I'm considering buying the Kaito KA1103 receiver, but have been coming
across reports that it is vulnerable to damage from static discharge
through the whip antenna. Here's an excerpt from a review from June 25,
2005:

http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/5071?page=4

"Warning !! A small amount of Static Electricity to the Telescoping Aerial
can destroy Short wave Reception. There is no ESD protection on antenna
input.CKTs. I live in a high altitude dry envionment, while listening to
80M QSO, #1 daughter came scooten across the carpet and contacted the
areial whereupon reception died. #1 daughter now #2 daughter. Took radio
apart and found Q1 RF preamp fried."

Is this true?

This is a factor for me, since a couple of weeks ago, the climate around
here was such that I was letting off shocks on everything I touched.
--
Men Are Better Than Women -
http://www.menarebetterthanwomen.com/

On Apr 23, 1:18*pm, Igor wrote:
I'm considering buying the Kaito KA1103 receiver, but have been coming
across reports that it is vulnerable to damage from static discharge
through the whip antenna. Here's an excerpt from a review from June 25,
2005:

http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/5071?page=4

"Warning !! A small amount of Static Electricity to the Telescoping Aerial
can destroy Short wave Reception. There is no ESD protection on antenna
input.CKTs. I live in a high altitude dry envionment, while listening to
80M QSO, #1 daughter came scooten across the carpet and contacted the
areial whereupon reception died. #1 daughter now #2 daughter. Took radio
apart and found Q1 RF preamp fried."

Is this true?

This is a factor for me, since a couple of weeks ago, the climate around
here was such that I was letting off shocks on everything I touched.
--
Men Are Better Than Women -http://www.menarebetterthanwomen.com/

I've had a DE1103 for about 2.5 years and live in an area where winter
heating causes the humidity to plunge into single digits until the
furnace humidifier catches up. I have not had a problem with that
portable or any other portable dying from a static electricity zap.

That said I think a bit of common sense goes a long ways when using
electronics of any kind.

On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:53:38 -0500, rtc wrote:

http://www.kiwa.com/KA1103.html

Please see the "Front End Protection Diodes"

section.

From that page:

"This condition could occur when walking accross a carpet with rubber soled
shoes and touching the whip antenna when the receiver is AC powered or when
the receiver is connected to a long wire."

Does ESD damage only take place when using AC power or using an external
antenna?
--
Men Are Better Than Women -
http://www.menarebetterthanwomen.com/

Igor wrote:

"This condition could occur when walking accross a carpet with rubber
soled shoes and touching the whip antenna when the receiver is AC powered
or when the receiver is connected to a long wire."



.... or when connecting the antenna to a fence ....


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On Thu, 24 Apr 2008 05:45:43 -0700, Dave wrote:

I f you are throwing sparks your house is too dry. Humidifiers are
essential to your health and that of anything made of wood or transistors.

I use a humidifier in the winter, but for obvious reasons put it away
when it gets warm enough outside to open windows. Bottom line is that
you can't always control the humidity of your environment, especially
when you're travelling, and a good radio should have some kind of ESD
protection.

FWIW, it seems the Degen 1103 has been upgraded and now has some ESD
protection.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/de1103/message/1589

"While I was in the case I noted a number of differences to the
original circuit and pictures on this site.
The whip antenna connection now has a couple of back to back diodes
across it to discharge ESD."