My First HF Rig!!!
Well I finally purchased an HF Radio. I bought a brand new Yaesu FT-857D multi-band radio. I have yet to really program it all up. I really should do that soon. However I have been trying to hear some Numbers Stations. I have had very little luck finding any voice Numbers Stations, however I believe I heard some RTTY or PSK stations, and I also heard a morse beacon station which I was able to track down as a Russian Navy marker beacon. Of course I won't hear much in the city I imagine, especially on a G5RV antenna. The antenna is strung through the house and runs the entire length of the living room and kitchen. We are renting, so we can't really string it outside. I would like to try and make some contacts, but I am afraid of transmitting without a antenna tuner and balun for the antenna. Those will come with time and money. I was originally trying to downsize my radio inventory, I had many UHF portables for events and such, and I sold a few of them off. I am now wondering if that was a good idea. As I am likely entering into a new hobby (Airsoft / MilSim) which will likely be able to make use of said radios. None the less, my main radios right now are my FT-857D which sits at home, until I get brave enough to drill holes in the Jeep for it... And my FT-60R portable. The audio on the FT-60 is quite poor compared to the Motorolas I had, but such is life I guess. I will likely start posting DX logs eventually on here somewhere. If I get real bored. :)