HF Transceiver

Overview

An HF transceiver is the centre of a high-frequency station. It combines a receiver, a transmitter and the frequency generation that keeps both on the same channel, and it covers the shortwave bands where long-distance contacts are made by ionospheric propagation rather than by line of sight.

The practical differences between one radio and another are rarely about raw power. They are about receiver performance in a crowded band, the quality of the digital signal processing, how usable the controls are during a contest, and whether the radio offers the interfaces you need for logging and digital modes.

Bands and modes

Band coverage

Modes

Safety note

Using it well

• Set the supply voltage at the radio terminals, not at the supply, so you see the real drop under load.
• Use a dummy load for any transmit test that does not need to radiate.
• Keep the keying and data leads short and bonded to the same earth as the radio.
• Learn the receive filters and noise reduction before your first contest, not during it.