I have multiple HF transceivers in my shack–like many other hams.  I find it hard to part with my older rigs because each rig re-kindles pleasant memories when I operate them.

I still have my first transceiver an early serial number Kenwood TS-520.  I purchased this rig while I was living in Syracuse, NY.  I used it to maintain a weekly schedule with my best friend, Jud (WA9WMM) during the time I was living in upstate New York.  The TS-520 still operates as well as it did when it was new, but it only gets fired up occasionally since I do not have enough space in my small shack to have it hooked up all the time.  The Only repair I’ve ever made to it was to replace the dial and S-meter bulbs with LEDs.  I also, added the remote VFO-520 which I purchased on eBay a few years ago.

My QRO ( High Power) station consists of an Icom 756 Pro III and an Ameritron AL-80B.  This is my primary high power contesting and DXing rig.  The 756 Pro III has an excellent DSP based receiver.  The DSP, digital signal processor, enables me to customize the filters to match any most operating conditions.  The DSP also provides excellent noise and heterodyne reduction.

The 756 Pro III has a color LCD panadapter and dual receiver.  The panadapter and dual receiver are the perfect combination for chasing DX.  The panadapter and dual receiver enable me to see and hear the pileup while also listening to the DX station.  This setup has improve d my DX success rate because it gives me a better chance of working the DX station when I know where is currently listening in the pileup.

I have two rigs I use for QRP operation: a Elecraft K2-10 which I built in 2011 and a Elecraft KX3 which I received for Christmas in 2013.  The following post describes my initial perceptions of the KX3: My Initial Perceptions of the KX3.  Both of these rigs have fabulous receivers. The receiver on the KX3 matches my Icom 756 Pro III in my side-by-side comparisons.  The KX3 will be used from the shack and portable while camping or attending Star Parties.  For those of you not familiar with Star Parties, they are basically group camping events in very dark sites which often do not have electrical power.   Therefore, battery packs are used to power our telescopes and any ham gear I take.  Here is a post showing the battery pack I constructed to run our telescopes and the KX3:  Homebrew Portable Power Pack.

I also have a Yaseu FT-897D (It’s in the above photo below the Elecraft baseball hat and covered with a towel) that I used for portable operation camping and attended star parties.  However, I plan to start using the KX3 for portable operation from now on because it will be much easier to grab and go and has a much lower appetite for power than the FT-897D.

73,

Fred