Phil, really well-done, informative review. I have one of these on order and now thanks to your video I already know how to operate it before it even arrived here! Plus, I was able to determine that this was the radio for me rather than the MTR-5b. Thank you sir for a job well done. 73 Brady KD8ZM
Good review. Glad they finally fixed the clock battery problem with these radios. The “old MTR3b” is highly discounted right now at something like $225, but the new lcd is enticing. I also have and love the KX2 and just love it. While I love hiking and biking, I’m not a weight weenie, the KX2 with its internal ATU works quite well with my 29’ length of AWG 24 wire in a tree or on a SOTABeams pole. I think I’d seriously miss the ATU, especially the Elecraft ATU. I think for now, you’ve convinced me to stick with the KX2 and only long for an MTR. Thanks again, de N1XF
From the manual: ● Holding the switch closed for longer then 1 second starts a fast tune mode where the frequency changes in 100 Hz steps at about 10 steps a second. ● If the opposite tuning switch is held closed while in fast tune mode, the step rate will increase to 30 steps/second for very fast tuning.
Thanks for the excellent video.I plan on ordering this rig in FEB.Now thanks to your video i can spend less time learning how to operate the rig. 73 BOB AF2DX
$350 is a lot of money and on the second hand market can buy you a lot of radio. This doesn't even have a volume control. That's a basic feature we all use, all of the time.
@@alfaqirilaataufiqillah i don't think so, at least no more than any other radio. I guess if you get salt water on it, that is likely to be harmful, but that is true of any radio. I have't used this radio by the sea yet, but I do operate mostly by the sea and none of my other radio equipment has been affected by that environment!
To make large changes in frequency the user would/should use the MTR's "direct frequency entry" and enter the numbers using the key or paddle. It works fine. It's funny sir, that you were attracted to its small size and weight, and then you bemoan the things you think it should have had, which would increase the size and weight. I think the designer did great by having the "DFE" option there, a software setting doesn't weigh anything... :>)
Thanks for the feedback, Mike. I am fine with the VFO up/down buttons and the DFE, my only criticism is that it takes a long time to scan through the band with the buttons, and my suggestion for improving that is just a software fix (increasing the scanning speed on a long press). Some of my other suggestions do involve adding hardware, but I was suggesting things that I think could actually fit inside the current case, so would not add to the size. By making the small battery mezzanine board full-length, there's certainly enough space in there to add a volume control and a simple SWR indicator, and doing that would decrease the overall station size/weight because I wouldn't then need to take these extra items with me. I admit it might be a stretch to get an ATU in there without increasing the case size, although without the clock battery, there is almost enough space inside the current enclosure to fit the ATU board from my KX2, so I think even that might be possible without adding to the enclosure size. For me, the clock is a nice to have but unnecessary feature because I wear a watch and always have my phone with me, so I'd be happy to sacrifice the watch battery for these other features that I personally find more essential.
@@multiphilification, from the manual: ● Holding the switch closed for longer then 1 second starts a fast tune mode where the frequency changes in 100 Hz steps at about 10 steps a second. ● If the opposite tuning switch is held closed while in fast tune mode, the step rate will increase to 30 steps/second for very fast tuning.
