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Crow
| | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 2:50 am: | 
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I see that Copper has done it again, they've taken a $444.99 radio and made it $429.99! Right before I bought the 2980WX no doubt... LOL :P
I just wanted to get some input, I've owned a Galaxy Saturn, and a DX 2517. I've also owned a RCI 2990 and still own a RCI 2950DX. But the Galaxy's left, the 2990 was bought on eBay and the SSB was off, seems my 2950DX is gonna stay, it ain't leaving here ever! I got so used to it, but I also miss my 2517, the 2980WX is very similar, but has 12 bands instead of 6, 6 digit counter instead of 5, and some weather stuff! The conversion I've found and will be no biggie.
I'm just not sure which way to go with this though... the RCI DX radios are so simple, but now have no echo except the 2980, but noise toys are the last thing on my mind these days, but the 2980WX with the noise toys it $10 cheaper!
The DX frequency coverage is 24-32 Mhz just by adding a pigtail jumper, and the 2980WX is 12 banded and ends up about 24.245-29.665 I beleive, like the 6300 mobile. The 2985DX has the same board as my 2950DX, or so I've heard. And the 2980WX has the same board as my 2517 had, the EPT690010Z. I love both and need a new base since my Galaxy got sold, and my 2950DX don't like being a base, I want to keep her in the car....
Any input here guys? My head is spinning 200MPH, echo and talkback aside... which do you all think is better, to me I equally appreciate them both and the $10 at the moment is the last thing I'd care about! Help! |
Bigbob
| | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 8:00 am: |
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BUY THEM BOTH WHY CHOOSE NOW,CHOOSE LATER WHEN THEY'RE BOTH ON YOUR DESK.YOU'VE BOUGHT ALL THESE OTHERS THIS SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM.IF MONEY IS A PROBLEM BUY ONE NOW THEN BUY THE OTHER LATER,WITH THE EXPECTATION YOU'LL HAVE THEM BOTH AND YOU WON'T BE SITTING ON PINS AND NEEDLES.COPPER WILL LOVE YOU AND YOU'LL LOVE YOU,NUFF SAID! |
Deadly Eyes
| | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 9:51 am: |
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If your display is going to be in frequency then go for the extra digit in the display. It is a big help.
It is by far better to see your signal frequency with the greater accuracy. |
Crow
| | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 11:13 am: |
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That was rude,
I can't buy them both, I never bought any of the other radios except the Galaxy Saturn, I got all the other radios in major trades. I only got $460 to work with, I have to do this last radio right because I don't want to keep trading. Someone bought my 2990 from me, it had a really bad frequency problem on SSB, it had the older board. Someone already screwdrivered it to death before I got to it.
Either way, the new Digitalized ones are said to have surface mount technolegy and won't drift on SSB... but if they do I won't know, with the 2980wx I will, I think I'm even more confused now.
Besides, if I had the money to even consider buying both of them, I'd stick it out and get me an ALL BAND Icom or Kenwood! Just to play with if I were rich! Besides all these trades and sales have been over a 10 year period! |
Crow
| | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 11:25 am: |
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They both track 6 digit frequency displays too. |
Scrapiron63
| | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 12:12 pm: |
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Hey Crow: I've also owned most of those radios you mentioned in your first post, some good ones and some not so good. My personal preference is the old orginial galaxy saturn or 2980, same radio, but I really like the features of the new 2980WX, and if I needed a new radio, I would like to try one of them. just my 2 cents worth, scrapiron |
Taz
| | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 1:49 pm: |
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Let me ask you this,
put all money and everything else aside and act like it dosent matter.
What radio do you really want? |
Megahurts
| | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 1:51 pm: |
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Well I got a 2995dx just 2 days ago. Right before the 2985dx went on sale. I would have saved the money and got that one if I knew! Anyway, For me I would not get a radio that used a channel knob instead of a proper VFO. I like to know where I am without some kind of chart. The 2985dx will do VFO style tunning like your 2950 and as you know, if you hit the MAN button while already in that mode, the radio will dispaly channel numbers for the standard 40. {I just discovered that!} You get the best of both. If you don't do DX it doesn't really matter, but if you ever want to do the Alpha Tango thing you better get that 2985dx. By the way, I just did my first east coast - west coast DX with this radio, and the guy thought I had a Kenwood. He had a new Icom, and he said my freq matched his dead on, and he stated that the audio was cyrstal clear. YEAH! |
Crow
| | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 2:18 pm: |
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I don't know, I like the 2980wx because it's just like my old 2517 with more, and I like the 2985DX because it's my 2950DX in a box, I like them both equally, thats why I wanted some input, they both have what I want, both in my price range, and they both are sharp looking!
Just looking for RCI owners to pick on one of them so I can look it up to see which is better. LOL  |
Topten
| | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 2:20 pm: |
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Some insight, I have a Galaxy 2517 and it's very drifty on SSB, but great on AM. Galaxy could of made the 2517 a much better radio if they would of added that sixth digit to the freq counter, put a lock out switch for the coarse clarifier, put in a better power transformer, and got rid of those silly little red LEDS that indicate what mode your in. Now I have a RCI 2985DX (low power) and it's rock steady on SSB, to me it blows away the 2517, except for very loud audio on the AM band. So my 2517 is just a back up for now. |
Highlander
| | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 2:28 pm: |
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Since you've already had a DX2517 (I don't blame you for missing it) You might enjoy the digital format of the 2985 for a change, since the 2980wx would be so close to the 2517. |
Karatebutcher
| | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 5:28 pm: |
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HIGHLANDER Glad to hear you like your DX2517, I love mine a lot, it seems to have all I need, except I did have to get a 7 digit frequency counter for the back RCA plug, there are a few others of us out here that really enjoy them.
There are some people out there that talk on them from Flordia and Arizonia , and their 2517 radios sound good. I never use my 2517 on AM just SSB, |
Bigbob
| | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 6:19 pm: |
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I can't buy them both at the same time either,but I don't know you,I have no idea what your earning power is and it's none of my business.I didn't mean to come across as rude.I wanted to buy a holly carb one was$300 and one was $400 I couldn't decide,a friend said buy both all I had was $500 dollars,I saved all year,he said no problem he loaned me the balance at no interest.I don't know you but if you want something bad enough you'll find a way to aquire it.A boy I know worked 5 jobs one summer to buy a remington dear rifle,a man who suffered a gunshot to the eyes got help,learned brail,took a course in nursing care and is helping people and making more money than he ever dreamed,like I said I don't know you or your circumstances so how could I be rude in what I said,but I'm sorry.6-digit frec.counters are o-k but unless they're set by the bureau of weights and measures,no 2 counters are exactly the same,just a little more accurate.I could go on but I have to mow the lawn. |
Bigbob
| | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 8:21 pm: |
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I bought a dx2517 for its simplicity and more stable ssb,I asked for 307s midas touch and MY GOD ,the unit out performs my eagle 2000 50% better,2 dk 15 swing,36-40 watts on ssb.am quit on my eagle and ssb is a flat 32,and pssst.I'll let you in on a secret that dx2517 is L O U D!!! at the other end.ohhohohehehe I'd get the one you can get 307s tune on,if both then you're still stuck,darn.But 307 is da MAN on tune ups. |
Crow
| | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 10:02 pm: |
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Sorry, your message Bigbob was in all capitals, I thought you were yelling at me. Sorry, my mistake.
Either way, I love both radios, but if I had more money... I'd probably get the 2995DX, just so I don't have to mess around with an external linear amplifiers and relays clicking, and all heck breaking loose like tuning the Load and Tune everytime I go somewhere.
But my money won't allow anything more than the 2985DX, but I loved my 2517, and I love my 2950DX, so I really can't decide at all  .
Oh, and on the subject of linears, I live in a remote area, most of my radio friends are about 25 miles away from me and without power I get stepped on alot and sometimes they don't hear me say break. 150-300 watts is all I need... I already got a 200 watt base linear, but does anyone think I'd be better getting the 2995DX in a month or two and selling my linear later? Just so I don't have to hassle all the time tuning the heck out of it? I know a lot of people say tune in between the 2 most used channels, but my home channel is 26.795AM and the channel I go to, to not talk skip and just go to 27.895FM to get away from the noise...
I think I'm more confused than ever, but as TAZ said, money aside... I'd get the 2995DX, but the 2980WX and the 2985DX are still equal in my mind! |
Bigbob
| | Posted on Sunday, September 01, 2002 - 10:48 pm: |
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My father in law bought a 142gtl used had it realigned put in a expo 100 and drives a klv550 to talk to me 90 miles away I got a dx2517 driving a boomer 400,we talk ssb,27.685 lsb,if I were you I'd get the 2985dx it sounds like a magnificent radio,the 2995dx 120 watts peak but you can drive a helluva big amp later with it,but the 2985dx allows you to drive mid range amps that cause less hate and discontent.Let 307 work his magic with it,you'll be amazed and I'll try to remember to keep my caps/lock off,lol. |
Crow
| | Posted on Monday, September 02, 2002 - 11:06 pm: |
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Actually, money aside, I don't think I would go with the 2995DX, I've heard to many people say way pay almost $600 for a radio when you can get a $400 radio and a killer linear. I guess the tuning wouldn't kill me.
I still can't decide between 2980 and 85, but I know I want a KLV-400 behind it, I don't think I'd like the 550, I like tube type amps better, I'm kinda funny, I've had stock radios produce a lot of TVI with small 200 watt solid state boxes, yet I can run a 500 watt tube type on the same radio without making my TV even blink.
Either way, the race is, the 2985dx is on sale right now, if I take too long to decide, I might have to pay $444.99. All I need to know about that 2985dx is will copper include the little pigtail module with this radio, or will I have to buy one. If I don't get it and have to buy one, I'll just get the 2980wx instead. But if the pigtail is included for free, I'll have to hurry and weigh everything one more time and jump on it before the sale is off! |
Bigbob
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 03, 2002 - 6:00 pm: |
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I've got a klv550,if your radios clean it is clean,if not it isn't,it amplifies everything including splatter if it's present at the input.It is a very good unit,it puts out 500watts driven buy a 142gtl and it has a selector switch that comes in handy when using dual final radios. |
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