Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:
Bill Baka wrote:
This is one of many that have been suggested. 2m itself is almost
non-existent around here so I am looking at D.C. to 30 MHz. An F.M.
detector on the under 30 MHz would be nice too.

Ok, why? There are several things that could be heard if you had HF FM, but
how many of them exist or can be heard in your area?

1. 10m FM (very rare)
Agreed.
2. CB FM (or freeband modifed CB's) illegal in most places, and
because of the poor efficency, probably not used in favor of SSB.
They were selling them here, illegally of course, but I know/knew the
guy who was selling them.
3. Station to station relay links (in the US). Are they still used?
At 144 MHz maybe. We do have repeaters here on the mountaintops.
4. 29mHz cordless phones. Do any still exist?
Doubtful.


So far I have seen Sony, Drake, and a slew of others so now it becomes
decision time. A unit that I could bring inside would be nice too.
I think this will be a cigarette lighter portable with a magnetic
antenna on top. That should be good for car DX'ing and even might be a
carry along on my bicycle in one of the rear racks. It would have to
bear the indignity of being wrapped in a plastic bag to seal out dirt
and then a towel to dampen vibration. I bicycle places that even a 4
wheel drive can't get to.
Sitting near a babbling brook and daytime DX'ing would not be a bad way
to spend the day.

A Sony ICF-2010 or SW-77 would be a good compromise. Good performance,
sync detector, SSB/CW detection, and if you end up on a flight path, VHF
air coverage.

Geoff.

I'm actually under the landing path for Sacramento International so I
pick up a lot of jumbo jet chatter going over my head on my old 1974
RDF. Sometimes I get the tower. This is all going to a big pile of files
in a directory (not folder) of it's own.
Thanks,

Bill Baka