RadioBanter - View Single Post

July 24th 05, 06:21 PM

wrote:
Actually, an Eton employee has been using one of the new E1's for
several weeks now and says it surpasses the Satellit 800. Remember,
the new E1 has THREE bandwidths, a FAST/SLOW AGC, selectable sideband
sync detection, as well as PASSBAND tuning. So the set is actually
somewhere between the Drake SW8 and the Drake R8B.

I'd love to believe this that the E1 will be this good. However, a long
list of bells and whistles doesn't mean much, as they're often tacked
onto a receiver that's unable to do them justice. In many cases, you'll
hear far more on a qualify receiver that *lacks* those bells and
whistles, like the Lowe HF-150.

But even if the E1 turns out to be problem free, it's in all likelihood
a mistake to even utter its name in the same sentence as the R8B.

The only main
features missing on this portable are a Noise Blanker and extra
bandwidth filters for CW reception. It is also missing a ferrit
antenna for MW reception but instead uses the whip antenna, as does the
Drake SW8. I would have preferred a large ferrit antenna for complete
portability rather than have to hook up a loop or other external
antenna for MW DXing. This should be (and I am told IS) a killer
portable.

The reason given to me as to why the delays -- they are working out all
quality control issues BEFORE they release any production units for
retail as they don't want a repeat of what happened when the Satellit
800 came out.

Even so, the fact that this thing has been in the works for what...ten
years...does not inspire confidence.

Steve