I've been following this thread with interest since I work with many Boy Scouts and other youth who are, or would like to become hams. Few have the financial resources to get into HF except at bargain basement levels. I've been steering them toward eBay for older, but still servicable rigs. I'm particularly partial to the TS-520 for several reasons: (1) they sell for around $125; (2) they are perfectly adequate for good DXing on all bands execpt the WARCs; (3) for new hams, they are a great teaching tool for learning how radios work electronically, e.g. tuning and loading; and (4) I happen to own a TS-520 and love it!
Antenna-wise, most of the new hams in this neck of the woods aren't about to go out and buy a tribander or any other sophisticated antenna which costs very much. A homebrew wire dipole or homebrew aluminum vertical (e.g. made out of old tent poles) will work the world; cost is mostly in the coax since electric fence wire or used tentpole sections can be negligible or completely free in cost. At 18:47 -0400 31/07/2002, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: >1. There are a number of good rigs out there for a reasonable >price. Complete FT101ZD stations, FT 9�2DM stations and similiar DX >and DXpedition proven rigs can be gotten for under $500.00. -- 73 de Fred Stevens K2FRD Chenango Co. (NY) Assistant Emergency Coordinator Foothills District, Otschodela Council BSA Committees Otschodela Council Amateur Radio Group http://www.ascent.net/thefred/ocarg.htm K2FRD Personal Adventure page: http://www.ascent.net/thefred/K2FRD.htm Fred's newest toy: http://www.ascent.net/thefred/M1911A1.htm . Subscribe to the OCARG EAGLE monthly Scouting/Ham Radio newsletter (no cost, no spam): Send email to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] . For a narrative of my VO2/K2FRD Labrador DXpediton: http://www.wpe.com/~oarc/news/page5.html . Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, [EMAIL PROTECTED] This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
