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recommendation for HF rig

 

Im starting to look for a new HF rig in the shack.? I'm using mostly for winlink and digital modes. I dont want to fight to get VARA-HF to work.?

Suggestions
 

Mike AE4ML wrote…

I’m starting to look for a new HF rig in the shack.
If you want / need VHF/UHF then the FT-9991A. I find it works very well for VARA HF. It also gives you C4FM.

If not that the 991A, then perhaps the FT-710 or the FT-DX10.

--
73 Keith VE7GDH
det
 

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7300 “just works”

David E. Theriault

KO4KHB




On Jul 26, 2023, at 4:56 PM, Mike Lussier - AE4ML <mike.lussier@...> wrote:

?Im starting to look for a new HF rig in the shack.? I'm using mostly for winlink and digital modes. I dont want to fight to get VARA-HF to work.?

Suggestions

 

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991a. Works great vara hf, Vara fm. Winlink ? Ft8

Noel


On Jul 26, 2023, at 4:56 PM, Mike Lussier - AE4ML via groups.io <mike.lussier@...> wrote:

?Im starting to look for a new HF rig in the shack.? I'm using mostly for winlink and digital modes. I dont want to fight to get VARA-HF to work.?

Suggestions

 

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We have folks using the IC-7300 and FT-991 & FTDX-10?

Just make sure you have a built in sound card W/usb. Use USB cables with a ferrites.?

HF speed usually won’t be over 3-500 bps so internal works fine.?

W4DBL

Doug Lynch

President?

Aries International, LLC

?

D: +1-321-415-2191

M:?+1-478-318-2655

?

E: Doug@...?


Port Orange, FL




On Jul 27, 2023, at 00:56, Mike Lussier - AE4ML via groups.io <mike.lussier@...> wrote:

?Im starting to look for a new HF rig in the shack.? I'm using mostly for winlink and digital modes. I dont want to fight to get VARA-HF to work.?

Suggestions

 

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Easy. Get an Icom 7300. Great radio built for digital modes like VARA HF.

John Core KX7YT

On Jul 26, 2023, at 2:03 PM, det via groups.io <det_ranger@...> wrote:

?7300 “just works”

David E. Theriault

KO4KHB




On Jul 26, 2023, at 4:56 PM, Mike Lussier - AE4ML <mike.lussier@...> wrote:

?Im starting to look for a new HF rig in the shack.? I'm using mostly for winlink and digital modes. I dont want to fight to get VARA-HF to work.?

Suggestions

 

IC-7300 has been a dream to work with
 

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FWIW, I run an Icom IC-7100 here. It is pretty small, puts out 100 Watts on HF, works great with VARA HF (et al), and can also do VHF/UHF.

My 7100 has become my goto digital rig at home.

Cheers,

Ken van Wyk
Armata Scientia





On Jul 26, 2023, at 4:56 PM, Mike Lussier - AE4ML <mike.lussier@...> wrote:

Im starting to look for a new HF rig in the shack.? I'm using mostly for winlink and digital modes. I dont want to fight to get VARA-HF to work.?

Suggestions

signature.asc
signature.asc

 

I don't know about the Yaesu radios, but I also have an IC-7300 and it's a great data radio for the following reasons:

1. Being fully SDR, the audio response is completely flat on data modes, radios with roofing filters usually have "humps" in the passband caused by the filter characteristics. There is no change to the level on TX whether you pick a low audio frequency, or a high one, on modes such as FT8.

2. While not really an issue with the slow turn around of VARA, for faster data modes the very low latency through the IC-7300 helps significantly for Amtor and Pactor. The latency measured through my IC-7300 is 3 to 4 milliseconds on both TX and RX, that is one of the fastest SDR radios around. Rob Sherwood measured similar figures.

3. The IC-7300 is easy to interface to VARA or external modems.

4. On high duty cycle modes it runs very cool.

Unfortunately, like most current Japanese radios, the IC-7300 also has a lousy lithium ion 1mAh surface mount clock battery that will eventually fail and is awkward to replace.

73 Dave
 

I've used VARA (Winlink, VarAC) on the IC-7300, the IC-7100, the IC-7200, the FT-991A and the FT-891. By far the easiest rig to configure and run with VARA is the IC-7300. The IC-7100 is a close second, but it's no longer in production (a shame, because it really is a great radio). The 7300 is the easiest of all these rigs to configure, it runs cool, the built-in tuner can handle most (but not all) 'mostly resonant' antennas, and the front panel display provides a lot of useful information and access to key options. The radio is such a good fit for digital modes that I own two - one for the shack and one for portable use.

W8BYH
Steve Fox KA4FOX
 

Find a nice used 7100. VARA FM and VARA HF in one easy to use box.

Steve
 

I use a FT-991A.? The IC-7300 is a great radio but I like the 991A for it's coverage.? The 7300 is HF+6, the 991A is HF+6+VHF+UHF.? This means that I can run a VARA HF session and with just a few menu changes, I can be running VARA FM in minutes.? This is a great EMCOMM radio, one power source, one radio, 2 antennas.
 

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On 7/27/2023 10:43 AM, Phil Cornell w7plc@... wrote:
I use a FT-991A.? The IC-7300 is a great radio but I like the 991A for it's coverage.? The 7300 is HF+6, the 991A is HF+6+VHF+UHF.? This means that I can run a VARA HF session and with just a few menu changes, I can be running VARA FM in minutes.? This is a great EMCOMM radio, one power source, one radio, 2 antennas.
_._,_._,_


A couple of comments about the FT-991...

1)?? I almost choose an FT-991 for my ham shack on wheels a.k.a. "Studio B" (see link in sig line below) for it's multi-band? multi-mode? flexibility and USB-connected internal "sound card". ?? I was then put off by it's high DC power drain -? almost 3 amps at 12 VDC on RECEIVE! . This is (to me) a major issue for battery/solar power systems in the field.? I finally went with my venerable Yaesu FT-857 that draws only 750mA on receive and covers the same bands with the same two antenna ports.?

The FT-857 with the optional 500 Hz CW mechanical filter enabled in the USB or HF DATA mode is an excellent performer on VARA HF narrow mode. ??


2)?? The built-in sound card of the FT-991 does not have enough audio bandwidth to pass VARA-FM FAST mode.? You have to use an external sound card / interface like a Masters DRA, DigiRIG, etc connected to the FT-991's 6-pin mini-DIN data port for VARA FM FAST.


Stephen H. Smith??? wa8lmf (at) aol.com
Skype:??????? WA8LMF
EchoLink:? Node #? 14400? [Think bottom of the 2-meter band]
Home Page:?????????

"Studio B" Ham Shack/micro-EOC on Wheels
??

-- APRS over FLdigi Modes? --
??

60-Meter APRS!?? HF NVIS APRS Igate Now Operating
??

Flying Digipeater!
??


?
 

I have a lot of rigs. Receive audio is really important to me and a characteristic of the best radios. My IC-7300 is easy to use, but its?receive audio is inferior to nearly every rig in my shack. My Kenwood TS-690s is an old rig, but the receive audio is great.?

If you want a rig with digital capabilities built-in, then the 7300 is a relatively inexpensive option - but maybe wait and see if there are other recommendations regarding audio quality.

Good luck 73
Mark 4x1ks

On Thu, Jul 27, 2023 at 6:15?PM WA8LMF via <wa8lmf3=[email protected]> wrote:
On 7/27/2023 10:43 AM, Phil Cornell w7plc@... wrote:
I use a FT-991A.? The IC-7300 is a great radio but I like the 991A for it's coverage.? The 7300 is HF+6, the 991A is HF+6+VHF+UHF.? This means that I can run a VARA HF session and with just a few menu changes, I can be running VARA FM in minutes.? This is a great EMCOMM radio, one power source, one radio, 2 antennas.

 

While this topic started with a discussion of good radios for VARA HF, several posters commented on the advantages of “all band” (HF + 6M + VHF/UHF) rigs, being able to do VARA FM on VHF/UHF bands.

That’s certainly true, but be aware that the built-in USB Sound-Card system on any of the all-band radios is limited to a 3KHz audio bandwidth. Consequently, when using the built-in USB Sound-Card system, the radio can fully support full-throughput for the VARA FM ‘NARROW’ mode, but you won’t see any better throughput if you switch to ‘WIDE’ mode.

Full throughput VARA FM WIDE operation requires approximately 5KHz audio bandwidth, and a flat frequency-response over that range.

If the all-band radio has a mini-DIN6 “DATA” connector, it’s usually possible to achieve full-throughput VARA FM WIDE connection when using a suitable external USB Sound-Card rig-interface device. The Yaesu FT-991A transceiver is a special case in this regard… that radio has slightly different wiring on the mini-DIN6 connector than what is common practice on almost every VHF/UHF transceiver, and almost every other all-band radio.

Mark - AD7EF
 

Exactly Mark.

An IC-7000 and a DigiRig can do all of that. (or something like that).

73
Danny, K5CG
HH 550-000-0609
SKCC 14257

From: "Mark Davis" <markad7ef@...>
To: "VARA-MODEM" <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2023 2:20:12 PM
Subject: Re: [VARA-MODEM] recommendation for HF rig

While this topic started with a discussion of good radios for VARA HF, several posters commented on the advantages of “all band” (HF + 6M + VHF/UHF) rigs, being able to do VARA FM on VHF/UHF bands.

That’s certainly true, but be aware that the built-in USB Sound-Card system on any of the all-band radios is limited to a 3KHz audio bandwidth. Consequently, when using the built-in USB Sound-Card system, the radio can fully support full-throughput for the VARA FM ‘NARROW’ mode, but you won’t see any better throughput if you switch to ‘WIDE’ mode.

Full throughput VARA FM WIDE operation requires approximately 5KHz audio bandwidth, and a flat frequency-response over that range.

If the all-band radio has a mini-DIN6 “DATA” connector, it’s usually possible to achieve full-throughput VARA FM WIDE connection when using a suitable external USB Sound-Card rig-interface device. The Yaesu FT-991A transceiver is a special case in this regard… that radio has slightly different wiring on the mini-DIN6 connector than what is common practice on almost every VHF/UHF transceiver, and almost every other all-band radio.

Mark - AD7EF

 
Edited

I want to clarify my comment about the Yaesu FT-991A being "a special case", in regards to full-throughput VARA FM WIDE operation, when the transceiver is set up with an external rig-interface device, through the radio's mini-DIN6 DATA connector.?

You can achieve full-throughput VARA FM WIDE connections with this setup. However, the radio-interface cable, and any 9600/1200 jumper inside the rig-interface device, must be in the 1200bps configuration. This is because the FT-991A deviates from the common practice of routing 1200bps receive audio (which is limited to 3KHz bandwidth and has FM de-emphasis filtering) to a different mini-DIN6 pin than where wide-bandwidth, unfiltered 9600bps audio is routed.

On the FT-991A, the 9600bps signal or the 1200bps signal are both routed only through the mini-DIN6 “1200bps receive” pin. Inside the FT-991A,?the 9600 data / 1200 data menu selects?the source for the receive signal… 9600bps - from the FM discriminator circuit, 1200bps - from the ?normal receive audio chain, before the squelch circuit.

In the simplest terms, for full-throughput VARA FM WIDE operation, the FT-991A menus must be set for 9600bps data (not 1200bps), and the radio-interface cable from the rig-interface device must be wired for 1200bps operation. Also, if there is a 1200bps/9600bps jumper inside the rig interface device, it must be set to the 1200bps position.

Mark - AD7EF
 

Mark - AD7EF,
I have used a Kenwood TS-480SAT with a Signalink and it has never given me any trouble. My computer is a Dell Latitude. There are two usb cords needed. One goes to the signalink (for audio) and the other runs through a Pluggable USB-Serial converter that plugs in to the db9 port on the radio.
--

73 de w8nsi Jim
ts-480, ft-857, 75m loop. efhw [40-10], 4btv
ft-818nd, mfj efhw [40-10] for portable
registered Winlink and Vara-modem user
 

Jim W8SNSI said:

> Mark - AD7EF,
> I have used a Kenwood TS-480SAT with a Signalink…

Jim;

I’m not sure why you responded specifically to me. I haven’t posted anything on this topic that would indicate you’d have any issues with a TS-480SAT and SignaLink.

Are you using that setup for VARA HF?

Mark - AD7EF
 

Mike AE4ML,

I have both the IC-7300 (Winlink Hybrid HF Station) and the FT-991A 'shack in a box' in my go kit.? If you are considering only HF operations the ICom option is my personal recommendation.? Some ops have commented that they find the 'clicking relay' objectionable but I'm old school.? I've the audio level set just high enough that with the relay and the audio I subliminally know the station is functioning normally.? As others have commented, Yaesu dedicated the "normal" 9k6 pin in the accessory dataport to RTTY and the work around has been described earlier.? Note too that a couple of the menu items speak to a "DAKY" option.? It's not described specifically in the manual but it controls but you need it selected so that the radio switches between SSB voice and SSB Data properly (e.g front panel or ACC port).? used to carry a short adapter cable that did the conversion from a "standard" mini-Din-6 cable to the Yaesu config.
Ian VA3QT

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