On Feb 19, 12:12 pm, "RedPenguin" wrote:
On Feb 19, 10:39 am, "Joe Analssandrini"
wrote:



On Feb 19, 3:09 am, Larry Dighera wrote:

On 18 Feb 2007 20:46:30 -0800, "Joe Analssandrini"
wrote in
.com:

May I recommend to you my personal favorite portable? It is the Sony
ICF-SW7600GR

How would you rank that receiver against the Sony ICF-2010 with its
superb synchronous detector?

Dear Larry,

The Sony ICF-SW7600GR has a synchronous detection circuit and is the
only small portable radio currently on the market (new) to feature it.
This circuit is inferior to that of the ICF-2010 as is the radio in
general if you are comparing on an absolute basis. However, the '7600
has the advantage of being light and much more easily carried on trips
than does the '2010 and its memories (more of them, by the way) cannot
be lost as they can on the '2010. Plus, of course, the '2010 has been
discontinued and is only available "used" - as you may know, I do not
recommend buying "used" (with the notable exception of collectors who
desire a particular model). For daily use (especially for one new to
the hobby) I believe it is always better to buy "new;" both the
manufacturer and the dealer have an interest in you, both hoping that
you will buy more of their products. Plus, with "new," you get a one-
year warranty (except if you buy from one of the Ebay dealers in China
- good luck then in trying to have a defective radio repaired under
warranty!).

There are pros and cons regarding both of these radios but, as I said,
on an absolute basis, the Sony ICF-2010 is by far the superior radio
(and that includes its sync circuit). But then the Etón E1 is
(apparently) superior to the '2010, the ICOM IC-R75 is superior (as a
radio) and the AOR AR7030 Plus is better than all of them! Where do
you stop? The original poster wants portability, very good
performance, and a price tag well under $350.00. I firmly believe
that, in a new radio, he will find these characteristics to best
advantage in the Sony ICF-SW7600GR.

Best,

Joe

Is it completly worth getting a shortwave radio, if mostly I just
travel to New York, NY, Atlantic City, NJ and stay in my area of
Johnstown, PA?

I am not saying that the ICF-SW7600GR is not a good radio or anything
but it looks like it's not really under $150 new, so if I am going to
buy a shortwave radio for that price, I want to make sure that I will
be getting a radio that will work for a very long time and that
shortwave will be around for a while. I don't want a radio that I paid
$150 for that I will not be able to hear much and will probably hardly
use.

Dear Sir,

Yes, it's well-worth buying a shortwave radio. Your $150.00 (or less)
will be money well-spent. You do not yet seem to understand the merits
of shortwave radio. It doesn't matter where you travel or don't
travel. You do not even have to leave your house to hear many, many
foreign countries on shortwave. One of the advantages of shortwave
broadcasts is that they travel well. In other words, you'll be able to
hear the same programs in Atlantic City, NJ as you will in your home
state of Pennsylvania. I always take one of my ICF-SW7600GRs with me
when we vacation in California and, believe it or not, often I can
hear some of the same programs there that I hear in New Jersey
(allowing for the time difference, of course). This is not ALWAYS the
case; however, it is easy to find many broadcasts to hear by searching
the tables on, for example, PrimeTimeShortwave. After you have learned
how to listen (remember - I told you that there is a learning curve
and that there is absolutely no way to compress the time necessary fto
obtain experience) you will easily be able to determine just what you
should be able to hear at any given location at any given time.

By the way, I do the overwhelming majority of my listening right from
my home as I do not travel often, just once yearly to California.

The Sony ICF-SW7600GR is a revised version of the Sony ICF-SW7600G
(hence the "R") which was introduced back in 1994. I own two of this
original model and both still function as they did when new. I now own
five '7600GRs, the first one having been purchased in 2001, the second
and third in 2002, and the fourth and fifth in 2005. All function
exactly the same. All always work perfectly. While I have heard of a
very few isolated cases of people having some problems (this, of
course, can happen with anything), I personally have never experienced
even a "hiccup!" I can recommend this radio without reservation. It is
reliable and very long-lasting. When you actually see one and you
"heft" it (and examine it), you'll know exactly what I'm talking
about!

What if you decide you "hate" shortwave? Well then you still have one
of the very best AM and FM portable radios ever designed. Did you know
that one of the features of this radio is a true (and superb) stereo
line output jack? If you run FM stereo from this radio (via a $10.00
cable sold at Radio Shack) to your audio system, I'll bet this Sony
portable outperforms the FM section in your system (unless you have a
very high-end one). And its AM section is one of the best ever
designed for a portable. Long-distance AM reception is very easy at
night as attested to by many owners. Quite a number of owners have
actually heard Europe on the standard AM band with this radio (from
within the US), though I personally have not. Still, it's easy to hear
Canada, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and numerous distant stations
with the radio just using its built-in ferrite rod antenna. You would
be able to hear Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, New York, Massachusetts,
Florida, and many, many other states, depending on just where in
Pennsylvania you live.

Do I sound like a "shill?" Those who know me from this group know that
I'm not. I'm just a very satisfied owner of this radio (and, believe
me, I'm "picky"). I do not know of a better radio at any price for one
just starting out in this hobby. And, as I originally stated, it is a
radio that is so good that the owner will never "outgrow" it. I own a
couple of very sophisticated (and expensive) shortwave receivers, yet
often I just turn on one of my Sonys when I want to just listen to a
program.

I believe you will like this radio. I know you will find it worth its
cost.

Best,

Joe

There is really no end to the merits of this radio. Yes, it is more
costly than some portable shortwave receivers, but you are purchasing
a true classic that will never give you "buyers' remorse."