Gear

May 2025: I’m getting ready to do an inventory of all my gear and will likely be selling a fair amount of it focus in on just a few transceivers and receivers + accessories. I’ve collected more than I need. I’l update this gear list accordingly.

TRANSCEIVERS

  • Xiegu X6200
    • Ordered in May 2025 and waiting to receive this Linux-powered, SDR, QRP transceiver. I’ll post more details after I’ve used it.
  • Elecraft KX3 Ultra-Portable HF/VHF Transceiver
    • I am just at the beginning of the learning process for this QRP transceiver. While it is a bit intimidating and the UI reminds me of the early days of kit-based personal computers (yikes!), the signal quality and deep customization capabilities of this radio are fantastic. Don’t let the retro UI fool you, though, it’s really an SDR radio inside. I am using the KX3 Nifty Mini-Manual to help with the learning process. This was the present I bought myself for passing the General License Exam.
  • Kenwood TH-D74A Handheld
    • I love this handheld. It took me a week to get familiar with the UI, but once I did by using the TH-D74 Nifty Mini-Manual, I feel like I am using it productively. I am loving the sound of this radio and its diverse feature set. APRS, Simplex, Repeaters, all great, I haven’t had time to experiment with D-Star yet, but I will someday. This was the present I bought myself for passing the Technician License Exam.
  • Kenwood TH-D72A Handheld
    • There is only one reason I own this handheld, and that’s because the TH-D74A is not full duplex. Gah! I’ve been bit by the satellite amateur radio bug and having a full duplex transceiver not only makes it easier to make satellite contacts, but it is more polite to the other operators so I can try to avoid talking over others. I am baffled why my newer D74A is not full duplex, but the six-year older D72A is. Sigh. What I am now hoping for is a future handheld to come along and replace both the TH-D74A and the TH-D72A.
  • BaoFeng BF-F8+ VHF/UVH Handheld
    • I know that a number of amateur radio hobbyists loathe the cheap Baofeng handhelds as it means a larger number of less-studied operators are using VHF/UHF, some without even getting a license (note: not allowed). I have not (yet) run into an unlicensed operator abusing the radio frequencies. The fact that you can buy a BaoFeng handheld for $25 on Amazon (the UV-5R, a lower watt model than the one I purchased) makes amateur radio a heck of a lot more accessible to a lot of people, and accessibility comes with both its pros and cons. I am focused on the pros, and it was the low-risk, low-commitment radio that got me into the hobby. Now, it’s just collecting dust as a test unit in my radio box, but I am glad I bought it.
  • LimeSDR Mini
    • A tiny SDR with transmit! I am excited to use this for digital modes, such as FT-8.

RECEIVERS

  • SDR (receive only)
    • Airspy HF+
      • From early testing results posted online, this $200 SDR is the best SDR you can buy for under $1,000. I pre-ordered it, and it has since arrived. I haven’t had the time to test it out yet, unfortunately.
    • SDRplay RSP2
      • When I started hitting the limits of my RTL-SDR dongle, this was what I upgraded to. What a great SDR, especially considering the price. When the Airspy HF+ comes out, I’m not sure it will remain competitive, though.
    • RTL-SDR RTL2382U
      • This was the first SDR I purchased ($25!), and it was a wake up call to the future of SDR. This is still the unit I would recommend to anyone who is curious about SDR but doesn’t want to financially commit quite yet. This has a  similar value proposition to the Baofeng, as I talked about above (and also $25).
  • Shortwave
    • Tecsun PL-880 Shortwave Radio
      • This shortwave radio is the reason I ultimately decided to pursue my amateur radio license in 2017. Explore the world through radio.
    • CountyComm GP-5 SSB (Gen 3)
      • An ultra-portable shortwave radio based on the Tecsun PL-360. I bought this for my portable radio kit so that I could evaluate propagation conditions (prior to setup) and do transmit testing with a small device.

ANTENNAS

  • HF
    • LNR Precision Par EndFedZ EFT-10/20/40 Trail-Friendly Antenna
      • My go-to antenna right now. Not just because of how portable it is and the lack of radials / counterpoise wire, but because it’s a fantastic performer. This is the antenna responsible for my Alaska contact. I know there are better antennas out there, I just haven’t used one yet. There actually may just not be a better antenna I can fit into a travel kit, though. This thing is tiny.
    • 18 AWG Wire Antenna
      • Excellent if you get the length right for the band you want and use it with a counterpoise wire. I was picking up Japan, Hawaii, and various parts of Canada and the United States with it on my KX3.
    • LNR Precision W4OP Loop Antenna
      • If you’re stuck inside during the rain or snow, this may be your best option if you don’t have a permanent antenna installed outside. There are times when going outside to setup an antenna isn’t ideal, and for those times, I will turn to my W4OP, for sure.
    • AlexLoop Walkham Magnetic Loop Antenna
      • I wanted a magnetic loop that I could transmit with, but so far, I’ve only had the opportunity to listen. It’s incredibly portable. I am looking forward to doing more testing with this antenna. So far, the LNR Precision W4OP slightly outperforms this antenna for receive. I have not  yet tested transmit.
    • RadioWavz FD40/20/10M Fan Dipole Antenna
      • This was actually a mistaken purchase. I thought I was buying a dipole with removable wires to switch between 40/20/10 meters, but it’s a fan dipole where all three sets of wires are permanently attached. I’ve used it for 40 and 20 meters, so far, and it’s good. I would put it just barely (just barely) ahead of the LNR Precision Par EndFedZ I listed above, but not enough to warrant the much larger size and heavier footprint.
    • Wonderwand Tunable Compact Loop
      • This loop antenna is pretty amazing, considering its size. It’s perfect for a travel box, and while it won’t out-perform a lot of antennas, it’s a piece of cake to setup for operation anywhere in less than a minute.
    • W1SFR End-Fed Multiband Antenna System
      • Larger than the LNR Precision Par EndFedZ with a bit less performance. A good antenna, but the competition beats it. I will probably give this antenna away since I wouldn’t ever pick it over my LNR Precision Par EndFedZ.
    • Wonderwand Wide-Bander & Wonderwand Mk5
      • I bought these two because I was doing an international order for the Wonderwand Tunable Compact Loop and had hopes that these two would be a good fit for my compact radio box. Unfortunately, neither one of these antennas performed very well compared to my other options. I had more success on receive than transmit, but even then, receive wasn’t as good as other options. I still want a good whip antenna for HF when I don’t have a tree or a telescoping fiberglass pole to use, but I think I’ll just have to wait for the Elecraft AX-1 Ultraportable 17/20 Meter Antenna System.
    • NEED TO TEST
    • Receive Only
      • W6LVP Amplified Receive-Only Magnetic Loop Antenna
        • So far, I’ve only had the opportunity to test this indoors, but it had good receive quality. It was the first mag loop antenna I heard about, and I rushed out to buy one. Now, the receive-only nature of this antenna is likely going to hold me back from wanting to use it much. It will likely be put into service with the Airspy HF+ SDR.
      • Sony AN-LP1 Portable Active World Band Radio Antenna
        • This now out of production antenna for shortwave radios is the best I’ve used for a shortwave radio (I suspect the W6LVP would be even better). I’ve been able to pick up a number of stations that were impossible with the telescoping antenna or just a wire.
      • Sangean ANT-60 Short Wave Antenna
        • This was the primary antenna I used for my Tecsun PL-880 Shortwave Radio for a couple of years, but I always felt like it wasn’t  up to the job.
  • VHF/UHF
    • Arrow II Model 146/437-10WBP
      • I bought this handheld Yagi antenna for satellite/POTA/SOTA use. I’ve used it for satellite, so far (POTA/SOTA when the weather improves), and was able to pick up several satellites on my first trial run! I also jumped on VHF Simplex and boy oh boy this things smokes my TRAM 1185 and my Diamond SRH320A. Of course, it’s much larger, and I don’t think I would sit around my house using this antenna for most VHF/UHF contacts, but if I want performance and distance, this one is amazing.
    • TRAM 1185 Amateur Dual-Band Magnet Antenna
      • It should come as no surprise that a mag mount antenna for my car would outperform a whip antenna. Until I add a VHF/UHF antenna to the roof of my house, this is likely going to be my best performer (other than the Arrow listed above). Be careful when you remove the magnet base from your car roof, as it can scratch your paint.
    • Diamond SRH320A Tri-Band Whip Antenna
      • My current whip antenna of choice for the Kenwood TH-D74a. It’s a shorter (than most) tri-band that fits nicely into my radio box and out-performed all my other whip antennas in testing, other than the Nagoya NA-771 in one of the tests. The shorter length, tri-band (although I am almost never use the 1.25 meter band), and best performance in all but one test make this my favorite whip antenna. If anyone out there knows of a better whip, please contact me.
    • Comet SMA-24 HT Whip Antenna
      • Coming in second place in my testing is this longer dual-band antenna from Comet. The extra length and the perceived fragility of this extra-flexible whip gives the Diamond SRH320A an edge. As it doesn’t win on performance, length, or band support, it will likely be sold or given away. It doesn’t check the top box on any of my needs, but it still is a great antenna.
    • Nagoya NA-771 Whip Antenna
      • This is a great antenna, but is beat out by the Diamond SRH320A and the Comet SMA-24 in testing by a bit (not much). It’s slightly longer and only dual-band, and that makes the Diamond SRH320A a better option. I will be using this as the primary antenna on my Baofeng as it has the proper connector type for that radio.
    • Hypario HPA-701 Whip Antenna (Nagoya)
      • Not as powerful as the Nagoya NA-771, but a bit shorter. If ultra-portability in a small carrying case is important to you, this is the antenna to buy. It’s not as powerful as the three listed above, but it’s a fraction of the length. I’ll keep this for a small travel bag.
    • MFJ-1714 Long Ranger 2-meter Telescopic Antenna
      • I had high hopes from this antenna, but it was largely a letdown. I will likely be selling or giving this away, as it did not out-perform any of the antennas listed above on any of my tests. In fact, it performed more poorly than the in-the-box Kenwood whip that comes with the TH-D74a.
    • NEED TO TEST
      • Diamond SRH77CA
        • I bought this antenna to use with the Kenwood TH-D72A when I am using it for APRS or Simplex operation instead of Satellite. I need to test it soon.

COMPUTER INTERFACE