Hello to Mike and Co
I use an IC706 as a vfo on 13.6/7.3 mhz and divide by 100 to get on 73/136
khz.
I also use it on 136 rx with the pre amp in. I have found it totally stable
and satisfactory for both functions.
There are a couple of points about the 706 on rx.
With a small antenna it is DEAF but with a large antenna like mine it is
more than adequate with the internal rf amp switched on and in some cases I
have to switch the pre amp off for best signal over noise. In conjunction
with the 706 I use an external dsp unit that reduces the bandwidth to a few
hertz. I also have the 250 hz cw filter fitted.
I also use an IC 746 modified to eliminate the birdie around 137 khz, an FT
1000 and they are marginally better than the 706 with my antenna system. I
have tried an FT 847 and although useable and sensitive/selective enough
suffers a little from cross mod.
around the 136 band. I have owned a TS 850 and TS 50 in the past and find
them very good also,  but no better than the above equipment with my
particular antenna system, which is 3 x inv L antennas suspended from the
top of a 120 feet mast and each one is 300 feet long(if you prefer metres
divide by 3 to give you a rough estimate, bearing in mind that there are
39.37 inches to 1 metre, and 12 inches to 1 foot)
Some one in the UK said recently that they and their friends never heard of
feet and inches. The same people probably cannot COUNT either in metric
without a Calculator
The trend at University in recent years is to pass exams using a TICK TEST,
where the answer is already in front of the student, if that fails use a
Calculator and if that fails the student is stuck. The pass mark I
understand is anything from 35 - 40 % who could  FAIL? In my days one was
expected to get a min of 60% for a pass and most achieved in excess of 70%
plus. Is it any wonder we have so many DUDS.
The GCSE examinations at present are graded from A - G and some are
proposing A - Z so that no one will be disappointed, higher education is
little better.
Just think if the pass mark is as low as 35% for a subject then the person
lacks 65% knowledge about the topic - UNBELIEVABLE.
Is the UK the only Country that has this system. ?
de G3KEV