Need more information on anything on this list? Drop me a line - w8byh@arrl.net
Radios
- Icom ID-52 - an excellent dual band/dual receive handheld that also does D-STAR. One of the few radios made today that just feels good in the hand
- Icom ID-5100 - Icom's dual band, dual receive UHF/VHF mobile rig. Excellent performance and ease of use. I've been running the same radio in two trucks for almost 5 years, with no issues. As of this writing it's Icom's top-of-the-line mobile radio offering and although it's been on the market a while and could use a refresh, it's still an outstanding radio
- Yaesu VX-6R - reliable as a brick. Period
- Icom 7300 - Icom's entry level SDR HF radio, and the radio has re-defined the concept of 'entry level'. The radio is simply amazing. I've been running mine almost every day for almost five years, mainly on MARS and SHARES frequencies. It's an elegant workhorse
- Elecraft KX2 - the KX2 is an absolute wonder. A 10 watt CW & SB HF rig the includes a built-in tuner and battery that you can, literally, stuff into the cargo pocket of your trousers. The performance is world class. No competing manufacturer has come close to matching the form factor, features and performance of this radio, not even the Chinese, who will try to copy anything
Headsets
- Heil Pro Set Elite - expensive, but the best sounding, most comfortable set of cans I've ever put on my fat melon
- Heil Handi Talkie Headsets - Bob Heil got it right with these headsets. (Very) reasonably priced, well made, great sound, extremely versatile. I have one for every model of HT that I own. Here's a neat trick - own an IC-705 QRP rig? The Icom version of this headset works great with the 705, even on HF!
- C. Crane CC Buds ear buds - excellent communications ear buds for use with QRP radios, shortwave receivers or broadcast radio receivers. Crane has them tuned for voice clarity, not music, so they provide better sound when used in ham radio. Excellent for use with small rigs like the IC-705 or Elecraft KX2
- MyAntennas End Fed Wire Antenna - A number of local hams have been singing the praises of this antenna and I figured I'd give it a try. What helped was a technical forum I attended where they speaker discussed his testing of the antenna and the best way to deploy it (hint - ground the antenna and use a common mode choke). When I got it up I was amazed - it tuned almost flat across most bands from 10 - 40 meters and was quite manageable on 80.
- Anything by Ed Fong - Ed Fong, WB6IQN, is one of those unique folks that pop up in ham radio. In Ed's case he's a talented electrical engineering professor and inventor who's also a ham radio geek. Ed has designed a series of twin lead j-pole antennas that 'just work'
- Alpha-Delta DX-CC - I put one up in a tree over 15 years ago and it survived hurricanes and ice storms. Talked around the world on it. Rugged as heck. The only reason it stopped working is because the tree got blown down. I went right out and bought another. They can be a pain to assemble, but once they are up and tuned the performance is outstanding. Best bang for the buck in a multi band dipole
- Chameleon Tactical Delta Loop - whoever thought this up was a mad genius. Two 17' collapsible whip antennas, one wire that connects the two, and a base transformer. The fastest to set up and most effective antenna system I've ever used. It's my default field antenna
- Chameleon MPAS system - there's a lot of fanboys out there hyping Chameleon antennas, but for once the product lives up to its hype. This is an excellent and versatile portable antenna system that is rugged and easy to set up. If I could own only one portable antenna system this would be it
- Chameleon EMCOMM II - when I got back into ham radio a few years back I used one of these as my primary antenna, set up in the NVIS configuration. I didn't talk around the world on it, but I did talk all over the southeast and into the upper midwest - on only 5 watts. A very rugged and effective antenna and one of the Chameleon series that can be left up as a permanent installation
- LDG - I've been using LDG's brand specific tuners for years. Every one I've used has worked great
- MFJ-904H - I've used various MFJ manual tuners on and off for years and they all seemed to work OK, but the 904H hits a sweet spot - relatively small, has a wide tuning range, a built in balun for random wire antennas and can tune balanced feedlines. It's the only MFJ tuner I've loaned out but told the borrower I wanted it back
Antenna Supplies & Accessories
- Alpha-Delta Antenna Switches - rugged and reliable as hell. I've had some that have been in service for over 15 years and see almost daily use. The best solution for switching between antennas and radios
Power Supplies & Accessories
- Samlex 1223 - I've been running Samlex switching power supplies for years and have never had any issues. Like the Energizer bunny they just keep going and going and going. Clean, reliable 13.8 volts DC
- Bioenno lithium iron phosphate batteries - Expensive but lightweight, holds a charge forever and gives it up very sparingly when connected to a radio. I have several, ranging from 4.5 ah battery for my QRP rigs all the way up to a 20 ah for my full size rig. Amazing performance
- Anderson Power Poles - they have removed the fear of the dreaded 'reverse polarity monster' and made interfacing radios and power accessories almost seamless. If you are into ham radio, just suck it up and buy the Power Pole crimpers and components to make your own cables. Otherwise be prepared to pray to the ham radio smoke gods, who appear every time you hook something up backwards
Bench Tools
- There are a lot of good muti-meters on the market that are suitable for ham radio, and I've written about several on this blog. The one I universally recommend for bench work is the Brymen 869s. This meter beats most others on features and accuracy, and is universally regarded as one of the best electronics meters available at a price that won't make you faint (unlike Fluke, Keysight, Rhode & Schwarz, etc.)
- Hakko FX888D soldering station - if you are into ham radio, you will eventually need a good soldering station. Not a soldering iron, a soldering station that allows you to change tip temperature, replace tips based on the jobs you are doing, etc. The Hakko is one of the best on the market and it's available at a very reasonable price
Miscellaneous
- Pelican cases - I used to just chuck my radio gear into cardboard boxes or Rubbermaid containers when headed to the field to operate portable, but then I got smart and started using Pelican cases. Prices on these things can be all over the place so shop around, and good used ones are commonly available on eBay. You can also buy replacement 'pluck' foam sets and other replacement parts
- Nanuk cases - as good as the Pelican cases (above) are, Nanuk cases are better. Just by an inch, but still better. Better hinges, better latches, more versatile
- Home Depot Husky Adjustable Workbench - My main hamshack bench is a rock-solid, government surplus office table manufactured sometime in the the 1970s or 80's. It pre-dates the desktop PC explosion, and I know that because it sits a few inches lower than virtually all office desks made today. Last year I decided I needed a side-desk, and needed it to be the same height as the main desk. I quickly found out that nobody makes a desk today that matches the height of my old surplus desk. After unsuccessfully scouring Amazon and Ikea for candidates, I stumbled on this adjustable height workbench from Home Depot. It works perfectly! Without the included wheels, it can be cranked down to exactly match the height of my main table and is sturdy and solid as the day is long.
No comments:
Post a Comment