the captain disagrees. a good sync means there is no need for PBT. if
the 800 can tune 1 Khz away and then lock on the wanted sideband and use
a narrow filter to boot. that is all one needs.

Perhaps. IF you're listening to an AM signal and no other problems are present
in reception. If you're trying to seperate crowded amateur signals in SSB, a
synch isn't going to do you any good, and if you don't have some kind of
passband shifting, you'll have to rely on your narrowest filter which may not
yield enough width to avoid fatigue or otherwise kill the signal. If you add
any hash, noise, or hets, while trying to grab a utility or non-AM or voice
mode signal, the synch isn't going to help you there either, and the slight use
of DSP and efficient use of passband can do the trick.

the 800 IS the king of low cost radios.

Which is entirely different than saying it's the king of *radios*. The
qualifier is reasonable when stated that way.


name the captain one radio
better that cost below $350 used.

Not having a listing of radios which have sold for under $350 for the last
fiscal year, I cannot. I do know that synchronous detection is is a fabulous
tool when used correctly, and I use it often. But if one wants to listen to
more than AM voice or music signals, and wants a receiver which tunes finely
enough to use ECSS methods, then there are other radios which might cost LESS
than $350 used, AND have PBT... and a look at eham trader, eBay, and even AES
or Universal can (not always but sometimes) find you good deals. But again, I
don't have a problem with an enthusiastic 800 user saying it's the king of *low
cost* radios... I was only referring to the blanket claim.
Linus