Michael Lawson wrote:

One thing, isn't operation of a transceiver illegal without
a ham license??


Transmitting is. Using it to listen isn't.

For my money, getting a better used shortwave or
improving the antenna would allow you to pull in
hams better.


Improving your antenna is bound to deliver the most bang for the buck, but while his portable is a good one, there are other radios that'll do a better job at picking up hams with a suitable antenna.

--Mike L.

"Jim" wrote in message
om...
Currently I have Sony 2010 receiver. Works great.
I'm planning to get a amateur radio. On my Sony,
I can barely hear anything in amateur radio bands.
Even when I upgraded the antenna, all it did was
to increase the noise.

So, my point is this:
Instead of spending $300+ on portable receiver,
just wait and then buy a amateur transceiver.
With every configurations being equal, ham radio
will surely outperform portable SW receivers.
You can even buy a used one for $300.

Am I right?