Replace my Transceivers?

[rik...@earthlink.net]

I read the adverts in CQ and QST for new HF transceivers from Yaesu,
Kenwood and ICOM and the juices start to flow.

But I have only so much cash and a lot of hobbies. So in my opinion I
need to consider cost/benefit in any purchase decision. (My kids say
that I am cheap. Opinions vary.)

Regardless I have two shacks: At the house, I have a Kenwood TS 180S 200
Watt transceiver; Palstar manual tuner and a Carolina Windom 160. It
works fine and gets me daily contacts between Indiana and Europe.

At the cottage, I have a Yaesu FT-757GX 100W with an autotuner driving a
Carolina Windom 80 Special. It also works well enough.

So my question is what would I gain by replacing one or both radios with
a new model.

The opportunity cost of doing this would be somewhere between $1500 and
(gasp) $12000.

The opportunity cost of keeping what I have is zero.

One other thing that might be important, I am a rag chewer; not a
contester although I have great respect for contesters because they
advance the science and art of ham radio. I just don't do it personally.

I'd appreciate any and all advice.

Rick
W9ZD

[dave]

Why not a Ten-Tec or an Elecraft?