[amsat-bb] Re: 2 ht vs. 1-duplex ht

[Tyler Nicholas]

I will second Drew on the FT-530.  I picked one up for under $200 that was in awesome condition and it is the best HT I have ever owned (and I have been through a bunch).  If you are even luckier, you might find one with the MH-29 speaker mic that has a LCD display on it.  You can adjust the downlink frequency with this mic and even see the frequency on it.  I also found some massive batteries from W&W manufacturing that make this radio run forever.

For some other full duplex options, you might consider a Kenwood TH-D72.  I haven't tried one, but I have seen good reviews on it as a full duplex handheld.  It's a little pricey ($500) and unless you want the APRS in it, I would seriously consider an FT-530 or the predecessor to the D72 which is the Kenwood TH-D7A which can be picked up on eBay or elsewhere for a decent price.

I would not recommend the Alinco DJ-G7 for full duplex. They are priced good and will do full duplex, but the receiver has a densense problem when you transmit on 2m.  It's a good radio otherwise, but the full duplex performance is very poor unless signals are extremely strong (as in local repeater strong).

I first started using two FT-60s in the beginning and I understand Zach's problem with lugging everything in and out of the house.  Two HTs work just fine, but if you are really serious about satellites, I would highly recommend a full duplex HT.

Good luck,
Tyler Nicholas K5TDN

Sent from my iPhone

On Jan 26, 2011, at 3:26 PM, Andrew Glasbrenner <glasbrenner at mindspring.com> wrote:

> On 1/26/2011 4:00 PM, Ted wrote:
>> Zach, there are a lot of VUCC's out there that use exactly what you have...
>> 
>> Most here will argue that you HAVE to be duplex....a lot get by without it
>> 
> No, just that it is a more productive and considerate way of operating. 
> A lot of the congestion you hear on AO-51 is due to stations either not 
> knowing, or not caring, that they are in competition for the uplink. 
> Full duplex takes care of half of that. Things are also MUCH different 
> when AO-51 is over the west coast with it's considerably lower density 
> of hams.
> 
> To answer your question Zach, it's all about your personal budget and 
> needs. Adding a 2nd HT is probably the cheapest route, but adds more 
> complication than a single full duplex HT. Maybe you could try borrowing 
> an HT to try it with two? If you want to go with a single full duplex 
> HT, there are lots of older ones out there in good condition used. I saw 
> an FT-530 the other day with a ton of accessories going for less than a 
> new single band. That is one of the finest full duplex radios ever made 
> for satellites.
> 
> Another trick is to take the Arrow off the tripod and hold it by hand 
> where you can rapidly twist it to peak the signal due to polarity 
> differences. With full duplex you can even do this while transmitting to 
> clear up a ratty uplink. Check out 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTqjQ9xIQQE for an example of how much 
> polarity plays in signal strength on AO-51 with an Arrow (or Elk, or any 
> linear antenna).
> 
> 73, and good luck on the air,
> Drew KO4MA
> AMSAT-NA VP Operations
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