Good job, Tom.

My first transmitter was a homebrew 2-tube escapee from  the TV junk pile.  I am not amazed how a $2000+ rig can communicate around the world.  I am amazed how a pile of parts and some effort can do the same.

73, JP, K8AG

I also recommend finding a local club.  Lots of old stuff available and the Elmers who know how to hook it up and make it work.

My 2 cents.

73, JP, K8AG

Sorry but I disagree R.

What do you mean by doing ham radio "right"?   Ham radio is such a widely varied pastime with an ever wider ranging following, I don't think there is a "right" way to do it.

Some like to compete.  There is sure room for that.  To compete in contests it generally is easier spending money.  But sometimes it is just fun to sit down and shoot the breeze.  Maybe pick up a few pointers, or a new acquaintance or even friend.  This can be done fairly cheaply.

One will need to spend some money.  But like in life, the amount of money one spends depends on what one is trying to do.

73, JP, K8AG

Check your AGC setting.  It may be set to fast, which is fine for CW but can cause exactly what you are describing if set too fast.

What happens is that the AGC cranks up the receiver gain between voice peaks resulting in the hiss.

73, JP, K8AG

I have a SkyScan wall clock that allows any offset.  Works like a champ.

I bought an MFJ clock and it only allowed the 4 time zones.  One would think an amateur gear supplier would make sure it could at least be set to GMT/Zulu.

73 JP, K8AG

I agree.  I have an 857D but it is a do everything OK rig.  Separate rigs for HF and VHF/UHF will give you better performance on each.

My 2 cents.

73, JP, K8AG

I had an Ungar with 65 Watt element for about 20 years.  Just replaced it recently.  Have an Edsyn station now.  Thing heats up fastter than the Metcals at work and seems really well designed.  Got it refurbished for $50.

73, JP, K8AG

I bet it is real noise.  Sounds like the receiver AGC is working just fine.

Did anybody in your immediate neighborhood recently purchase a plasma TV?  Fluorescent and neon lights can also cause problems along with bad insulators on high voltage poles and towers in  the area.

I would start looking for noise outside of the radio.

73, JP, K8AG

The smallest would be a Cantenna or other dummy load.  But there are probably better performing units.

I use an end fed coil loaded half wave vertical.  I run it back to the high impedance input of my tuner and it works quite well.  It needs no radials and gets the radiating section a bit off of the ground.

My 2 cents.

73, JP, K8AG

Your station has worked well for months.  Suddenly you are receiving, but nobody seems to be coming back to you.  Is it your transceiver, tuner, antenna?  Hook the radio to the load and see if your radio then puts out.  If not, its the radio.  If so, its the tuner or antenna or feedline.

For that alone its worth the price.

73, JP, K8AG

Possibility of RF in the shack?  Intermittent problems can be a symptom of RF in the shack.  Even reproducable problems can be RF.  A FSM in your shack might indicate a high RF level.

Just a thought.

73, JP, K8AG

I have had good luck with the RF Shoppe.  I don't work for them or get a commission or anything.  I have just had a couple of radios to them (one a Yaesu) and they did a fine job.

I had the same problem with my power socket when I had an 817.  I think the plugs are weak and the ends break off.  I couldn't get the piece out, no matter what I tried.  I eventually replaced the connector and everything was fine then.

Never seemed to have the frequency off problem.  200 Hz sounds not insignificant.  I doubt it is within manufacturer's specs.

73, JP, K8AG

Becoming a grampa recently I was "encouraged" to give up the territory I had acquired when the baby's father left home, so they could bring the baby to visit.  I was determined that, if I was going to a smaller room, I would benefit from it.  For years I had been operating from a medium sized desk.  I always needed more elbow room, especially for sending CW.  I got a microphone boom and studio mic (on sale) to give me more room, but it still didn't have the depth needed for proper hand position during CW QSOs.

For my birthday, I got my wife to buy me a 36" wide replacement door from the local megahardware.  I also got a cheap paintbrush and some water soluable sealer.  Laying it on a couple of 2-drawer file cabinets from a local business that was shutting down (There's a lot of that in Michigan now.) I gave it several coats of the sealer.

Now I have plenty of room for my straight key, paddles, scratch paper, keyboard and mouse.  So my room is smaller, but my operating desk is huge.  I actually like it better than before.

Now to work on the baby about getting her ticket.  Might have to wait until she's 4 or so.

73, JP, K8AG

One thing about the 817 and the 703, they are not light on the batteries.  They both draw significantly more than other radios and make for much heavier transport to get comparable operating time.

I had an 817 and a 706MKII (the 703 big brother).  Both were great radios.  But you might consider a KX1 or SW 40+/20+ or some other radio.  Less room/weight for batteries means you have more freedom for other things (like antennas).

My 2 cents.

73, JP, K8AG

Hi Graham,

I don't like to modify my rigs if I can avoid same.  I went out and bought a cheap amplified speaker pair for a computer.  I believe it cost me less than $10.  That, and an adapter (from Radio Shack) to allow the mono feed from the HW-8 to both channels of the stereo speakers and I was in business.  Fills the room and make copy a lot easier.  The power output from the HW-8, even with the proper transformer, is not that high.

Hope this helps.

72, JP, K8AG