Mike and all:

It's going to take our budget a while to recover from this, especially since 
I'm going to grab the TS570S as well, but my XYL has decided to buy the 
Scout.  It is in perfect working order and has all nine band modules which, 
as was said here, is almost unheard-of.

She is purchasing the rig for its overall value, plus I know it has some 
sentimental value to her, and actually to me as well.  We both fondly recall 
how our silent key friend Bill, used that rig every year at our club's Field 
Day, and I remember using it myself plenty of times as well.  The rig is a 
testament to Bill's legasy.  In addition, my XYL thinks it might be a nice 
little rig to work with our grand-kids, should one of them ever get 
interested enough in ham radio to get their General.

Once we get the rig and figure out how to use it, maybe I'll test it out on 
one of our nets, so you can hear it.

73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Duke, K5XU" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2012 8:48 PM
Subject: The Scout


> Tom knows much of this, but some others may find it interesting.
>
> The Scout covers 160 through 10 meters, ham bands only. The 555 is a
> 50 watt output model, and the 556 is a 5 watt version. There is no
> internal antenna tuner or voice readout option.
>
> You change bands by way of a separate plug in module for each band,
> with only one module in the radio at a time. The modules are about the
> size of some ink jet cartridges.
>
> This band module approach meant that people could choose to buy only
> the band modules they planned to use, which is what most Scout owners
> did. So, if I knew I wasn't going to operate on 160 or 12 meters, I
> very likely would not buy those modules.
>
> That, of course now means that since the radio and its modules are no
> longer in production, certain modules, such as 160 and 12 meters, are
> somewhat rare, and bring a good price for the seller. Finding a Scout
> with a complete set of modules all at the same time is almost unheard
> of. So, the more band modules you have with the Scout, the higher the
> resale value.
>
> I have never operated a Scout, but have at least 3 friends who either
> own or have owned them. All 3 friends like them.
>
> I have encountered more of them on CW than on SSB, but every one I
> ever heard sounded good.
>
> Because of their 50 watt transmitter power level and relatively low
> receiver current drain, they make good rigs to use as a battery or
> solar powered HF station.
>
> On a somewhat related subject, Scott mentioned the SCAF filter. SCAF
> stands for switched capacitance audio filter. That basically means
> that the audio bandwidth of the filter is changed by switching among a
> bank of capacitors. This approach works very well for a CW filter.
>
>
> Mike Duke, K5XU
> American Council of Blind Radio Amateurs
>
> Mike Duke, K5XU
> American Council of Blind Radio Amateurs
>