Dear Entfred,
:
Joe and everybody,

Thanks so much for explaining the options I have and some of
the fundamentals. I have some more
questions and comments:

What do you think about Grundig 550?

It's a single-conversion radio. Forget it! (Just "Google" single-
conversion vs. dual-conversion for more information.)

The Sony unit that lots of people like appears to have a smallish
speaker. I just read about a KA2100 model that looks interesting.
Kaito PLL Synthesized Dual Conversion AM/FM Shortwave Radio, KA2100
athttp://www.amazon.com/Kaito-Synthesized-Conversion-Shortwave-KA2100/d..

You might be satisfied with the Kaito (Redsun) KA-2100 but note that
it costs more than the Sony ICF-SW35 and is more complicated to
operate. Build quality is also "iffy."
.

The KA2100 appears to have SSB.

An external module must be purchased separately and attached to the
radio in order to listen to SSB transmissions, This module appears to
be available only from eBay sellers in China. This makes a complicated
tuning procedure even MORE complicated, not even to mention the
expense.


As far as any unit I buy,
the keypad sounds very convenient, but can live without, as I have
always lived without one.

No immediate plans to get into Ham Radio. I can't remember if you
have to do morse code or not, still. I know somebody who did Ham
when they were a kid and learned code and was eventually able
to get a very good rig and talk to people around the world.

You do NOT need to know Morse Code in order to receive an amateur
license though it is extremely helpful to know it.

What would really be cool is to find a reasonably priced desk top
SW receiver that was built into a stereo receiver. I have an ancient
receiver that is almost dead (Sansui 771) and it would be cool to buy
a new stereo receiver with shortwave reception, but have not seen
anything like that :-)

Forget it.

By the way, you had mentioned that "you do not need memories."
Actually you will find that, when you have them, you will use them (to
a greater or lesser extent). Also, with the Sony ICF-SW35, the use of
its memories is part of the "work-around" to its lack of a keypad that
I mentioned.

From your original post, I deduced that you were interested in a small
portable shortwave portable that worked better than your Mini 300PE
yet was inexpensive and simple to operate. The Sony ICF-SW35 fills
that bill on all counts. Other radios in its price range may appear to
offer as much or even more in features but remember - each new feature
means more complication in use. And most other low-cost portable
shortwave receivers just do not have Sony's build quality.

Some here have recommended the Sony ICF-SW7600GR. This happens to be
my absolute favorite portable shortwave receiver but I did not
recommend it to you because it is much more expensive than the ICF-
SW35, it needs an external antenna for best performance, and it is
much more complicated in use, more so than your post leads me to
believe you want. If I'm wrong in this assessment, then check out the
ICF-SW7600GR on Amazon, Universal Radio, AES, or another site. You can
also read reviews on eHam. It is, far and away, the best compact
portable shortwave radio ever made (my opinion, of course). But I do
not believe it is what you really want, at least from what you said
and the questions you've asked. Such a radio would be, I'm afraid,
VERY intimidating to you such that you would either pack it away or,
worse, sell it. It could cause you to lose interest in the hobby (much
as giving a raw teenager an Indy race car might stifle their interest
in driving! They would not know what to do with it!)

Stay with something relatively simple and inexpensive (though
sophisticated) such as the Sony ICF-SW35 and learn to operate it to
full advantage. Then, as you become more enamored of the shortwave
hobby, you will be able to upgrade, if desired, and you won't be
fooled by manufacturers' or dealers' "hype" (for example, by even
CONSIDERING a single-conversion Grundig YB 550PE, a mediocre at best
performer).

I hope you understand that I am not showing you any disrespect
whatsoever. I am trying to give you advice based on my own almost
fifty years as a radio hobbyist and based on what you yourself asked.
Others here, of course, will have their own opinions and may (probably
will) disagree with me.

But if you do buy a Sony ICF-SW35, I believe you will be very pleased.

Best of luck,

Joe