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#1
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I've been looking at buying a SW radio and was wondering if most receivers
offer more bands (frequencies) than transceivers? I know I would need to have a license if I want to transmit but if I just want to listen, then a receiver with plenty of band coverage would be nice. I ask this because I was told that if I bought just a receiver then I would be wishing I would have bought a transceiver to enjoy SW as a participant. Then I read that someone new to SW I might be better off buying a receiver and to see if they would really want to transmit as well. Thanks for any and all help on this. |
#2
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On 17 Aug, 22:31, "Dave" wrote:
I've been looking at buying a SW radio and was wondering if most receivers offer more bands (frequencies) than transceivers? I know I would need to have a license if I want to transmit but if I just want to listen, then a receiver with plenty of band coverage would be nice. I ask this because I was told that if I bought just a receiver then I would be wishing I would have bought a transceiver to enjoy SW as a participant. Then I read that someone new to SW I might be better off buying a receiver and to see if they would really want to transmit as well. Thanks for any and all help on this. Depends on your mileage and ambitions. Current transceivers have excellent general coverage properties but cost more. The Icom IC-746Pro, IC-756-series and IC-7000 are excellent receivers but are much more expensive than a general coverage receiver like the Icom R75. They all cover at least up to 30 MHz continously, some are VHF and UHF enabled. I suppose that Kenwood, Yaesu and other transceivers are equally well equipped for SW DX. But in 95% of the cases you won't hear more stations on a high-end transceiver than on a budget (R75) receiver. |
#3
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I used an Icom 735 transceiver for ten years to SWL and Amateur Radio. I
know it about matched a friend's Kenwood 5000 receiver for sensitivity. So some transceivers can be excellant for SWLing with a decent outside antenna setup and low electrical noise. "Dave" wrote in message t... I've been looking at buying a SW radio and was wondering if most receivers offer more bands (frequencies) than transceivers? I know I would need to have a license if I want to transmit but if I just want to listen, then a receiver with plenty of band coverage would be nice. I ask this because I was told that if I bought just a receiver then I would be wishing I would have bought a transceiver to enjoy SW as a participant. Then I read that someone new to SW I might be better off buying a receiver and to see if they would really want to transmit as well. Thanks for any and all help on this. |
#4
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On Aug 17, 1:31 pm, "Dave" wrote:
I've been looking at buying a SW radio and was wondering if most receivers offer more bands (frequencies) than transceivers? I know I would need to have a license if I want to transmit but if I just want to listen, then a receiver with plenty of band coverage would be nice. I ask this because I was told that if I bought just a receiver then I would be wishing I would have bought a transceiver to enjoy SW as a participant. Then I read that someone new to SW I might be better off buying a receiver and to see if they would really want to transmit as well. Thanks for any and all help on this. It's almost always a mistake for a new hobbyist to buy a tabletop radio, whether receiver or transceiver. There are many reasons why this is so, but key among them is that choosing the right HF rig involves knowledge of your operating modes and preferences which generally isn't known until after you've done quite a bit of listening and figured out what features and modes matter most to you. Then you may realize you picked the "wrong" radio, and you're out a hefty sum of cash wishing you had a different rig. Another key reason is that desktop receivers and transceivers usually require a good outdoor antenna to operate at all. A portable receiver can operate off its built-in whip antenna, but most desktop radios will require that you string up an antenna. There are few disappointments from gear worse than spending $1000, $2000, perhaps more on a super high-end receiver or transceiver and discovering that it's stone-deaf to shortwave signals because you did not plan for a decent antenna system. A portable is a much better choice to start with unless you already have a ham license of the correct class to transmit on HF. Find a local bookstore with "Passport to World Band Radio", check out their reviews for radios in your price range. Basically, the majority of decent SW radios cost at least $100, but there are several exceptional models under $300, so there's no reason to spend more than that. A $100-$300 budget is where I'd recommend, if that isn't too much to lay out. A good choice should: 1) have three or more stars in Passport's ratings 2) It must receive continuously from 3 - 30 Mhz or more with no gaps 3) It must have digital synthesis and digital read-out (avoid analog dial radios or radios with analog tuning and a frequency counter to make it look like it's digital, a trick found among the ultra-cheap models) 4) It must have a jack to accept an outdoor antenna 5) It should support single sideband reception (USB and LSB) unless you're absolutely certain you will never be interested in utility or ham monitoring. Now, if a ham or other friend offers to sell you a highly-rated ham rig or desktop SWL radio used that meets your requirements, then you might go for it. Ask around for opinions on the rig. If the price is right, you might go for it. ![]() mean you should have an outdoor antenna. |
#5
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On Aug 17, 1:31 pm, "Dave" wrote:
I've been looking at buying a SW radio and was wondering if most receivers offer more bands (frequencies) than transceivers? I know I would need to have a license if I want to transmit but if I just want to listen, then a receiver with plenty of band coverage would be nice. I ask this because I was told that if I bought just a receiver then I would be wishing I would have bought a transceiver to enjoy SW as a participant. Then I read that someone new to SW I might be better off buying a receiver and to see if they would really want to transmit as well. Thanks for any and all help on this. Dave, Why pay for something you may not use or can not use ? Most Amateur Radio Transceivers covering 160 to 6 Meters will cost you at least $500~$1500 http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamhf/0033.html http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamhf/0703.html http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamhf/0480.html http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamhf/0450.html While a Shortwave Radio that covers the AM/MW Broadcast Band and all of the Shortwave Bands 500 kHz to 30 MHz will cost you $400 to $2000 http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/3396.html http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/0077.html http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/0175.html http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/1545.html http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/0321.html http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/0330.html http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/2786.html http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...able/0800.html You may find a very good deal on a Transceiver -but- a Shortwave Radio receiver will usually give you more Radio Listener features {Bells and Whistles} then a Tranceiver. Beyond a Shortwave Radio invest in a good Shortwave Listening Antenna so that you can really hear what is Out There Beyond The Beyond . . . |
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