K2XT is rambling today.
Have you thought about features in rigs this way?
Some technology comes along, say measuring SWR, and we get an SWR meter
for the station, and sit it on the shelf next to the rig, and connect it up.
Then lots of guys own swr meters and some manufacturer decides to
incorporate swr meters into rigs being made, and now everyone has
swr metering functionality, and takes it for granted that whatever rig
he buys will have an swr meter built in - nice, convenient. Not as
many wires in the station.
Same for speech compressors. Same for receiver preamp.
Same for front end attenuator, cw keyer, APF (!!), digital readout,
SECOND VFO (ha !), DSP. Some hams might even say that
list should include power supply, antenna tuner, a clock, (heck
HQ170s had clocks), auto power off. And 2 antenna ports.
It's a matter of opinion and operating needs as to which of those
features we think should be standard equipment. Myself, I happen
to think 2 antenna ports and a receive port are mandatory, so I
got the KXV3 accessory, installed it, (this is a true story), and
THEN noticed it had the port for my Beverage but where the
heck is the "Antenna B" port? What? I have to get the ATU to
get an antenna B port? Aw come on! Rick, you idiot.
I've been a ham for 47 years, had 15-20 rigs, never had an
antenna tuner that I used, am happy I didn't have to pay
$300 more for one in my K3 but darn it! I think the rig should have 2
antenna ports on it. It's much lower tech than a CW decoder,
isn't it? Oh maybe not, that's "just" software, a one time cost.
Rick K2XT
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