Humor - Top Ten Reasons to Trade Down to a Legacy Radio

KY6LA_Howard · February 2015

Humor - The Top Ten Reasons for trading down to a Legacy Radio

( I sold all my Legacy Radios because the 6700 blew them away in every test and in subsequent shootout tests )

1. Missing the comforting static of phase noise
2. Missing the interstage amplified distortion introduced by superheterodyne stages .
3. Enjoying being blind to the full spectrum.
4. Wanting to run CWSkimmer in a tiny bandwidth.
5 The comforting feeling of bleed thru of analog filters
6. The comforting feeling of a rats nest of wires and interfaces to run digital
7. Enjoying the high learning curve of a myriad of confusing knobs and buttons and having to read the manual every time you turn that legacy radio on.
8. Wanting poorer digital decodes due to digital to analog to digital conversion chains
9. Wanting a radio that will never change or improve over time.

And #10.

10. Wanting a lower Sherwood rated radio

BTW... Feel Free to add your reasons as well...

Bill -VA3WTB · February 2015

Because ver 1.4 was later than expected. And it makes a point, what ever that is...too funny

Neal_K3NC · February 2015

I miss all the connecting cables and subsequent RF problems associated with running digital modes!

SteveJ · February 2015

Interesting list but wrong of course. If you lose you computer you lose your radio. I don't think the Icom needs a computer to work. The ideal SDR is one that does not need a computer.

DrTeeth · February 2015

I do not think that computers are a significant point of failure in an SDR station. Not a consideration IMHO.

SteveM · February 2015

SteveJ,

Have you seen that Russian SDR rig? I think it is still only a concept, but it looked pretty neat. It was meant to provide the best of both worlds, a sit at home SDR rig, and a field-day contest rig all in one.

I've wondered more than once for what purpose Flex added the display and menu buttons on the 6x radios. Were they meant to provide a bare-bones way to operate in a pinch without a computer, or just for in-house diagnostics?

Jon Turner · February 2015

Don't forget the recursive menus in legacy radios, Howard. Jon/WW6ZZ

SteveM · February 2015

Guy,

I agree. With the emerging networking capabilities of SSDR, it become a non-factor. Just install SSDR on a different computer if/when your computer dies.

Neal_K3NC · February 2015

You might be able to work the bands without a computer but I bet most modern hams would find that is about 1/2 the fun as running with one, maybe enough to decide and wait until they can get their computer working! Logging, spots, emails, nasty comments on forums, could we really live without them?

SteveM · February 2015

11. Tiny screens.

DH2ID · February 2015

A SDR TRX is a computer. My good old IC-756PRO has a DSP in it's ZF and has a CPU - is a computer. Your washing machine probably also is a computer. At our local club we are proud owners of a Geloso TRX, which is NOT a computer. You'll probably have to go that far back, hi....

Jay Nation · February 2015

12. Fear of Achievement.
13. Fear of Enjoyment.

Neal_K3NC · February 2015

14. Never having to learn new features built into the legacy radio.

DH2ID · February 2015

I miss all those long hours listening for stations, slowly turning the Drake R4B's knob, and finally finding a voice I never had heard before.

DrTeeth · February 2015

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1/190-2799742-4229910?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywor...

Dale KB5VE · February 2015

How could a sdr radio not need a computer, even the Russian one has a i5 Intel processor based computer on board.

Keith Richards · February 2015

I will certainly miss index finger repetitive strain injury and constantly having to bite my nails to get my finger in the VFO indent ....

Jay -- N0FB · February 2015

15.

SteveM · February 2015

There seems to be a problem with semantics here. What some call computers, others refer to as processors. I think when the OP used the word "computer", he meant a PC.

SteveM · February 2015

There seems to be a problem with semantics here. What some call computers, others refer to as processors. I think when the OP used the word "computer", he meant a PC.

Gerald-K5SDR · February 2015

SteveJ, if you loose your knob radio you loose your knob radio. No difference. Happened to me on a legacy knob radio I bought back in the late 90's. Had to send it off to have the microprocessor replaced. A microprocessor is really just another name for a computer.

I still have it in the original box with crystal filters installed if someone wants to buy it. $995 plus shipping. It's in very clean condition and barely used. Covers 160m through 70cm. Original owner, non smoking, full power output. I'm dead serious. If you are interested, send me an email offline. I want to use the money to add some station automation goodies to my FLEX-6700 station.

Keith Richards · February 2015

Is the IC 7800 not a computer ? It has a processor, screen, USB socket, mouse pointer on the screen, socket for an external screen, internal memory and external memory slot. All in a nice box.

Its a computer - just a very expensive and slow one, with very limited functionality that can only run a single application).

Alan - KA4B · February 2015

Gerald, I am very pleased with my 6500 and not in the market, but if you want to sell this unit perhaps you should tell people which brand and model it is.