Damn. My laptop must have a lead case because they X-ray it all the
time.

On Thu, 25 Sep 2003 01:52:31 GMT, "Warpcore" wrote:

Yes, they use x-rays which will damage computer chips. I suppose you could
carry it in your hand and let them look in the inside to see there is no
bomb, but I just don't know. In order to protect it from x-rays, it would
need to be encased in lead, and you know they would have a fit if they saw
something on their machine that xrays would not penetrate. In order to be
sure, you might need to contact someone in the department that does
screening and see what they say about a shortwave radio.

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

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

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

For a really good U/VHF antenna, I recommend a Diamond RH77CA, and the Rat
Shack antenna is collapsible. Both are lightweight, and both will slip into
a pack easily. The RH77CA is 15 inches long. Best bet for backpacking/travel
would be the RS antenna. Collapsed, it's 6.5 inches, fully extended, about
26. The radio is about 4.25 x 2.25 X 1.5 inches, approximately. One thing I
use with my radio is a solar battery charger I got at REI a few years back.
Has a meter installed on it and recharges up to 4 AA's at a time. It was on
a closeout and I got the last two in the store. Really saves on lugging
batteries around. Just a thought. Eric

(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

Rambler wrote:

(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



I think "what gives" is the salesman had instructions from his boss
on what they need to push because of the profit margin, and maybe the
Yaesu ain't it. That is no reflection on how good a radio it may be.

Shortwave ain't Dolby Surround high fidelity by any means. Assuming
good reception and decoding of the signal, a receiver can give you some
definite advantages for listening, but as far as audio quality,
shortwave is, well, "shortwave". His comment that the Yaesu was "no
good for listening" because it is a receiver is nonsense. At best, he
figured you'd play with the SW bands for 20 minutes the first day, and
listen to FM from that time forward.
At worst - and I still think this is it - he was trying to steer you
toward something with a better profit margin, or perhaps the store was
overstocked with, and wants to clear out. His comment about "no good
for listening"
is nonsensical, and also implys he thinks you are a moron - which you
obviously aren't, you've done your homework well.

Bottom line: Buy what YOU really want. And unless you can't beat
the price, don't buy it there.

Tony


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Rambler schrieb:

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?

Very simple. Scanners just don't feel at home on shortwave. These things
are built for higher frequencies with high sensitivity and the
respective modes (narrow/wide FM, AM). On shortwave, usual scanners are
either rather deaf or overloaded very easily, or both. (If you want to
see a rather inexpensive rig (hi) that combines both worlds, look at the
Icom IC-R8500 or AOR AR5000.) If you aren't entirely spoiled by digital
stuff, get a decent dual conversion analog set like a Sony ICF-SW22 or
its predecessor ICF-SW20. These measure just 11.5 x 7.3 x 2.8 cm^3 and
weigh ~210 grams. No 22 meters though. Other mini radios? The ATS-606A
you mentioned is quite decent AFAIK. No idea 'bout the Grundig, not sold
here. The Sony ICF-SW30 is quite usable reception wise, but the
operation...

Stephan
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