Yea, it's hard to decide on them because one is a mature technology, albiet based on an obsolescent device.  The other is a better technical choice but is less fault tolerant - OK for a fixed channel operation, but not so great for amateur operation.

Either choice is valid, IMHO.

My choice was not to go legal limit so as to avoid having to upgrade my entire station and antenna array.  I chose an AL-80B - at full output it's only 1.5 dB down from legal limit, and I can buy several replacement tubes before I approach the cost of a legal limit amp.

Whatever you do buy, I agree that 811 and 572's are not worth considering, a 3-500Z is the only current production glass tube I think worth investing in.

I have a friend who loves used Alpha/ETA amps, he no doubt would suggest you find one with a current production tube set if you wanted to go legal limit.

I have gone both ways.  When I had a barefoot station, I used a series of LDG tuners and was very satisfied, once they learn your antennas, the retune is super fast.

When I added the amp, I went to large manual tuners, but I tune them with an MFJ analyzer so that I can avoid as much QRM as possible.

I tried the big LDG auto tuner but found that I did not get used to all the steps, plus it seemed like I kept generating QRM when tuning.

I went back to the manual tuners.

LOL.  There's a SYT works the local coffee shop, she had an AF t-shirt on and I floored her when I said, I had heard of that band.  Since then, I bought one of their CD's - they are not too bad at all.

And yea, this is not new, as such.

Two fora I belong to support TT.  I don't read such on my true mobile device and on the iPad, regular web browser preserves full functionality.

IOW, I put Tapatalk into "File 13", aka, "The Circular File"....just not useful for ME.

New or newer rig?  How much money?

For ease of operation, the FT-2000 has a one time setup menu to get all the various parameters set, then you forget it and almost everything else is a front knob or button.  Should be able to find a used one.

The tuner is only a 3:1, so I'd invest in an outboard tuner for greater range if you need it.

An FT-847 is not too bad, few menus needed but lacks a lot of modern amenities - I know, I own one.

Eventually, both, ideally.  But I'd go with the DX-EE first.

Nearly any of the "modern" - meaning all solid state with digital readout radios will serve you well.

I do suggest for fixed station use that you buy a larger rig physically - knobs not menus.  There's lots of good rigs out there by Icom, Yaesu, Kenwood that will cover all HF bands, many also cover 6 meters as well.  I would go more by price and rig condition, plus any included accessories like optional filters that come with the radio. A radio that the local ham demonstrates on air for you before the sale is a lot better bang for the buck than the same money gambled on e-Bay, IMHO.

Anywhere from $350 to $1000 would give you a fine starter HF radio meeting your criteria except maybe a computer interface.

Don't forget to budget for the needed accessories like antenna materials, feedline, tuner if needed, antenna switches, power supply, etc.  If you don't have a high-current power supply, I would suggest at least a 35 amp supply, as that will allow you to run your HF rig plus a pack of accessory gear with capacity to spare.

For $80, I got 1K fully custom color photo cards from K4JSG.com - Jeff designed the cards from my specifications, using my background art, double sided color printing on oversized cards.  It is nearly impossible to compete with prices like that using a home printer.  The hardest part is coming up with only one design!  At the rate I burn QSL cards, a thousand of them last me quite a long time.

That being said, I have no issue with home printed cards, and they offer you a lot more flexibility - I used to make small batches of custom cards for portable operations - if you buy the proper size card stock and are facsile with the design software, it's easy enough.

I'm much more interested in a neat design, or a unique printing method [woodcut anyone?] or a special location regardless of the card quality.

I'm sort of sad that I'm one of a dying breed of physical card users.

My old SAR team got caught with a load of amateur rigs on 155.160 and it was ugly when the FCC showed up with a big bill.

This is one case where a remote tuner really will pay off, IMHO.

The remote MFJ tuners even come with the power injector to power the tuner via the coax itself.

You might want to paint the enclosure a discreet camo with a small sign with your callsign and name on it.

The cantenna is a good deal for power and time, it's got a fair amount of thermal mass and takes a while to heat up.

But it's not very portable.  I also have a small dry ome for portable or field use.

The Yaesu 2000, 5000, 9000's are all control intensive radios.  Because they are so complex they also have a huge menu but once set up you rarely use them.

I imagine there are others but I'm familiar with the Yaesu.

Hm.  If you want a point to point circuit, there are tools that can help you.

If you say no beams for price, wire beams since you won't need to rotate it.

Wire v beams and rhombics if you have the space.

I bought my AL-80B last year, new.  It was perfect from the factory, and has performed well for me in spite of my ham-handed mistakes from time to time.

I get good signal reports using it.  It's a best buy.