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Author Topic: 10m handheld  (Read 450 times)

M6EES

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10m handheld
« on: February 27, 2023, 11:40:59 AM »

With 10m kicking off I would imagine that any company that brought out a 10m handheld, in absence of any apparent competition, would make a killing over the next 5 to 7 years.

Any theories on why no manufacturer is doing this ?
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W1VT

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Re: 10m handheld
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2023, 12:36:29 PM »

Mizuho sold little single band SSB/CW handhelds for years but many  hams said they were too expensive for what you got.
Getting a quality 10M signal is hard based on all the issues I've seen with manufacturers trying to make inexpensive HF gear that meets the expectations of hams.

Mizuhos used VXO technology.   Special crystals that could be warped or moved in frequency.  International Crystal would help with that.
I think that technology is gone.  Nobody can make that for you today.
« Last Edit: February 27, 2023, 12:40:20 PM by W1VT »
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WC4R

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Re: 10m handheld
« Reply #2 on: February 27, 2023, 01:27:32 PM »

The Magnum 1012 has been around for many years. I have one, works great.
http://www.rcdistributing.com/model_1012-ht.php
Reviews at:
https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-product?id=9836

Probably discontinued now.
« Last Edit: February 27, 2023, 01:33:22 PM by WC4R »
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KD8FTH

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Re: 10m handheld
« Reply #3 on: February 27, 2023, 01:29:44 PM »

Could definitely offer some QRP potential. If it was priced like the old Realistic 11 meter talkies...could be very interesting. Given the need for SSB, pricing would likely be much higher though. Still a nice option for Tech and 10-10 folks.
« Last Edit: February 27, 2023, 01:32:13 PM by KD8FTH »
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KD8FTH

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Re: 10m handheld
« Reply #4 on: February 27, 2023, 01:33:31 PM »

That is a nice looking radio. Do you use an external antenna with it? Have you been able to make contacts from the stock antenna?

The Magnum 1012 has been around for many years. I have one, works great.
http://www.rcdistributing.com/model_1012-ht.php
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M6EES

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Re: 10m handheld
« Reply #5 on: February 27, 2023, 01:36:10 PM »

Yes the Magnum, or in Europe the Albrecht 2990 would be good....but as far as I can see there are zero stocks of new units anywhere and no longer in production.

Just as we go into ther upswing in conditions ! 

Is kind of what provoked my question.
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M6EES

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Re: 10m handheld
« Reply #6 on: February 27, 2023, 01:40:00 PM »


Your question, I think the window for use on 10m is too small, if you remember 10m was dead
at least to me before the cycle picked up.
I could add that 10 meters is probably the best band for mobile use.

I'm not sure the length of the cycle would prevent manufacture and sale. Our cousins on the 11m band happily buy new mobile radios dedicated to the same area of the bands which must fall largely silent for a number of years.

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KC6RWI

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Re: 10m handheld
« Reply #7 on: February 27, 2023, 01:44:19 PM »

Opps I deleted my post as I was talking about mobile radio and anytones, I had said that the window of use is smaller on 10 mters due to the cycle.
On the other hand that hand held with ssb looks pretty good, it would probably work better with a long ground wire.
« Last Edit: February 27, 2023, 01:53:03 PM by KC6RWI »
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WA3SKN

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Re: 10m handheld
« Reply #8 on: February 27, 2023, 02:03:10 PM »

OK, hand held means battery operated which means low power.
And FM doesn't "bounce" well, so you mean SSB.  And single band radios are not cost effective.
So take a look at the ic705 and ft818 (there are still some around)... but the "low cost" is not there unless you do CW only.  And you still need an antenna... think 8 ft whip and 8 ft radial too.
So just get a mobile radio and back down the power and enjoy... there are plenty out there, just not at the price you hoped for.

-Mike.
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M6EES

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Re: 10m handheld
« Reply #9 on: February 27, 2023, 02:12:20 PM »

I've do have a KX2 on which I can make pedestrian mobile contacts from UK to Europe easily on 20 and 40m just with a short whip and rats tail and with 5 or 10 watts.

But if somebody brought a (relatively) inexpensive 10m SSB handheld to market I would buy it just to throw in the back pack ready for any chance opening, and not worry about it so much as the fragile and expensive KX2.

That Magnum/Albrecht used to be about £230. At that price I'd have it in the bottom of my bag all the time.



« Last Edit: February 27, 2023, 02:15:12 PM by M6EES »
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WB8VLC

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Re: 10m handheld
« Reply #10 on: February 27, 2023, 03:36:57 PM »

I've do have a KX2 on which I can make pedestrian mobile contacts from UK to Europe easily on 20 and 40m just with a short whip and rats tail and with 5 or 10 watts.

But if somebody brought a (relatively) inexpensive 10m SSB handheld to market I would buy it just to throw in the back pack ready for any chance opening, and not worry about it so much as the fragile and expensive KX2.

That Magnum/Albrecht used to be about £230. At that price I'd have it in the bottom of my bag all the time.


FM DX with a battery operated 10 meter FM HT and a really short stock handheld rubber duck antenna works just fine over  very long distant E's or F2 paths and it's not much different from using qrp SSB or CW.

 I have 5 countries on 29.6 and  29.3 FM and these I consider to be valid DX entities alone from the last solar cycle using a Motorola MT1000 5 watt Low band Handheld and the stock 11.5 inch rubber duck antenna with the original stock NiCad battery pack and nothing else elaborate antenna wise.

In solar cycle 24 during the years 2011 to 2020, I worked with this 5 watt HT and rubber duck New Zealand, Japan, Asiatic Russia, Australia, Mexico, Canada VE6, VO and VE3, and Hawaii which I consider to be a DX entities during Cycle 24 in 2011 to 2020.

During the same solar cycle in 2011 to 2020 the following  US states were worked with the same 5 watt HT and the stock rubber duck: Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Arizona, Utah, California, North Carolina, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Colorado all from my Oregon black hole QTH.


During this new solar cycle in just the year 2022 alone, I have combined DX, US states and Canadian provinces as follows, New Zealand, Japan, Canada (VE6), Arizona, California, Wyoming and Montana all on 29.6 FM and 29.3 FM again with just the stock MT1000 Motorola HT, 11.5 inch rubber duck and internal Nicad battery pack.


The trick to FM handheld DX on 10 and even on 6 meters where it is considerably easier is to wait for the opening to peak to the point where the other ham is DFQ while at the same time moving the HT around to ensure there are no dropouts which signifies a very high peak in the opening and then to put your  call out several times to the DX.


 1 to 2 times out of 10 tries this works at making a quick QSO and this shows that for every 20 or so stations I try this on it results in one or 2 successful completes and this is the Fun part of 10 meter FM handheld Dx'ing.

Also it really helps if you are outside and in the clear away from buildings and such as 10 meter HT's do experience their rubber ducks detuning  easily if there is a lot of clutter in the way of the radiated field.
« Last Edit: February 27, 2023, 03:39:18 PM by WB8VLC »
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KX4OM

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Re: 10m handheld
« Reply #11 on: February 27, 2023, 06:49:07 PM »

Something to think about is the (tr)uSDX 5-band hand-held SSB/CW 5 Watt transceiver. It has been widely copied, but two of the main developers out of the ucx groups.io forum, DL2MAN and PE1NNZ have a website devoted to the little rig for convenience in building or buying one:

https://dl2man.de/

Many were are built as board kits, completely homebrew with 1-band, 3-band and more versions, but this is a functional transceiver for CW/LSB/USB/AM/FM. The kits' default bands are 80/40/60/30/20, but an alternative is 10/12/15/17/20, with the "LO" and "HI" ranges, or a "Classic" group of 80/40/20/15/10. Whichever of the selected DIY filters for the bands, and the software to support them.

The website also has links to approved vendors for the complete kits. The 5-band kits' boards come with SMD components already installed, with or without the 3D-printed case. The other components are toroids, jacks, relays, 3 transistors, electret mike, speaker, SMA jack, screen, 3 tactile buttons, and encoder.

The open source nature allows builders to source the components and build from Gerber files for the circuit boards, and select the firmware.

Oh, yeah: the (tr)uSDX has a (Micro)USB CAT and Programming Interface.

I chose the build from board option as part of a group board buy for a 3-band version. Still in progress on that.

Ted, KX4OM
« Last Edit: February 27, 2023, 06:51:50 PM by KX4OM »
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KX4OM

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Re: 10m handheld
« Reply #12 on: February 27, 2023, 07:41:27 PM »

Clarification of the post about the (tr)uSDX transceiver.

The development of the (tr)uSDX is a separate project by DL2MAN and PE1NNZ from earlier experimental projects of the ucx@groups.io forum (which is still very active). The uSDX designs of that forum are not the same as the (tr)uSDX transceiver.

The "ucx" groups.io is indicative of the initial SSB experiments with QRP Labs' QCX CW transceiver and SDR technology. QRP Labs owner Hans Summers, G0UPL was involved with the experimental SSB effort.

The forum for the (tr)uSDX is :

https://forum.dl2man.de/

Ted, KX4OM
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KC6RWI

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Re: 10m handheld
« Reply #13 on: February 28, 2023, 08:02:46 AM »

The reviews of the magnum hand held are really disappointing, you can seem them on here on eham.
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KC6RWI

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Re: 10m handheld
« Reply #14 on: February 28, 2023, 06:15:01 PM »

Thanks for the info Ted, looks like an affordable kit, and I won't get over the top about people copying the radio and selling it. Thats just so wrong in so many ways, But that aside I will vote with my dollars to buy the original design. I am going to read up first to see if its right for me.
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