Wednesday, June 24, 2020
With Field Day 2020 only three days away, I’m still debating if I’m going to set up a station outside the house or just operate from the comfort of the shack, a.k.a., Studio A.
As it stands, I can operate CW, Phone and digital modes on the FT-2000, which makes it really attractive to just stay inside. The weather forecast is a 50 percent chance of showers and thundershowers.
Now my plan was to set up a station in the barn, and using the inverted vee antenna I use here in the library. But given my hit-and-run Field Day operating style in the past, working from the shack may be the most attractive option.
So far I’ve checked out both my IC-756PRO and PROII with an eye for using one of them for Field Day, and all I can tell you is that using them each makes me want to keep them both. The real rig I wanted to take outside for Field Day was the Icom IC-746 I have; the problem is I’m not sure where it landed. I don’t think I boxed it up, but I may have.
Another choice was the Kenwood TS-690 HF + 6 meters, its a great rig that I need to sell as well. And frankly, when I think about Field Day, I’m thinking that the path of least resistance would be to operate from the shack.
YAESU VS. ICOM. I have a confession to make. I find that I get a great deal of enjoyment from operating either of the IC-756PROs up in Studio C. And I find that I like the receiver of either one over my FT-950 I’m listening too now. I tried out both rigs with an eye to selling them, but I find instead that I might prefer to sell my FT-950 and my FTDX-3000. The 3000 is a great rig, but because so many common settings require you to bring the menu up on the screen, it blocks the bandscope.
I’ve thought about the IC-7300 as my next rig, but I’m also considering a used IC-7600. I know I wouldn’t mind another FT-2000, but after listening to those Icoms, I’m willing to give a newer one to try.
C’mon Field Day! Woo hoo!!