Dear Ms. Dyer,

You're absolutely right about preferences for radios (and other
possessions) really being subjective. (My two favorite portables are a
Hitachi KH-1108S [the South African version - don't ask; I've never
been to South Africa] which I bought back in 1969 and the Radio Shack
DX-375. Both are poor compared to what is available, but I still
really like using them [and I own many other portables].)

Re-reading my first posting I see I was unduly harsh on the ICOM
IC-R75 which, after all, is an excellent receiver and, as far as I
know, is properly assembled of quality parts (no q.c. problems). This
is very important and is a major problem with the Satellit. What I was
really trying to do was to offer people who aren't sure about
purchasing a Satellit some information based on my own experience.
When I sent my unit to Drake, I asked the technician to write the
measured sensitivity of my unit on my invoice; he did so, saying that
my unit measured 0.4 mcv for 10 db S/N on SSB. That's not bad for a
$500.00 receiver considering the other facilities offered for "digging
out" signals.

I personally just feel that at $500.00 the Grundig Satellit 800 is the
best receiver available at the price at this time. The q.c. problems
can be ameliorated with careful attention when purchasing. I don't
wish to "plug" a company on this newsgroup, but I have had very good
luck with Universal. They are helpful and informative. Their prices
are as good as any. They will test a piece of equipment for you before
shipment if you ask. (I haven't used Grove for major purchases, but I
exppect they would do the same.)

As I said in my first sentence on my first posting, the Satellit, like
all radios (and I don't care the price), is not perfect. But if one is
contemplating purchase, I think that it is a fine receiver with good
sensitivity, good facilities, and good sound.

If my comments about the ICOM offended anyone, I apologize sincerely.

Lawrence

"Brenda Ann Dyer" wrote in message ...
"Lawrence H. Bulk" wrote in message
om...
Dear Jim,

I have a friend who owns one and I have heard it quite a bit. His is
modified "to the teeth" by ICOM, Kiwa and others; it's not bad, yet I
would still not buy one. Though more sensitive, I believe that
overall, in terms of "what you hear," it is inferior, at least to my
ears, to the Satellit 800, which I brought over to his house once for
side-by-side comparison. (Formal "true" A/B comparisons are not
possible as he has only one antenna connection, so the antenna must be
disconnected from one receiver and then hooked to the other. It
doesn't take long, but it's not true A/B.) That evening there was
nothing heard on the ICOM that could not also be heard on the Grundig
and the Grundig sounded much better (he uses a Radio Shack external
speaker; I used the Grundig's speaker). His radio cost much more than
mine.

My friend likes his ICOM.

I feel that most receiver preferences are subjective. Comes down not to
specs, or even to features, but to what the listener personally likes. My
favorite portable radio of all time is a Grundig Transistor 1000. It has
LW/MW/SW1(49m Europa band)/SW2 (6-16 MHz)/FM. It has no SSB capabilities at
all. It is, however, an outstanding program listening radio, with excellent
sensitivity and selectivity. Not as selective, perhaps, as something with a
sharp ceramic filter, but I have no trouble separating stations on it. It
was made back when Grundig was at the top of it's form, sounds fantastic,
and is quite solidly built. It's no $700 radio, but it does everything
important to me in a SW receiver... (if I want to hear SSB signals, I'll
fire up my ham rig.. )