On Wed, 7 Jan 2009 12:09:59 UTC, Daniel Minge
wrote:

My wife bought me a C.Crane shortwave radio for Christmas.
In Australia, it's badged as a 'Digitech AR1747'', but to all intents
and purposes, it's the same as the C.Crane.

I didn't have the heart to tell her that I still had my (circa 1992)
Realistic DX 390 which still performs admirably.

I noticed that the two radios were somewhat different in what they
offered. The DX 390 has SSB (BFO) in the form of a switch and
a rotary knob. The C.Crane doesn't - although the user manual
explains that "this unit is buit in AM IF output. Output AM 455KHz IF
signal can use for extending other functions of AM band. For example
SSB. DRM. SSTV etc". Well, that got me beat. Haven't a clue how to
fix that up !

Also, the DX 390 has the Long Wave band and the C.Crane hasn't.

In addition, the DX-390 indicates (during tuning) when a shortwave
broadcast band starts and finishes. The C.Crane doesn't.

The most annoying deficiency of the C.Crane relates to the dual time
display. South Australia, where I live, has a non integer time zone.
9.5 hours ahead of GMT. What this means is that if I wish to set the
dual time to say GMT, the minutes remain the same as my local time,
which is wrong. In other words, I cant set the minutes of the dual
time other than to my local time. It just won't let me. Not a problem
with the DX-390.

I suppose that what the C.Crane lacks in terms of the DX-390's
additional features, it could well make up in improved circuit design,
bearing in mind the age of the DX-390.

One of the things I'd love to do is pull in some overseas MW DX
stations, but so far have only heard one on 1341 Khh. It's an Asian
Station and my old 1992 WRTV handbook suggests a Thai station
operating at '50' Kw.

There is a coax socket for an external area and I wonder if using this
with a good long line aerial would pull in more distant stations.

If any one has the C.Crane radio I would to hear from them.
In fact, any responses most appreciated.

Minge.
I have the CCrane/RP-2100 and it is very good, recommended by John
Plimmer, one of the best MW DX'ers on the group. I only use it for MW
and it is very sensitive and selective. Does well on battery life
also. I also have a DX-440 and an RF-2200 as well as an RCA
SuperRadio III.