Depends what it's used for I guess...I always liked transoceanics
for casual MW use...I still have a 58 model under the table, but
don't use it as the caps were starting to flake out a bit. Back in
the early 70's when I really started listening alot, I used only a
small philco portable, http://web.wt.net/~nm5k/r6.jpg ,but heard a
half zillion stations. Got my moneys worth, thats for sure...
Back in those days, "I was in jr.hi", something like a drake 2c,
which a friend of mine had, was like a cadillac... I didn't own a 2c
until the early 80's...Anyway, as far as my shortwave BC, that philco
probably heard the most stations. After that, and even now, I'm not
really that interested in SW BC...More ham, and utility, etc...I'll
listen to a SW-BC station once in a blue moon these days.
My most fun radio these days? The IC-706mk2g hands down. It does nearly
*everything* in a box the size of car stereo...Of course, it's a
transceiver, so it talks, but it's also wide coverage rcve...Longwave
to 200 mhz straight line, and then from 400-470 mhz. All modes on all
bands...It's quite good on MW-SW, but is also a killer scanner for
VHF/UHF.
Better receiver than most "scanners", and has 4 scan modes. I could
sell every piece of gear in this shack, and leave just that 706, and
still do everything I normally do...Home, mobile, portable. For it's
real dinky size, it's a killer radio...It's no contest rig, but it's
way more versatile than most contest rigs being it covers VHF/UHF also.
These days, the chance of me buying a stand alone receiver are pretty
low. I'd almost always buy a transceiver, so I can really get my moneys
worth...I spent $900 on the 706 in 2001...It's less than that now.
Maybe
$750 plus or minus...So far, not a lick of trouble, and it's on 24/7.
Knock on wood...:/ MK