My modest set-up
My main rig for all HF frequencies is the Yaesu FT-1000MP. Although the receive is most probably the best I have experienced, I also use a BHI NES 10-2 speaker which has an adjustable 9-35 Db noise cancellation ability.
My second rig is the Yaesu FT-847 which also has 50, 70, 144 and 433 MHz capabilities. It is usually used with the supplied fist-mike due to the fan noise, but at times I may use an Adonis AM508E desk microphone with a two stage compressor.
The ATU is an MFJ-993 IntelliTuner which works extremely well and it will try to tune up almost any odd length of wire, although I obviously start off with antennas which are resonant on the band I wish to work.
The Ameritron AL-811 Amplifier is used very rarely indeed, as a little patience while using 100 Watts is far more rewarding than QRO. Even during these 'flat' times it is still possible to work every country eventually, and I think that a reasonable antenna is far more important than an amplifier.
The antenna presently in use for HF is the MQ-26SR, which is a 'miniature' six band Hybrid Quad antenna, mounted on a 35 foot wind-up mast. Please see fuller details by clicking on the 'MQ-26SR' tab located above on the right hand side.
For 40, 80 and 160 meters I use a loaded dipole which runs down the eaves of my bungalow and shoots off across the front and back garden, sometimes being no more that 2 meters above the ground. Theory tells me that this isn't very efficient, and indeed it isn't, but I have managed a distance of 6517 Kilometres with this wire antenna (however, I was very reliant on the other stations better set-up).
It's not the class of license the amateur holds, but the class of amateur who hold the license.