Lots of great radios out there. A friend of mine once had the Kenwood 5000
and it was very sensitive. He lived in the country and was able to put out
some good home made antennas including a 2000 foot longwire for the am band.
I used to live in a rural area and then moved to a town and I noticed the
difference. With less space it beocmes a challenge to set up antennas
outside. Also, more electrical noise.
There must be some good portables that reject electrical noise, etc. I was
told the Sony 2010 does a good job. The only good radio thus far I have had
reducing noise is with the larger and more expensive Icom 735. Portables
really picked up house and street electrical stuff alot. This was not as
great an issue when I lived in a mobile home in a rural area.
"snow" wrote in message
news:BCZjh.16745$sz5.3423@trndny03...
I have tried out several SW radios over my 15 years in the hobby. I was
thinking about this recently. I have owned the Radio Shack DX-440, Sony
SW100,
Grundig YB 400 and 305, Degen 1103 and also a Ham Radio Icom 735. The best
portable by far for sound, quality of contruction and sensitivity was the
DX-440. The Degen 1103 is a fine small portable, but it still is not in
the same league as the DX-440.
The Grundig YB 400 is also an ok radio, though the
YB 305 (no SSB) beat it out for sensitivity. The Sony SW100 was VERY
small......still no DX machine. Finally, the Icom 735 though a ham radio
was EXCELLANT as a receiver, but it was a $1000 radio new back in the 80's
and early 90's, so one would expect good performance. I come to conclusion
that though today's SW radios do have some great buys like the Degen
1103......the older radios I have owned like the DX-440 and Icom 735
easily outperformed the newer stuff. Actually I can't think of a radio
under $200 that I would want now.....would consider a used 440 or Sangean
803a first. Though I never owned one, I have heard the discontinued Sony
2010 was also superb. Is the newer stuff not as good as far as quality of
construction and DX ability goes? Interesting to hear what others think.