You might check around and see about getting a Yaesu VR-500. I got mine on
eBay for under $200 (135?). I've seen them under 200 other places. It is
SMALL. Fits in the palm of your hand. Has the weather channels already
programmed in. Covers 100 Khz to 1,300 Mhz with some gaps (US version). Runs
on two AA batteries. Has AM/WFM/NFM/USB/LSB and NAM can be added witha few
keystrokes. 1,000 programmable channels, and a BandScope. But don't use the
supplied antenna. Get a good UHF/VHF antenna and the Radio Shack collapsible
antenna for SW. Just my two centavo's.....Eric

On Thu, 25 Sep 2003 05:11:15 GMT, Eric Ferguson wrote:
You might check around and see about getting a Yaesu VR-500. I got mine on
eBay for under $200 (135?). I've seen them under 200 other places. It is
SMALL. Fits in the palm of your hand. Has the weather channels already
programmed in. Covers 100 Khz to 1,300 Mhz with some gaps (US version). Runs
on two AA batteries. Has AM/WFM/NFM/USB/LSB and NAM can be added witha few
keystrokes. 1,000 programmable channels, and a BandScope. But don't use the
supplied antenna. Get a good UHF/VHF antenna and the Radio Shack collapsible
antenna for SW. Just my two centavo's.....Eric


- have to echo the recommendation about the vr-500... very nice...

- take a little wire with a clip and you can leave the stock antenna
home (i soldered a clip onto a BNC connector and that's what i use)

- runs for a long time on 2 AAs and does it all ... you forgot CW, btw!

- the NAM mode will be very helpful if you listen to broadcast AM

- the leather case is pricey, but not too bad...

- alternatively, try the vr-120d - no keypad, but does a nice job
(like the vr-500) at scanning all freqs and SW - runs for a
looooooooonnnnnnnng time on AAs! a bit cheaper than the vr-500

- if you got the vr-500 for $135, you got a steal!

:-)

You right, I DID forget the CW. Narrow AM is a MUST, both on AM and SW.

For anyone who doesn't know, here's how to input the NAM function:

Press and hold 0,3,5,9 while turning the radio on. That's it. When you go to
the menu pages, you'll find it there and you can turn it on and off at will.
Didn't mention it before, but there is a good FREE program out there that
will let you program the radio through your computer and adds NAM as well.

Does the VR-120D have USB/LSB? I thought it didn't, one reason I bought the
'500.

And I DID get a steal on mine. It was a good eBay bid.

Eric KA6USJ

In article ,
Eric Ferguson wrote:
You right, I DID forget the CW. Narrow AM is a MUST, both on AM and SW.

For anyone who doesn't know, here's how to input the NAM function:

Press and hold 0,3,5,9 while turning the radio on. That's it. When you go to
the menu pages, you'll find it there and you can turn it on and off at will.
Didn't mention it before, but there is a good FREE program out there that
will let you program the radio through your computer and adds NAM as well.

Are we talking about the VR-500 or 120 here?

I just tried this on my VR-500 and it does not seem to make NAM mode
appear when you step through the available choices using the MODE button.
Am I missing something?

You did say backpacking, RIGHT?

I would suggest you buy a Grundig
Mini World 100 PE pocket radio and
leave the ATS-808 at home. Here's
a link http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...able/4040.html
BTW, you can pick up this radio at
REI for $30.

Another alternative, is the Yaesu VR-120D.
Ham Radio Outlet had this radio for $120
last time I looked, a lot cheaper than
the Yaesu VR-500.

Tom Welch

The VR-120 is good, but it doesn't have SSB reception. Just mentioning it
in case you use that mode.

For either the 120 or the 500, you will DEFINITELY need a better antenna for
SW (telescopic whip, reel wire, etc.)! The stock antennas are only good for
VHF/UHF.

(sorry for the e-mail, Tom...meant to reply to the group...)

- Doug


"Tom Welch" wrote in message
om...
You did say backpacking, RIGHT?

I would suggest you buy a Grundig
Mini World 100 PE pocket radio and
leave the ATS-808 at home. Here's
a link http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...able/4040.html
BTW, you can pick up this radio at
REI for $30.

Another alternative, is the Yaesu VR-120D.
Ham Radio Outlet had this radio for $120
last time I looked, a lot cheaper than
the Yaesu VR-500.

Tom Welch

(Tom Welch) wrote in message . com...
I would suggest you buy a Grundig
Mini World 100 PE pocket radio

The Grundig was on my short list, but I am leaning away and towards a
digital that would be about the same size. BTW, Brookstone carries the
radio also for $30.

Another alternative, is the Yaesu VR-120D.
Ham Radio Outlet had this radio for $120
last time I looked, a lot cheaper than
the Yaesu VR-500.

OK, I went by this establishment today to look at the VRs. I explained
what I was looking for and the sales person pushed me towards a
Grundig eTraveler. I told him that you all had suggested the Yaesus
and he said "Those are no good for shortwave, they are receivers." I
asked him to explain the difference and he said "You want a radio that
you can listen to. Those receivers are for enthusiasts."
Can you explain the difference here to me? I realize that the
receivers cover a much broader spectrum than the world band radios do.
But is the sound quality really crappy? Will I need to go back to
school to learn to use it?

Is a receiver not just a shortwave, scanner, and nautical radio all
rolled into one?

A VR-120D sounds interesting...weather band, shortwave,sideband, new
frequencies to learn about in the future...

But it seems like a line has been drawn between these radios and
normal shortwaves that people rarely cross.

What gives?

Rambler

His comment was a little weird, but what he may have meant was that the
audio in the VR-500 is not great because of the small speaker (small package
means small speaker). If you use headphones, the point is moot.

It also sounds like he's being overly discriminating with the term
"receiver". Receiver is a general term for any equipment that receives and
demodulates radio signals. All of the radios you are talking about are also
receivers--the Grundigs, Sangeans, Sonys, etc.

The VRs are considered "communications receivers" because of the wide range
they cover and, in the case of the VR-500, more flexible step sizes, higher
frequency resolution for fine tuning, more memories and the capability for
all analog receive modes (AM/NAM/FM/WFM/SSB/CW). They may be overkill for
just SW listening (especially the VR-500)--they are intended more for hams
and scanner types.

SW receivers tend to be geared toward broadcast reception only, but even
some of the SW receivers offer SSB mode, which can be used for listening to
hams and utility services (in that case, they are being used more like
"communications receivers"). The frequency step sizes tend to be limited to
5 kHz/1 kHz for SW broadcast, 9/10 kHz for AM broadcast and 50 or 100 kHz
for FM broadcast. Higher end SW receivers start to approach the
functionality of communications receivers, and the line between them becomes
blurred.

"Enthusiasts" tend to prefer receivers with more flexibility, whereas
"listeners" only require broadcast reception capability and prefer simpler
operation (these definitions are strictly mine...not everyone would agree).

Incidentally, the VR-120 does not have SSB capability.

- Doug


"Rambler" wrote in message
om...
(Tom Welch) wrote in message
. com...
OK, I went by this establishment today to look at the VRs. I explained
what I was looking for and the sales person pushed me towards a
Grundig eTraveler. I told him that you all had suggested the Yaesus
and he said "Those are no good for shortwave, they are receivers." I
asked him to explain the difference and he said "You want a radio that
you can listen to. Those receivers are for enthusiasts."
Can you explain the difference here to me? I realize that the
receivers cover a much broader spectrum than the world band radios do.
But is the sound quality really crappy? Will I need to go back to
school to learn to use it?

Is a receiver not just a shortwave, scanner, and nautical radio all
rolled into one?

A VR-120D sounds interesting...weather band, shortwave,sideband, new
frequencies to learn about in the future...

But it seems like a line has been drawn between these radios and
normal shortwaves that people rarely cross.

What gives?

Rambler

Rambler:

Whilst on the trails, Backpacking, How much time will you spend listening to
the radio ??
or just at night when camp is set up
or a combination of the two..

- Suggest good lighweight headphones and a Digital SWR with memories..


- Still, consider the 606A or the 404A or The e-Traveller..
& some exta wire as an external antenna;
THIS you can just wrap around your backpack..

Test all these sets out ( Yaesu too) before you set out
& finally buy one

AND carry a good, Ziplock bag or two for when it gets damp..

- JUst my 2 cents worth

Dan



In article ,
(Rambler) writes:


(Tom Welch) wrote in message
.com...
I would suggest you buy a Grundig
Mini World 100 PE pocket radio

The Grundig was on my short list, but I am leaning away and towards a
digital that would be about the same size. BTW, Brookstone carries the
radio also for $30.

Another alternative, is the Yaesu VR-120D.
Ham Radio Outlet had this radio for $120
last time I looked, a lot cheaper than
the Yaesu VR-500.

OK, I went by this establishment today to look at the VRs. I explained
what I was looking for and the sales person pushed me towards a
Grundig eTraveler. I told him that you all had suggested the Yaesus
and he said "Those are no good for shortwave, they are receivers." I
asked him to explain the difference and he said "You want a radio that
you can listen to. Those receivers are for enthusiasts."
Can you explain the difference here to me? I realize that the
receivers cover a much broader spectrum than the world band radios do.
But is the sound quality really crappy? Will I need to go back to
school to learn to use it?

Is a receiver not just a shortwave, scanner, and nautical radio all
rolled into one?

A VR-120D sounds interesting...weather band, shortwave,sideband, new
frequencies to learn about in the future...

But it seems like a line has been drawn between these radios and
normal shortwaves that people rarely cross.

What gives?

Rambler

(Diverd4777) wrote in message ...
Rambler:

Whilst on the trails, Backpacking, How much time will you spend listening to
the radio ??

This radio will probably get used 80% travel and 10% backpacking and
then, mostly if it had the weather bands on it. I am not a big "radio
in the outdoors" guy and would just use it with earbuds as I went to
sleep in the tent. But the weatherband would add a safety margin to
extreme weather. I have a Oregon Scientific Portable Weather radio
that I carry now, but it is fairly large to not have at least AM/FM
built in. Do any of the small radios (other than the Yeasu VR-500)
have the weather bands AND shortwave? I haven't seen any.

Thanks for the help.
Rambler