SR wrote:
I'm reading about this receiver at Universal-Radio. My first question
is, whats the difference between a wide band receiver from a shortwave
receiver? Does a wide band receiver offers more bands including CW?



A wideband covers more RF real estate than an SW receiver. SW is, by
definition in the radio world limited to HF, 30Mhz and below. Down to
about the top of the AM band. A wideband receiver will cover frequencies
up through VHF, and often above. Usually continuously. Widebands will
offer multiple modes of reception, including AM, FM and often both CW
and SSB.

So, you can definitely apply a single receiver for many more purposes
using a wideband than a receiver limited to SW, but there are
compromises in performance.

The IF's in a wideband have to be pretty wide to accomodate some of
the services found on VHF. VHF channels can be wider than the SW
broadcast bands, so filtration in the IF has to work a lot harder to
produce adequate selectivity for SW listening where the widest broadcast
channel is less than 10khz wide. Most widebands don't do that well on HF
and below for that reason. Those that do are considerably more expensive
than a dedicated SW receiver.

Still, there are some decent widebands for the casual HF user.
Someone for whom SW is not a primary consideration.




I notice that Universal-Radio is not carrying much of Drake and JRC
shortwave radio like they use to. I can not seem to find any sites that
sells them.


Drake appears to be exiting the shortwave market. As have a number of
receiver manufacturers. JRC, likewise, has limited offerings in HF only
radios. For a solid performance oriented HF radio, you'd likely have to
move to R-75, by Icom, AR-7030+ by AOR, or products by Ten-Tec, Yeasu,
Palstar, which often receive high praise. Or one of the newer, and less
well known rigs, like Elad.

Or you could go to the Used market for some of the classics.


I do not care for portables. I like desk top or base radios.


I'm with you there. As are many here. Although I do have a number of
portables.

If I decide to purchase the Satellit 800 Millennium, I may want to find
another shortwave (or wide band receiver) that will have features that
the Satellite 800 Millennium may not have. This way I could cover more.


Satellit 800 has been a topic of hot discussion here, triggering
imperatives across the bandwidth. My own recommendation is to avoid that
one. Much has been said about QC on this rig. Then, again, some users
swear by them. You can usually buy much more radio for the money, if
performance is what you seek. If you like large radios, with big sound,
capable of housing a family of 12, you might like Sat 800.



I like to stack up on radios. I believe they should all be squared off.
With all buttons and headphone hole in the front.



Then you'd definitely like the Drakes.



I do not have a lot
of tolerance for odd shapes although the shape of the AOR AR3000AB does
not look too bad.


It's not a bad performing radio, either. Just not something that I'd
use for HF, at night, on a crowded band.





SR 73!