After digging through social media and YouTube videos over the weekend, here's a rundown of the new radios shown at the Dayton Hamvention. No, I didn't attend. This is what I've gleaned through the Internet.
Elecraft -- I don't think they had much new stuff to show. They did have the AX3 6-band, POTA-ready whip antenna/tripod designed so you can set it up on a picnic table and bathe yourself in RF. I saw the K4/0 and other means of remote operation being promoted.
Flex -- The big news is the Aurora series of radios. These incorporate a 500 watt HF/200 watt 6m transmitter using what is called Polar Modulation to achieve a claimed 80% efficiency even when powered from 120 VAC. The booth display showed an Aurora transmitting key down at 495 watts for about 8 hours. PM can be used for traditional CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8, etc. The radios are basically a Flex 8000 combined with this new transmitter in a desktop package that weighs about 18 pounds. Prices start at $6200.
Icom -- nothing new which is surprising. Maybe they'll have something at Tokyo Ham Fair in August.
Kenwood -- more information dribbling out about their new TM-D750 144/222/440 mobile radio. Maybe will start shipping this fall. Other products remain the same.
Yaesu -- the FTX-1 dropped just before Hamvention. The FTX-1 Field is a QRP radio that covers HF/6m/2m/70cm at 5 watts on the attached battery or 10 watts using an external power supply. The FTX-1 Optima is the Field version with an attached amplifier rated for 100 watts on HF/6m and 50 watts on 2m/70cm. The concept that Yaesu is promoting is that you can take your FTX-1 Field out for a POTA activation then clip it onto the amplifier when you get home.
DX Engineering, GigaParts, Ham Radio Outlet, and MTC Radio all had booths at Hamvention. DXE appears to have taken over the space formerly used by R&L Electronics and MFJ. The stores were running various sales over the weekend. Many of them were available to online purchasers.
Elecraft -- I don't think they had much new stuff to show. They did have the AX3 6-band, POTA-ready whip antenna/tripod designed so you can set it up on a picnic table and bathe yourself in RF. I saw the K4/0 and other means of remote operation being promoted.
Flex -- The big news is the Aurora series of radios. These incorporate a 500 watt HF/200 watt 6m transmitter using what is called Polar Modulation to achieve a claimed 80% efficiency even when powered from 120 VAC. The booth display showed an Aurora transmitting key down at 495 watts for about 8 hours. PM can be used for traditional CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8, etc. The radios are basically a Flex 8000 combined with this new transmitter in a desktop package that weighs about 18 pounds. Prices start at $6200.
Icom -- nothing new which is surprising. Maybe they'll have something at Tokyo Ham Fair in August.
Kenwood -- more information dribbling out about their new TM-D750 144/222/440 mobile radio. Maybe will start shipping this fall. Other products remain the same.
Yaesu -- the FTX-1 dropped just before Hamvention. The FTX-1 Field is a QRP radio that covers HF/6m/2m/70cm at 5 watts on the attached battery or 10 watts using an external power supply. The FTX-1 Optima is the Field version with an attached amplifier rated for 100 watts on HF/6m and 50 watts on 2m/70cm. The concept that Yaesu is promoting is that you can take your FTX-1 Field out for a POTA activation then clip it onto the amplifier when you get home.
DX Engineering, GigaParts, Ham Radio Outlet, and MTC Radio all had booths at Hamvention. DXE appears to have taken over the space formerly used by R&L Electronics and MFJ. The stores were running various sales over the weekend. Many of them were available to online purchasers.
