On Mar 6, 4:11*pm, Joe Analssandrini wrote:
To the Group,

Do any of you read the information on this site?

http://www.ticon.net/~n9ewo/index.html

It always has interesting items. I believe that "Dave" is associated
with PASSPORT TO WORLD BAND RADIO.

In any case, look at the first item in his "Radio News" - just scroll
down the page a bit - it is dated March 4 and concerns the Sony
ICF-SW35 and the ICF-SW11 (an analog model) which have just been
discontinued.

I'm afraid he's correct in saying that the '7600GR will be "gone
before too much longer now."

If anyone is reading this and is truly interested in the Sony
ICF-SW7600GR, the time to buy it is ***NOW***.

The basic design of this receiver goes back to 1994 with the
ICF-SW7600G. (The somewhat revised ICF-SW7600GR - better in every way
- was introduced in 2002 and has been made continuously since then.)
In all the time since, NO ONE has introduced a compact receiver
anywhere near its price that can match this Sony model in sheer
excellence in performance, construction, and longevity.

Kchibo has introduced a compact portable model that features a sync
circuit, which, until now, has only been available on this Sony model
(see PASSPORT 2008, page 92). But, according to PASSPORT, this Kchibo
model's sync does not perform adequately and the set, incredibly, does
NOT offer SSB reception!

And you can be sure that NO "Chinese-made" radio will be as well
constructed or as long-lasting as the Japanese-made ICF-SW7600GE.

So -- we're still waiting for something "as good" and I do not see
anything on the horizon.

Therefore I strongly recommend that you do not wait - and don't buy
this Sony model "used" off eBay or anywhere else. You're just asking
for trouble. No one in his right mind would sell a '7600GR unless
there were something wrong with it (dropped or damaged otherwise). And
you don't need someone else's problems!

You can still buy a new '7600GR from AES, Universal, J&R Music World,
Amazon, and probably some other dealers as well, for $150.00 or less.
That price, for a new receiver, is VERY reasonable, especially when
you consider all you get for your money with this one.

I hope you'll at least consider my advice. It represents, of course,
strictly my own opinion.

Best,

Joe

I remember reading last year that Sony announced it would be dropping
out of the shortwave radio market. No date was mentioned, but the
information on that blog seems to tie in. Of the many companies that
once made shortwave radios Sony has probably taken the most time to
back out of that market entirely.