Good comments and first hand reports on pricing and deals.
My feeling is that AM is cheaper to get into from a builder's perspective, since SSB gear isn't too builder-friendly in comparison. AM is more forgiving and less complex in design, while it gives a much more pleasant audio result. Used commercial SSB gear can be bought dirt cheap now, probably cheaper overall than commercial AM gear. Partly because the market has been saturated with cheap Japanese gear over the years, and partly because of the resurgence in AM interest. The focus with SSB (and the ARRL, it seems) is on owning new equipment that you can't realistically service, and upgrading it every few years. This was the reason actually given to me by the ARRL New England director some years ago at a hamfest when I asked him why there weren't more articles about building and servicing in QST. No one can fix today's gear, so there's no point in dealing with the electronics side of amateur radio anymore. And, while the latest/greatest Yaecomwood box will cost you dearly, there are old tubes rigs that will cost even more when fully restored. To me, AM is the best all-around bargain. It's better from a building and maintenance perspective, more interactive, sounds better, and allows the enjoyment of new and old gear alike. Tube-type SSB gear can be fun too, but as others have noted, there is a lot less patience in the world of SSB for a signal that wanders a bit. I've also found AMers to be pretty interesting folks too, but that's another topic. ~ Todd, KA1KAQ ______________________________________________________________ AMRadio mailing list List Rules (must read!): http://w5ami.net/amradiofaq.html List Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/amradio Partner Website: http://www.amfone.net Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html Post: mailto:[email protected] To unsubscribe, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word unsubscribe in the message body.
