"Jeff Liebermann" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:32:09 -0600, "Irv Finkleman"
wrote:


I wouldn't even loan it to my mother, had she been a ham,
but I've carried it to a few hams but did the testing myself.
It cost more than most of my rigs!

The MFJ-259B sells for $240 from various dealers. Your FT-817ND sells
new for about $600. Either you overpaid, or you're getting a sweet
deal on the radios.

The FT-817ND is my first store bought rig. Prior to my downfall
from good health, I always had either surplus which I'd converted,
or old rigs off the local Swap 'N Shops which needed repair. As
much as I say I'm going QRP, if I can pick up an old Kenwood
tube-job I think I'll give it a go! Unless I have a number of knobs
and switches to play with I sense a loss of control running the
new stuff.

A TS-820 or 830 would be great -- I had an
820 that really performed for me for a long time -- I gave it
away when I went in the hospital. I repaired a lot of Kenwoods
Swans and Yaesu's (not to mention other makes) for old-timers
and really enjoyed fixing them. I repaired a lot of the
newer solid-state rigs as well, but preferred the old
classics. I have a lead on the 820 I gave away, and may
end up getting it back. When I got it, it didn't have the
DC converter or the digital display but I managed to find
them on a cannibalized unit. It even had the
CW filter.. The only other thing I'd need would be
a keyer for a beautiful mint Bencher key I picked up
from an estate sale. The beauty of the Kenwoods is
that as long as 6146s and 12BY7s are available I know
I can keep them running.

Irv VE6BP