Here is a small list of the gear I like to use for ham radio:
My main Transceiver is a Yaesu FT-950 (pictured to the left) This radio is in the mid range as far as price and features. The receiver though is where it really shines. I am truly amazed at how well it sounds on the air and as far as the actual operation and ergonomics of the rig go you can't ask for a better radio in it's price class. While most of the features (not all) are in menus still (which by the way I am used to!!) it is not all that difficult to figure out. Lately I have been using this on 6, with the sporadic E season in full swing 1200-1500 mile contacts with my KU4AB square and 50 watts is the norm. An excellent transceiver for the price. Used Price: 1050-1200 New in the box: 1300-1500. No onboard Power supply.
Pictured here is another Yaesu product that certainly does not need an introduction and has earned it's place at the top of any qrp operators checklist. The Yaesu FT-817ND has been my constant companion at work, the inlaws as well as mobile. Featuring a whole 5 watts of RF power output and all modes from 160-70cm. This rig runs from batteries and as I operate portable from time to time my 7ah gel cell goes nicely with it. I have a cheap eco-click camera bag ($8 from Walmart) that fits not only the radio but all of it's accessories perfectly. My antennas that I use with this are a W3FF budistick as well as a PAR-EF-10/20/40. If you are away from home and still want to play radio without dragging thousands of dollars worth of gear in the field this radio suits well. Used price 350-450 (non ND) New 599.99 (current market) *The "ND" adds a purple screen color option as well as the 60 meter band (channelized) The Final PA's are also reworked in the newer version of this rig making them less prone to failure.*
Pictured here is another star in the mobile and portable world. The Yaesu FT-857D is another transceiver that needs no interduction and has like the 817 made its mark on the mobile and portable world. Mine is used for portable and mobile ops with a simple long whip antenna and an LDG z-11pro auto tuner. Current deals on these new include a separation kit as well as free shipping from some vendors! Not bad. This is what people talk about when the term DC-to-Daylight rig is used. The radio is capable of a solid 100 watts from 160-6 meters and features 50 watts on 2 meters and 20 watts on the 70cm band. I like using this also for the VHF+ contests as it will do all modes on 2/440. Current market price used: 500-600 New in the box: 650-729 depending on vendor (check prices and deals currently offered by the manufacturer).
Antennas! The most important part of the station. I have a few and due to space restrictions they are not all that spectacular. The good part is I still get out and work a ton of DX. I will start with the HF antennas and work my way up.
If you have ever punched my call sign into QRZ.com and looked at my profile you will see the antenna that almost 90% of the time made it out to you. And yes the fact that I am many floors up helps. The W3FF buddistick antenna is a great 40-2 vertical with a nice array of mounting options. I have used this thing everywhere! Next to my PAR this antenna is probably used the most. I have to say that even though it's considered a compromise antenna it gets me into Europe almost every day. The going price for these is around 125-150 used (depending on options) and around 199.00 new for the simple stick. Mine is not and never will be for sale.
Here is an antenna that will make you wonder if your QRP rig is putting out more than just 5 watts. The PAR EF-10/20/40 is probably the most versatile and efficient radiator I have used to date. It is a half wave end fed antenna with a wide variety of mounting options along with the ability to handle 25 watts. The owner Dale, made this one for me special as he was swamped with military orders and filters. He is a model for customer service and his product is the best in the business period. Every other antenna company needs to learn a lesson from Dale. I can not recommend this antenna enough. You will not see these on the used market. (no one wants to part with it) New they around 70 dollars and worth twice that amount.
Well, another little Chinese cheapie has shown up in the mail in the usual way marked as a "toy" and a declared value of only $25 USD on the box. The FDC 288 is the upgraded or dare I say newer version of the FDC-268. Both units function the same however and the only thing that I note as being different is the actual case itself. That being said this little radio has some neat and possibly useful (depending on what you use it for) features. Again, these radios seem to be all packaged the same and come with a poor written manual in Chinese and English. The battery come pre-charged and is a 1200 mah 7.4 volt job that keeps it's charge very well. The connection between the battery and the radio is a simple two pin side by side design with no grommet or other moisture protection. You will note that they advertise the radio as having a flashlight on the top of the unit and it's true enough as in the center next to the on/off volume is a large white LED that's very bright when activated (from the Keypad press the "F" key and then the "OLED" key to turn it off and on). It has the same basic user interface as the FDC-268 and not surprisingly the FDC-460A model. You simply press the "F" or function key and then the menu items are on the DTMF pad, which by the way is not functional as a DTMF pad and only a Frequency enter and menu key pad. The VFO is operated by pressing the M/V key on the left that is green in color and then using the Arrow keys above them to scroll up or down. The scan feature is again slow and not even worth using if you have more than just a handful of channels to plug in, any more than 10 and you will miss something. Standard CTCSS and DCS codes as well as repeater offset is supported and easy to program. I have not played around with the radio that much because of work and other things getting in the way. I have however used it on a couple of local 70 cm machines around here with decent reports, some say my audio sounds muffled at times which may be true enough.
As you can see the screen is lit up with a white LED color similar to the one used as a flashlight on top, must be cheaper to use the same colors throughout the whole radio! Programming via computer is very easy and the software is downloaded from the FDC website. The only complaint on this end is that the file is in RAR format and needs to be converted with another program.
The flashlight (above) is very bright and has some possibilities if you intend on using this for ARES or other Emergencies (the main use for it for me anyway). I don't intend on using this rig for every day use, just when I need it as a back up. The unit feels pretty sturdy and is compact, another pro. I forgot to mention that it comes with a standard drop in charger (no the Keys wont rub on this one!!) and a SMA antenna. At a price of around $52 USD it's a neat little back up unit that would be a great addition to a go kit or your glove compartment for those what if's or just in case. I will post a video soon and a demo so you can hear and see the operation. Mike KC2PLJ
So this is the new Weierwei V-1000 (don't ask me how it's pronounced!) UHF FM transceiver. The build quality is excellent and as far as I am concerned the best out of the transceivers that have been imported. You will note that the case is very well built and rugged for that matter, the battery is a standard lithium Ion 1200 mahjob with a drop in charger to match that fits the radio well, very similar to the Puxing 777 charger (they are the same pretty much). The list of features is very long and will be provided in this short review. The antenna is a SMA male type that looks very nice with the radio and performs pretty well I might add. The radio again came with a free ear piece that is pretty much worthless unless you are in a vehicle and don't want to disturb others, it's very cheaply made and I now have 3 of them and one is already broke. The LCD screen on this unit is a very good quality Dot matrix display with many lines of info available to the user. The screen background also has the ability to be changed in color from purple, orange and blue, seems to be a trend with these over seas HT's. The middle VFO knob is a great addition in the fact that it stands a little taller than the on/off volume control and is easy for folks with larger hands. The unit also supports a Fully functional DTMF key pad with two programmable side buttons under the PTT key. This unit also has the ability to do optional signalling such as MSK etc. that is available in the software programming of the radio. A quick note on software....if you have an old two pin kenwood cable you can program it with no problem! The software is freeware and can be downloaded from the website: http://www.gzwew.com/eVdownload.asp?v=1 I have the version 3 software and it works very good. Alpha tagging is also supported and you can even cut and paste the frequency you choose right to the software without even typing a thing! (that kicks ass!) Another feature that you may find interesting but not necesaarily usefull (depending on who you are) is a fully functional FM radio, no joke a actual FM radio that allows you to listen to your favorite radio station. I did try it out and it was actually pretty cool. Audio output on the speaker was actually outstanding and louder than some of the many big name HT's that I have owned in the past. There is so much more that this rig can do that I am not getting into because I would be here all day. For my final note I will say that the price is probably the last question that comes to mind and it's the best part. For everything that you get you will end up paying around $78 USD shipped to your door (and marked as a toy with no value I might add) Not bad for a mono band HT with the same features as a commercial rig and the convenience in programming from the unit itself. I would have to say this one is a winner and again highly recommended if you are on a tight bugdet (who isn't these days?). To get all the features on this little guy you would have to pay around 300-350 dollars on a commercial Kenwood TK series or a Motorola HT with no possiblity of programming from the panel (the Moto GP-68 does not count, it does not support the same features as this one!) So there you have it, my unnoficial review of another cheap chinese import. Look for more info and pictures. Another small video is down below ↓. 73 de KC2PLJ
Well, as promised and if any one has trouble understanding the original, I have finished the manual that in my opinion is a much better alternative than the one provided with the radio. So here it is in Draft form. KC2PLJ
FDC-460A UHF Transceiver
This UHF mono-band Transceiver features a 4/5 watt output on high and a 1 watt output on low power. The radio can hold up to 99 channels in it’s memory system. All CTCSS/DCS codes are included with (-) or (+) repeater offsets (default is 5 mhz). The radio will cover anywhere between 400.00-470.00 MHz with the option to enter channels manually or via CPU software (not included). You will note that the transceiver does not name the frequency and therefore a suitable channel listing will be provided at the end of this brief operating guide.
Basic Operation
To enter a frequency manually and outside the memory mode first press the orange VFO key on the upper left side of the Keypad.
Enter the frequency from the key pad you wish to operate on: ex: 4-6-2-5-0-0 and the transceiver will beep 3 twice confirming the input.
The transceiver will be in simplex operation after doing so meaning that the frequency you entered will receive and transmit with no shift.
To set the volume rotate the top knob to desired level and check the audio output with the side soft key just below the PTT button.
Repeater Operation
To operate through a repeater you must tell the transceiver to shift up or down depending on the repeater you are trying to access. **Most repeaters on the UHF band use either a 5 mhz up or down shift. This will be the default shift the radio has when delivered.
To set the repeater shift first enter the frequency you wish to operate (see steps above) and the press the “F” key (referredto as the function key) and then hit the “#REV” key. The following will show up: OFFS S (or +/- depending on the last setting). Use the right and leftarrow keys on the top right hand side of the keyboard to set the offset to either S-for simplex (radio receives and transmits on the same band) or + (radio shift 5mhz up to transmit and then receives on the entered frequency.) or – (radio will shift down 5 mhz upon transmit and then return to entered frequency to receive)After selecting press the side PTT key to set and you will see the transceiver display go to the home screen.
Setting CTCSS / DCS codes
Some repeaters or other radios for that matter will have security codes that only allow operation if the correct CTCSS or DCS code is sent along with the transmission. This transceiver is equipped with all the standard CTCSS and DCS codes.There are two types of CTCSS setting and both can be used at once for extra privacy. The first is the TX CTCSS code that send the proper code along with the carrier. The second is the receive CTCSS/DCS that will “open the radio up” for receive only if the proper code is sent from another unit.
To set the TX CTCSS code press the “F” key first and then the “0tcd” key. You will see a number such as 114.8 or simply the word “off” stating that the code is not being transmitted. Use the right and left arrow keys to select the CTCSS you desire and then press the PTT button to “lock it in”.
Setting the receive CTCSS code is very similar to setting the transmit. Press the “F” key first and then the “9rcd” key and the radio will display a code number or simply the word “Off”. Again, use the arrow key’s to select your Receive CTCSS and press the “PTT” button to lock it in.After doing the above steps the radio will only be able to hear other unit that transmit the code you have put in. Likewise other units will only be able to hear you if the CTCSS matches what is being transmitted by your radio.
Output Power
This radio has two power settings. High and low, press the “F” key and then the “2pow” key to access the power menu. Use the right and left arrow keys to select either “H” for 4/5 watts out or “L” for 1 Watt power output.
Squelch
You can adjust the RF Squelch using the transceivers menu function. To access the squelch first press the “F” key and then press the “1sql” key.The menu will show “SQL- and then a number from 0-9 with zero being off and 9 at it’s highest point. Select the number using the right and left arrows that reduces unwanted interference.
Lamp / Backlight
This transceiver offers a backlight / lamp for easy night viewing or low light level operation. To access this feature press the “f” key and then the “4LMP” key.The menu will show either of the following: Auto: the lamp activates when a key is pressed. On: the lamp stays on all the time. Or off: the lamp does not come on regardless of the transceivers state. To select use the right and left keys and press the “PTT” button to confirm.
TOT (TX time out)
You may wish to set the radio to not transmit more than a given amount of time. To access this feature press the “F” key and then the “7TOT” key. Use the right and left arrows to select the amount of Seconds that the transmission can stay on. Available levels: 10-100-off. Press the “PTT’ button to lock the selection in”.
Keypad Lock
You can lock the Key pad to prevent the buttons to be accidentally pressed. To do this simply press and hold down the “*”button and then the transceiver should show: Lock?, press the “PTT” button to confirm. To unlock press and hold again: UNLCK? Should show. Press the “PTT” button to unlock.
Key pad tone (Beep)
The Key pad tone or Beep can be turned on or off. Press the “F” key and then the “5BP”. Use the Right and left arrows to select on or off. Press the “PTT” button to lock selection in.
Scanner
The scan function lets you scan through either the memory mode or theVFO mode. To access this press the “F” key and then the “3SCN” key to start either memory or VFO Scanning.
VFO
The VFO on the radio is easy to operate and access. Simply press the VFO key momentarily to place the radio into VFO mode which allows you to tune around the band by entering the operating frequency directly via the Keypad or using the right and left arrows in the upper right hand corner of the transceiver key pad.
Advanced Functions
This transceiver has a few advanced user features that will be covered in this sub-section with details provided for memory operation and the use of hands free earpieces and equipment.
Memory Mode
The radio has a 99 channel capacity memory that allows for the transceiver to save the settings that the user has specified such as repeater offset, CTCSS/ DCS power output and of course Frequency.
Memory Mode (Continued)
The Transceiver’s memory system makes it easy to access your favorite frequency and repeaters / simplex channels.
To save a frequency into memory first enter the frequency directly with the keypad in VFO mode ex: 4-6-2-9-5-0. And the transceiver will emit a 2 tone to verify. Enter in any offset (required for repeater operation) (-)or(+). The default offset is 5 mhz. If required enter in the CTCSS or DCS code as required by the repeater or group ex: 114.8. Press the “F” key and then the orange “VFO” key and the screen will say SAVE01 etc. Scroll through 01-99 to save the frequency information into the radio. Press the “PTT” momentarily on the side of the radio to write the frequency into the transceivers memory system. Programming Via Computer
Another advanced feature offered by these low cost radios is the ability to be programmed via software that is provided as a free download from the company. The Software is very easy to use and is available at: http://www.feidaxin.com/en/Download.asp
The software comes with its own set of instructions for use. A two pin programming cable will be required to sync the info to the radio. Usually, you can find these cables at a very decent price on E-bay or even make them as the pin-out is very simple.
Speaker Microphone, ear pieces and antenna adapters
A number of different microphones are available to use along with earpieces that make hands free operation easy. These simply plug into the right side of the transceiver. Antenna adapters can be purchased to use an external mobile or base type antenna. SMA to BNC is the preferred as it offers less stress on the connector.
General Specifications
Model NO. FD-160A FD-460A
General
Frequency Band VHF UHF
Frequency Range 136-174MHz 400-470MHz 410-480MHz
Channel Capacity 99
Operating Voltage 6V DC ±15%
Antenna Impedance 50Ω
Channel Spacing 25kHz
Working Temperature -30 ℃ - 60 ℃
Frequency Stability ±2.5 ppm
Size (Without Antenna) 56(W)mmx106(L)mmx32mm(D)
Weight(With Battery) About 250g
Battery 1200 mAh(Ni-Mh)
Compatible With American Military Standard(MIL-STD-810C/D/E)
Transmitter（EIA-RS 316B STANDARD）
RF Power Output 5W/4W
Modulation Type F3E
Modulation Distortion <>
Max Freq Deviation <>
FM Noise <=-45dB
Receiver
Sensitivity(12Db SINAD) 0.16μV
Selectivity 55dB
Adjacent Channel Selecivity >=70dB
Noise Respond >=60dB
Communication Range 3-5km(Downtown),6-20km(In the Open Area)
FM Noise 45dB/40dB
Modulation Type 16KOF3E
Audio Power Output 500mW When Distortion Less Than 10%
Here is a short Video of the Puxing PX-777 receiving with a short demo of the display colors.
Not a bad little rig! It holds a charge pretty good to, the battery believe it or not comes full charged and ready to use. I used the radio on and off for about two days before it started showing any signs of fatigue on the battery.
Another Cheap Chinese import radio is probably what your saying. I said the same thing myself when I first came across these selling for around $70 USD shipped. This one though has a little better specs and a lot more features for the money than my previous reviewed FDC-460A. The big difference is that everything that they left out on the FDC is included on this radio.
This radio was ordered from the all mighty E-bay and arrived in the same amount of time as the last (8 days). The packaging was pretty much the same and the box was a high gloss finnish with a molded plastic cradle for the radio, charger and accessories. After removing the radio, the SMA male antenna fit snuggly into position at the top of the radio and was a sturdy and forgiving build that matched the radio nice. The radio itself seems to be made out of a tough plastic similar to what Motorola and Kenwood are using for the commercial gear they produce. The battery is a 1200 mah Lithium Ion chemistry pack that is not only light weight but offers a nice snug fit to the back of the set with no play. The desigh of the battery and it's terminals on the radio show that some thought was put into the design with a orange color gasket that surrounds the radio side of the terminal as to block moisture should you get it wet. The manual that is included is also of a high gloss cover with Chinese instructions followed by English, the grammar and spelling are again a downfall (seems to be trend here). The battery charger for this unit is very nice and offers a guide that the radio follows down to the contacts with the keys not being effected (the FDC's bottom row keys rubbed against the side of the charger... ouch!). I will say that the radio is very light weight! It almost feels almost like holding my cell phone! As this is the VHF version (136-175 mHz) with 5 watt output power, I decided to throw in a couple of local 2 meter repeater frequencies in the radio and give it a little test. The reports were the same as my VX-170! People could really not tell the differance! As I mentioned above, this one has many features that the FDC left out. The memory system can hold up to 128 channells. Alpha naming of the memory channels is supported as well as a fully functional DTMF keypad. A rotary VFO (encoder) between the antenna and the on/off voulme. A multi color user selectable display (option of Purple, orange or cool blue). The scan feature is very slow! I don't use it that much anyway. The radio also came with a very cheaply made earbud and ptt mic for hands free operation. I also purchased a SMA to BNC adapter so I can use the other antennas I have laying around and maybe even with my arrow sat. antenna.....With a big list of features for $70 you can't go wrong. The only thing negative I can really say about this radio is it's extrememly slow scan feature, but for $70 USD shipped I still think the radio is worth it. Try one out! These are available in VHF with a 136-175 mhZ or the UHF version 400-470 Mhz. I have another short video of the radio being used in receive mode so you can get an idea of what it looks like and sounds. **Puxing has just recently released an updated and newer model called the PX-888**
Anyone who has been on Ebay before and is tech savvy or a ham has seen these chinese radios selling for around $50-75. I went ahead and ordered one just to see what they are all about and if they are truly worth the money. To say that I am surprised at the performance versus the price is a understatement. It actually works pretty good!
The FDC-460A UHF FM Transceiver
The radio was purchased on E-bay and shipped to me from Hong Kong. 7-10 days for shipping is what they advertised so I was not surprised when it arrived 8 days later. The package was wrapped in green outer paper with a customs sticker and bubble wrap on the inside. After opening the box I got exactly what I ordered. The radio was nicely packaged with the antenna and desktop charger which in my opinion needs to be redesigned (more about the charger later!). The battery slips on the radio tight and secure with no play. The manual has two sets of instructions one being English and the other at no surprise Chinese. It is understandable however a little hard to follow as the translation will lack proper grammar and spelling at times. I plan on making a more simplified manual and posting it for others. The radio fits good in your hand and not to bulky which is always a good thing. The screen is a nice blue that cannot be changed but for $50 it looks pretty good (see video below). After turning the radio on you will note a small tone burst that last two seconds and the screen and key will light up. Programming is straight forward if you read the manual you will see that everything is dependant on the "F" key with the 12 keys under it acting as a menu list so to speak, I plugged a couple of local 70CM repeaters in and received fair reports. The Desktop charger is my only gripe as the bottom row keys on the radio are half depressed when you put the radio in to charge, Oh well it still charged the radio in about 8 hours. This review is only a short one as I only received the radio yesterday and have not had a lot of time to use it. Oh, the other thing is there is no Alpha tags in the memory system, remember your paying $50! No DTMF supported either! The radio can hold up to 99 channels with repeater offsets and supports standard CTCSS/DCS codes. Not a great radio but not a bad radio either for the price. Check the short video out for a quick Demo. Mike KC2PLJ
So you get a little idea on how it looks and sounds. You can thank the Syracuse PD for the audio on the radio as that was one of the receive only frequencies I plugged in. As I said before, reports on the 70cm repeaters were not bad at all.
A while back I participated in the ARRL 10 meter contest and made a lot of contacts from the apartment here with my small set up. I also managed a small video of me on my FT-857D, I think this was the December 08 contest if I'm not mistaken and the antenna was a W3FF buddistick. Enjoy...Mike KC2PLJ
The New FT-950 is a great rig and the closest thing to a high end rig that I can afford anyway! The receiver is very impressive and has two antenna ports as well as an internal tuner (it will only match a 3:1 load)
So far I am impressed with the performance, I miss the FT-897D that I had to sell to help fund this one.
I posted a brief video of the FT-950 in action.
The antenna I was using was a W3FF buddistick witha counterpoise appx 14 feet log. Usually I can get into Europe with no problem and even farther depending on conditions of course. Enjoy the short show!.... Mike
Well hopefully after being lured here by QRZ or Eham or any other ham radio website you can look around at some of the equipment I use for HF, and VHF/UHF communications. Most of my equipment is made by Yaesu as I am used to the design. I also have a couple of the Chinese import radios that seem to be all over ebay. Reviews and personal opinions will follow as time allows. Plesae feel free to look around and comment about the site. Mike KC2PLJ
Pictured here is another Yaesu product that certainly does not need an introduction and has earned it's place at the top of any qrp operators checklist. The Yaesu FT-817ND has been my constant companion at work, the inlaws as well as mobile. Featuring a whole 5 watts of RF power output and all modes from 160-70cm. This rig runs from batteries and as I operate portable from time to time my 7ah gel cell goes nicely with it. I have a cheap eco-click camera bag ($8 from Walmart) that fits not only the radio but all of it's accessories perfectly. My antennas that I use with this are a W3FF budistick as well as a PAR-EF-10/20/40. If you are away from home and still want to play radio without dragging thousands of dollars worth of gear in the field this radio suits well. Used price 350-450 (non ND) New 599.99 (current market) *The "ND" adds a purple screen color option as well as the 60 meter band (channelized) The Final PA's are also reworked in the newer version of this rig making them less prone to failure.*
Pictured here is another star in the mobile and portable world. The Yaesu FT-857D is another transceiver that needs no interduction and has like the 817 made its mark on the mobile and portable world. Mine is used for portable and mobile ops with a simple long whip antenna and an LDG z-11pro auto tuner. Current deals on these new include a separation kit as well as free shipping from some vendors! Not bad. This is what people talk about when the term DC-to-Daylight rig is used. The radio is capable of a solid 100 watts from 160-6 meters and features 50 watts on 2 meters and 20 watts on the 70cm band. I like using this also for the VHF+ contests as it will do all modes on 2/440. Current market price used: 500-600 New in the box: 650-729 depending on vendor (check prices and deals currently offered by the manufacturer).
If you have ever punched my call sign into QRZ.com and looked at my profile you will see the antenna that almost 90% of the time made it out to you. And yes the fact that I am many floors up helps. The W3FF buddistick antenna is a great 40-2 vertical with a nice array of mounting options. I have used this thing everywhere! Next to my PAR this antenna is probably used the most. I have to say that even though it's considered a compromise antenna it gets me into Europe almost every day. The going price for these is around 125-150 used (depending on options) and around 199.00 new for the simple stick. Mine is not and never will be for sale.
Here is an antenna that will make you wonder if your QRP rig is putting out more than just 5 watts. The PAR EF-10/20/40 is probably the most versatile and efficient radiator I have used to date. It is a half wave end fed antenna with a wide variety of mounting options along with the ability to handle 25 watts. The owner Dale, made this one for me special as he was swamped with military orders and filters. He is a model for customer service and his product is the best in the business period. Every other antenna company needs to learn a lesson from Dale. I can not recommend this antenna enough. You will not see these on the used market. (no one wants to part with it) New they around 70 dollars and worth twice that amount.
