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Old April 16th 06, 05:43 PM posted to rec.radio.shortwave
Joe Analssandrini
 
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Default What's the most reliable portable short wave radio?

Dear Mike,

To comment:

The original AC adapter Sony made for the ICF-SW7600GR was a very good
one. However, that model was discontinued a couple of years ago and has
been replaced with one with a similar name but dreadful performance
with the radio.

Most AC adapters for the '7600 are priced in the $15.00 - $20.00 range.
This is very high for what you get. The price for eight rechargeable
NiMH batteries and a charger is not much, if any, more and you get
portability which is just as good AND FAR QUIETER operation. As the
'7600GR, off its whip, is not the most sensitive of receivers, this
quiet operation is very important. Even when used with an AN-LP1, which
affords excellent "hearing of signals," battery operation is, in my
opinion, far better than use with an AC adapter.

Note that I'm not "knocking" the receiver - it is designed with a
better-than-the-portable-average dynamic range so it can handle a fair
external shortwave antenna without overloading. (Its MW sensitivity is
superb with just the internal ferrite antenna.) Its SW sensitivity off
the whip is adequate for the more powerful stations and the radio is
sensitive enough that you can in fact do some DXing with it just with
the whip. However the ability to handle an external antenna without
overloading is much more important, in my opinion, than "raw"
sensitivity off a whip.

Best,

Joe

P.S. Universal's AC adapter for the '7600GR is not only dreadful, but
also overpriced. I understand you can buy the same adapter from another
source for 1/3 Universal's price but even then - why would you want to?
I have one and if you like music and want to hear your radio "hum,"
that's your adapter! ;-)