Al Arduengo wrote in message ...
Thanks to everyone who responded to my questions about the 909. I spent
the night with my new mistress scouring the bands and playing around.
Here are my thoughts and observations:
I attached the wire antenna and ran it outside my window clipping it
onto a small tree limb. Indeed, the signal strength indicated by the
meter showed a considerable increase - probably about 25-30% of the
range. Unfortunately it also amplifies the noise but I still found it
to be quite beneficial on stations that were reasonably reachable. I
still firmly believe the whip is quite capable and in good conditions
will be satisfactory.
I used my ac adapter for awhile until I began to notice a distinct power
hum on many sw stations which was loud enough to actually diminish the
voice legibility. On a whim, I unplugged the adapter from the radio and
it disappeared. My first thoughts were "bad/cheap adapter" but now I
wonder. The house I am in has a ton of dimmer switches and is about 60
yrs old to boot. I suspect it may not be as much the adapter as what
the adapter is plugged into. I will experiment when I get back to
Austin tonight in my own house which is much newer. Oddly though, the
hum was not noticeable on *all* stations which seems a little
contradictory to the notion of power hum from the adapter. And there is
no hint of it on MW/LW bands. I need to brush up on my radio theory to
try and understand why this would be the case.
At first I found the need to press the Freq button prior to entering a
frequency annoying but now it is second nature. I have found a few
discrepancies in the manual concerning the sequence of button presses
required for certain operations but none are particularly bothersome.
It still *works* and quite well I may add. Since I am new to this hobby
I am still trying to find my way around the bands and often I come
across interesting stuff. I have also found there to be a tremendous
amount of religious based programs but I expect that in this neck of the
woods (Waco, Plano, etc). Now I know many folks hate these shows as
many are quite fundamentalist but I actually find them quite
interesting. Not because of what the content means to me but more
because it shows the vast diversity of opinions and lifestyles out
there. One show I found was particularly noteworthy hosted by some
fellow who is referred to as "prophet". He seems to run some sort of
communal society that is extremely hardcore fundamentalist. Anyway, I
am babbling....
I bought "Passport to World Band Radio" yesterday and find it to be
quite enjoyable to read. LOTS of info on programming, when to listen,
what is on, etc. I also like the photos included from around the world.
It makes this whole SW world seem a little smaller when I see the
faces of the ones heard on my radio. I believe I will also by the other
best recommended title which escapes me at the moment. You all know the
one.
My next step with respect to hardware is whether I would want to have
the mods described at radiolabs.com implemented on my 909. Does anyone
have an opinio on whether I might find them useful at this stage? I
would have to buy another radio to keep me busy while the 909 is in
transit and I don't think my wife would be too happy. But if the mods
are worth it, I am willing to sacrifice a little household happiness
(and some nooky) for the cause.
Overall I am inlove with my 909. Granted it is really the first sw
radio I have ever really played with but I am having a ball. I dug up
an old Sony worldband I bought while I was plodding around Kuwait in
'91. It is analog and has no external antenna plug but it performed
remarkably well compared to the 909 and YB400PE I had previously. I
think I will play with it a bit. It is a Sony CFMsomething with
LW/MW/SW and SSB. Also has a tape recorder. I can't believe I have had
it all this time and never realized it's worth. Wow! I already have a
small collection! :-)
Well, enough from the newbie. Cheers to all!
Best,
-Al
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
As official spokesman for the shortwave newsgroup I would like to
welcome you to our family Al. Thank you for posting your initial
experiences in shortwave listening, it is always gratifying to hear of
another's excitement upon discovering this wonderful hobby. If I can
be of any assistance please do not hesitate to ask.
Regards & 73's,
Melvin
|