Questions, Novice
 

I recently bought a Realistic DX-160 on Ebay, hooked up about 100 feet
of outside antenna and an indoor ground, and find that it picks up all
sorts of signals. (Although I understand that, as an older, single
conversion circuit, it's not the greatest, I do have a more modern, dual
conversion set (RS DX-398, similar to the Sangean ATS-909), with digital
entry and memory.) So far, I enjoy using the DX-160, with analog
tuning, more than the digital set. I have several novice-level questions.-

First, I can pick up lots of stations on the 40-50 meter bands, and, in
the daytime, a few on the 15 - 20 meter bands. I'm not getting many HAM
or code signals or marine broadcasts. In addition to these stations,
there seem to be lots of other transmissions that can be heard and that
cause the S-meter to jump over, but which aren't speech or code. - Some
of them sound like a rushing noise, and others are like a whine produced
by an electric motor or other machine. Some are just a noticeably silent
station, with no voice or message. - Can anyone suggest what these
"broadcasts" are? Is there any way to filter them out? - Since there
are so many of them, would this suggest that I have an antenna that is
too long?

The DX-160 has bandspread tuning in addition to the main tuning, seen on
a large main tuning dial, and I'm using the bandspread tuning to go back
to a station that couldn't be tuned easily with the main dial. - I'm
wondering how most operators use the bandspread. - Do you actually
"zero" it and then scan (to the left in my case) by a given number of
KH/MH, or do you just go back and forth near the station of interest?

I'm somewhat disappointed in what's available in English (or French)
most of the time. I had hoped to pick up stations from Europe and
England, but there don't seem to be a lot of them. - I can sometimes
pick up BBC stations that I think are in England but haven't noticed
much of anything from France. Is this typical of what others are
receiving? (I'm in Texas, so probably am not in the best US location
except for Cuban and Mexican stations and US religious broadcasts.) On
the other hand, there seem to be lots of oriental language broadcasts. -
I haven't figured out what countries most are from, but the dial on my
RS DX-398 indicates some are from Japan. -

Last, I understand that sunspot activity isn't good at this time. - When
will it improve?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Jim Cate

Questions, Novice
 

In message , JimC
writes


I recently bought a Realistic DX-160 on Ebay, hooked up about 100 feet
of outside antenna and an indoor ground, and find that it picks up all
sorts of signals. (Although I understand that, as an older, single
conversion circuit, it's not the greatest, I do have a more modern,
dual conversion set (RS DX-398, similar to the Sangean ATS-909), with
digital entry and memory.) So far, I enjoy using the DX-160, with
analog tuning, more than the digital set. I have several novice-level
questions.-

First, I can pick up lots of stations on the 40-50 meter bands, and, in
the daytime, a few on the 15 - 20 meter bands. I'm not getting many HAM
or code signals or marine broadcasts. In addition to these stations,
there seem to be lots of other transmissions that can be heard and that
cause the S-meter to jump over, but which aren't speech or code. - Some
of them sound like a rushing noise, and others are like a whine
produced by an electric motor or other machine. Some are just a
noticeably silent station, with no voice or message. - Can anyone
suggest what these "broadcasts" are? Is there any way to filter them
out? - Since there are so many of them, would this suggest that I have
an antenna that is too long?

The DX-160 has bandspread tuning in addition to the main tuning, seen
on a large main tuning dial, and I'm using the bandspread tuning to go
back to a station that couldn't be tuned easily with the main dial. -
I'm wondering how most operators use the bandspread. - Do you actually
"zero" it and then scan (to the left in my case) by a given number of
KH/MH, or do you just go back and forth near the station of interest?

I'm somewhat disappointed in what's available in English (or French)
most of the time. I had hoped to pick up stations from Europe and
England, but there don't seem to be a lot of them. - I can sometimes
pick up BBC stations that I think are in England but haven't noticed
much of anything from France. Is this typical of what others are
receiving? (I'm in Texas, so probably am not in the best US location
except for Cuban and Mexican stations and US religious broadcasts.) On
the other hand, there seem to be lots of oriental language broadcasts.
- I haven't figured out what countries most are from, but the dial on
my RS DX-398 indicates some are from Japan. -

Last, I understand that sunspot activity isn't good at this time. -
When will it improve?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Jim Cate

Jim, quickly reading it through, it sounds as if some of the signals you
are receiving are SSB, and you don't have the BFO switched on.
I don't know the RDX-160 at all, but I suggest you do a Google on
'Realistic DX-160'. There are lots of results - in particular this one:
http://www.anoraknation.com/knowledg...dx-160-communi
cations-receiver

Cheers,
Ian.
--

Questions, Novice
 

Ian Jackson wrote:
In message , JimC
writes



I recently bought a Realistic DX-160 on Ebay, hooked up about 100 feet
of outside antenna and an indoor ground, and find that it picks up all
sorts of signals. (Although I understand that, as an older, single
conversion circuit, it's not the greatest, I do have a more modern,
dual conversion set (RS DX-398, similar to the Sangean ATS-909), with
digital entry and memory.) So far, I enjoy using the DX-160, with
analog tuning, more than the digital set. I have several novice-level
questions.-

First, I can pick up lots of stations on the 40-50 meter bands, and,
in the daytime, a few on the 15 - 20 meter bands. I'm not getting many
HAM or code signals or marine broadcasts. In addition to these
stations, there seem to be lots of other transmissions that can be
heard and that cause the S-meter to jump over, but which aren't speech
or code. - Some of them sound like a rushing noise, and others are
like a whine produced by an electric motor or other machine. Some are
just a noticeably silent station, with no voice or message. - Can
anyone suggest what these "broadcasts" are? Is there any way to filter
them out? - Since there are so many of them, would this suggest that
I have an antenna that is too long?

The DX-160 has bandspread tuning in addition to the main tuning, seen
on a large main tuning dial, and I'm using the bandspread tuning to go
back to a station that couldn't be tuned easily with the main dial. -
I'm wondering how most operators use the bandspread. - Do you actually
"zero" it and then scan (to the left in my case) by a given number of
KH/MH, or do you just go back and forth near the station of interest?

I'm somewhat disappointed in what's available in English (or French)
most of the time. I had hoped to pick up stations from Europe and
England, but there don't seem to be a lot of them. - I can sometimes
pick up BBC stations that I think are in England but haven't noticed
much of anything from France. Is this typical of what others are
receiving? (I'm in Texas, so probably am not in the best US location
except for Cuban and Mexican stations and US religious broadcasts.) On
the other hand, there seem to be lots of oriental language broadcasts.
- I haven't figured out what countries most are from, but the dial on
my RS DX-398 indicates some are from Japan. -

Last, I understand that sunspot activity isn't good at this time. -
When will it improve?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Jim Cate


Jim, quickly reading it through, it sounds as if some of the signals you
are receiving are SSB, and you don't have the BFO switched on.
I don't know the RDX-160 at all, but I suggest you do a Google on
'Realistic DX-160'. There are lots of results - in particular this one:
http://www.anoraknation.com/knowledg...dx-160-communi
cations-receiver

Cheers,
Ian.


Thanks for the suggestions. - I don't think the signals are SSB, since
I tried listening to them with BFO switched off and on. I don't see much
information re the DX-160 on the anoraknation site except offers of
copies of the owners manual and service manual, which I had previously
downloaded. - I'll search further re the DX-160 with Google and DejaVu.

Jim

Questions, Novice
 

That's a great, classic radio. Many people got their start in the hobby
with one of those. Even though it's single conversion, it's a very decent,
sensitive receiver and outperforms a lot of cheap dual-conversion units.

I usually use bandspreads like you are currently. Unless you're trying to
ID a station and find it's true frequency, it's more like a fine-tuning
control. I've always wanted to buy another DX-160 and add a digital
display, but that's a project for another time.


"JimC" wrote in message
. net...


I recently bought a Realistic DX-160 on Ebay, hooked up about 100 feet of
outside antenna and an indoor ground, and find that it picks up all sorts
of signals. (Although I understand that, as an older, single conversion
circuit, it's not the greatest, I do have a more modern, dual conversion
set (RS DX-398, similar to the Sangean ATS-909), with digital entry and
memory.) So far, I enjoy using the DX-160, with analog tuning, more than
the digital set. I have several novice-level questions.-

First, I can pick up lots of stations on the 40-50 meter bands, and, in
the daytime, a few on the 15 - 20 meter bands. I'm not getting many HAM or
code signals or marine broadcasts. In addition to these stations, there
seem to be lots of other transmissions that can be heard and that cause
the S-meter to jump over, but which aren't speech or code. - Some of them
sound like a rushing noise, and others are like a whine produced by an
electric motor or other machine. Some are just a noticeably silent
station, with no voice or message. - Can anyone suggest what these
"broadcasts" are? Is there any way to filter them out? - Since there are
so many of them, would this suggest that I have an antenna that is too
long?

The DX-160 has bandspread tuning in addition to the main tuning, seen on a
large main tuning dial, and I'm using the bandspread tuning to go back to
a station that couldn't be tuned easily with the main dial. - I'm
wondering how most operators use the bandspread. - Do you actually "zero"
it and then scan (to the left in my case) by a given number of KH/MH, or
do you just go back and forth near the station of interest?

I'm somewhat disappointed in what's available in English (or French) most
of the time. I had hoped to pick up stations from Europe and England, but
there don't seem to be a lot of them. - I can sometimes pick up BBC
stations that I think are in England but haven't noticed much of anything
from France. Is this typical of what others are receiving? (I'm in Texas,
so probably am not in the best US location except for Cuban and Mexican
stations and US religious broadcasts.) On the other hand, there seem to be
lots of oriental language broadcasts. - I haven't figured out what
countries most are from, but the dial on my RS DX-398 indicates some are
from Japan. -

Last, I understand that sunspot activity isn't good at this time. - When
will it improve?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Jim Cate

Questions, Novice
 

JimC wrote:


I recently bought a Realistic DX-160 on Ebay, hooked up about 100 feet
of outside antenna and an indoor ground, and find that it picks up all
sorts of signals. (Although I understand that, as an older, single
conversion circuit, it's not the greatest, I do have a more modern, dual
conversion set (RS DX-398, similar to the Sangean ATS-909), with digital
entry and memory.) So far, I enjoy using the DX-160, with analog
tuning, more than the digital set. I have several novice-level questions.-

First, I can pick up lots of stations on the 40-50 meter bands, and, in
the daytime, a few on the 15 - 20 meter bands. I'm not getting many HAM
or code signals or marine broadcasts. In addition to these stations,
there seem to be lots of other transmissions that can be heard and that
cause the S-meter to jump over, but which aren't speech or code. - Some
of them sound like a rushing noise, and others are like a whine produced
by an electric motor or other machine. Some are just a noticeably silent
station, with no voice or message. - Can anyone suggest what these
"broadcasts" are? Is there any way to filter them out? - Since there
are so many of them, would this suggest that I have an antenna that is
too long?

The DX-160 has bandspread tuning in addition to the main tuning, seen on
a large main tuning dial, and I'm using the bandspread tuning to go back
to a station that couldn't be tuned easily with the main dial. - I'm
wondering how most operators use the bandspread. - Do you actually
"zero" it and then scan (to the left in my case) by a given number of
KH/MH, or do you just go back and forth near the station of interest?

I'm somewhat disappointed in what's available in English (or French)
most of the time. I had hoped to pick up stations from Europe and
England, but there don't seem to be a lot of them. - I can sometimes
pick up BBC stations that I think are in England but haven't noticed
much of anything from France. Is this typical of what others are
receiving? (I'm in Texas, so probably am not in the best US location
except for Cuban and Mexican stations and US religious broadcasts.) On
the other hand, there seem to be lots of oriental language broadcasts. -
I haven't figured out what countries most are from, but the dial on my
RS DX-398 indicates some are from Japan. -

Last, I understand that sunspot activity isn't good at this time. - When
will it improve?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Jim Cate
I am also in TX north of dallas and found stations are hard to come by
done here.

Questions, Novice
 

"JimC" wrote in message
. net...


I recently bought a Realistic DX-160 on Ebay, hooked up about 100 feet of
outside antenna and an indoor ground, and find that it picks up all sorts
of signals. (Although I understand that, as an older, single conversion
circuit, it's not the greatest, I do have a more modern, dual conversion
set (RS DX-398, similar to the Sangean ATS-909), with digital entry and
memory.) So far, I enjoy using the DX-160, with analog tuning, more than
the digital set. I have several novice-level questions.-

First, I can pick up lots of stations on the 40-50 meter bands, and, in
the daytime, a few on the 15 - 20 meter bands. I'm not getting many HAM or
code signals or marine broadcasts. In addition to these stations,

Apparently you are not so novice that you don't think you
don't know or can't recognize ham vs marine broadcasts.

there seem to be lots of other transmissions that can be heard and that
cause the S-meter to jump over, but which aren't speech or code. - Some of
them sound like a rushing noise, and others are like a whine produced by
an electric motor or other machine.

There are OFDM and QPSK signals on HF that may sound
like that.... or it may be motor noise.

Some are just a noticeably silent station, with no voice or message. - Can
anyone suggest what these "broadcasts" are?

Some stations are so distant and weak that all you
get is the carrier... but then there are local RFI sources.
One way to tell the difference between a real signal and
local RFI is QSB. A real signal will typically fade. Local RFI is
typically steady.

Is there any way to filter them out? - Since there are so many of them,
would this suggest that I have an antenna that is too long?

I don't think so. I suspect your "indoor ground" is picking
up local crud.


The DX-160 has bandspread tuning in addition to the main tuning, seen on a
large main tuning dial, and I'm using the bandspread tuning to go back to
a station that couldn't be tuned easily with the main dial. - I'm
wondering how most operators use the bandspread.

The last bandspread tuning receiver I had was an NC-125.
Boy, I wish I had never sold it.

- Do you actually "zero" it and then scan (to the left in my case) by a
given number of KH/MH, or do you just go back and forth near the station
of interest?

Both ways. When just "prospecting" I wouldn't worry about
calibration. When I was "serious" I would calibrate.

My current main receiver is xtal accurate to about 10 Hz.
It's nice to know the frequency to that accuracy without effort.


I'm somewhat disappointed in what's available in English (or French)

C'est la vie.
HF is a low fidelity, noisy, but interestingly exotic medium. If you
simply want to exercise your French there are probably better resources
elsewhere. (But if you can understand a French broadcast with
heavy QRM, QRN, and QSB then you know your French is good.)

most of the time. I had hoped to pick up stations from Europe and England,
but there don't seem to be a lot of them. - I can sometimes pick up BBC
stations that I think are in England but haven't noticed much of anything
from France. Is this typical of what others are receiving? (I'm in Texas,
so probably am not in the best US location except for Cuban and Mexican
stations and US religious broadcasts.) On the other hand, there seem to be
lots of oriental language broadcasts. - I haven't figured out what
countries most are from, but the dial on my RS DX-398 indicates some are
from Japan. -

Last, I understand that sunspot activity isn't good at this time. - When
will it improve?

I don't know.


Thanks for any suggestions.

Jim Cate

--
rb

Questions, Novice
 

Ron Baker, Pluralitas! wrote:
"JimC" wrote in message
. net...


I recently bought a Realistic DX-160 on Ebay, hooked up about 100 feet of
outside antenna and an indoor ground, and find that it picks up all sorts
of signals. (Although I understand that, as an older, single conversion
circuit, it's not the greatest, I do have a more modern, dual conversion
set (RS DX-398, similar to the Sangean ATS-909), with digital entry and
memory.) So far, I enjoy using the DX-160, with analog tuning, more than
the digital set. I have several novice-level questions.-

First, I can pick up lots of stations on the 40-50 meter bands, and, in
the daytime, a few on the 15 - 20 meter bands. I'm not getting many HAM or
code signals or marine broadcasts. In addition to these stations,


Apparently you are not so novice that you don't think you
don't know or can't recognize ham vs marine broadcasts.

Sorry, but I'm having trouble translating that sentence. - It looks like
english, but....?

As a practical matter, I usually can identify marine broadcasts because
they are talking about fish, weather, water conditions, navigation,
etc., whereas HAMs seem to be primarily interested in what kind of rig
they have, what they would like to have, and how their signal is coming
through. And sometimes about how bad their wives are treating them.




there seem to be lots of other transmissions that can be heard and that
cause the S-meter to jump over, but which aren't speech or code. - Some of
them sound like a rushing noise, and others are like a whine produced by
an electric motor or other machine.


There are OFDM and QPSK signals on HF that may sound
like that.... or it may be motor noise.


Some are just a noticeably silent station, with no voice or message. - Can
anyone suggest what these "broadcasts" are?


Some stations are so distant and weak that all you
get is the carrier... but then there are local RFI sources.
One way to tell the difference between a real signal and
local RFI is QSB. A real signal will typically fade. Local RFI is
typically steady.


Is there any way to filter them out? - Since there are so many of them,
would this suggest that I have an antenna that is too long?


I don't think so. I suspect your "indoor ground" is picking
up local crud.


In response to the above, I installed an independent, outside ground
"pole", drove it 5 feet into the ground, and connected it to the ground
terminal on my DX-160. - It does seem to provide an improvement over my
original ground (wich was connected to the house wiring ground). - A lot
of the strange noises are gone or reduced. - Thanks for the suggestion.




The DX-160 has bandspread tuning in addition to the main tuning, seen on a
large main tuning dial, and I'm using the bandspread tuning to go back to
a station that couldn't be tuned easily with the main dial. - I'm
wondering how most operators use the bandspread.


The last bandspread tuning receiver I had was an NC-125.
Boy, I wish I had never sold it.


- Do you actually "zero" it and then scan (to the left in my case) by a
given number of KH/MH, or do you just go back and forth near the station
of interest?


Both ways. When just "prospecting" I wouldn't worry about
calibration. When I was "serious" I would calibrate.

My current main receiver is xtal accurate to about 10 Hz.
It's nice to know the frequency to that accuracy without effort.


I'm somewhat disappointed in what's available in English (or French)


C'est la vie.
HF is a low fidelity, noisy, but interestingly exotic medium. If you
simply want to exercise your French there are probably better resources
elsewhere. (But if you can understand a French broadcast with
heavy QRM, QRN, and QSB then you know your French is good.)


I do get one French language broadcast, which I believe to be from
France because of its poor quality and cyclical (off and on) signal.



most of the time. I had hoped to pick up stations from Europe and England,
but there don't seem to be a lot of them. - I can sometimes pick up BBC
stations that I think are in England but haven't noticed much of anything
from France. Is this typical of what others are receiving? (I'm in Texas,
so probably am not in the best US location except for Cuban and Mexican
stations and US religious broadcasts.) On the other hand, there seem to be
lots of oriental language broadcasts. - I haven't figured out what
countries most are from, but the dial on my RS DX-398 indicates some are
from Japan. -

Last, I understand that sunspot activity isn't good at this time. - When
will it improve?


I don't know.


Apparently, it will improve over the next five years or so.


Thanks for any suggestions.

Jim Cate


--
rb

Questions, Novice
 

Jim Douglas wrote:

JimC wrote:



I recently bought a Realistic DX-160 on Ebay, hooked up about 100 feet
of outside antenna and an indoor ground, and find that it picks up all
sorts of signals. (Although I understand that, as an older, single
conversion circuit, it's not the greatest, I do have a more modern,
dual conversion set (RS DX-398, similar to the Sangean ATS-909), with
digital entry and memory.) So far, I enjoy using the DX-160, with
analog tuning, more than the digital set. I have several novice-level
questions.-

First, I can pick up lots of stations on the 40-50 meter bands, and,
in the daytime, a few on the 15 - 20 meter bands. I'm not getting many
HAM or code signals or marine broadcasts. In addition to these
stations, there seem to be lots of other transmissions that can be
heard and that cause the S-meter to jump over, but which aren't speech
or code. - Some of them sound like a rushing noise, and others are
like a whine produced by an electric motor or other machine. Some are
just a noticeably silent station, with no voice or message. - Can
anyone suggest what these "broadcasts" are? Is there any way to filter
them out? - Since there are so many of them, would this suggest that
I have an antenna that is too long?

The DX-160 has bandspread tuning in addition to the main tuning, seen
on a large main tuning dial, and I'm using the bandspread tuning to go
back to a station that couldn't be tuned easily with the main dial. -
I'm wondering how most operators use the bandspread. - Do you actually
"zero" it and then scan (to the left in my case) by a given number of
KH/MH, or do you just go back and forth near the station of interest?

I'm somewhat disappointed in what's available in English (or French)
most of the time. I had hoped to pick up stations from Europe and
England, but there don't seem to be a lot of them. - I can sometimes
pick up BBC stations that I think are in England but haven't noticed
much of anything from France. Is this typical of what others are
receiving? (I'm in Texas, so probably am not in the best US location
except for Cuban and Mexican stations and US religious broadcasts.) On
the other hand, there seem to be lots of oriental language broadcasts.
- I haven't figured out what countries most are from, but the dial on
my RS DX-398 indicates some are from Japan. -

Last, I understand that sunspot activity isn't good at this time. -
When will it improve?

Thanks for any suggestions.

Jim Cate

I am also in TX north of dallas and found stations are hard to come by
done here.


I'm in one of the suburbs of Houston, and I suspect we don't have very
good conditions. However, I'm getting lots of signals on the 30 - 40
meter bands.

Questions, Novice
 

Unrevealed Source wrote:
That's a great, classic radio. Many people got their start in the hobby
with one of those. Even though it's single conversion, it's a very decent,
sensitive receiver and outperforms a lot of cheap dual-conversion units.


I like it also. Using its analog tuning is more fun than punching
buttons or turning the tiny, clicking tuning dial on the DX-398 (AKA
Sangean ATS-909), which I think is more highly rated. Although the
linear dial on the DX-160 is not considered appropriate for serious
DXing, I find that it helps me quickly get a sense of where I am in the
frequency spectrum.

I was pleased with the care in packing and shipping taken by the Ebay
dealer, and as far as I can tell, everything works. Tuning might help,
but I don't sense any obvious deficiencies.

Jim




I usually use bandspreads like you are currently. Unless you're trying to
ID a station and find it's true frequency, it's more like a fine-tuning
control. I've always wanted to buy another DX-160 and add a digital
display, but that's a project for another time.


"JimC" wrote in message
. net...


I recently bought a Realistic DX-160 on Ebay, hooked up about 100 feet of
outside antenna and an indoor ground, and find that it picks up all sorts
of signals. (Although I understand that, as an older, single conversion
circuit, it's not the greatest, I do have a more modern, dual conversion
set (RS DX-398, similar to the Sangean ATS-909), with digital entry and
memory.) So far, I enjoy using the DX-160, with analog tuning, more than
the digital set. I have several novice-level questions.-