With Varying Frequency - Amateur Radio Ponderings

At Dayton Hamvention 2008 I again had time to meet with Herr Hans Hiberling. Meeting with Hans is always a pleasure, as everything he does appears to be the best possible he can do.

Impression of the Radio were solidly reinforced with a mere 10 minutes operating the Hiberling PT-8000 with QSOs with the Icom 7800 station 100 yards away and a few in-region QSOs.

This radio is slick.  I had only moments to work with it, but the initial perception is that “I want one!”

I’ve been in touch with Array Solutions to find out how I could get some station time to evaluate the radio over a couple hours or couple days or operating.

The display is outstanding, the bit of set-ups I did seemed intuitive and everything “feels” first rate & more!

The design features include simple things including having the key operating manual instructions on durable pull-out cards that you pull  from beneath the radio when needed, to exceptional station presence in color & design.

Reports were outstanding, and given the poor operating situation massively remarkable.

Thinking hard on including a PT-8000 in my station!

73

Steve
K9ZW

Ok - I am still simply pleased at spending some time with Mr Hans Hiberling and his engineers.  Then to spend some time getting a feel of the Hiberling in the RF chaos was a real treat.

I’m told that European shipments of the radio will start within the next two weeks.

Array solutions was waiting to have a physical copy of the FCC sign-off in hand before excepting orders and expects Q4 2008 deliveries of the first production US Market Hiberlings.

This rig has so much thought into it.  The display is awesome, and is raked back inside the cabinet (the glass is on the front plane, but the display is tilted back) for the classiest display I’ve seen.  

Full blasts of RF from nearby (100 ft or 30m !!!) stations did not overload the front end.

The work load inside is split among five processors and seems to do an outstanding job.

Really nice touches such as having teh operating manual on lifetime card in a pull-out slot under the radio body.  

I heard a couple hams talking about the Hiberling say “it is just a trophy radio” - perhaps, but a trophy that has such quality of performance and build as to be worth every penny.

Guess you can tell I want one!

Pricing will be in the area of my forecasts.

73

Steve

K9ZW

Hiberling PT-8000 Block Diagram (click for full sized version)

The Hiberling PT-8000 should again be on show at the Array Solutions booth during the Dayton Hamvention.

Jay has said that they should be in the position to get serious about the product as the finishing touches are put into it.

The lineup has been expanded (or I missed this one at first) with an exceptionally pure output signal 10w version.  This could make the basis for a “Reference Grade” station, provided the PT-8000c is teamed with a high quality amp.

More on this radio from Dayton in a few weeks!
73

Steve
 

One question that always looms in a an Amateur’s mind is “What will the new Rig I want cost me?”

In the case of the Hiberling PT-8000 it is really a bit of a wild card guess, as the final market price almost certainly will remain an unknown until FCC acceptance is complete, as the FCC may require certain manufacturing expenses currently not presently included in the cost.

The PT-8000 Euro Pricelist suggests pricing higher than the IC-7800 and FTdx-9000:

(Click for larger copy of pricelist)

Roughly Translating out of Euro without VAT the 100w version would run USD $14,600.00 and the 600w version $16,400.00 is the European list is matched by the USA version of the PT-8000

It is unclear if the 600w version includes an external power supply.

In the end we will have to wait and see, but in general it looks like we can expect the PT-8000 to cost around the money needed for other professional grade gear aimed at the Ham Amateur Market.

73

Steve
K9ZW

Hot off the press is the news from Array Solutions that Hiberling is sending a team with two PT-8000 to an FCC Acceptance Test Lab in Austin Texas for a January 2008 test series.

Hiberling and Array Solutions will likely update their websites in the next few weeks to reflect the excellent forward progress.

Once the testing work by PTI Austin (Professional Testing (EMI), Inc.) is complete and the FCC issues their letter accepting the PT-8000 for the USA Market then Array Solutions will be able to offer the radios for sale.

Hiberling’s Production run and Array Solution’s sales programs both will kick off once the FCC approval to offer the PT-8000 is in hand!

Great news for the USA Amateur looking for a high quality radio of an exclusive sort!

73

Steve
K9ZW

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(click on either picture for a larger version)

Ok, I haven’t asked either Hiberling or Array Solutions if the rumors are at all true, that the USA Amateur Transceiver Market will see the Hiberling PT-8000 on offer in the first quarter.

The rumbles are likely wishful thinking, but it does seem that there are amateurs ready for the new rig.

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73

Steve
K9ZW