[amsat-bb] Re: 9100
Sebastian
w4as at bellsouth.net
Sun May 16 19:53:53 PDT 2010
I agree with you. Yes there is a $300 difference, and thats why I said it was "about as much". For me, $300 is $300, I was just saying the prices were similar; as opposed to the huge price difference between the TS-2000 and the IC-9100. But again we don't have the technical specifications of the 9100.
You and I are probably not the "average ham". I spend a considerable amount of time on the air, whether it be on the birds, on 6 meters, or chasing DX. I too am seriously considering the Flex 5000 as it does appear to be, overall, the best HF/6 meter radio in the ham radio market today. I have to consider whether my current HF setup of a Yaesu FT-950, along with the RFSPACE SDR-IQ used as a pan adaptor, is dramatically inferior to the Flex 5000. I would appreciate thoughts about this (via direct email) from someone such as yourself, or others who own the Flex.
What I am on the fence about, is spending that much money in a module that will give me access to the existing fleet of ham radio satellites. Perhaps one day I'll revive my interest in weak signal VHF/UHF capabilities, but not at this time. For me it looks like making an investment in the Flex purely for HF work, is looking like it's the direction I may go to; and later on, decide on the direction of the world above 50 Mhz.
Which is why I believe that we could very well have options in the future, other than the Flex module. And for now, my TS-2000 works great for me on the birds, but don't get me started about 436.795!
73 de W4AS
On May 16, 2010, at 5:46 PM, Michael Tondee wrote:
> I guess "about as much" is relative. Right now, based on sale prices,
> there is right at $300 difference in the Flex V/U module and a TS-2000.
> I don';t know about you but $300 is a decent chunk of change to me.
> Besides that, we are comparing apples to oranges. The V/U module with
> take advantage of all of the advantages that the Flex has over the
> TS-2000 to start with. Not only will it be satellite capable, it will
> also make the Flex 5000 a hot contender for other VHF/UHF weak signal
> work. I've owned a TS-2000X before and while I thought it was a fine all
> around general purpose rig, I never disillusioned myself into thinking
> that it was anything more. From everything I've seen of the Flex it is
> much more and will continue to evolve into much more given time.
> I've owned my Flex 5000A a little over a month and I don't want any
> other radio, satellite or otherwise cluttering up my operating desk. It
> might take me awhile to afford to put the V/U module in my rig and I may
> have lots more money in things than any other rig I've owned when I do
> but IMO it will be worth it.
> 73,
> Michael, W4HIJ
> On 5/16/2010 2:59 PM, Sebastian wrote:
>> I sold my IC-910H recently, as I had thoughts about going with the
>> 9100. But at that price, I can't justify it.
>>
>> I agree that the Flex 5000 is probably a much better radio (since we
>> don't yet know all the technical details on the 9100). However the
>> cost of the V/U module for the Flex is about as much as you would pay
>> for a brand new TS-2000. Sure the Flex offers more, but let's face
>> it, with the current birds in orbit, it's overkill for the average ham
>> who makes occasional satellite contacts.
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