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Welcome to the radio room of

MM5AJN

Since being licensed in October 1997 my radio started off with a single dual band FM VHF-UHF radio and has progressed since then to the radios in these pictures of my most recent shack pictures.

I have owned the following equipment in the past;

Alinco dual band fm (forgot the model) for 2m & 70cm’s.

I have found Alinco equipment to be built like a tank and proven to be very reliable.

Icom 706mk1 & mk2G

Amazing piece of kit. Bought my first in 97 and used it for 2m & 6m SSB work. A bit deaf on 2m but with an external amplifier and pre-amp it worked well and proved exceptional value for money. As Icom does it continued to bring out updated models with the MKII and then the MK11G which I ended up buying.

I have to say a totally different radio, much more sensitive and less prone to ‘splatter’ from strong stations.

Alinco DX 70

Really liked this radio, filters were great and very easy to use once the manual was looked over.

My dislike was why does it not have a socket for the mic on the removable head unit as it limits you to where you can mount the main body of the radio.

It’s a pity they have not progressed with a model with 2m,6m or 70cms along with their competitors.

Icom 746

I have bought this radio and liked it so much I have kept it since 98 and never thought of selling it.

Its so easy to operate, I reckon anyone with a small amount of common sense could take it and start operating without reading the manual.

2m & 6m works a treat and for SSB it’s perfect with its 100watts.

The DSP in it is wonderful and when I first heard it I thought my antenna was not plugged in.

Yaesu ft100

Nice looking radio, well thought out front screen, menu system similar to Icom but hated those ‘pig tai’l coax feeds at the back.

Bought this especially to go on holiday to France, never got a chance to use it as a major fault with the PA occurred prior to going away.

I found the repair service poor with the radio being returned to me sometime later still with the fault not repaired.

Only after making a scene at one of the Scottish conventions did they even agree to allow me to upgrade to an 847.

I am sure though the updated models would be a great radio to own.

Yaesu ft 847

Bought after my ft100 went faulty. Looks great but thought the buttons were awkward with my chunky finger tips and did not like having to go into the menu system to adjust mic gain, power, swr every time unlike the 746 that shows it all in the same screen.

Was used as a second radio in the shack, my confidence for it never grew.

Kenwood TS 850 SAT

One of my first H.F base station radio’s. Proven to be a reliable’ work horse’ and I always got great audio report this radio can be bought today for a good price in relation to value for money. I only sold it to buy my 746 so not a bad word to say about it, if I still had it I am sure it would still be going strong.

Kenwood TS 50

One of the first in the mini H.F rigs, I had it with its matching a.t.u. For the type of radio at the time it was very compact. It struggled with the lower frequencies and prone to splatter but again it was the first of this class of radio’s back then and is still part of the Kenwood range today. One thing, I never got a poor report on my audio. Today it offers a budget radio for beginners or as a second radio. It is simple to use with no menu’s to worry about.

Icom 737a

Had it for about a year, never had any problems but never left any lasting impressions with me, as I don’t have much to say about it.

Icom IC 2800

A modern day radio for the Millennium operator, offers a selection of modern day ‘gimmicks’.

The TFT screen that you can play AV in,

Dual band transmit and receive at the same time,

A sensitive receiver for receiving outside the amateur bands,

Head unit mounted separately from the main body.

For my latest addition to the family please press

HERE

To see pictures of my shack that I used every day here in Auchnagatt please press ‘enter’ button

or press the ‘ home’ button to return to the Welcome Page