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Re: Costs of softrock units have skyrocketed


Philip Atchley
 

Hi Guy (My Uncle on my mother's side was named "Guy",

Hey a year or so ago I bought TWO of the Softrock Ensemble II receiver kits from Ben Cherry AD8AW for $79 each.? I've long been a Softrock fan myself and wanted to prove to myself that I could still build them (severe Arthritis in my hands).? While they were intended to be the HF version Ben included extra parts so I could build the LF version (LF my primary interest).? Well, I noticed that the larger Toroids for LF weren't in the kits so I ordered them from Amazon along with spools of the proper sized wire.??? I have no cases for them.? So you can build them for either LF or HF.

Anyway, to make a long story short, My hands have gotten worse and they're? just not going to get built.? IF you would like to buy them I will sell them to you, complete with the extra parts AND a brand new Soundblaster X4 Soundcard (the high performance one) that I paid about 130 for, still new in the box. Yes I opened the box and looked at it. . .?? See soundcard here . . .



Also I've printed up the instruction manuals for both the LF and HF versions of the receiver.? IF I can fit it in the box I ship everything in I'll include those manuals.

Let you have everything, INCLUDING PRIORITY POSTAL SHIPPING for a $135 postal money order.? Sound good to you??

<>< 73 From "The Beaconeer's Lair" ><>
Specializing in DXing NDBs (Longwave Beacons)
Phil, KO6BB,

(\__/)
(=’.'=)
(”)冲(”)

EQUIPMENT:
YAESU: FTDX-101MP HF Xceiver, Dual SDR Receivers (~2020)
YAESU: FTDX-3000 HF Xceiver, DSP IF, 300Hz Roofing filter (~2019).
Xiegu: Xiegu G90 HF Xceiver, 20W, for the "Go-Box".
Portables: Eton Elite 750, AKA Grundig Satelite 750 (2020)
Sangean ATS-909X2 (2021), Tecsun PL-990 (2021)
SDRs: Perseus, CommRadio CR1
ACC: MFJ-993B Auto Antenna Matcher.
HOMEBREW 4 Port Antenna Multicoupler, Feeds 4 RX's.
HOMEBREW Tunable LF-MF Pre-Amp.
Ratzlaff 440Hz, 6.5Hz BW Audio Filter.
Timewave DSP-599zx Audio Filter.
ANTENNAS: 88 foot Long Ladder-line fed dipole, ~35 feet AGL for MW/HF.
Top Loaded Tee (Dipole fed as single element).
Butternut HF-6V 6 Band Vertical, ~12 Feet AGL for 75-10M
Ratzlaff Active whip, 5 Foot Long, ~22 Feet AGL For LF/MW/HF.
Wellbrook ALA1530LN Loop For LF/MW/HF at ~17 Feet AGL
Discone at ~35 Feet AGL For Scanner
QTH: Merced, California, 37, 18, 37N 120, 30, 6W CM97rh

On 12/28/2024 11:46 PM, Guy Mengel N1GMM wrote:
Hi All;
I have been working at home on the many softrocks I have obtained for a very reasonable price. Some still new from Tony in 2022. I was shocked to see the costs of softrock RXTX kits go up more than 50% when I looked today. They used to be $89 for the kit. Now they are selling for $169 for the standard set of frequencies and for a bit extra wire for torroid you can get a LF softrock RXTX for $189.
I am really sorry to see this jump of 53% for a unit that will not work right out of the box.. it still needs cables, sound cards and a case if one wants to be fancy..

For less than that price these days.. one can get a zbitx all band unit from Farhan for $149. much less the qrplabs QMX unit.. for a whopping ~$120 with case. no modems. Both of these use the tayloe mixers QSD/QSE that the softrock made famous.

Well, I love to build my own things and the softrock RX or RXTX was a great thing (still is!) to start with.. but I cannont justify the costs of the kits any more.. For a collector, maybe.. but thats not me.. I use the little rigs extensively and can repair and fix all of them on my own..

I guess this is the way of the world and it saddens me.

I have no idea who owns this group now as I have been a member for many years.. so many have stopped posting.. I am working on softrocks almost daily and they are a fun way to go!

73/73
Guy


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