This is a review where the only 'test equipment' is a pair of ears and the 'test range' is actual operation of the radio.
Bottom line: An good bargain in a CW (yes, SSB too, but WHY???) HF transceiver.
I'll leave the specifications over on the LNR PRecision page, but the basics are:
40-15 meter operation in CW/SSB (no A.M.)
Rig seems to put out ten Watts at REDLINE. (Why stress the finals for half an S-unit?)
Built in Keyer that works with a straight key too.
S-meter/SWR meter or power out can be displayed numerically or as a bar graph.
FILTERS DOWN TO 50Hz!
DSP (rarely needed, this is a good receiver without it.)
Current drain on receive 350 mA (about the same as an FT-817)
Very good form factor for field work, because it's controls are on TOP, so that you do not need a shelf to put it on like many rigs.
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I have not tested it on SSB, but plan to do that, then put the microphone away for when I sell there rig in a few years. (I always seem to do this.)
In actual operation, I have been using this rig with my AlexLoop, small magnetic transmitting loop. I easily reach coast to coast, taped code with SOTA guys on mountains, even listened to TAPRN voice net Sunday on 40m SSB using the loop and had fair to good copy on the net, though I am 2500 miles away and it was still solid daylight - on forty meters. Good receiver and the AlexLoop helps.
The CW filters come in three pre-programmed widths and one programmable width. They are quite effective for very crowded band conditions, when all around you have their computers screaming '599' for some silly reason.
I packeged rig in a Sigg, aluminium case made for mountaineers, contains 3.4 Amp/Hour NiMH battery, a mini-paddle bolted to the inside of the top lid, ear buds and etc. I use a small, multi-pocketed bag to hold it , additional batteries and an "AA" x 10 holder for emergency power, a 10 Watt folding PowerFilm panel, my rhinestone yo-yo and autographed picture of Perry Como. ;-)
In short, fine rig, a little less than the venerable FT-817, no VHF/UHF but far better filtering for HF. I prefer to carry an HT and an HF rig so that I can monitor operating in camp on the HT while active on HF: not limited to one or the other.
I like it. It's right at the edge of what I would spend for it though, being so close to the price buying another FT-817. I think pushing the price downward toward $500 would make them sell like hotcakes.
Additional features: as it arrived, it was a ham band ONLY rig - no SLWing outside of the ham bands. However, band edges are programmable in menu driven software ( a little tricky the first time) so I spread out each band so that I could listen to shortwave, utilities and etc. EZ-PZ
73/72
de RadioRay ..._ ._
Topic: LD5 from LNR Precision (a mini-review) (Read 8661 times)