Heres an interesting item on E-Bay...

[WA1CRZ]

interesting if you have $2700 to throw around.


http://cgi.ebay.com/VX-1210-yaesu-v...ryZ40069QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

hes also selling a PRC-104... think Ive heard that mentioned here before at RR.com

 

[cpuerror]

Military radios cost CRAZY money. An RT-1694 with a 150W amp is around $26,000 new.

 

[prcguy]

The Yaesu 1210 is the smallest, lightest "manpack" HF transceiver with built in antenna tuner on the market but they can be had for less. The 104 is a real workhorse and can be found for $1500 to $2000 in good condition. The RT-1694 otherwise known as a PRC-138 and fetches $5000 to $6000 used in the ham market. The 150w amp is almost impossible to find and I have only seen two turn up surplus in my life, so I bought one of them. The much older 1974 vintage PRC-70, 2-76MHz manpack cost $43k in its day and a late model Harris RF-5022(E) with 400w amp and 500w antenna tuner tops out around $50k. Anyone know of an HF "ham radio" that cost more than $50K?
prcguy

 

[prcguy]

Up the PRC-138 used price, Murphy's Surplus has a couple of beat up looking units for $6,800 each...
prcguy

The Yaesu 1210 is the smallest, lightest "manpack" HF transceiver with built in antenna tuner on the market but they can be had for less. The 104 is a real workhorse and can be found for $1500 to $2000 in good condition. The RT-1694 otherwise known as a PRC-138 and fetches $5000 to $6000 used in the ham market. The 150w amp is almost impossible to find and I have only seen two turn up surplus in my life, so I bought one of them. The much older 1974 vintage PRC-70, 2-76MHz manpack cost $43k in its day and a late model Harris RF-5022(E) with 400w amp and 500w antenna tuner tops out around $50k. Anyone know of an HF "ham radio" that cost more than $50K?
prcguy

 

[LeeBarnes]

somebody hand me a napkin!

 

[jhooten]

New for $1365
http://www.actioncommunications.com...Code=VX1210&Category_Code=ManpackTransceivers

The Accy can drive the price up quick.

 

[cpuerror]

I would never drop that kind of cash on something as unfun as a military radio.

 

[prcguy]

Unfun? There a blast to operate and the manpacks are great for camping and hiking. They will operate in the rain, snow and desert heat without complaining. The current or late model units will usually outperform most anything that Icom, Yaesu or Kenwood offers. They also hold their value, if you get one for a good price you can have a lot of fun and sell it later for a profit. What's not to like?
prcguy

I would never drop that kind of cash on something as unfun as a military radio.

 

[elk2370bruce]

For that price, you can get a damned fine Icom, Kenwood, or other good receiver, acessories and an antenna farm that is brand new. Personally, I have no intention of operating in the Brazilian rain Forest, the Arctic tundra or other exotic operating location where I need that degree of electronic survivability. There are those who specialize in restoring and use of military units and I respect their skills but it is not for most of us.

 

[kb2vxa]

Elk, if you've ever operated Field Day you KNOW that survivability is crucial. (;->)

If you've ever wondered why military radios are so "pricey" it's not so much Procurement is spending YOUR money but more what goes into them from engineering R&D to the final product. There's far too much to explain here but simply stated every component down to the last screw is tested to rigid specifications at every point in the manufacturing process and traceable. Yes, even the copper in the wire can be traced back to the mine on the date and time the ore came out of the ground. I know, I worked for a source of military electronic components and my name went on every one by way of detailed record keeping.

As for survivability, I'll bet if you look hard enough in the rubble of Baghdad you'll find one of my data bus transformers with the leads blown off but otherwise intact. It won't have markings nor even my fingerprints, we wore latex gloves so Al Quaalude won't come and get me. (;->)

 

[key2_altfire]

Interesting find!

As far as the price discussion goes... I work for a company that manufactures mil-spec RF amplifiers. The price Uncle Sam pays for this stuff is high, but they are getting what they pay for. My company invests a lot of $$$$ to build a product that provides good linearity, survivability and many thousands of hours MTBF under field conditions.

 

[prcguy]

There ya go. I can't count the number of new and used Icom's, Kenwood's and Yaesu's I've owned that had to go back to the factory for repair. In fact, every Icom I ever had broke and I will probably never buy another. On the other hand, the used military rigs I own don't break and I do use them in conditions that would ruin or destroy the more fragile ham market radios. Also, the technology is amazing in some of the newer mil radios, they will hold their own in performance up against anything except maybe the $10,000 Icom 7800 or Yaesu equivalent. I have a new HF Ten-Tec Omni VII with the latest DSP and my Harris RF-5022(E) spanks it in both transmit (punch through anything audio) and receive (DSP is more brick wall, able to pick out extremely weak signals in the presence of ****). On the comment of buying an entire new station with antennas and accessories for less, how much is all that worth a year after you buy it, maybe half? Most of the modern mil radios I have parted with made a profit and I got several years of fun out of them.
prcguy
fu

Interesting find!

As far as the price discussion goes... I work for a company that manufactures mil-spec RF amplifiers. The price Uncle Sam pays for this stuff is high, but they are getting what they pay for. My company invests a lot of $$$$ to build a product that provides good linearity, survivability and many thousands of hours MTBF under field conditions.

 

[RayAir]

Ha, I saw that a few days. pretty cool, but it won't sell for that price.

 

[trace1]

Speaking of durability, survivability, longevity, etc., I have a US Army Signal Corps Radio Receiver BC-312-N that was built in or around 1944 and it works just fine. Imagine a 60+ year old piece of equipment operating just as it did when it came off the assembly line.

Do you think many, if any, products being built today will last that long?

By the way I spent a whopping $20 for this radio back in the mid 80’s...

 

[eorange]

Anyone know of an HF "ham radio" that cost more than $50K?

How about 4 Yaesu FT-9000s and a roll of duct tape?

my Harris RF-5022(E) spanks it in both transmit (punch through anything audio) and receive (DSP is more brick wall, able to pick out extremely weak signals in the presence of ...

That would be something to experience. I am sure we have no idea what we're missing until one uses equipment of that caliber. Sounds very cool!