1. Selecting an HF Transceiver
Dec 16, 2015
Joel R. Hallas, W1ZR
Contributing Editor, QST

2. What HF Transceiver to Buy?
What do you want it for?
Casual operating
Fixed/mobile/portable
Phone/CW/Digital
Contesting
DXing
Traffic nets
IF strip for V/UHF
There’s no “one best transceiver”

3. What HF Transceiver to Buy?
How Much do You Want to Spend?
Used gear $150 - $5000
Entry Level $500 - $1000
Portable-mobile $500 - $1500
Mid-range $ $3000
Upper mid-range $ $7000
Top of the Line $10,000 and up

4. Before Transceivers –
Separate Transmitters and Receivers
1950s Station – Johnson Viking II Transmitter w/VFO
National HRO-60 Receiver, Hallicrafters TO Keyer

5. Early Vacuum-Tube HF Transceiver—Collins KWM-2A

6. Features of KWM-2 Transmit frequency follows receiver
Coverage of kHz wide bands 3-30 MHz
Frequency read-out to 1 kHz
SSB or CW operation
Collins SSB mechanical filter
100 W PEP output
Fixed or portable operation
Moderate receiver performance
Price in 1962: $1150

7. Current “Entry-Level” HF transceiver — Yaesu FT-450D

8. Features of KWM-2 Features of FT-450D
Transmit frequency follows receiver Same, but also has RIT/XIT, Dual VFO
Coverage of kHz bands 3-30 MHz Receiver coverage 30 kHz – 56 MHz
Frequency read-out to 1 kHz Frequency read-out to .01 kHz (10 Hz)
Transmit, all amateur bands, 160 – 6 meters
SSB or CW operation SSB, CW or AM operation
Collins mechanical filter DSP operating bandwidth selection
100 W PEP output W PEP output
Manual Pi-network tuning No-tune final amplifier
Internal antenna tuner
Fixed or portable operation Fixed or portable operation
Moderate receiver performance Moderate receiver performance
Frequency memories, PC control
DSP noise and interference rejection
Built-in electronic keyer
Price in 1962: $ Built in speaker

9. Features of KWM-2 Features of FT-450D
Transmit frequency follows receiver Same, but also has RIT/XIT, Dual VFO
Coverage of kHz bands 3-30 MHz Continuous Receiver coverage
30 kHz – 56 MHz
Frequency read-out to 1 kHz Frequency read-out to .01 kHz (10 Hz)
Transmit all amateur bands, 160 – 6 meters
SSB or CW operation SSB, CW or AM operation
Collins mechanical filter DSP operating bandwidth selection
100 W PEP output W PEP output
Manual Pi-network tuning No-tune final amplifier
Fixed or portable operation Built-in antenna tuner
Fixed or portable operation
Moderate receiver performance Moderate receiver performance
Frequency memories, PC control
DSP noise and interference rejection
Price in 1962: $ Built-in electronic keyer
Built in speaker
In 2015 dollars: $ Price in 2015: $650

10. What Features are Important? Whatever you like!
Casual operator, Traffic handler –
Ergonomics, display, audio, interference and noise rejection.
Contester or DXer –
Above plus top receiver performance, computer control,
lots of flexibility, panadapter, dual receivers.
Display –
Color video or monochrome text – your choice!
Internal antenna tuner –
Convenient if you’re space limited
Most have less tuning range than external units – same $
Not as useful if you use a linear amplifier.

11. What About Interference and Noise Reduction
80s – Separate filters for each BW, 1-5
Passband tuning, analog IF notch filter
90s – Above plus audio DSP
Passband tuning, AF DSP notch filter
Current – IF DSP – no other filters needed
Passband tuning, IF notch filter
Narrow roofing filters
Noise
80s – Noise limiter
90s – Noise blanker
Current – DSP Noise blanker, noise reduction
and multiple notch filters

12. What’s it Take to be a Top Receiver
Sensitivity – Not an issue
Selectivity – Not an issue
Dynamic range – The current hot-button!
The difference between the strongest and
the weakest signal you can hear

13. What’s it Take to be a Top Receiver
Flavors of Dynamic range:
Blocking dynamic range
At some level, a signal on another frequency
will reduce the level of the signal you want.
The further away the other frequency the
easier to filter: 100, 20, 5, 2 kHz.
Intermodulation dynamic range
Two signals, both outside the passband you want
combine to create a signal inside your passband.
Reciprocal mixing dynamic range
Off-frequency LO noise mixes off-frequency
signals into receiver passband.

14. What’s it Take to be a Top Receiver
Sensitivity – Typically -130 to -140 dBm
Selectivity – The more choices the better
Dynamic range – The current hot-button!
The difference between the strongest and
the weakest signal you can hear
Blocking dynamic range
20 kHz separation 100 to 140 dB
5/2 kHz separation 80 to 140 dB
Intermodulation dynamic range
20 kHz separation 80 to 110 dB
5/2 kHz separation 60 to 110 dB
Reciprocal mixing dynamic range
20 kHz separation 60 to 140 dB
5/2 kHz separation 60 to 140 dB

15. What’s it Take to be a Top Receiver
Example -- Intermodulation dynamic range
2 kHz separation 60 to 110 dB
You are listening to a prime DX station, S-5 on 14, 020 kHz
you are receiving through your 500 Hz filter – in the clear!
There are two strong stations, one at 14,022, another at 14,024.
(2 × 14,022) – 14,024 = 14,020
In a perfect receiver you wouldn’t know they are there!
In a real receiver, 3OIMD generates a signal on top of the DX!
With a 60 dB 3OIMDDR, the resultant signal will be the same as the DX if they are at S dB
With a 110 dB 3OIMDDR, it takes S dB 15

16. What Is in the Entry-level Category? All 100 W HF Radios
Model Street Price DSP 60 Meters V/UHF Ant Tuner
Alinco DX-SR8T $ No Yes No No
Alinco DX-SR9T $790 No † Yes No No
Icom IC-718* $655 AF No No No
Icom IC-7100** $994 IF Yes , 2 m; 70 cm No
Icom IC-7200* $890 IF Yes Meters No
Kenwood TS-480SAT $900 AF Yes Meters Yes
Yaesu FT-450D* $650 IF Yes Meters Yes
Yaesu FT-857D*** $750 AF Yes , 2 m; 70 cm No
Yaesu FT-897D* *** $860 AF Yes , 2 m; 70 cm No
†Provides I/Q output for DSP with external PC and sound card.
*Single unit radio, others have separable control head.
**50 W output on 2 meters, 35 W on 70 cm.
***50 W output on 2 meters, 20 W on 70 cm.

17. “Portable/Mobile” Category
Similar to entry level, price overlap, compact, more features
Remote front panel mounting (except *)
Downside – tiny controls, menus
Model Price Power 60 M VHF UHF Ant Tuner
Alinco DX-SR8T $ W No 6 M No No
Alinco DX-SR9T $ W No 6 M No No
ICOM IC-7100** $ W yes yes yes no
ICOM IC-7200* $ W yes 6 M yes no
Kenwood TS-480SAT $ W yes 6 M no yes
Kenwood TS-480HX $ W yes 6 M no no
Yaesu FT-857D*** $ W yes yes yes no
Yaesu FT-897D* *** $ W yes yes yes no
*Single unit radio, others have separable control head.
**50 W output on 2 meters, 35 W on 70 cm.
***50 W output on 2 meters, 20 W on 70 cm.

18. So Whadda You Get for the Extra $ to Move into the Middle?
In general;
A bigger box with more controls and fewer menus
More control flexibility – more choices,
more filters (or slots), more AGC settings
larger displays showing more information
Some have better receiver performance
Some have internal antenna tuners
Many add 6 meter coverage – some 2 meters or higher.
At the upper end:
Usually some kind of dual-receive capability
Some provide 200 W output

19. “Middle Class” Category
Model Street DSP 60 V/UHF Ant IMD DR
Price Meters Tuner (2 kHz)
Elecraft K3S/100F* $2900 IF Yes 6 Meters $ dB
Icom IC TBD SDR Yes 6 Meters Yes TBD
Icom IC $1650 IF Yes 6 Meters Yes 88 dB
Kenwood TS-2000** $1600 IF No 6, 2 m; 70 cm Yes 57 dB
Kenwood TS-2000X** $1900 IF No 6, 2 m; 70, 23 cm Yes 57 dB
Kenwood TS-590SG $1760 IF Yes 6 Meters Yes 93/106 dB
TEN-TEC Eagle $1499 IF Yes 6 Meters $ dB
Yaesu FT $1760 IF Yes 6, 2 m; 70 cm Yes 82 dB
Yaesu FTDX $1550 IF Yes 6 Meters Yes 83 dB
*Base assembled 100 W unit. IMD measured with optional 400 Hz roofing filter. Internal 10 W,
2 meter transverter available.
**Includes a second receiver for simultaneous AM or FM reception only.

20. And Whadda You Get for the Really Big Bux?
In general;
A much bigger box with more controls and fewer menus
Even more control flexibility – more choices,
more bandwidth choices, more AGC settings
larger displays showing more information
good spectrum display
Serious dual-receive capability with stereo output

21. “Upper Middle Class” Category
All are 100 W transceivers. All have IF DSP and 60 meter coverage.
Model Street 2nd V/UHF Ant IMD DR
Price Rcvr Tuner (2 kHz)
Elecraft K3S/100F $3580* Yes 6 Meters $ dB
FlexRadio FLEX-6300 $2499** Yes 6 Meters $299 92
Icom IC $3370 DW*** 6 Meters Yes 88 dB
Icom IC $3930 No 6, 2, 70 cm† Yes 87 dB
Yaesu FTDX3000 $ no 6 Meters Yes 104 dB
*Assembled with dual receiver with 2700 Hz roofing filter in each receiver. IMD measured with optional 400 Hz roofing filter.
**Requires a PC for operation.
***Dual watch — combines reception of two signals in same band into same audio channel.
†23 cm available as an option.

22. “Top of the Line” Category
Model Price 60 M Power V/UHF Tuner IMD(2k)
Elecraft K3/100F* $5169* Yes 100 W 6 Meters Yes 103 dB
FlexRadio FLEX-6500** $4299 Yes 100 W 6 Meters $299 TBD
FlexRadio FLEX-6700** $7499 Yes 100 W 6 Meters $
Hilberling PT-8000A $18,000 Yes 200 W† 6, 4, 2 m Yes 100 dB
Icom IC-7700 (single rcvr) $6900 No 200 W 6 Meters Yes 87 dB
Icom IC $12,999 Yes 200 W 6 Meters Yes TBD
Kenwood TS-990S $8000 Yes 200 W 6 Meters Yes 101 dB
Yaesu FTDX5000MP $5900 Yes 200 W 6 Meters Yes 103 dB
Yaesu FTDX9000D $8800 Yes 200 W 6 Meters Yes 87 dB
Yaesu FTDX9000MP $9295 Yes 400 W 6 Meters Yes 85 dB
*Assembled, loaded; price can vary greatly with internal and external options. See Elecraft website for a full list of options and prices.
**Requires a PC for operation. Not yet tested in ARRL Lab.
†100 W on VHF.