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Reviews For: Gonset G-76

Category: Transceivers: HF Amateur HF+6M+VHF+UHF models - non QRP <5W

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Review Summary For : Gonset G-76
Reviews: 3MSRP: $376.25 (1961)
Description:
Amateur HF/VHF transceiver
10-80 m/6 m AM/CW & SSB Receive
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.rigpix.com/gonset/g76.htm
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0034.3
W6WUH Rating: 2023-12-27
See my detailed videos of circuit and operation. Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Please go to youtube and search W6WUH Gonset G-76, where I have posted videos that show the radio and power supply inside and out, describe the circuitry, and what is required to put one back on the air safely . There is also an video on tune up and operation, which is essential if you don't have a manual.
This RX has adequate stability to copy SSB, and of course it is CW capable. The VFO knob is small which makes it's tuning touchy for zero beating cw/ssb. Since it is primarily intended to be an AM rig...this is not a big deal. The IF bandwidth is a compromise, intended to give good sensitivity and rejection of adjacent signals and still sound decent on AM. Hi-Fi was never a design consideration in any low power AM rig...so to ask it to be that or a selective CW rig is just silly. Let's just say it is a lot better than you expect... and like all old rigs, user skill plays a big role in user satisfaction.
This is a rugged rig, meant to survive mobile use. It came along so late in the game...it was essentially obsolete when introduced.. or 2 years later. Consider that Faust Gonset was getting the SBE-33 ready while this was being made.
Hard to point to any other compact HF Am/CW transciever with these capabilities. Notable that Gonset prototyped but did not produce a ssb Transceiver with the same form factor and style.
Like it's tiny brother the Gonset Commander...this xmtr has tons of transmit audio. When properly prepared, reliability should be outstanding. Separate power supply/speaker makes this a very attractive small but vintage station, especially for those of us who can't heft the boat anchors anymore.
N8FVJ Rating: 2017-11-16
Compact AM Station Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The Gonset G-76 is a very compact AM ham station. The transmitter uses high level plate modulation using two inexpensive 6DQ6 tubes in a 6DQ6 RF amplifier for 60 watts carrier power. The receiver is dual conversion with a low 262 kHz second IF for reasonable selectivity.

Consider it like a Johnson Ranger about 1/3 the size with a built-in receiver. Nothing else exists that is similar in its compact design with high level plate modulation.

I give it a four rating as large stations such as a Globe King 500 and Hammarlund Super Pro receivers will outperform it, but that AM station costs about $1000 to $1200 more.
N2DTS Rating: 2007-09-27
fun little radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I had 2, both were indestrucable, and worked quite well on AM. About 60 watts out (carrier) and plate modulation!
Uses a 6dq5 output tube, and two 6dq6 tubes as modulators in a zero bias triode setup...
262KHz IF on the receiver works very well, but for hifi reception you need a better audio amp, the rig uses the modulator driver as an audio output stage.
Mine was very stable on TX and RX, and looked very sharp. Easy to play with inside as the case slides off and gives you access to everything.

Not a high powered AM station, but fun to play with, good receiver, great looks, and it does not take up much shack space.