My ham shack is also my home office. It is crowded with electronics. My two tranceivers sit under one of my two computer monitors. Outside, I have a Comet GP-6 2-meter/70-cm antenna mounted on our chimney. I also have a DX Commander Classic multi-band vertical antenna in our backyard. So far, most of my contacts are on 2 meters. I haven’t worked any bands at night, so the HF contacts are few and far between.
Icom IC-7300 HF transceiver
This is my 100-watt HF workhorse. It’s a SDR that works well with my PC. I integrated Fdigi and Ham Radio Deluxe, as well as Icom’s RS-BA1 remote software. I’m still running a trial version of HRD, though I’ll probably end up buying it. Integration wasn’t easy and I still don’t understand how to properly use it.
The same is true of the IC-7300. I watched over forty YouTube videos on the radio. It’s so full of functionality that I think it will take a long time for me to use its power fully. This unit is considered a “starter” radio. All I can say is, wow, what is an advanced radio like?
btech uv-50×2 transceiver
This is a bargain 50-watt 2-meter/70-centimeter rig. It does a very good job connecting with local repeaters. The menus are difficult and annoying. Fortunately, CHIRP software is free and with an inexpensive USB connecting cable, the channel memories are easy to set up. CHIRP let me add every local repeater in just a few minutes. Best of all, my handheld also works with CHIRP, so programming it is as easy as cut and paste.
baofeng bf-f8hp handheld transceiver
This compact handheld is the bargain of the century. It’s only $70 at Amazon. Add in a programming cable and CHIRP takes care of adding channels. I also bought a Nagoya NA-771 antenna to replace the rubber ducky that comes with the radio. The antenna is a great investment. It adds a lot of range to the handheld.
DX commander Classic antenna
Made by a one-family company, the DX Commander is a multi-band vertical antenna. The inventor/owner is Callum. He’s produced a large number of videos that explain everything about assembling, tuning, and using the antenna. I was a little surprised by its construction. It is a telescoping fiberglass pole thirty-feet tall. Wires are threaded through spacers on the pole.
The antenna comes with a pole, a spool of wire, and the necessary hardware to assemble. I had to get silicone tape, electrical tape, another 300 feet of wire as well as paracord for guy lines. I was very fortunate that Kirk (WA7KS), a fellow member of the Lake Washington Ham Club, came over and assembled the antenna for me. My wife and I measured cut, and put connectors on the necessary wires. Kirk did the heavy lifting, and after two visits, the antenna was assembled, tuned, and permanently in place. My wife buried the coax between the antenna and the house.