- Very good to excellent build quality
- All band coverage (by current standards)
- Portable
- Excellent sound
- In general, simply inspires lust

I'm sorry to say, I can't think of any worthy radios.

Any suggestions?

"Snidely" wrote in message
...
- Very good to excellent build quality
- All band coverage (by current standards)
- Portable
- Excellent sound
- In general, simply inspires lust

I'm sorry to say, I can't think of any worthy radios.

Any suggestions?

Britney Spears
Jessica Simpson
Christina Aguilerra

The Zenith Trans-Oceanic was a piece of crap ( all versions )
Go up on e-bay and see what they are going for ( if you can find ANYONE
even bidding on them )

I collect Zenith radios from the 30's and think Zenith made the best
radios at the time ...... unfortunatly this one was a DUD.

"Snidely" wrote in message
...
- Very good to excellent build quality
- All band coverage (by current standards)
- Portable
- Excellent sound
- In general, simply inspires lust

I'm sorry to say, I can't think of any worthy radios.

Any suggestions?

You don't know what you're talking about.

The answer to the original question is probably the E1XM, although I'd wait
for the Grundig version without the XM if I were looking to buy one new.


"labtech1" wrote in message
...
The Zenith Trans-Oceanic was a piece of crap ( all versions )
Go up on e-bay and see what they are going for ( if you can find ANYONE
even bidding on them )

I collect Zenith radios from the 30's and think Zenith made the best
radios at the time ...... unfortunatly this one was a DUD.

"Snidely" wrote in message
...
- Very good to excellent build quality
- All band coverage (by current standards)
- Portable
- Excellent sound
- In general, simply inspires lust

I'm sorry to say, I can't think of any worthy radios.

Any suggestions?

This Eton has me quite intrigued. I am going to look very closely into
at it.

Unrevealed Source wrote:

The answer to the original question is probably the E1XM, although I'd wait
for the Grundig version without the XM if I were looking to buy one new.

On Mar 29, 12:17 pm, Snidely wrote:
- Very good to excellent build quality
- All band coverage (by current standards)
- Portable
- Excellent sound
- In general, simply inspires lust

I'm sorry to say, I can't think of any worthy radios.

Any suggestions?

Snidely,

Well for the most part the Zenith Trans-Oceanics (TOs) were
ZENITH TO = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Oceanic
http://www.radiointel.com/nr-d7000y.htm
Radios of Yesterday with many Wood, Metal, Bakelite and
yes even some Plastic.
http://www181.pair.com/otsw/review-zenith.html
http://bellsouthpwp.net/p/a/padgett46/whyto.htm
Most had Metal Frames and Heavy Construction.
http://www.antiqueradio.org/transoceanics.htm
http://www.amazon.com/Zenith-Trans-O.../dp/0887407080

ABOUT - Bakelite the first Plastic made from Synthetic Components
BAKELITE = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakelite
-Note- Bakelite is 'pronounced' "Bay-Ka-Lite"
How Do You Know It's Bakelite ?
http://www.worldint.com/science/bakelite.html
http://bakelite_world_2001.tripod.com/
http://bakelite_world_2001.tripod.co...know/id12.html
Leo Hendrik Baekeland the Inventor of "Bakelite"
http://inventors.about.com/library/i...lbakerlite.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Baekeland
Bakelite - The Material of a Thousend Uses
http://users.surfnett.de/bofe/e/bakges-e.htm
Bakelite Museum = http://www.bakelitmuseum.de/

Today's Reality is that any 'portable' AM & FM Shortwave
Radio that is currently manufactured is 'made' of Plastic.
Plastic Body + Plastic Frame + Plastic Knobs etc etc etc
So get use to the idea that a modern Radio is not going
to 'Feel' like an old Zenith Trans-Oceanic [.]

That being Said there are a few nice "Used" and "New"
'portable' AM & FM Shortwave Radios that are worth
considering.

USED 'portable' AM & FM Shortwave Radios :
Panasonic RF-2800/RF-2900
http://www.dxing.com/rx/rf2800.htm
Panasonic RF2600
http://www.dxing.com/rx/rf799.htm
Drake SW-8
http://www.dxing.com/rx/sw8.htm
Magnavox D2935 and D2999
http://www.dxing.com/rx/d2935.htm
Grundig Satellit 800
http://www.dxing.com/rx/sat800.htm
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...able/0800.html
Sony ICF-2010
http://www.dxing.com/rx/icf2003.htm
Sangean ATS-909 and RadioShack Realistic DX-398
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...able/1909.html
http://www.dxing.com/rx/ats818cs.htm

NEW - 'portable' AM & FM Shortwave Radios :
Redsun RP-2100 / Kaito KA-2100
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...able/2100.html
Etón E1 and Grundig G1
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...able/0101.html
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...able/2001.html
Sony ICF-SW7600GR
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...able/0360.html


hope this helps - iane ~ RHF
.
Shortwave Listener (SWL) Antennas Group = http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
GoTo = http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortwave-SWL-Antenna/
The SWL Antenna Discussion Group = http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
Shortwave Listener (SWL) Antenna HELP = http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
Shortwave Listener (SWL) Antenna NEWS = http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
Shortwave Listener (SWL) Antenna INFO = http://tinyurl.com/ogvcf
* * * All Are Welcome : Including ELMERS and 'Want-to-be-Elmers'
plus plain old "Mister-Know-It-Alls"; and even those Newbees with
"I Know This Is A Really Dumb Question - But _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "
.
The Shortwave Listener's Blessing :
SWL BLESSING = http://tinyurl.com/s2bjm
May You Never Tire of Listening to the Radio and Always
have Strong Signals and Noise Free Reception ~ RHF {ibid}
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Shortw...a/message/9233
.
|
|
|
/ \
........!.......

Many thanks for an answer what must have taken considerable time to compose!

On Mar 29, 3:17 pm, Snidely wrote:
- Very good to excellent build quality
- All band coverage (by current standards)
- Portable
- Excellent sound
- In general, simply inspires lust

I'm sorry to say, I can't think of any worthy radios.

Any suggestions?

The Zenith TO was a reasonable radio in it's day, but that day has
long since passed. The Eton E1 would run circles around any of the
Zenith TO receivers, no matter which performance measure was
compared. Indeed a Degen DE1103 would outperform one too.

But the Zenith TO is a fine radio to collect and enjoy for what it
was, and how much it contributed to the hobby or radio program
listening. And one of them makes a pretty darned good addition to a
collection of antique radios.

But I suspect that whoever is posting as "Snidely" the sockpuppet
really knows all of this.

Roadie wrote:
On Mar 29, 3:17 pm, Snidely wrote:
- Very good to excellent build quality
- All band coverage (by current standards)
- Portable
- Excellent sound
- In general, simply inspires lust

I'm sorry to say, I can't think of any worthy radios.

Any suggestions?

The Zenith TO was a reasonable radio in it's day, but that day has
long since passed. The Eton E1 would run circles around any of the
Zenith TO receivers, no matter which performance measure was
compared. Indeed a Degen DE1103 would outperform one too.

But the Zenith TO is a fine radio to collect and enjoy for what it
was, and how much it contributed to the hobby or radio program
listening. And one of them makes a pretty darned good addition to a
collection of antique radios.



A Jr High buddy of mine decided to get into shortwave radio. And his
father, running a steel company, had nothing but money. Still, they
combed Consumer Reports and came up with a 'Must Buy' rating on a
Masterwork M-2896.

And he got it for his birthday.

I had to put my own money down, so it took me a while to save up for
mine, but I bought a T/O. I took some crap for that. CR didn't care for
it. Tough, I bought it. I liked it, and I used it.

Within a few months, the Masterwork was in the closet. Abandoned due
to noisy and intermittent switches. It was sold a few years later.

My T/O is still working. Had a few caps replaced, and switches and
pots lubed, but other than that...pretty reliable.

I recently found and bought a pair of M-2896's. I can see why CR
liked them so much. Exceptional build quality. And the case is very
nicely appointed. The leather doesn't retract like the leather on the
T/O. The chrome also seems less likely to pit.

Electrically, they are similar. Performance is pretty close. The
Masterwork is a bit quieter, though, again, with the deeper AGC, the T/O
is pumping up more noise. The Masterwork is more likely to overload.
And the audio isn't as full. (Though later models in the series do have
a much richer sound.

The T/O holds its own on broadcast. AM and FM. The Masterwork is a
little better there. Quieter and cleaner. Especially FM.

Together, they're both representative of their period, and their
price class. But neither would stand up to a decent rig, today.

Prices on the T/O's are coming back down to reasonability. You can
pick up any of the Masterwork series for about $30 including shipping.
And I buy up what I can find, clean them up, improve what I can
electrically, and then wrap them up and give them away as Christmas
gifts to my radio engaged friends.

You should see the looks.



p

Actually, it is a question that I thought would bring about interesting
debate and suggestions. I merely used the TO as a point of reference,
the idea being basically to discuss only the very best commercially
available portables.

I am in the market for just such a thing and am seeking input.

Instead, utter crap : (