I am a newly licensed technician, study for the general exam. I plan to
purchase an HF rig soon and would appreciate suggestions on a good starter
rig. I am budgeting $800 for a rig and antenna.....

A good 100-watt all-band rig, brand new, would be something like the
Icom 718, a little over $500. Add ....

Or get a TenTec Triton IV (aka 540 w/ analog dial or 544 w/ digital dial)
and TenTec power supply; maybe $250 for the pair? Mid-70's "no tune"
(that means you must have a "tuner"!) transistorized radio made in the
USA. Or run the radio from a 12-volt battery with a $10 float charger
from Harbor Freight; instant emergency power! Get a good crossed-needle
SWR meter but make your own "tuner" (a homebrew inductor, a capacitor
from an old radio, and two alligator clips). A 100-150 watt soldering
GUN (irons are usually too small for soldering PL-259 connectors) will
be handy (although you COULD buy ready-made coax). Throw some wire into
the air (or connect to something metallic, preferably high and long),
and you should have several hundred dollars left over.

--Myron Calhoun, W0PBV.
--
--Myron A. Calhoun.
Five boxes preserve our freedoms: soap, ballot, witness, jury, and cartridge
NRA Life Member & Certified Instructor for Rifle, Pistol, & Home Firearm Safety
Also Certified Instructor for the Kansas Concealed-Carry Handgun (CCH) license