A good 100w Base Station?

CoastalDude

Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2023
Messages
55
I am looking to purchase a 100w base station, I currently have my technician license and am studying for the next level. I just watched this video ==> (
and he has a Yaesu FT 1000 (maybe no longer in production?) I can see a bunch of used ones on eBay but I don't trust buying from there.

Can anyone recommend a good 100 watt base station comparable to what this guy can do with his, it's a very good video by the way. Don't ask me what channels or what antenna, honestly, I don't know enough yet, but I do know I want to purchase one of these now, I'll figure the rest out later, I just need a good solid 100w base station.
 

AK9R

Lead Wiki Manager and almost an Awesome Moderator
Super Moderator
Joined
Jul 18, 2004
Messages
9,883
Location
Central Indiana
I agree. The IC-7300 has a great feature set and very good performance. A zillion have been sold so there's a broad user base who can help you if you have problems. Right now, the list price of $1400 is discounted by an Icom factory coupon down to $1100. On top of that, there's a $100 rebate that Icom will send you.

If you know what you are doing and know what to look for, you can find some good deals on Ebay and other used equipment sites. You can also get burned. As a new ham on HF, you will be drinking from a firehose, so why make your experience more challenging by trying to figure out problems with a used radio?
 

Blackswan73

Active Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2015
Messages
1,530
Location
Central Indiana
I use an Icom 751a. But it is not for the faint of heart. It will transmit and receive from .5-32mhz. (modified, not stock). Has the R71a receiver contained within. It also has the volatile memory battery that can be replaced with a aftermarket non-volatile memory module. Can be had anywhere from around $400 up. It is a rugged radio that has survived the test of time. If one was to purchase one, it would probably need re-capped and the memory module replaced if it hasn’t already been replaced

B.S.
 

vagrant

ker-muhj-uhn
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Nov 19, 2005
Messages
3,381
Location
California
When you have a list of radios, search using the model number and the word “problem”. The Icom 7300 is constantly sold used by hams as it has problems, but as long as you know going in you may be happy. There is also Yaesu 710 Field for an HF only radio and it is under $1000.
 

alcahuete

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 24, 2015
Messages
2,614
Location
Antelope Acres, California
The IC-7300 seems to be constantly sold because it is probably the best selling HF radio in the history of amateur radio. There are thousands of them out there.

The only problem with the 7300 is the overshoot issue, and unless you're using it with an amp, it really doesn't matter. I have two of them that I use remotely (one with an amp), and haven't had a single issue with either....not one.

Highly recommend that radio.
 

prcguy

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 30, 2006
Messages
16,225
Location
So Cal - Richardson, TX - Tewksbury, MA
The IC-7300 seems to be constantly sold because it is probably the best selling HF radio in the history of amateur radio. There are thousands of them out there.

The only problem with the 7300 is the overshoot issue, and unless you're using it with an amp, it really doesn't matter. I have two of them that I use remotely (one with an amp), and haven't had a single issue with either....not one.

Highly recommend that radio.
Most Icom's have a tx power overshoot problem when feeding an amplifier. Its rarely a problem but its there.
 

alcahuete

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jul 24, 2015
Messages
2,614
Location
Antelope Acres, California
Most Icom's have a tx power overshoot problem when feeding an amplifier. Its rarely a problem but its there.
The 7300 was the first I've heard of it. My 7610 and one of my 7300s don't have an issue at all. They are spot on with not a single Watt of overshoot. The other 7300 definitely has the issue.

No love for the 991A? You get HF thru UHF (50 watts on V/U, 100 on 160-6), YSF and built-in USB audio support. 3 year factory warranty too.
Definitely a good radio too. I was a 100% Yaesu man for a long time, but I think they've lost it with all the menus and general ergonomics of their radios.
 

prcguy

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 30, 2006
Messages
16,225
Location
So Cal - Richardson, TX - Tewksbury, MA
Can you describe this issue a little bit? I haven't heard of this until now.
Many Icom radios will put out a very short burst of power in excess of 100w or if the radio is turned way down to 10w or 30w, etc, there can be a brief 100w spike before it settles in at your lower power. There have been some complaints of people damaging amplifiers from being overdriven by the power spike. There is a mod for some models to mellow out the spike but none of my amps have had any problem with it.
 

vagrant

ker-muhj-uhn
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Nov 19, 2005
Messages
3,381
Location
California
Does the 7300 (later models) still suffer from the dead battery issue? People also complained about RFI during Field Day and like events with multiple transceivers, but that’s just daft not to use bandpass filters with any radio in that environment.
 

AK9R

Lead Wiki Manager and almost an Awesome Moderator
Super Moderator
Joined
Jul 18, 2004
Messages
9,883
Location
Central Indiana
No love for the 991A?
I, personally, have no love for "shack in a box" radios. Operating CW or SSB on VHF/UHF is somewhat of a niche mode. If you aren't going to use those modes on VHF/UHF, why pay for that capability? So, if you don't need that capability, buying a good HF-6m all mode radio plus a VHF/UHF FM radio might be a better way to go.

Does the 7300 (later models) still suffer from the dead battery issue? People also complained about RFI during Field Day and like events with multiple transceivers, but that’s just daft not to use bandpass filters with any radio in that environment.
The "dead battery" is a trumped-up issue, in my opinion. Yes, the clock battery, which probably is a super-capacitor and not a true battery, does lose voltage over time which results in the clock losing time. Is the clock in your radio a big deal? Not to me, but apparently it is to other people. The clock losing time does not impact the operation of the radio. The solution to the "problem" is to connect the radio to a source of DC power and leave that source connected and powered-up when you aren't using the radio.

Yes, it's well-known that the IC-7300 suffers from overload problems in the face of nearby strong signals like you might find at Field Day. Yes, using proper bandpass filters is the solution. Sadly, many Field Day operations leave that particular piece of equipment out of their planning. So, they blame the radio.

Rob Sherwood NC0B, who has spent untold hours testing radios for their receive capabilities and actually using those radios at his home shack in contest conditions once referred to the IC-7300 as "disruptive technology". The IC-7300 changed the market for low-end HF radios. And, changed it for the better in the opinion of many.
 

vagrant

ker-muhj-uhn
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Nov 19, 2005
Messages
3,381
Location
California
@prcguy - Who needs an amplifier when you have a radio that does more than 10W? ;)

@AK9R - Thanks, I was using an iPad and didn’t want to type all that out. ;)

@CoastalDude - The Icom 7300 and Yaesu 710 Field are both SDR radios with the former being six years older. The FT710 ranks higher on Rob Sherwood’s list as well. You should look at that radio performance list yourself as part of your research. Still, menu and button layout can drive some operators into a rage and fanboy frenzy. Some operators are able to adapt because they transmit more than they fiddle with settings.

The Yaesu 991 radio works fine and I use one because I enjoy the ARRL VHF contests. I still use a separate VHF/UHF mobile at home, but a buddy uses one for both at home and he’s happy. Take your time and think about how and where you plan to use the radio.

By the way the Yaesu FT710 Field costs less than the FT710 AESS because it does not include an external speaker. It is the same radio though. The FT710 also has an external monitor connector, if that interests you.
 

tweiss3

Is it time for Coffee?
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Apr 24, 2020
Messages
1,199
Location
Ohio
When I started in 2020, I got a Yaesu FT-450D. I later bought a IC-7300, and wished I would have started there. I still have and like the 450D, but it's not a good starter radio, and typical to Yaesu, the menus are annoying. The 7300's price point for the features is about the best you can get new, and having a built in waterfall (for me) really helps understanding exactly how/where to tune and operate. Plus the menu structure on the 7300 is much more intuitive, so much so my primary shack is 7300 and 9700 with the 705 for my portable/mobile operations.
 

AK9R

Lead Wiki Manager and almost an Awesome Moderator
Super Moderator
Joined
Jul 18, 2004
Messages
9,883
Location
Central Indiana
The FT710 ranks higher on Rob Sherwood’s list as well.
And, Rob himself will tell you to be careful about buying radios based solely on how he ranks them. Rob's table is sorted by "Third-Order Dynamic Range Narrow Spaced - or- ARRL RMDR (Reciprocal Mixing Dynamic Range) if Phase Noise Limited". That's just one factor and is primarily of interest to CW operators in contest situations. Folks need to find radios that work for them in their own situations and that includes the user interface.
 

prcguy

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Jun 30, 2006
Messages
16,225
Location
So Cal - Richardson, TX - Tewksbury, MA
@prcguy - Who needs an amplifier when you have a radio that does more than 10W? ;)
I like power. I like the smell of Ozone from arcing HV power supplies. I like warmed coax form high power. I like the lights to dim when I key up. I like to hear my voice in the toaster and coming from the doorbell when I'm transmitting. I like it when other radios in the neighborhood don't work any more after I transmit.

Any further questions?
 

vagrant

ker-muhj-uhn
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Nov 19, 2005
Messages
3,381
Location
California
Wait, I’ve heard that voice before! Not from my amateur radio days, but from long long ago. From a darker and rougher time…Citizen’s Band! It’s you! The man with the most on the west coast! Forty-four fo shore!
 
Top