If you bought one brand new today... Posted by: "list email filter" modeerf@12bars.com ki4hms Date: Wed Jun 28, 2006 1:34 am (PDT) Pete, Interesting question, no doubt you'll get a variety of interesting answers. First I would spend time, not money, browsing through the archive of this group, knowledge is your friend. These are things I would not want to do without, they reflect my interests and operating habits, in no particular order: - CW filter, a wide one, not too narrow to use with rtty and other medium bandwidth digital modes. - The cheat sheets you can download from the files section of this group. - The Pack-It Reference book, for when you don't have the internet and this this forum's archives handy. Which should be most of the time you are operating this neat little toy. - The Superantenna's MP-1 mounting bracket, not necessarily the antenna, but this bracket does a great job of taking the worry out of stress related failures to the SO-239. I replaced the 3/8 x 24 antenna adapter with a uhf bulkhead, a couple of pl-259 to antenna of choice adapters, and I can use any antenna I want. - A BNC 50 ohm terminator for the front antenna connector, just in case something happens and RF tries to go to the front connector when you're not expecting it. - A MiracleWhip... its not the greatest antenna in the world (or is it?), but when I'm playing family chauffeur, and waiting in a parking lot to pick someone up, I can get on the air, and at least have a little fun listening while I'm waiting. I can be on and off the air in seconds. It does double duty as a VHF/UHF whip. - An old set of ear-bud headphones. Sitting in a parking lot with a long black antenna sticking out the window draws enough attention, having cw emanating from behind the smoked windows scares people. - Battery packs, even the biggy size that was part of the ND upgrade is a joke, W4RT's 2.3 amp hour pack at a minimum, think about supplementing it with some powerpole connected c or d cell nimh packs built up to plug into the power conditioner kit designed by AD5X and kitted up by a member of this group. If weight isn't an issue, 7 amp hour (or bigger) gell cells are great and economical. - The DTMF microphone, I own an IRLP node, having VHF/UHF FM capabilities without the ability to send dtmf codes is rather limiting to me. This means I don't need to carry a HT to monitor and control my node when I've got the 817 with me, a fair trade off I think. - A CAT interface cable, no particular brand or model, see the archives for ideas (you may be able to use an RS-232 to TTL interface you already own, I did), the important thing is being able to run Simon Brown's excellent Ham Radio Deluxe and FT-817 Commander software. Who cares how clumsy the menus are when you can set up and run the radio with these gems. You can leave these home, but you really should have them. - If you're into digital modes, Tigertronic's SL1+. - An antenna tuner, ZM-2, LDG, Elecraft, MFJ, etc. Take your pick, most of us end up with more than one. If I could keep only one, it would be my LDG Z11 Pro, though I would dearly miss the ZM-2. - A balun, if your tuner doesn't provide for balanced line. I really like the little Elecraft switchable 1:1 / 4:1 unit. - The lightest, quality, twin-lead / ladderline feedline you can get your hands on. - A good supply of stranded light weight coated wire, and a way of getting it up in the air. You won't believe how many different antennas you can try. (If you run windows, consider EZNEC software, it makes playing with wire antennas seem so 'scientific'.) - Misc. wire antenna building hardware, small pvc end caps, eye bolts, thimbles, wire-nuts, dog-bones, etc., or make shift counterparts. - VHF/UHF gain antenna, I've got both the Arrow Satellite, and the Elk. I'd rather pack the Arrow, but I'd rather use the Elk. - Thrift store bag to carry the necessary bits around in. Bit of a warning here... some can be a little perfumey, you may want to give them the sniff test before buying. Cool stuff I like, but could do without: - Super Antenna MP-1, great little antenna for when you can't use a wire. - Watt Meter. - Antenna analyzer. - BNC to binding post adapter. Stuff I've got that I would never buy again: - MFJ ATX antenna clone. Not that it's bad or anything, but the MiracleWhip totally outclasses it for my uses. Perhaps when the solar cycle improves, I'll change my mind on this. And finally, stuff I'd really like to have, but don't have (yet): - Buddipole - Long telescoping fiberglass painter pole or flag pole. - Palm OS or Pocket PC device capable of running digital soundcard modes. - Solar panel(s) and charge controller for in the field battery top offs. - A spare 817... you never know ;) - Heil Traveler headset. - Decent memory keyer that is small and power efficient (mine is 13 years old, as big as the 817, and draws as much current as the 817 on receive). - Key that feels like my Bencher, but weighs lots less, probably the Palm, but I won't buy one before I can try it in person. Well, that was fun. I suspect you will get a variety of answers, you need to decide what it is you want to do, and make choices based on your needs. Exploring the potential of this little rig is really half the fun! 72, Erik KI4HMS/7 Peter R. Thorsen Jr. wrote: > What options would you get along with it? > > I know that this has probably been asked before, but I am seriously > considering getting a FT-817ND and would rather see folks opinions on > what they would purchase rather than contemplate on what I should get > etc. and not have it be what I want in the end. > > The appeal here is QRP and portability. Are the Collins filters > really a necessity right out of the box or could you get by with it for > a while until I saved the extra to get them and have them installed via > W4rt and friends? > > I will primarily work CW, but don;t want to limit myself to that mode > only. This rig is all mode and I hope to use it that way via QRP. > > So, if ya had to do it all over again, what options and/or > accessories would ya get for this rig? > > Thanks in advance, > > Pete > (W4PRT) =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== =========================================================================== ===========================================================================