Well seems like I stirred the pot here! LOL I guess I just get in those moods to where I feel just "burnt out" and think if I get something new (older in this case) it will refuel the fire. I had been off the air for ten years until this past Feburary when I bought the Mark V Field, it is an excellent radio in every respect, I may just need to try a different mode of operation, maybe go back to cw, or even try something I never have before, maybe some digital mode. After thinking about it all and looking at it in a different light I guess I have really reconsidered it all the way around, thanks for all the advice, may try home brewing me another amp, like a pair of 3-500z's. Thanks again.

I have been in this hobby for 35 years now, I have owned all the Japanese radios that I think that I want to. I am at the point now to where I am just wanting to get me a nice Collins S-line or KMW2A station and some Drake C line equipment. Some of the Collins radios have been going for over 50 years and will continue to go far beyond any of the "rice boxes" out there. Don't get me wrong they are some awesome rigs out there but I just want to go to a simple radio, I love the glow of tubes and the sound of a tube receiver, anyway my question is what should I look for and what are some of the Red Flags on the Collins stuff. I pretty much know the Drake line I owned a lot of it back in the day. Looking to trade my Yaesu FT-1000mp Mark V Field station for some of this older gear. Thanks in advance.

I have a Yaesu FT-1000mp Mark V Field that I really like, I have seen the DMU units for the latest models, it displays all kinds of things on the screen, band scope, frequency ect. My question is for my radio what does the CAT system actually do? What would I see on a monitor, if I hook it to a PC through the CAT serial port on the radio? Is this something like the DMU or totally something different, I have seen pictures of shacks with monitors and they have the band scope running and a lot of everything else, I may be way off base here but I am totally new to this technology. What software is required to do this or will this radio even do it? Thanks in advance.

I have a Yaesu FT-1000mp Mark V Field that I really like, I have seen the DMU units for the latest models, it displays all kinds of things on the screen, band scope, frequency ect. My question is for my radio what does the CAT system actually do? What would I see on a monitor, if I hook it to a PC through the CAT serial port on the radio? Is this something like the DMU or totally something different, I have seen pictures of shacks with monitors and they have the band scope running and a lot of everything else, I may be way off base here but I am totally new to this technology. What software is required to do this or will this radio even do it? Thanks in advance.

The Yaesu FT-1000mp is an excellent rig even for a beginner, there are all kinds of information and forums on them. It is a great radio and in today's market you get a lot of radio for the money, if you can buy one for below market price I say go for it! I was off the air for ten years and just got back on this past March, I didn't have any equipment, so I found a really nice Yaesu FT-1000mp Mark V Field with all the filters in it, great radio and will be for years to come. Yes they can be a little complex but as said there is plenty of info out there. Also a 756 ProII would be a great rig to look at also, a lot of radio for the money and a little less complex than the Yaesu 1000, either way you won't be going wrong. Just my 2 cents. 73

I am using the #26 gauge insulated wire from the Wireman, I put up a 20 meter dipole on my balcony here where we live in an apartment on the second floor (top floor). The antenna is configured in an upside down U with the end of the legs about 8 feet off the ground, they are hidden in the J channel of the siding going down the building and fed with RG-8X mini coax. I have made contacts to Europe, the Caribbean, all over the US on 20 and have tuned it with a Palstar AT-2K tuner for 40 meters and do well on 40 also Europe and local also. I thought my ham radio days were over here in the apartment but I am shocked at what I have been able to do with the "make-shift" antenna and a hundred watts.

Ok thanks for the suggestions, I will give it a try on the CFL bulbs, and also I plan on trying to get up a closed loop somehow on the balcony also, see my post in Antenna Restrictions on Bent Dipole or Loop.
Thanks

Well today I had time to make up a coax fed 20 meter half wave dipole. I used clear lexan for the insulators and #26 insulated antenna wire from the Wireman. After making it up I hung the center insulator in the middle of my balcony and ran each leg horizontal as far as possible and the turned them down 90 degrees, I am on the second floor of the apartment building so each leg is still about eight feet off the ground. Then I ran the coax RG8X inside the shack here and hooked it up to my Palstar tuner. I still have a lot of electrical noise but the signals are over it most of the time. Well I didn't expect much on the transmit side but after getting the SWR flat I heard a station and just threw my call out there for fun, and guess what, 5-9 into Europe (Italy) Holy Cow! Thought it must been a fluke but tonight on 20 I have worked state side and also Europe again on SSB with about a hundred watts and no signs of TVI! This is my first contact after being off the air for 10 years! What a thrill, I had almost given up, I am glad I didn't, and the antenna is almost invisible!
Thanks for all the suggestions, I am going to start playing with another antenna also, a loop on the balcony to see what it may do also. 73

Well today I stopped by the leasing office of the apartments where we live, and ask the property manager about antennas. First I ask about mounting one of those flag poles brackets to the balcony and she said no problem, of course I had to break the ice somehow LOL Next I asked about a wire antenna around the deck or balcony, I said I know that TV dish antennas are allowed so what about wire antennas for weather radios and other sorts (had to keep it low key). To my surprise she said no problem! Just as long as can be taken down and not where it would require work to repair after taken down. Now I have an open window to do some things and experiment here, going to add a bird feeder and some hanging ferns and as stated a flag (Old Glory) to the balcony so the antennas will not attract too much attention. Hopefully next weekend will be dedicated to getting something up and try it out.

Thanks Andy for all the encouragement, I have been a ham since 1977, I was only 22 years old then and lived in the country. Now I am a lot older (56) and things just don't come as easy as they used to. I am just now getting back on the air after being off for about 10 years. I will check out all your suggestions along with all the other ideals. Yea I just love amateur radio, have built several projects when I had the time but was never confronted with small space antenna situation. I will keep trying and maybe if I can get a good enough signal we can QSO someday. Thanks

Well today after looking and trying to figure something out I am just frustrated to the point that I told my XYL I am just going to sell the ham equipment! I have all this radio and can't see a way to get an antenna up, my balcony is about 8'x6' and covered with a 12 inch overhang. We are on the second floor here but nothing I look at seems to be practical or do I have the space for. I can't get up on the roof, it is way too steep even if I could, I was thinking about the vertical 1/2 wave loop or the bent dipole ideal but I don't know if it will work or not because it will be too close to the building itself, also I have to use coax to feed the antenna which that isn't a problem if I can just come up with something that will work. I really don't care about 80 meters either, just 40-10 if possible. I hope somone has some ideals out there or you will be able to find a real nice 1000mp Mark V Field for sale ! 73's

Well I have got my station set up in the apartment here all but one thing the most important thing, the antenna! I live here in a two story apartment building and we live on the top floor, I do have a covered balcony and have been looking at different options for an antenna. I would like to operate as many bands as possible with the limited space I have, so after reading and researching my latest thought is a half wave loop mounted vertically feed at the corner or even a half wave dipole with the end of the legs bent anywhere for 45 to 90 degrees. I am going to cut the antenna for 20 meters and use a Palstar AT2K tuner to tune it with, I wish I could get it to go to 40 meters but I don't know how it would work of even if it will tune. Does anyone think either one or both of these antennas will work decent for a few contacts with a 100 watts. I do not want to use an inside antenna due to rf in the house. One more thing I will be able to mount the antenna mostly out from under the covered balcony.
Thanks

Well I have found part of my noise problem, seems like the plasma tv's are causing some of my noise but when I turned on my wife's desktop pc it gets really bad. Seems like it is generating a lot of noise, it is located in the same room of the shack. I just went a bought her a new laptop (trying to get her out of the ham shack) LOL. Has anyone else had to deal with this kind of noise and if so, what did you do to reduce it or help it at any level. I can also operate late at night or early in the mornings when noise is at a lower level. Thanks in advance.

WX7G what kind of currrent balun do you recommend? I am going to a hamfest here this coming weekend maybe I can pick one up. Thanks

After being off the air for several years (10) I have managed to get some equipment back. We live on the second floor of an apartment complex and I am going to put up a stealth antenna of some sort on the balcony. However I have been listening on an old Icom 730 transceiver with just a make shift antenna. I have purchased a Yaesu FT-1000mp Mark V Field for the main rig along with a Palstar tuner, but when I listen on the 730 (haven't had a chance to hook up the Yaesu yet) I am getting all kinds of noise here sometimes worse than others. Just wondering if I can do anything to eliminate some of this interference or am I just stuck with it. Really frustrating, but hopefully somehow I can reduce it to a lower level. Hopefully some of you have some suggestions. Been a ham since 1977 and have an advanced class and just hate to see it go to waste! Thanks in advance.