Hf rig recommendations?

Got a budget of about £500 (give or take) to spend on an HF rig to replace my old TS430s.
Looking at base/mobile radios, mainly interested in HF only rigs, but looking at HF/VHF/UHF rigs also.
Trying to avoid fleabay though!!


Any recommendations welcome!

Ive got a yaesu 847 and love the thing, it gets good reviews and I done alot of reseach and asked alot of questions before I bought it. BUT the price is not dropping on these sets so dont know if you would get one for £500.
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/135F.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yaesu-FT-847-Supplied-LAMCO-Barnsley-/110805007886?pt=UK_ConsumerElectronics_SpecialistRadioEquipment_SM&hash=item19cc7e3e0e

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yaesu-FT-847-HF-VHF-UHF-ALL-MODE-TRANSCEIVER-/300660188904?pt=UK_ConsumerElectronics_SpecialistRadioEquipment_SM&hash=item4600be66e8

..............................................................

The icom IC-7000 is another radio I would have had but could not get one within my budget....
http://www.radioworld.co.uk/catalog/second_hand_icom_ic-7000_70cms_mobile_transceiver-p-4327.html

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ICOM-IC7000-HF-VHF-UHF-ALL-MODE-TRANSCEIVER-/280816854447?pt=UK_ConsumerElectronics_SpecialistRadioEquipment_SM&hash=item4161fd25af

.............................................................

Yet another that gets good reviews and a posibility for your budget is the Icom 706 MK2
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ICOM-IC-706MKIIG-Multi-band-HF-6m-2m-70cm-transceiver-/300660149220?pt=UK_ConsumerElectronics_SpecialistRadioEquipment_SM&hash=item4600bdcbe4

..............................................................

The above radio's are what I was advised to get and reading up on them the advice proved to be right. The Icom 706 only go for the MK2 dont know why but it was just what I was told to do and you may aswell go for the updated one.

Barry will probably be along shortly, he just got rid of a 847 and bought a HF only set and I have to admit it sounds nice.

Thanks for those recommendations Daryn.
The 847 looks the biz, but dealers are wanting around £800 with a year's warranty!!
(Have noticed that ebay do warranties now, so might still be an option)
I have been looking at the following:-
Icom ic 706 Mk2 (as you suggested)
Icom ic718 (brand new entry level)
Yaesu ft 450 AT
Kenwood TS 570
Cheers!

You can also look on these 2 sites for sales of used ham and cb equipment I was also looking for a FT847 hard to come by so Bought a Kenwood TS2000E which has the same bands as the 847 and also picked up a Yaesu Ft1000MP Just looking for a antenna now for HF and thats me sorted but garden space limited 33 ft for a G5RV so may have to opt for a vertical most wide banded ones are just a huge dummy load take a lot of power away unless I can pick up a half G5RV and do a L configuration which some dont like

http://www.junksale.co.uk/

http://www.hamradiodeals.co.uk/forums/index.php

Its a pitty as there was a yaesu 897 for sale on here a couple of days ago

My mistake it could still be there here is the link, https://nears.forumotion.co.uk/t112-ft-897 its within budget and they are a great set, Ive got the 857D which is the same, a shack in a box and you could use it mobile if you wanted.

Take a look at the reviews http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/2432

Think its gone daryn he bought my Ft100 sure he said he sold it

Ohhhhhhhhh ok Ill contact him and find out cheers matey

Thanks for all your help and recommendations fellas,
after much delibaration I have took the plunge and ordered a Yaesu FT450 AT, second hand.
There were many other rigs I would have loved to have, such as the 847 but this radio was in my price range
from a dealer with a warranty. (My missus insisted on me having some sort of guarantee with a radio this time around).
When the radio arrives I will post some pics and info etc about it.
Many thanks and 73's!!

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamhf/0450.html

http://www.rigpix.com/yaesu/ft450.htm

Nice one buddy, just been looking at the reviews and they look real good. Piece of mind buying with a warranty.

Check out the reviews Im sure you have done the right thing............
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/6583

Well had the FT450 (bought used) for a few weeks now, and have to say its been absolutely fine, very pleased with it, apart from the internal atu had been changed from its default value to 'tune' non resonant antennas, which is not recommended as it effectively changes the swr calibration settings to fool the radio into thinking that the swr is lower than it really is. Not good.
I have since changed that back to the factory default, and it still manages to tune a few bands with my G5RV jr ok, the rest I use a manual ATU.
Had very pleasing TX audio reports so far, and the RX on it is also excellent.
It has an amazing amount of features for such a small rig, one of them being excellent DSP filtering, but I tend not to overuse it. However, the roofing filter, which is found in many top shelf radios can't be turned off,(which isnt a bad thing actually imo). The AGC on it is also very good indeed. Full TX capability as well=bonus!!!!
Can't really fault it so far!
Thanks to all at NEARS forum for their advice.
Will post some pix soon.

Look forward to the pics and glad your happy with the radio, tell us about the antenna your using for it and what contacts you have made upto now.

As for this bit ..............apart from the internal atu had been changed from its default value to 'tune' non resonant antennas, which is not recommended as it effectively changes the swr calibration settings to fool the radio into thinking that the swr is lower than it really is. is that not what a ATU is for, even though I have my ticket Im still very much learning as well, but I know my ATU in the car tunes a cb antenna which is non resonant for 20 and 40metres. If it was resonant would we need the ATU ? look forward to some answers from other members on this one.

Ive got new pics to send later today of my new set up hopefully 4 weeks time ill be able to use it

change the seting back for non resonant antennas all atu,s fool the rig thats what they do it just means you can experimant with more antennas you made a good choice of radio they great

Daryn 2E0DKD wrote:

Look forward to the pics and glad your happy with the radio, tell us about the antenna your using for it and what contacts you have made upto now.

As for this bit ..............apart from the internal atu had been changed from its default value to 'tune' non resonant antennas, which is not recommended as it effectively changes the swr calibration settings to fool the radio into thinking that the swr is lower than it really is. is that not what a ATU is for, even though I have my ticket Im still very much learning as well, but I know my ATU in the car tunes a cb antenna which is non resonant for 20 and 40metres. If it was resonant would we need the ATU ? look forward to some answers from other members on this one.

Hi Daryn, I should have worded that bit better. Yes of course the atu does fool the radio into thinking it has a match with non resonant antennas when correctly adjusted, but when the mod has been done on this radio, as was mine, all it does is provide a false match. So it tunes up and shows and SWR of 1:1, but in actual fact the SWR is probably way higher. I've read loads about this mod, and it is one that is not recommended as it obviously gives a false reading.
Hope that explains things a bit better.
Cheers.

P.s antenna is a half size g5rv sloping from roof apex down to about 12' fed with about 100ft of RG213.
The internal atu tunes up on 40, 20, 15, 11, 10. Which aint bad!
Had contacts nationwide as far as Wales on several nets on 40m with 5/7-9 reports.
Also, Switzerland to a portable station, Croatia, Moscow, Norway on 20m. All with excellent audio reports.
Cheers.