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Report on $19.95 Digital Display Radio

While scanning a new Johnson Smith catalog, I noticed two SW radios at $19.95
each. I had to have them to see what they could do. This is a report on the
jWIN.

jWIN 9-Band Digital, Model JX-M14:

This is an attractive little package with very good sensitivity and sound.
Along with AM (MF) and FM, it has 7 shortwave bands. All buttons are raised.

The display is digital, but it has knob tuning, thus it has a variable
capacitor. A big surprise was that the frequency readout is accurate, according
to several known stations I'd checked. Apparently the display is that of a true
frequency counter.

Judging by the context of the comments in the paperwork, the FM is mono. It has
an earphone jack. Its telescopic antenna pivots.

It has a 12-hour a.m./p.m. clock with an alarm. Its three LEDs are for Tune,
AM, and FM. On its back is a flip out easel and -- a serial number. G

Power is two AA cells. A jack is provided for an external 3 volt source.

The only downer is that, although there is enough extension past each end of
the advertised SW bands to cover the daytime and some nighttime U.S.
frequencies, there is no coverage at all for some of the nighttime ones. Actual
band stop-to-stop coverage:

SW1 5.84 --- 6.47
SW2 6.86 --- 7.56
SW3 9.29 - 10.30
SW4 11.38 - 12.50
SW5 13.34 - 14.35
SW6 14.78 - 15.84
SW7 17.11 - 18.33
AM 518 - 1723
FM 87.9 - 107.9

The one thing that bugs me is that it defaults to FM at turn on. No matter,
because it remembers the last FM, AM, and SW frequencies selected.

This would make a fine, inexpensive gift for anyone who is really interested in
knowing what's going on in the world, or to enlighten those who should -- or
think they do. G They should, though, also be given some introduction to SWL
as well as help in identifying, even finding, major SW stations (guides,
schedules, Web links, etc.)

Anyhow, when not in use, I keep mine and its paperwork in a ZipLoc sandwich
bag.

73,
Bill, K5BY

"WShoots1" wrote in message
...
The only downer is that, although there is enough extension past each end
of
the advertised SW bands to cover the daytime and some nighttime U.S.
frequencies, there is no coverage at all for some of the nighttime ones.
Actual
band stop-to-stop coverage:

SW1 5.84 --- 6.47
SW2 6.86 --- 7.56
SW3 9.29 - 10.30
SW4 11.38 - 12.50
SW5 13.34 - 14.35
SW6 14.78 - 15.84
SW7 17.11 - 18.33
AM 518 - 1723
FM 87.9 - 107.9

I betcha I could expand the bands beyond those limits, especially if it's
using standard LC tuned circuits. If the display is really a frequency
counter, this would be no problem, as it should track the LO no matter how
far it's spread. Is this catalog available online? I would like to pick
one up to experiment with.

It has a website.....I found it from a Yahoo search (type in Johnson Smith
catalog) and it is 19.95 plus 4.98 shipping.
WShoots1 wrote in message
...
While scanning a new Johnson Smith catalog, I noticed two SW radios at
$19.95
each. I had to have them to see what they could do. This is a report on
the
jWIN.

jWIN 9-Band Digital, Model JX-M14:

This is an attractive little package with very good sensitivity and sound.
Along with AM (MF) and FM, it has 7 shortwave bands. All buttons are
raised.

The display is digital, but it has knob tuning, thus it has a variable
capacitor. A big surprise was that the frequency readout is accurate,
according
to several known stations I'd checked. Apparently the display is that of a
true
frequency counter.

Judging by the context of the comments in the paperwork, the FM is mono.
It has
an earphone jack. Its telescopic antenna pivots.

It has a 12-hour a.m./p.m. clock with an alarm. Its three LEDs are for
Tune,
AM, and FM. On its back is a flip out easel and -- a serial number. G

Power is two AA cells. A jack is provided for an external 3 volt source.

The only downer is that, although there is enough extension past each end
of
the advertised SW bands to cover the daytime and some nighttime U.S.
frequencies, there is no coverage at all for some of the nighttime ones.
Actual
band stop-to-stop coverage:

SW1 5.84 --- 6.47
SW2 6.86 --- 7.56
SW3 9.29 - 10.30
SW4 11.38 - 12.50
SW5 13.34 - 14.35
SW6 14.78 - 15.84
SW7 17.11 - 18.33
AM 518 - 1723
FM 87.9 - 107.9

The one thing that bugs me is that it defaults to FM at turn on. No
matter,
because it remembers the last FM, AM, and SW frequencies selected.

This would make a fine, inexpensive gift for anyone who is really
interested in
knowing what's going on in the world, or to enlighten those who should --
or
think they do. G They should, though, also be given some introduction to
SWL
as well as help in identifying, even finding, major SW stations (guides,
schedules, Web links, etc.)

Anyhow, when not in use, I keep mine and its paperwork in a ZipLoc
sandwich
bag.

73,
Bill, K5BY

Here's a link to this SWR..

http://www.johnsonsmith.com/website/...?UID=200307240
6511726&item_no=26814&keyword=radio&cat_keyword=&s earch_page_no=1

In article , "Brenda Ann"
writes:

"WShoots1" wrote in message
...
The only downer is that, although there is enough extension past each end
of
the advertised SW bands to cover the daytime and some nighttime U.S.
frequencies, there is no coverage at all for some of the nighttime ones.
Actual
band stop-to-stop coverage:

SW1 5.84 --- 6.47
SW2 6.86 --- 7.56
SW3 9.29 - 10.30
SW4 11.38 - 12.50
SW5 13.34 - 14.35
SW6 14.78 - 15.84
SW7 17.11 - 18.33
AM 518 - 1723
FM 87.9 - 107.9

I betcha I could expand the bands beyond those limits, especially if it's
using standard LC tuned circuits. If the display is really a frequency
counter, this would be no problem, as it should track the LO no matter how
far it's spread. Is this catalog available online? I would like to pick
one up to experiment with.

Here's a link to this SWR..

http://www.johnsonsmith.com/website/...?UID=200307240
6511726&item_no=26814&keyword=radio&cat_keyword=& search_page_no=1

I didn't realize that great company was still in business.
Get one of these too:

http://www.johnsonsmith.com/website/...arch_page_no=2

--
Col. I.P. Yurin
Commissariat of Internal Security

Stakhanovite
Order of Lenin (1937)
Hero of Socialist Labor (1939)

"Roger" the clock, I.P. G

I erred on the price. It's $19.98. G Plus S&H, of course.

I've bought stuff from them before. Their service has alway been first rate.

About this radio, I ordered it sometime Monday. I got a message from them at
Midnight, just before I signed off, saying my order had been shipped. G I
paid for Fed Ex -- and I got the radio Wednesday Noon.

BTW It has a sturdy whip antenna. And I suppose the range of a band could be
shifted.

Anyhow, I'm ordering two more, for the two kidsfor whom I got the B&H's for
(for which I had to provide individual calibration tables. LOL).

Bill, K5BY

Kim: It's so tiny - not a complaint.

Roger, understand. It's about the size of a paperback book, but a little
shorter. My bulky wallet is almost as big. Its LCD display is easy for my old
eyes to read.

Using stereo headphones, I checked the audio at the output jack. Although it is
NOT stereo output, apparently it IS divided output, useful for those who want
or need a split audio output. To make sure, I compared it with my eTraveller
VII -- while Scherazade (sp) was being played by one of my two area classical
FM stations. G

Regarding this jWIN's audio quality, I may have been a bit generous in my
appraisal. It is indeed good, but "very good" I should have reserved for, say,
my eTR7 -- while it sits in its reflex-designed stand.

Bill, K5BY