.
KF4HR
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New Radio Blues?
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by KB2DHG on November 2, 2007
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I remember when I was first interested in Amateur Radio how over welmed I was trying to understand all that was needed to know to get my license and on the air. That was over 30 years ago and compaired to today it was elementry!
BUT what I liked much more about it back then is that I had a better understanding of practical applications that aided me to build my own equipent!
OK I am getting off center here. Basicly, I think the manufactors have put themselves in a corner going way over board with thenical mega expensive computer based radios!
I use vintage rigs and have the same result! Personally I do not see the need for all this computer rigs tech. I work the world with my 1970's YAESU FT 101
I find it so much more rewarding using basic equipment. JUST MY OPINION!
HAM RADIO would better survive if the manufactors would make simple basic rigs ant a down to earth price!
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by TOYBOX on November 2, 2007
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I agree with, Scott N0IU.
My position has always been that of you were not fascinated with radio(s), did not have an interest in electronics, were not an individual curious of how things worked and wanted to learn, amateur radio was not for you.
I know there are many YLs that got a ticket because of the OM. I understand and accept that. But getting a ticket and buying boat load of radio gear without the first inkling of what to do, or what you want to do is a poor investment - both time and money.
Craig N4CQR
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New Radio Blues?
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by N4VET on November 2, 2007
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Give me a good old Collins KWM-2 or Heathkit SB-303/SB-401 combo.
That's all I need to have fun.
Oh, they keep you warm in winter and smell good too.
Dan/N4VET
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by WW5AA on November 2, 2007
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...and then they take that new wizz-bang radio and hook it up to a store bought wizz-bang antenna at 15' and can work anyone they hear! (:-)
73, de Lindy
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by N3OX on November 2, 2007
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"They could develop a radio (let's call it an FT-X360), designed with a video game graphical interface."
No need. That's already there at every major contest station.
If you want young people to get into ham radio, contesting is the way to do it... it is basically a video (audio?) game, and if you get them into contesting, they'll be antenna and propagation wizards by the time they hit 30.
They'll also mess up your ragchew on your god-given frequency a couple weekends a year... damn kids! ;-)
- - - - - -
As far as the original article, well... I don't think we need rebuttals of eHam reviews in the Articles section, but point taken... don't review a piece of equipment that you don't know how to use and don't know anything about. I can get behind that.
I do sometimes wonder, though, if all this "new hams don't know anything technical" business is going to drive out new hams before they learn to be technically savvy. I know you say you're not picking on anyone but I think you are.
It's not ham radio's fault, and I'm not sure it's their fault, it's the fault of consumer/disposable electronics and integrated circuitry. It's the fault of exponential progress in the field of electronics and the ever increasing level of technical sophistication required to stay on the cutting edge.
It's likely that we all think the old timers here were more technically apt upon entering the hobby than some brand new licensees partly because the technology was easier to understand.
Technology is unsuprisingly outstripping the average person. It's driven by the constant efforts of ever-expanding teams of extremely technically-minded folks with plenty of money.
"How does radio work" is a much easier question to answer than "How does the Internet work"... "How does a vacuum tube work" is a much easier question to answer than "How does DSP work"
Ham radio didn't stop being a primarily technical hobby because of licensing requirements.
It stopped being a primarily technical hobby because the state of the art in radio communications technology is too complicated even for technically inclined and bright amateurs to make much progress in (and I use amateurs there in the general sense, not the Ham sense).
Hams who happen to be intimately involved in radio as part of their paid career will probably make the most striking advances in ham radio technology. A good example of this is K1JT's contribution of WSJT. He's a Ph.D. physicist working on radio detection of pulsars.
There's a huge gulf between being able to build a tube Colpitts oscillator from memory and coding WSJT.
Being an expert on ham radio technology 40 years ago doesn't mean much today. It means you're able to build cool nostalgic homebrew stuff and certainly makes you a valuable source of information, but it doesn't *keep* you on the cutting edge of radio.
The cutting edge is out of reach for most people and radio has lost all of it's magic in the public eye. I think that means we need to attract people first and encourage technical ability in them second.
Today's youth aren't going to get a spark of electronics curiosity when the TV repairman comes by and opens up that box full of tubes and wires and makes it work again.
They aren't going to spend their nights listening to AM radio and catching the DX bug because all of a sudden they can hear a broadcast from Sweden in their Minnesota attic.
Constant worldwide communication and electronics-as-disposable appliance are here to stay, and we're not doing ourselves any favors by griping publicly about how new hams aren't technical enough.
Ham radio is an opportunity to learn and make use of technical ability. It is a rare opportunity where simple analog electronics knowledge can be acquired and satisfyingly applied.
But first, we need to get people into it.
Dan
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by N3QE on November 2, 2007
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The first menu-driven radios were horrible. Some - but only some - have improved to the point of usability. The very best still have all the important functions on real knobs (although they are probably hooked to shaft encoders and a microprocessor inside).
When I see a review (like the recent QST review of the FT-2000D) where the review immediately launches into "Menu options 90 and 91 set the position and depth of the notch" and "users can [...] through menu options 121 through 133" it's a real turn-off for me. I'm sure there are hundreds of nifty features accessible through menu options but I don't want to get to them that way!
On the other hand there's a whole generation of hams that have grown up with hundreds of numbered options and they seem to be completely comfortable with this mode of operation.
Me, I still fire up my HW-16 and HG-10 VFO for CW QSO's. No menu options there! So obviously I'm heavily biased.
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New Radio Blues?
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by VK4TJF on November 2, 2007
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i use the ICom 718. i really like the rig. i'm no engineering wonder or anything but the radio is very easy to use and it has big digital readouts that are easy to read, i have worked many stations all over the world with it and i don't even have a single memory in it. i just spin the dial around the band using my ears to listen. i hear these big contesters and they have alot of power and big antenna's and no ears, they have all the filters on and are deaf as a post. it's all about training the ears to hear. my ears are so good that it makes the S meter unreliable.
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by N3OX on November 2, 2007
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"I'm sure there are hundreds of nifty features accessible through menu options but I don't want to get to them that way!"
Hook it up to your computer and use Ham Radio Deluxe.
Especially good with these small rigs like the FT-857D (Which I've got) that hide even constantly needed features in menus for the sake of size.
Every knob costs money ;-)
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by N7WR on November 2, 2007
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As a new ham nearly 50 years ago I remember getting some advice/assistance from an Elmer. That does not appear to happen as much today. I also remember that as part of the preparation for licensing my Mentor had me sit with him hour after hour while he not only made QSO's but as he would set up, take down, and re-arrainge his station. Back then it was not a one box transceiver but a separate receiver, transmitter, and antenna relay. Even though my first station was different than his I had a pretty good understanding of how things worked so when my license arrived I had very few problems configuring my station and getting on the air.
Problems did arise from time to time. Things broke. Cockpit errors occured. But as with a lot of other things in society back then the emphasis was on personal responsibility for working through "issues". Perseverance rather than the demand for instant gratification meant that if something didn't work you stayed with it, trouble shot it, and fixed it. It did not mean that if it didn't work right away out of the box with minimal effort you put it away in a pout and whined and complained that it was somebody else's fault.
In my view the problem today isn't rigs that are too complex or people who are incapable of learning to use them. The problem is the lack of self discipline and perseverance needed to learn to use them. End of soapbox.
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by KA4KOE on November 2, 2007
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In too many cases the multiplicity of features mask a mediocre receiver. No thanks. I'll keep my TS-940S.
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New Radio Blues? No!
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by AI2IA on November 2, 2007
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This article takes a very bad direction. Let's briefly look at the 3 main problems:
"What my question is today, over the past 20 years, radios have become more on the appliance side, hence the reduction in the technical question arena on the FCC exams.
I find more and more operators who truly do not understand how to setup or operate these new breeds, which have gone back to being very technical, not only in setup, but in operating as well.
This is not meant to pick on anyone, but let's face it; the new generation of Ham operators do not have the technical savvy of Hams 25-30yrs ago. It's not required to be technical, so be it, I am fine with that."
To respond very briefly:
The ease of operation for new transceivers does not necessitate reducing technical questions on FCC exams. The internal working of the receiver is more technical and complex, not less so. License holders should be well versed in this technical aspect.
It takes anyone time to familiarize themselves with new rigs. It takes new hams a bit longer. Time and experience improves new operators.
Ham operators today taken as a whole have as much or more technical savvy as past operators. They often do not have good working knowledge of obsolete technical details. They don't need it.
Intentional or not intentional, the attitude expressed in this article is that of a snob with baseless presumptions. I don't intend this to be hostile, but that is the most concise way to express it. All is well in ham radio.
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by W9WHE-II on November 2, 2007
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The average ham has changed.
Once, the average ham was fairly technically savvy. Thanks to arrl, those times are gone.
Now that the entrance exams have been "dumbed down" the next stage is to "dumb down" the equipment. Welcome to arrl's vision of ham radio.
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by N5EAT on November 2, 2007
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Stan: I'm not going to defend the FT-2000. I'm going to defend the owners of this rig. It is simply the most pleasant to listen to radio out there other than perhaps the Flex. The receiver may or may not meet some contesters standards. However, on a day after day basis - the FT-2000's receiver produces the nicest audio i've ever heard from a rig - including the Orion II and IC-7800. The receiver produces zero fatigue for the listener. The folks who complain about the DNR not working are completely nuts or deaf. Some folks gripe to no end about the little noises the DSP makes when you turn the DSP setting knob. It's an adaptive filter and it's trying to adjust to the changing settings being applied. It stops making the "tiny" noises when you stop moving the knob. JEEZ.
Those of us without adjustment problems love the radio.
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by K3EY on November 2, 2007
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This topic to me seems to defend the poor FT2000 which gets blasted on a regular basis. According to the author who is constantly on the boards in lieu of the air, well it simply must be the operator cuz the operators are morons:)
Age doesn’t always equal wisdom therefore the theory of being a ham for 25 or 30 years to appreciate junk is a fallacy and a sorry attempt to defend the undefendable.
I have owned just about every high-end radio available and I keep going back to the K2 for raw receiver performance. The K2 is not what I called menu friendly and in fact requires time to truly understand how to operate properly. The Icom PRO series which I have owned them all are IMO intuitive and perform as good as anything out there. Owning either of these fine radios doesn’t require membership in the QCWA.
This thing that you need to be a member of QCWA before you can appreciate radios is for people full of themselves. The world will continue and even be a better place when all the self proclaimed genii are dead and long gone, fact.
Hey just my opinion and sorry if I step on someone’s balls, nay not really.
K3EY
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by K3EY on November 2, 2007
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It's the ARRL's fault...Love It:) :) :) :)
This is like children’s hour play house.
K3EY
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New Radio Blues?
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by KD6NIG on November 2, 2007
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There are cell phones out there with complex setups and a higher learning curve, and people are willing to learn how to operate them even if it means....gah....opening the MANUAL!
Laziness or unwillingness to learn is not the fault of the radio, its the fault of the user. Don't buy something way above the curve if you're not willing to learn how to use it.
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New Radio Blues?
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by W3OZ on November 2, 2007
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Nice article, but it is taking a very familiar path. Apparently we really don’t like hams including ourselves. We are stupid and completely incapable of understanding technology. And to make matters worse all the new guys who have not used real ham gear and can’t take CW very well are, no matter what their professional credentials, also nearly retarded.
The fact is that the majority of new hams have their complex shack hanging on their belt. That shack is no more complex than the I-phone they also have hanging with the 2/440 rig they are using.
The ham who talked about having Microsoft develop a game like rig has some merit if we are serious about attracting young people, which I think is a nearly impossible activity. Most young people look at us as some kind of old smelly CB flakes. They are not at all envious of our rigs with all the knobs and switches. They can do all we can with our large shacks with the little devices they already know and use. Ever try to out program a teenager on a cell phone?
This article is supposed to be about problems we apparently have with new rigs. Well let me add that we are putting to much emphasis on the rig. How about all the other ancillary equipment we have in a modern shack. We do not pay anywhere as much attention to that old stuff as we do to the brand new rig we just go at HRO. The guy with a brand new $10,000 rig complains that it does not work as well as his buddy with an old Kenwood 520. Never mind that the Kenwood is connected to an antenna system on a 190 foot rotating tower with all new coax, switches and the best of all test equipment to keep the old rig running as it was designed.
If we want this hobby to go on, lets stop bashing each other and blaming equipment. Lets put the spirit of Elmering back in fashion. If a guy has a problem with a rig or can’t understand how it works. Lets not flame him or insult the manufacture of the rig he uses but they our best to help. On the other hand there are rigs that are poorly developed and occasionally there are lemons in any brand, so sometimes there is nothing to be done other than get it fixed or send it back, but this is no excuse to condemn an entire line of equipment.
One last thing just for the old Wizard ******* don’t give me your IMHO ***** In My Humble Opinion ***** I want your best shot, your very best, not the humble one. That phrase is sooooo yesterday.
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New Radio Blues?
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by N7PZI on November 2, 2007
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I own almost all boat anchors - VHF/UHF, HT's and HF - from the late 70's and early 80's. All of these radios do most anything the new ones do but without having to access, sub menus of sub menus of main/sub menus.
Typically, you can set or adjust what you want with one or two actual switches or knobs. You may need to press and hold one ot two keys at a time to do this, but you do not have to go searching through endless menus - many times not arranged in a logical order - to get what you want.
I have played about with a couple of VHF/UHF mobiles that are menu driven. I eventually got what I wanted, but it was frustrating and took awhile. I'll stick with my older gear that works just great and is operationally easy, intuitive and ergonomic.
I know that day is coming when all of this stuff will wear out and I'll be forced into the menu driven radios, but I hope that is a ways away and future electronics designers will derive menus and fuctions that are easy and intuitive.
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by WB2WIK on November 2, 2007
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Interesting.
I think the most popular (highest sales volume) HF ham rig ever sold is the Icom IC-706/MK2/MK2G series. At least I've heard that many times, and I've heard Icom reps state so; it's probably true.
That rig, which has been around several years now, is no picnic to use! I had one myself for a while and found it too daunting for mobile use, for me. I could program the function keys for stuff I wanted, but still making major changes on the fly required too much concentration, too many button pushes, too much menu reading for safe mobile operation -- for me.
Still, it's outsold everything else over the years; so there must be thousands and thousands of hams all over who think it's just fine. I'm probably in the minority!
The old analog rigs were mostly very easy to work on and even if components are no longer available, there was nothing proprietary and you could make substitutions all over the place and still have a working rig. Now, things have changed. But they're not bad.
Only thing I really object to is when a manufacturer uses parts that can never be substituted for critical functions and then doesn't support those rigs for a very long service life: ASICs are fine, if the manufacturer buys thousands of extras and keeps them in stock forever so they can support field repairs for a very long time. They're not so hot when they fail, require replacement, and nobody has any. Some rigs only 15-20 years old today are rendered useless this way.
WB2WIK/6
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by KI4OIU on November 2, 2007
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Alan, you are hitting on a subject that I lament just about every week.
Just last month I worked an event with seasoned operators, and found that they could not adjust the settings on their HT's becuase they had programmed it with their computers when they bought them and never learned the front panel keystrokes to do it in the field.
At what point does "convience" override "proficiency"?
We (my wife is also a ham) must be in the minority of the new hams, since we have had our tickets for less than 2 years, and with the exception of our HT's, the newest radios in our shack were made in the 80's. It was a personal choice, one made to reflect our interest in the service, not the gadgets used in the service. The antenna's in the backyard? With the exception of the Hustler vertical that was a gift from another ham, they are either wire or homebrew copper jpoles. Our Christmas wish list? Heathkit SB-3 series with all of the matching accessories.
With the magazines pushing Software Designed Radios on us, and the complexity of the menu driven rigs in the system now, I forsee a downward spiral of the ability of the operator to handle situations in the field. With just a few ARES drills and scheduled events under my belt, I have yet to have a "glitch free" day in the field. As a matter of fact, I consider the obstacles good training for the real thing, and again I'm afraid that I am in the minorty there too.
Anyway, thanks Alan for posting this and letting me vent!!!
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by KC2RGW on November 2, 2007
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I find a few things interesting.
People pay all kinds of money for rigs with extended features and don't have the slightest idea how to work the rigs. Then they write horrible reviews, many times with clues in them that the operator clearly didn't understand the rig they are reviewing.
You are paying for a rig with features you don't understand...why? It isn't the rig's fault that you don't understand how to operate it, so why give it a bad review? A review would generally imply that you understood the features of the product.
A lot of the reviewers and writeups that I have seen online have extensive initials after their names and photos of thousands of dollars of advanced test equipment. Yet when reading the 'reviews' it is still very clear that they haven't read the manual or if they have, they don't understand fundamental features...e.g. a parametric EQ.
Then the review goes on and on about how horrible the audio of the rig is, yet the settings listed are clearly WAY out of bounds of any reasonable person that would understand them. Of course the audio is bad, you have the EQ dialed well into a range it should be distorting.
I recently saw a very extended paper on the GAP Titan that went on to accuse it of all sorts of deficiencies. Looking at the photos, it wasn't assembled correctly. Also the reviewer had attached ground radials to what is already a balanced antenna. In this case there was extremely expensive commercial analysis gear hooked up to analyze what was a poorly assembled antenna. It wasn't the fault of the antenna.....
RTFM - Read The Fine Manual
If that doesn't help you, geeze, ask someone who knows for some help.
The manufacturers are finally putting all sorts of control in the hands of the operators. Hams had to tack on all sorts of home brew items to accomplish basic changes in the audio chain before these rigs came along. Finally we have some better control of our signals. The only sign I see in all this is the low quality of the operators themselves and the tripping over egos that goes on before anyone will actually ask for some help.
We are going to drive the manufacturers to radios with a big dial and 40 'channels' per band with a volume knob and a power button if people don't snap up and actually learn something in the hobby again.
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New Radio Blues?
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by KB2HSH on November 2, 2007
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I agree to a point about the complexity. My FT-817ND has the same "menu-driven" features. Comparing it to the Argonaut 505 I had...or even a relatively newer rig such as the HTX-100 I had as a Novice is comparing night and day. Sure the rigs are complicated, but then again, they are packing them with newer and better features as well. But, all of the new rigs have Owner's Manuals, and with a feature that isn't understood, a simple trip on Google helps as well. I used it when setting memories in my 817.
Finally, I think that patience should be used more when it comes to dealing with a new radio. Sadly, patience is something running on Empty in our society.
John KB2HSH
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by W4ONC on November 2, 2007
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Just spit in the back of the radio and hit it on top. Always worked for me!!!
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by VE6CNU on November 2, 2007
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First, I'd like to point out that the manufacturers of ham radios are guilty of the same thing as in so many other industries: adding on "features" that help sell new products. This is the age-old story of confusing wants and needs. Most people consider themselves fortunate if they can work the remote control on their TV/Home Theatre system and get the channel they want. Most people never use 90% of the features on their cell phone or their digital camera. And who takes time to sit down and read the manual or review the DVD that comes with your new toaster oven? Similarly, we have tons of "features" on our new HF rigs that either don't work well or are unnecessary. How many of us use those memory banks for storing frequencies on our HF rigs? The manufacturers will continuing adding complexity and new "features" as long as we keep buying their products.
Second, as the operator driving the equipment, you need to know what it is you want the thing to do. For those who don't understand radio theory, filtering, digital concepts, operating procedures (like how to work DX using split frequencies), a radio is just so many buttons and knobs. A technically minded old timer can usually get the most out of a modern rig because he knows what he wants it to do. He might have to consult the manual to set up the menus, but he can get there. On the other hand, a brilliant young button pusher (video games, iPods, text messager, etc.) without a proper background in radio will quickly get frustrated and move on to something else. Ham Radio is not for everyone (thank goodness).
Finally, we need to admit that ham radio means different things to different people and that it is a work in progress. For those who like operating vintage gear, there are clubs and groups who support you. Similarly, if you like developing a new filtering algorithm for a software defined radio, there are groups for you too. The bottom line is that its all about having fun - after all, it is a hobby. If a rig is too complicated to figure out, don't buy it! Get something simpler and use it. But if your rig doesn't do what you need (or want), look for one that will. Today, there are more choices than ever before. We have more modes of communication open to us too. I'm still excited about where all of this is heading, and like good art, the good radios will survive the test of time.
Jerry
VE6CNU
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by K1DA on November 2, 2007
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I started dorking with computers, when necessary,
back in the mid 90's when upgrades bought more than a few months of continued service, and I appreciate a good computer connected to a high speed connection for
doing internet research - but I really don't like the things that much. Ditto for the latest phase noise specials from Yeaicawood. I tore apart an IC 728 a few years ago and ended up with a pretty good sounding receiver on ssb and am-- the radio is a bit of a sleeper,
but it won't hear anything a TR 4 can't. (QST has the 728 info)
I suppose I grew up at a time when one got enough money together to buy a good "station" and kept it going- modifing when necessary- for a good long time.
Today it seems radios are like fast food joints, don't like the offering, keep trying until you find one you like. Problem is too many people only know what they DON'T like , and the FTI 100,000 with a long wire to the back fence just won't deliver what is expected.
I get a kick out of those who buy the latest offering from one of the big 3, regale us with tales about how good it is, then dump it and spend just as much time on the faults. It was probably not as good as first reported and not as bad as later described.
I used an ft 2000 and a good antenna at a contest station recently and found it a very good radio, far better than what the average breeze shooter needs to talk from Massachusetts to New York, even it won't make up for a poor antenna or for the fact that the
guy up the band doesn't know how to adjust a transmitter or what the notion of bandwidth is all about. Complex gear in the hands of those who can't draw a block diagram of a single conversion superhet is not necessary a good thing.
I say, start off with simple stuff and when you fully understand how it works you will be in a better position to judge what to buy next.
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by WB2WIK on November 2, 2007
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That last post reminded me of another gripe:
The Owner's Manuals I've seen/read/own for most rigs I've used/reviewed/owned are absolutely horrible.
In most cases the equipment is far better than the manual.
I see JA rigs where the introduction, warnings, instructions on how to ground it and other nonsense go on for 10-15 pages, but when it comes to explaining how to switch the iambic keying modes or some other feature that's not at all intuitive, that information is relegated to four words buried in a footnote on page 72.
The Ameritron AL-80B (I have one) manual discusses how to adjust the ALC for several paragraphs but never tells anyone what they need to know, or why. I've re-written those instructions to three short sentences and sent them all over the world to hams who say, "Thank you, now I understand."
Another gripe: Why do transceiver manufacturers insist on using multipin DIN connectors for commonly used interfaces like amplifier key lines, footswitches and ALC? This is ridiculous. Ten Tec has it right, as did my old Drake TR-7: Use RCA phono jacks, for goodness sakes. They only cost five cents and everybody has matching cables. There is, indeed, room for them.
WB2WIK/6
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by K1BXI on November 2, 2007
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Nice reading Alan, Dan, N3OX, back up the post aways, described the way I, and a lot of us, got into ham radio many years ago. I can attest to the learning curve with these new rigs. 50 years ago I started with an S-40B receiver and a DX-100. Over time I did mods and more mods to them, it was a learning experience that I loved.
Fast forward to 2007 and I find myself doing the same thing with an FT-1000MP-MK5. Only difference is now instead of a soldering iron and components, I do it with a menu. It's still that same learning experience for me.
Many like those old rigs, but after having gone from an HW-12 to a KWM2-A and some in between, when the going gets rough, give me a rig that I can change the settings quickly to suit the conditions at the time. That is, after I learn how to do it!
A ham radio license is a license to start learning in what ever part of it suits your fancy.
John......K1BXI
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by WA1RNE on November 2, 2007
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One of the key attributes of radio equipment design is ergonomics. Some radios are designed with good ergonomics, others are pretty poor. The best features, bells and whistles may be great attributes, but if they're painful to use, where's the pleasure??
Some of the key attributes of a radio with a decent ergonomic design are:
> Intuitive front panel layout;
> Knobs and switches that feel natural and aren't too small or too close together;
> Easy to read displays, both from a layout and lighting perspective;
> Controls that are not overloaded with too many functions;
> Well designed menus; Menus that are too deep or complex take too much time to use and are just plain annoying ;
>> Last but not least is the design of the operating manual.
For those who take the time to read it - and many obviously don't which is part of the overall problem and scope of this article - a good manual is vital. Many Japanese products were written by Japanese Engineers but are poorly organized and translated to to other languages.
I've been running a ICOM IC-740 for over 23 years and it's provided great performance, ergonomics and reliability. Occasionally I make it over to a ham radio store and spend some time hands-on with the "latest and greatest", but lately I haven't been swayed on ergonomics.
At a $1500-$2700 average price tag, the combined ergonomics and performance isn't exactly blowing me away with envy.
...WA1RNE
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by AC7CW on November 2, 2007
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I've sometimes thought of taking one of the beautifully easy and intuitive to operate radios of the past and building in a modern radio with the best of both (DSP, digital modes, keyer, CAT, antenna tuner, etc.) worlds, maybe even tube audio. I'm not sure what would be the best choice for the case really, maybe an SB-102 or something like that... good excuse to dust off one's radio engineering skills if nothing else...
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by NI0C on November 2, 2007
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WB2WIK/6 wrote:
"Another gripe: Why do transceiver manufacturers insist on using multipin DIN connectors for commonly used interfaces like amplifier key lines, footswitches and ALC? This is ridiculous. Ten Tec has it right, as did my old Drake TR-7: Use RCA phono jacks, for goodness sakes. They only cost five cents and everybody has matching cables. There is, indeed, room for them."
Right on, Steve. My pet peeve was the 13-pin DIN connector on some of the later Kenwood radios, including the TS-850S. Once you find a mating connector (not an easy feat), you are faced with attaching your cabling without melting the plug. Building my KX1 was easier than assembling that cable!
73,
Chuck NI0C
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by K4SFC on November 2, 2007
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After the Icom 706MKIIG I started losing interest, due to the time needed for me to understand my rig. The Yaesu FT-100, Icom 746PRO, and Kenwood TS-2000 are too time consuming for me to fully understand. I am NOT without technical skills. Have had my own radio/tv repair business. Was an electronics instructor at a trade school. Worked for Davis and Jabil International Electronics. Same for my TV and VCR/DVD combo. Too time consuming to setup and reset after each power outage from thunder storms. That is the downside, the upside is I go for a motorcycle ride when frustrated by the above. So all is not lost.
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by W4VR on November 2, 2007
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Before I purchase a new radio I download the operating manual from the manufacturer's website to find out how complicated it is to set up and operate. I've had Yaesu and Kenwood HF radios and find that their menu systems are needlessly lenghty and complicated...you have to refer to the operating manual if you want to make a change in the over 100 menu items. Icom radios are a bit more user friendly where the menu items are tiered in such a way that you don't have to resort to the operator's manual ever time you want to make a parameter change. TenTec and SDR radios are more complicated to set up and follow a learning curve, but once you have one of these set up the way you want it there's nothing complicated about operating one. After many years of enjoyment using fine radios made by Kenwood and Yaesu I decided to go with Icom ...PROIII/PW1...all you need to know is how to rotate the VFO dial and push a band button. The system does everything else for you, including switching your antennas.
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New Radio Blues?
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by K9IUQ on November 2, 2007
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AI2IA opines: "Intentional or not intentional, the attitude expressed in this article is that of a snob with baseless presumptions. I don't intend this to be hostile, but that is the most concise way to express it. All is well in ham radio."
K3EY continues: "This topic to me seems to defend the poor FT2000 which gets blasted on a regular basis. According to the author who is constantly on the boards in lieu of the air, well it simply must be the operator cuz the operators are morons:)"
And W4LGH sputters: "Radio tests are a farce at best. They can be made to look anyway the tester wants it to."
....................................................
Right Al,- Sherwood, ARRL, and many other reviews are all lies. And since you are smarter than they are the FT-2000 is a fantastic rig because you say so.
Anyone who reads eham regularly knows W4LGH is full of egotistical B.S.
This article was written for one purpose. Al bought a New FT-2000 and everyone is not swooning over his new purchase. He actually has done some investigation of the radio - after he bought it - and now feels the need to defend his purchase.
I have missed you Al, haven't had a good laugh in months, thanx,
Stan K9IUQ
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by K1CJS on November 2, 2007
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Just about every one of the posts here make valid points. The smarts needed to get a ham license have been reduced and the complexity of the operating controls of most of the simpler rigs have been lessened. Some rigs that have more complicated controls have been introduced and you really have to know what you're doing to use them. They're definitely not intended for question memorizers and appliance operators.
Another good point is the writing of the the various rigs users manuals. Japanese rigs have users manuals that were written by English trained Japanese technicians. I say English trained because most of the techs have not 'learned' English, they only translate to it. Look at the manuals of most of the Japanese rigs and you'll see little errors that sometimes cloud the explanation of various features of the rig.
It does come down to the dumbing down of education, both here in the US and to a lesser extent abroad, and the desire to save another few cents per rig by getting a manual written locally in Japan than having the manual written in the US and having a master copy sent to Japan to be copied and put in the packages.
As far as the modern ham having the knowledge to run the rigs of today, if they really want to use the rig properly they will learn how. The rig helps too--at least the program/menu driven ones do--by being able to program some of the controls to do what the operator wants them to do. Once that is done the operator will know the basics of running that particular rig much easier since the functions that operator wants the most will already be known to them.
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by WM2P on November 2, 2007
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Interesting article and comments. For me some of the comments makes a few points I would like to comment on.
1. Some of us new hams bring to the table technical skills that billions of people benefit from. Skills that benefit the lives of everyone and not just those in a hobby. Skills that extend human life, reduce the cost of things we buy and in general make life easier. So we really do not like being called stupid and treated like we are somehow inferior because we have not had time to learn what you know yet. Now if the new ham is acting the fool, then treat him as such, but do not treat us all that way please.
2. Great specifications do not make a great radio. As a one time audiophile I wasted money on gear that had the best test measurements but sounded bad. Also had things that did not test as well but sounded great. A good example is tube versus solid state. SS gear will generally test much better than tube gear but yet, many people find the sound produced by tubes to be more satisfying.
3. Ergonomics may not be as important to the newcomers as it is to the more established hams. I control all of my rigs, scanners and what not with software. I click on one button and my rig is reconfigured for weak signal reception. Another click and I am reconfigured to reject strong adjacent signals. The placement of knobs and menus thus becomes less important to us than what software is available to run it. Even for portable operations there are laptops to be used. :)
4. Beleive it or not, some of us new hams can read and learn but give us time and the chance. Do not alienate us by trying to force us onto the correct path through insults and harsh language. Let us feel as if we are being treated with the respect we deserve. Some of us are highly trained, professionally respected and intelligent people and do not deserve some of the treatment we receive by others simply because we are new to the hobby and know less. If we err, gently correct us, do not throw your superior knowledge into our faces as we do not do when you ask us for computer help. :)
5. As one commentor so correctly stated. Most rigs today are more than good enough for the majority of hams. My Honda gets me to work just as quickly as a Rolls Royce would. How well a radio is suited to you is a personal thing dependant on your needs.
6. I too rushed out and bought more rig than I could handle when I first became a General but it was my time and money that I wasted and not yours so please do not critize anyone for doing this. We are all free to waste our time and money as we see fit. My friends think I am crazy to spend so much on radio gear but it is OK for them to buy a $1000 model locomotive. :) To each his own I say.
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by WR8D on November 2, 2007
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Alan, you forgot tentecs Jupiter. I bought one of those when they first came out and still enjoy it along with all these others i have.
I bought a new 775dsp with all its filters almost ten years ago and still have to get the manual out to find somethings. The proIII though is differant. I can flip through its menu and find what i'm looking for pretty quick without the manual. All of them just take getting used to and it's easier for someone with just one station setup. They use that one rig all the time, for weirdos like me i have five complete stations setup and i'll get things from one rig confused with another one. Hi Hi.
Nice thread......73
John WR8D
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by KU2US on November 2, 2007
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I am so tired of hearing about the new "Tekie" generation. "I go to my kids to program this, have you ever tried to out-program a teenager?"..on and on..Ok, maybe it is true, BUT ask these kids what the heck they are doing? ask them the theory behind those programmable cell phones, ask them what kind of software the phone is utilizing, NO CLUE.. And the kid that tears apart computers and rebuilds them-ask them to do that to a new software driven ham rig-NO CLUE. In fact not many of anybody has a CLUE. Push a button to text this, this button to take a photo, and that one to connect to the internet-BUT why? They again have NO CLUE. Its not the new generation that are Tekies, its the equipment. Turn on the power, adjust your tuner, set your frequency, and key down and talk. NOW I have a CLUE..
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by W8KQE on November 2, 2007
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Alan,
You do make a point about the 'high-end' rigs, but that's why they cost more and are for Hams that demand more features and control overall. However, keep in mind that there are also MANY simpler, more basic rigs on the market (IC-718, FT-450, etc.) that have great specs and performance too. Many of the basic rigs of today have better performance than the many mid-priced and more expensive rigs of 'yesteryear'. We are very fortunate to live in an era of good rig choices where there is essentially a rig for everyone! The most important thing is to get on the air, even if you're running QRP and a dipole!
73,
George
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by WM2P on November 2, 2007
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Re: Tired of Tekkies
Yup, that is what good technology is supposed to do; make itself transparent to the end user.
Those of use interested in Technology sometimes have to realize that the majority of people could not care less about the same underlying technology as we do and it is not bad that they do not. They just want to press a button and have it work. I am as guilty as the next person for admonishing people for lacking the same curiousity as I have about what makes things tick.
I am happy to have my doctor just concentrate on his own technology without having to worry about what makes a radio work or even his car for that matter. :)
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by N3OX on November 2, 2007
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"ask them the theory behind those programmable cell phones, ask them what kind of software the phone is utilizing, NO CLUE.."
What do you think happens if you ask the same questions to someone who got their license in the 60s and spent the last 40 odd years yakking on 75m?
Lets keep things in perspective. The people who actually know what's going on with cell phone innards and the cellular network are almost all engineers that work on some aspect of it.
Take the phone out of your pocket. Can *you* build a better one? If it breaks, can you fix it? Do you know what receiver architecture it uses? What DSP algorithms? Can you build a better one? Does knowing anything about how it works make it easier to use or let you do more with it?
All I'm saying is don't blame the kids because they don't know how a cellphone works. It's unlikely that they've come across anyone who does.
Let's not pretend a working knowledge of ham radio makes one an expert on aspects of cellular telephone RF design and networks. The average 40+ year ham probably knows a *little more* than the average teenager about what's going on there, but without concerted study or previous exposure, you won't understand the whole thing... and the nature of a cell phone is that it's been designed for easy use without understanding how it works.
About all you can do to help its performance is to know that a clearer line of sight to a tower can give you a better signal... and I think most teenagers can figure that one out on their own.
There's no chance with discovery related to the transmission medium with cable networks, cell phones, internet, etc.
The reason radio was able to capture the imaginations of so many was because *wireless* was a novelty and *propagation* made for the possibility of unexpected reception!
There's a couple generations of kids who became hams after DXing on the family radio on the AM or shortwave bands.
If radio programs had been delivered by cable or perfect digital transmission than locked out "interfering" stations, do you think it would have ever occured to those kids that you could do something cool and interesting with radio?
Dan
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by WI7B on November 2, 2007
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"This is not meant to pick on anyone, but let's face it; the new generation of Ham operators do not have the technical savvy of Hams 25-30yrs ago. It's not required to be technical, so be it, I am fine with that.
However with the newer software defined radios becoming more and more, The Flex radio, Ten-Tec's Orion & Omni VII, Yaesu's FT-950, FT-2000 and FTDX-9000 class radios, and lets not leave out ICOMs 7800 and 7700." - Alan W4LGH
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Alan, I'm somewhat confused by your premise as delineated above. Not the least of my confusion is the second phrase, which isn't a complete sentence as it lacks a subject. "More and more" what?
If you mean technical, then you have to outline what techniques. For example, software programming or electronic components assembly?
If the standard for technical skill you set is hams 25-30 years ago, then what is the relationship of that skill to software-defined radio in the 21st century?
Should amateur radio operators know how to operate their stations? Yes, that is a key to FCC licensing. That's a point on which I can agree with you.
But, if your point is a slight of hand to decry new hams for the ease with which you believe they received their authority to operate, then I take exception.
73,
---* Ken
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by KG4RUL on November 2, 2007
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by KF4HR on November 2, 2007
I had a totally different experience with my TS-2000. The way Kenwood designed this radio, it wasn't nearly easy to intially learn or program. Lot's of small buttons and knobs, (even smaller print), slow scrolling long menus, all on a fairly small display; my TS-2000 manual was never far from reach. And worst yet, being familiar with previous Kenwood transceiver models didn't offer me much of an advantage.
I've grown used to my TS-2000, and it does have a lot of features I enjoy, but even after 2 years, I still reach for the manual now and then. Does it get easier over time? Sure, but the bottom line is, some rigs are just easier to learn and operate than others. And this isn't necessarily because of the complexity of the radio, but rather because of how the manufacturer decides to implement the same basic functionality.
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I had the exact opposite experience with my TS2000X. I found the panel layout to be a great example of an efficent man-machine interface. Functions are logically grouped and easy to access.
Now my FT-100D and the FT-857D, FT-2800M and FT-8800 at our EOC are true nightmares to use. MOST functions require menu access and multiple button presses.
Other rigs I have used at Field Day, etc. have never felt as easy to use as the TS2000X. But, I have to agree that I am always learning new things about it!
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New Radio Blues?
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by VE6JJO on November 2, 2007
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For me, the biggest problem is the user interface. What we're waiting for here is the iPod of amateur radio. Something with a nice, large (preferably touch)screen where you can actually see what you're doing graphically instead of plunking through menu level after menu level on a 3/4 inch by 2 inch LED screen.
Take the FT-897 & 857 for example, great radios, great price, crappy menu driven interface on a crappy little LED screen. Take that same radio & give it a data management unit. plug in a nice sized LCD screen and you've got a radio that acts and looks like it belongs in the 21st century instead of a 1982 wrist watch.
I really do think that this is what is missing...having it all right there in front of you so you can actually see whats going on...if I want to change two settings at the same time to see what happens...I can do it, if I want one setting higher while the other one goes lower...I can do it.
I recognize yaesu, icom and all the rest don't produce tens of millions of units like the folks at Apple do. In that critical $800 - 1500 range that a majority of hams can afford...I just don't see any progress towards the better interface. I mean, maybe the techical specs on the radios are good enough now and its time to devote some precious R&D money to the interface...make it easier for me to see what I'm doing.
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New Radio Blues?
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by K0RGR on November 2, 2007
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I've been licensed for 42 years, and I carry manuals with me wherever I go.
Particularly for 2 meter rigs. They have never made one yet that is intuitive about setting the PL tone. Please MR. Radio Manufacturer, put a 'PL' knob on the front panel, or an easy to find button that will let me set the PL tone with a single push. Oh, I know there are rigs out there that will do that, too - they'll even figure out what tone you need for you in a couple keystrokes. BUT WHAT KEYS??? Here in the USA we almost always use CTCSS now. If you made this easier, I think you'd sell a lot of radios, and you might even help reinvigorate 2 meters a little.
I bought a new IC-7000 this year. I've had lots of ICOMS, but for the first 3 weeks I owned it, I just hooked up an antenna and played with all the things I could do with the receiver. I've never even gotten around to trying most of the transmitter features. This rig has more features than I expected!
As for video games, have you seen a Software-Defined Radio? If that panoramic display isn't enough of a video game for you, maybe a few tweaks to the code would improve it? I'm sure I would never use all the features of a FlexRadio, but I am also sure I would find it easy to use after a while (I've got a couple SDR kits waiting for the soldering iron, as I speak).
Overall, I think that many hams overestimate the technical expertise of newbies 40 years ago. Just how complex was that 75A-3 compared to a modern receiver?
I think the really good news is that the hardware is getting simpler. As SDR's gain acceptance, I would expect more people to at least attempt to repair or modify their rigs. Now, instead of changing a tube, you change an IC that replaces 3 or 4 stages of a conventional rig.
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RE: New Radio Blues?
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by N7YA on November 2, 2007
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I knew this one would bring out the ugly.
I agree with one poster who deducted, why buy a cheap rig only to outgrow it rapidly then go spend a lot more for a rig that better suits you? Even the most advanced rig can do the most basic of operations.
Think about what you want it for, contesting/DXing, ragchewing, emcomms, etc...then search for the rig that can provide all that you need, and what you think you may also use it for down the road...and if theres too many controls on it, simply read the flippin' manual and see what it can do! If all you will ever use it for is keeping that one qrp sked on 20 every sunday...skip the FTDX-9000MP...but it CAN do the most basic job if needed.
Otherwise, they DO make modern rigs for any level of ham these days...from the very basic to the very elaborate. Open an AES catalog and you will find HF rigs ranging from the little MFJ 90-series (3 turnable knobs and an on/off button), all the way up to those $13000 NASA control panels that will also make your coffee for you on a cold winter day of DXing....hmmm, thats not a bad idea, but i digress...
I think the author of this thread, i will assume, wrote it with genuinely inquisitive intent...however the result will eventually decend into new ham/old ham bashing, something-for-nothing, kids-these-days, old-timers-suck, etc, etc...its already just beginning to, what a legacy to leave behind, huh?
The rig doesnt make the ham, its just a tool. buy a fancy rig, you may enjoy it ONCE you absorb the manual. I dont lament about someone ELSES lack of knowledge, theres still quite a few things we all dont know yet, im certainly not in any position to cast stones at new hams, i welcome them all. If they conduct themselves with true ham spirit | |
