I should give a little background info before I get to my ultimate question. I have always been into radio my whole life, and I have decided to finally bite the bullet and get my license. I have a technical background, and based on several practice tests, I should have no problem in getting the technician license, probably this month. My goal is to get a general class license as soon as possible so that I can access the HF bands.
My principal interest would be dxing on the HF bands (SSB, not CW). I want to see if I could dx to another continent. I understand that this depends on choosing the right bands and the right time of day as well as the propagation conditions for any given day. I also understand that having a good antenna is equally as important as having a good radio.
Now my question is what type of HF radio is best for dxing assuming I take all the above into account? I have started reading up on radios, and it seems that every radio is unique except for the very expensive ones which have everything you could want. I am on a budget, and I will be looking for a radio that is under $1500 and the less expensive, the better if it will do what I need it to do. I don't need a lot of bells and whistles, just something that will do the job. What should I be looking for in a radio that will primarily be used for dxing?
Thanks in advance for any input.
My principal interest would be dxing on the HF bands (SSB, not CW). I want to see if I could dx to another continent. I understand that this depends on choosing the right bands and the right time of day as well as the propagation conditions for any given day. I also understand that having a good antenna is equally as important as having a good radio.
Now my question is what type of HF radio is best for dxing assuming I take all the above into account? I have started reading up on radios, and it seems that every radio is unique except for the very expensive ones which have everything you could want. I am on a budget, and I will be looking for a radio that is under $1500 and the less expensive, the better if it will do what I need it to do. I don't need a lot of bells and whistles, just something that will do the job. What should I be looking for in a radio that will primarily be used for dxing?
Thanks in advance for any input.