David wrote:

On 22 Jun 2006 08:47:42 -0700, "bill" wrote:

I am currently using a DX398 that I bought at a flea market. I
understand that this is a
basic radio and I am thinking about moving up to a better receiver.
Before I commit any
real money for a modern radio I am trying to understand what the
numbers mean and
not be taken. Since I am getting ready to retire, money is an issue and
I may have to consider a used radio. At this point I am not trying to
get suggestions for a specific radio, I am just trying to gain a modest
understanding of what numbers are important. I enjoy the "official"
broadcasts from other countries and I am beginning to understand
utility reception. Is is interesting to listen to airplanes over the
oceans, and some of the maritime conversations are salty to say the
least. I am using a 30' wire that goes out the window to a tree, and I
have bought the coax to errect a better antenna. The computer tech at
work is also a ham so he is teaching me some simple things like how to
solder. He wound a 9:1
transformer and helped me mount it in a weather proof box and made me
an adaptor cable
from very thin flexible cable, rg174 I think, to go from thicker coax
that comes from the grounding block to my DX398. He warned me that
thicker cable might drag the light weight radio off the desk. Another
friend helped me drive a 8' ground rod and we mounted the ground block
and used #8 solid wire to hook it to the rod. I bought a couple of SW
antenna kits from a Lexington Radio Shack store that is going out of
busines and this week end I will put up the antenna. The ham at work
advised me to also buy a 75 ohm adjustable atenauator in case my DX398
is overloaded with the real antenna. At 70% off this stuff was almost
a steal.
The ham at work gave me an older scanner so I am trying to learn about
Vhf as well.

So while I am pretty green, I am learning. I have learned you can have
a lot of fun even if
your don't really know what you are doing.

Airplanes will be around a lot longer than international broadcasters.
For good quiet SSB you need a radio with adjustable AGC (i.e. Fast,
Slow, Off) and an RF Gain control. Sherwood's list is pretty much in
order of preference.

Isn't the list sorted pretty much in order of Dynamic Range Narrow Spaced?

dxAce
Michigan
USA