What SWL Rig Would You Pick If...
 

If you had a large collection of SWL rigs, sold them all off, and out of the
profit could have just one SWL radio for general listening and occasional
DX, what would you pick? Keep in mind the budget is $2000.

What SWL Rig Would You Pick If...
 

On Feb 25, 4:56 pm, "John Berenyi" wrote:
If you had a large collection of SWL rigs, sold them all off, and out of the
profit could have just one SWL radio for general listening and occasional
DX, what would you pick? Keep in mind the budget is $2000.

For general sw listening I would get something like a Degen DE1103 or
a Sony 7600. Fine performers that will keep you well within your
$2,000 budget. Or, if you want something with a lot of bells and
whistles and better audio then go for the Eton E1. Put the remainder
in the bank.

What SWL Rig Would You Pick If...
 

I would choose either a Satellit 800 (second revision, made after 2002) or a
Kenwood R-5000. With the left over money put up at least one and possibly
several proper antennas. And still have money left over.

While those may seem like rather "pedestrian" choices, the difference that a
great antenna makes is far, far greater than the marginal difference you see
with a more esoteric radio.

"John Berenyi" wrote in message
...
If you had a large collection of SWL rigs, sold them all off, and out of
the profit could have just one SWL radio for general listening and
occasional DX, what would you pick? Keep in mind the budget is $2000.

What SWL Rig Would You Pick If...
 

On 25 Feb 2007 14:04:51 -0800, "Roadie" wrote:

On Feb 25, 4:56 pm, "John Berenyi" wrote:
If you had a large collection of SWL rigs, sold them all off, and out of the
profit could have just one SWL radio for general listening and occasional
DX, what would you pick? Keep in mind the budget is $2000.

For general sw listening I would get something like a Degen DE1103 or
a Sony 7600. Fine performers that will keep you well within your
$2,000 budget. Or, if you want something with a lot of bells and
whistles and better audio then go for the Eton E1. Put the remainder
in the bank.


Spend most of your money on a good aerial system and then the
receiver. We all get that one wrong including yours truly!

What SWL Rig Would You Pick If...
 

On Feb 25, 5:54 pm, Ted Sloan wrote:
On 25 Feb 2007 14:04:51 -0800, "Roadie" wrote:

On Feb 25, 4:56 pm, "John Berenyi" wrote:
If you had a large collection of SWL rigs, sold them all off, and out of the
profit could have just one SWL radio for general listening and occasional
DX, what would you pick? Keep in mind the budget is $2000.

For general sw listening I would get something like a Degen DE1103 or
a Sony 7600. Fine performers that will keep you well within your
$2,000 budget. Or, if you want something with a lot of bells and
whistles and better audio then go for the Eton E1. Put the remainder
in the bank.

Spend most of your money on a good aerial system and then the
receiver. We all get that one wrong including yours truly!

All three of the radios I suggested have a built-in antenna system.

What SWL Rig Would You Pick If...
 

All three of the radios I suggested have a built-in antenna system.


I think he wants to actually hear signals. I agree with spending the
money on the antenna system first, then buying a radio. Any of the
Drake R8 variety would work nicely for a solid G.C. rig.


3D
Kenwood 950sdx, 2000
Drake R8A, R4C
Many inferior portables ;-)

What SWL Rig Would You Pick If...
 

Watkins Johnson.Second choice,Drake.Antenna? I don't know which
one,yet.I would like to say,Sometimes I dream about radios,but I never
have.Most of my dreams are nightmares.God forbid I ever dream about Art
Bell or George Noory.I would rather dream about Maryanne Kehoe than
those two looney toons.
cuhulin

What SWL Rig Would You Pick If...
 

On Feb 25, 6:40 pm, "3D" wrote:
All three of the radios I suggested have a built-in antenna system.

I think he wants to actually hear signals.

Unless you know him to be hearing impaired he should be able to hear
plenty of signals with any of those radios I mentioned. After all he
was only looking for a radio to just do some swling. Why compromise
the audio quality with a communications receiver like a Drake unless
it is really needed. Such a radio would be a complete waste of money
for the application he described.


I agree with spending the
money on the antenna system first, then buying a radio. Any of the
Drake R8 variety would work nicely for a solid G.C. rig.

If all he wants to do is


3D
Kenwood 950sdx, 2000
Drake R8A, R4C
Many inferior portables ;-)

What SWL Rig Would You Pick If...
 

"Roadie" ) writes:
On Feb 25, 6:40 pm, "3D" wrote:
All three of the radios I suggested have a built-in antenna system.

I think he wants to actually hear signals.

Unless you know him to be hearing impaired he should be able to hear
plenty of signals with any of those radios I mentioned. After all he
was only looking for a radio to just do some swling. Why compromise
the audio quality with a communications receiver like a Drake unless
it is really needed. Such a radio would be a complete waste of money
for the application he described.


But he's talking about a $2000 budget, and picking one receiver out of a
"large collection".

That implies he is asking about a better than average receiver. It's
a variant on "which receiver would you keep?" or "which receiver do
you lust after?".

There's little point in specifying a $2000 budget if he's not actually
interested in one of those better receivers.


Michael

What SWL Rig Would You Pick If...
 

On Feb 25, 10:42 pm, (Michael Black) wrote:
"Roadie" ) writes:
On Feb 25, 6:40 pm, "3D" wrote:
All three of the radios I suggested have a built-in antenna system.

I think he wants to actually hear signals.

Unless you know him to be hearing impaired he should be able to hear
plenty of signals with any of those radios I mentioned. After all he
was only looking for a radio to just do some swling. Why compromise
the audio quality with a communications receiver like a Drake unless
it is really needed. Such a radio would be a complete waste of money
for the application he described.

But he's talking about a $2000 budget, and picking one receiver out of a
"large collection".

That implies he is asking about a better than average receiver. It's
a variant on "which receiver would you keep?" or "which receiver do
you lust after?".

There's little point in specifying a $2000 budget if he's not actually
interested in one of those better receivers.

Michael

Maybe what you really need to do is make sure you got a nice quiet
piece of land somewhere far away from the city. Then a good antenna
and a decent receiver. One of those crappy little chinese radios
actually do a nice job in a quiet zone. I especially like it when the
power goes out cause things get nice and quiet.

73
NEO

What SWL Rig Would You Pick If...
 

Unrevealed Source wrote:
I would choose either a Satellit 800 (second revision, made after 2002) or a
Kenwood R-5000. With the left over money put up at least one and possibly
several proper antennas. And still have money left over.

While those may seem like rather "pedestrian" choices, the difference that a
great antenna makes is far, far greater than the marginal difference you see
with a more esoteric radio.

When referring to a "great" or "good" antenna for general SW reception
(not particularly the high frequency 10 - 30 meter bands), what did you
have in mind, and what's considered a reasonable compromise? Prefer
something that would be compatible with a house and lot in a typical
urban neighborhood with deed restrictions against tall towers.

Jim

What SWL Rig Would You Pick If...
 

On Feb 25, 10:42 pm, (Michael Black) wrote:
"Roadie" ) writes:
On Feb 25, 6:40 pm, "3D" wrote:
All three of the radios I suggested have a built-in antenna system.

I think he wants to actually hear signals.

Unless you know him to be hearing impaired he should be able to hear
plenty of signals with any of those radios I mentioned. After all he
was only looking for a radio to just do some swling. Why compromise
the audio quality with a communications receiver like a Drake unless
it is really needed. Such a radio would be a complete waste of money
for the application he described.

But he's talking about a $2000 budget, and picking one receiver out of a
"large collection".

No, he said that he sold a large collection of radios. His receiver
needs as defined were modest - for general SWLing I think was the
term. Most of us can listen to a lot of shortwave stations on the
receivers I provided.



That implies he is asking about a better than average receiver.

There was no such inference that I could read.

It's
a variant on "which receiver would you keep?" or "which receiver do
you lust after?".

There's little point in specifying a $2000 budget if he's not actually
interested in one of those better receivers.

I can't read into his intentions beyond what was stated. Some people
will spend $2,000 and more on a middling shortwave receiver like a
Sony CRF320.



Michael

What SWL Rig Would You Pick If...
 

On Feb 25, 8:02 pm, "N9NEO" wrote:

Maybe what you really need to do is make sure you got a nice quiet
piece of land somewhere far away from the city. Then a good antenna
and a decent receiver. One of those crappy little chinese radios
actually do a nice job in a quiet zone. I especially like it when the
power goes out cause things get nice and quiet.

73

No kiddin'. I have heard plenty of stuff on my R75 here in suburban
CA, USA to be sure, but back in rural New England as a teenager, I
heard practically as much on a Radio Shack Astronaut-8 and 50 feet of
wire, just because the noise background was about 30-60 dB lower than
here.

Bruce Jensen

What SWL Rig Would You Pick If...
 

On Feb 25, 4:56 pm, "John Berenyi" wrote:
If you had a large collection of SWL rigs, sold them all off, and out of the
profit could have just one SWL radio for general listening and occasional
DX, what would you pick? Keep in mind the budget is $2000.

Dear John,

I would hate to be put in a position where I could have only one
shortwave receiver but, if such were the case, I would keep my AOR
AR7030 Plus. Mine was factory-customized and, as I had to order it
through an English shop (THE SHORTWAVE SHOP - a "class" outfit if
there ever was one!), the price was somewhat more than $2000.00 (due
to the exchange rate and customs). However, if I had to abide by your
cutoff rules, even a "standard" AR7030 Plus would be better than
anything I had ever experienced previously or even considered buying,
and I have been a shortwave listener for almost fifty years now. I
firmly believe this is absolutely the finest shortwave radio ever
designed.

I'm going to tell you something, however - if I were forced into
owning just ONE shortwave receiver - as I said, it would be the AR7030
Plus - I would find a way to "hide" a Sony ICF-SW7600GR as well! (So
I would actually own TWO shortwave radios!) This, in my opinion, is
the best small portable shortwave radio currently being manufactured
and is favorably comparable in performance to any other out there and
it is far better in terms of construction quality and price.

I'm glad this is only a mind exercise on our part - the thought of
owning just ONE shortwave receiver is too unpleasant to bear!

Best,

Joe