Two points.
Point one: As to CW performance and FCC Docket No. 05-235, 7/19/05, it does
not appear that it will prohibit the use of CW on any ham band. From my
viewpoint, CW will exist on the ham bands until the sun ceases to rise in
the east.
Point two: Hams typically make their choices on what someone else said.
And we know that what someone else said is as likely to be just as much
incorrect as it is correct correct. Statistically, the incorrect answers
will always be vastly larger than correct answers. In reality, referencing
the bands, the modes and such where I listen and chat on HF, I find that a
large majority of hams today have more incorrect information than correct
information. Same goes for another segment of the US population in retail
business.
Yes, ICOM has developed the 7800 from a platform dedicated to another
service. I also hear that the other service which ICOM developed the radio
for, has declined to purchase a large number of the units thus they did not
recoup the development costs from commercial ventures.
If one considers the ham market a very small market, I view the contest
market demands for a good performing <3 KHz IMD somewhat microscopic by
comparison.
I've yet to get my hands and test equipment on a FTdx9000. However, I did
get my hands on a IC-7800 for a period of time. Conclusion: it is a good
radio. But, it is not a great radio by any means. There's several others
on the market today, and at much less price, that will run circles around
the IC-7800 receiver performance.
73
Bob, K4TAX
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Rippey" <jrippey@3n.net>
To: <tentec@contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, November 14, 2005 8:40 AM
Subject: [TenTec] ARRL FTdx9000 ETR
>
>
> ". . . 'technical innovation' has certainly bloated the price of Icom
> and Yaesu's
> $10,000 flagships, but their upconversion main receiver designs
> inherently
> limits in-close cw reception performance. This ain't rocket science,
> just a
> real head scratcher why only Ten-Tec seems to get it.
>
> Barry N1EU"
>
> Hi, Barry et al:
>
> At least from ICOM's point of view, it's not a head scratcher. The
> IC-7800 is an amateur market derivative of a basic platform ICOM
> developed to serve a number of different markets. The last time I
> looked, ICOM is the only amateur transceiver manufacturer making a
> profit--the bulk of its sales are outside amateur radio and I hear
> its selling thousands of the IC-7800 clones. (Ten-Tec, being
> privately held, does not release financial results. However, if T-T's
> focus is on hams only, and CW performance first, as has been
> suggested, then one would not want to bet the farm on its survival
> (See FCC Docket No. 05-235, 7/19/05).
>
> As to Yaesu, it has taken a big gamble with the FTdx9000 series due
> both to the substantial development costs and the fact that this
> radio does seem designed solely for the amateur market. Hard to
> recoup a big investment with such a tiny market. I doubt that close-
> in IMD numbers (<3 kHz) are going to be make or break with potential
> customers, however.
>
> In fact, I suspect very few hams make their choice of a transceiver
> on this basis, especially since riding the RF gain is a proven way of
> dealing with contest-like IMD conditions, and most transceivers will
> respond well to this simple solution. In fact, as I understand it,
> some folks still have the habit of turning off the AGC under
> difficult conditions!
>
> 73,
> John, W3ULS
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