RadioBanter - View Single Post

April 10th 04, 05:27 AM

On 9 Apr 2004 20:06:28 -0700, (Gary) wrote:

B Banton wrote in message My 800 hums slightly when I turn the light on. Does a sync detector
help with that? My battery indicator flashes after about 3 hours of
use. Does turning the gain control up have an effect on that? My 800
can't display the letters USB. How would you have me fix that? They
doubled up the BATT and Attenuate letters. Do you know that? I can't
turn the damn volume knob past 3 before sound distorts. Care to tell
me why they included volume control past that point? Even past the
half-way point? The 800 is an absolute mess. For anyone to defend it
is absolutely incredible IMO. And just another reason why mediocrity
is becoming acceptable. Tell Grundig to stuff that unit up their ever
loving a**.

Regards

I'd say you have a defective unit. As far as the display not
displaying the letters USB - that was taken directly from the Drake
SW8 which also cannot display the letters USB. Some of the early
sets, including mine, have a bad adjustment for the battery indicator
and it flashes, like you say, after about 3 hours of use. That was
corrected on later units, so I understand. The other problems you
have seem to be on your set as I do not have those problems with mine.
Mine actually came from the VERY FIRST production batch sent to
Universal Radio and it has been a gem, except for the battery
indicator. But because the set eats up a set of batteries so quickly,
I use the 3-prong AC adapter so don't have the problem anyway. The
amplifier is the same as that used in the Drake SW8. Funny how no one
complains about the Drake units same faults. As far as actual
performance, the Satellit 800 outperforms the SW8, according to lab
tests I have read. Plus the 800 has an internal MW ferrit bar antenna
which is missing on the SW8. Not to mention the S-meter and larger,
better-sounding speaker. Yet the 800 costs hundreds less than the
SW8. No complaints from me. Had I gotten a defective unit, I would
have returned it for another, like I did with my Satellit 700.

Well then - it's you my friend that has a problem. You see, many 800
owners claim 20 hours or so of battery run time. You don't get nearly
that and even admit that it's an issue with your "perfect" radio. But
you see it's not perfect. The battery thing sucks because when I want
to lug the anchor down to the porch for awhile I have Mr. Blinking
Battery indicator with me in no time. Quite simply - it's damn
annoying. You've settled my friend. You've lowered the bar. Thanks
to you we all know what to expect from the new 900. I can hear it now
from you - "Well, my first production run 900 is a perfect radio. Oh
it's just that the display goes out periodically. But you can't beat
the SSB. And heck - sometimes I use it in the dark before I go to bed
so who needs the display anyway?. Good luck.