Since I got my KX2 about 7 years ago my 21-year-old FT817 gets used only for 6m and 2m CW - so not very often. I should sell this old friend.
Andy, I don’t know if you’re keeping your 817 because you think the KX2 doesn’t support transverters or you find it more convenient to use the transverter with the 817.
I have a 144MHz-28MHz transverter [with 6-8W output] that works perfectly with the KX2 even with near full-break-in CW. The KX2 displays the 2m frequency. Again, I don’t use it much, so I should get off my backside and sell the tvr too.
My wife thinks I’m a hoarder. Did I mention my Revox A77 reel-to-reel, Marantz loudspeakers and a host of other stuff going back to my youth that just sits in boxes gathering dust?
Any more thoughts of the TX-500 in comparison to these 2 radios? Like all FT81? owners I dream of achieving +3dB in power (or more precisely ditching the external amp) and -6dB in weight. And these seem the 3 options (KX2, X6100, TX-500).
I’m leaning towards the latter.
Never carried my external ATU, all current antennas are resonant where I need them to be, and so won’t miss one if I don’t have one. Though there is that thread on short verticals …
100% I dont need most of it thats $1800 with just the tuner and clock installed. As it sits now my MTR4B with my trapped efhw work fantastic. When I have the extra cash I will definitely be buying a KX2 cause having all hf bands would be amazing especially at that weight and not carrying a brick like my old g90 or the 817/818’s .
I have one of the first of the TX-500 imported by Waters & Stanton in September 2021. Its water resistant properties led to its purchase to displace my much loved but more vulnerable KX3. I now just put up my hood to brave light rain instead of going QRT and retreating.
It is excellent in my view. I have used no other radio for HF activation (except the 857 for drive-ons) since then. I am an ssb only operator so have no comments on its performance on CW. With the linked dipole I have used it without AMU - but I don’t have the same faith in the EFHW that I use now with a T1 AMU. See my post 16/11/2023 for update on this aspect.
Good luck with whatever you choose.
73,
Rod
When I had an FT817ND still, I was reported as having an effective 3dB signal increase by using the (build it inside the mic) DF4ZS RF speech processor. Of course, this is only a gain for SSB users if you need a 3dB gain on CW then you either need an antenna with some gain or an amplifier (or as you are looking at - move up to a higher powered radio).
Of all the multi-mode HF portable radios out there at the moment, I think the Xiegu G90 remains one worth looking at with 20w, built-in ATU, SDR waterfall, it certainly provides a very good “bang for the buck” and mine has been very reliable. The downsides are weight and no VHF/UHF (not even 6m).
KX2… I would agree with Andy the KX2 has grown on me. I started SOTA with an 817 and fairly quickly added a 50w amp, and started to get backache going up the hills… For me the main advantage of the KX2 is the weight and usability - almost whatever I want the radio to do I can do, without glasses on and delving into sub menus. I went for the internal ATU which is brilliant and for some reason seemed to get a free clock module (Don’t tell Wayne). Given my ability to drop and fall on things added the side plates and cover. I use an internal battery sourced fairy cheaply and recently added the charger module as I was concerned that repeatedly taking the rig to bits would eventually cause a problem. I also find the speech memory very useful as it allows me to find a frequency, check it is clear and start CQing while putting out a spot. 12w seems fine at this point in the solar cycle - but it might need a bit more in a few years time. Good Luck with whatever you choose. 73 Paul
saw this transceiver too.
In my opinion the KX2 has everything that is needed. BUT its OutToDate… No Bluetooth or WIFI function, no digital display and its expensive. But its how the community says the best…
This point made me smilie:
Ultra wide input voltage: 9 V - 18 V
I probably wouldn’t buy the X6100 at the moment as this to me looks like an updated version that would replace the 6100 as the 6100 replaced the 5105 (although that is still available for sale new I believe).
The remaining shop stock of the X6100 may be “priced to sell” by some retailers when this new model is released, so that “could” make the X6100 a very good buy if you don’t mind having “the old model”. rather like FT991 / FT991A a couple of years ago.
Buying an X6100 now and then seeing the price drop would be painful, to say the least!
Xiegu haven’t really given that much information out about the radio as yet (especially not the price), so we’ll have to see what appears when it does go from prototype to production. But the form factor - indeed the actual case looks very much like the X6100, so I guess it is an upgraded version. By the way, the X6100 runs Linux internally and there are hacks around to add things like digital apps directly into the radio to avoid needing to take a computer of some form to the summit with you.
I think it’s best to wait-and-see but as we know it’s coming, my advice for someone who may be thinking of buying the X6100 is to wait and see what this new radio can do and what it costs before pressing the buy button on the X6100.
I see a couple of remarks from 6100 and G90 users saying how the waterfall displays are superfluous and not really useful or helpful when operating portable.
I would respectfully disagree - when changing to a new band and trying to find a free frequency, the waterfall comes into its’ own and shows whether adjacent frequencies to the one chosen are occupied or not. Sweeping up and down quickly can then show a free frequency which can then be spotted - provided, of course, one has actually called to ask whether that frequency is occupied or in use. So, yes, the waterfall is not redundant and does have its’ uses.
I’ve never found a problem finding a clear frequency quickly but then I avoid bands with contests at weekends. I have 3 or 4 of my favourite activating frequencies per band programmed into my KX2 and it takes seconds to select a clear one.
The only waterfall that interests me is the one I walk by in the hills.
So we agree to disagree. I note that the majority of your activations QSOs were made with CW … perhaps it’s easier to find a spare frequency when ones’s bandwidth is so small. What do I know, I’ll never be able to do CW.
Oh dear… and the only birdies that interest you are the ones on the wing, right? Got it.
Yes, your memory is correct - all five of our contacts when you were in EA8 were with 5 watts on my end.
FWIW I still like my FT817 for SOTA activations, portable operations, as well as linear satellite operation (paired with a newer FT818). It is very rugged and versatile. I know it is a bit heavy and eats batteries, but I like it! YMMV
I found this week that the EFHW worked very well on GW/SW-023 without the ATU in circuit. I attempted GW/MW-025 with a vertical bottom loaded telescopic whip but failed altogether.
73,
Rod
), is very helpful in finding a free frequency.