First Radio

[KC2NIK]

As a newly licensed Ham operator I have one issue that I have been fighting with.  First Radio.  I am a technician class as of now I am going to get my CW and general license ASAP.  I am intersted in HF but of course I cannot use HF until I get my general.  I have looked at a wide variety of radios and the following are 4 I have considered.  I want a radio that is going to sit on a desk in my house not an HT.  I would appreciate any views on these radios listed and any other suggestions.  Thanks in Advance.

Icom IC-R75
Icom IC-718
Icom IC-706MKIIG
and
Yaesu FT-897D

Thanks again
KC2NIK

[WB2WIK]

Congrats on the new license and good luck with the General.

You listed one receiver and three transceivers, which is a big like listing three different fruits plus a houseplant: Very different.  The R-75's only a receiver; the other three are transceivers (they can transmit and make contacts, while the R-75 can only listen).

The IC-718 is likely your best bet as a "home station" rig for a new operator because it's the easiest to use of the three and also physically largest, making the knobs a bit bigger and easier to adjust.  It also probably has the lowest cost of the three, which will allow you to budget more for *ANTENNAS*, and antennas are by far the most important part of your -- or any -- station.

Then, the IC-706 and FT-897 cover VHF-UHF bands, which the IC-718 does not.  So, that may be worth consideration.

Frankly, a killer deal for a home station rig that's not hard to figure out, has a nice feature set and a good cost point is the Kenwood TS-570D.  It's a bit larger than the others, but for a home station -- so what?  And, most importantly, it has a standard built-in automatic antenna tuner, which the others don't, and this can make an absolutely huge difference with regard to getting on the air quickly with antennas that maybe aren't quite perfect.  It also has great transmitting audio (modulation), if you intend to work SSB.

I'd suggest that as a new ham, you should join a local amateur radio club in the Schenectady area (there are some!) and go to some club meetings, meet some local hams who can give you up-close advice, maybe let you use their own rigs in their home stations a bit, etc.  No substitute for nearby friends trying to help you.

73

Steve WB2WIK/6

[KC2NIK]

Thank you very much for the input.  I did join a group but thought I would ask many people as well.  I did not realize the R75 was just a receiver.  I should have looked a little closer.  As far as the Kenwood I am going to look at that as well.  Thanks again for your input.

JP KC2NIK

[KI4GOP]

THE 706 MKIIG IS A GREAT RADIO, IT WAS MY CHOICE, AND YOU CAN USE IT ON 50 MHZ, 144 MHZ, 440MHZ WITH THE TECHNICIAN LICENSE, TILL YOU GET THE HF TICKET, THATS WHAT IM DOING, ITS THE MOST RADIO FOR THE LEAST MONEY AND YOU CAN GO MOBILE OR BASE WITH IT.
73'S
BOB   KI4GOP