Michael wrote:
"Mark S. Holden" wrote in message
...
I'd feel better about the R75 if the factory incorporated the sync mod
into future production.
That would never happen.
There is some hope. They did fix a design flaw in the PCR-1000.
The standard filter for sideband is narrow for my tastes at 2.1khz. The
Drake is slightly better at 2.3.
Wider filters can give improved fidelity, although if they don't have
steep enough skirts, you won't like them. My Harris RF-550 and AOR 7030+
have 3.2khz filters. They sound beautiful without adjacent channel
problems. Don't know the shape factor on
the Harris filter, but the 7030 one is 1.33. (It's a crystal filter, made
for the Racal 6790/gm)
Icom does sell a 2.8khz filter for $140 and a 3.3khz filter for $160.
It's not practical to change filters on the Drake.
Yes.. For program listening, the optional 2.8 and 3.3 would be ideal. It
isn't needed I dont think, but if you were an audio quality oriented
listener, you could shell out some loot for a new filter. And... there is
always a compromise with filter values. I dont think you need any
additional filters on the R-75 to get audio that could be regarded as quite
good.
The improved fidelity of a wider, but steeper filter can be appreciated
in ham or utility listening too. When you have good dynamic range, and
good fidelity, you don't get as much listener fatigue.
But an R75 with the Kiwa mods and an extra filter will cost more than
Lucky bid on the Harris. The advantage is he could do it in stages.
He won't need an additional filter...
But he might want it. Realistically, almost all of us buy whatever we
buy for enjoyment.
If I'm dealing with a reputable person, I'm not afraid of used radios.
How used ??? Hours of usage takes its toll on any machine. The most honest
fellow in the world would still be selling a used item with a diminished
life time left before some kind of failure takes place. Not to mention, the
satisfaction and excitement you get by taking a brand new item out of a box
:-)
Most of my radios have been military or commercial marine radios. I
imagine they've been on 24/7 for a decade or longer before I bought
them. Granted, they start out with better build quality, and they're
well maintained, but they've been very reliable.
It's not uncommon to find a used consumer radio that got limited use.
Perhaps they never got around to putting up an antenna that allowed the
hobby to live up to their expectations.
For me, the excitement doesn't start until I fire it up and start tuning
things in.
Also... The whole crux for buying a new R-75 is that it is a tremendous
value for what you pay. It is acceptable as a program listening radio, can
be improved quite a bit for little money and no risk. Add to that, IMHO, it
also happens to be the best ssb/utility/dx'ing radio you can buy until you
get into radios that cost literally three to four times as much money.
If you limit yourself to new radios, perhaps.
You can't go wrong with a new R-75 if your goal is to buy a tabletop
receiver to use for program listening and ham and utility and DX'ing. That
is why it is so popular. Yes, other radios are better for some things then
others, but the R-75 is clearly a great value.
If I want to get a radio that is markedly better for program listening then
the R-75, I need to get an R8b or a Sat 800. The R8b is still not an
advance on the R-75 for DX'ing or utility and it cost way more. The Sat 800
is a sw boom box and forget about utility or DX'ing as you could do with the
R-75
If I want to get a markedly better DX'ing radio then the R-75, you need to
think about 32 bit DSP transceivers, also for way more money.
Some time, you might want to check out a 20-25 year old Harris or
Watkins Johnson, or a Standard, or Mackay. They won't have as many
convenience features, or knobs to twiddle, but they were designed to
provide a useful signal under rough conditions, and they perform quite
well.
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