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r5000 or r71a
I've always been interested in SW radio as a listener and have decided to get more serious about it to see just how strong my interest really is. As a start, I want to get a good used radio, and it seems like the Kenwood R5000 or the ICOM R71A are very popular. It looks to me like the ICOM has more features, such as CW, RTTY, and a superior notch filter. This makes me believe it is aimed at the more serious user. Two web sites that review receivers rate the R71A slightly higher than the R5000. So, I would expect R71A's to be in higher demand, but it seem to be the opposite. R5000's seem to sell at higher prices and I see R71A owners wanting to trade for R5000's. What am I missing? Which would be a better radio for a beginner? I will probably start out with DX and broadcast, but may want to grow into other areas. Thanks for any advice. Jer |
Jerry wrote: I've always been interested in SW radio as a listener and have decided to get more serious about it to see just how strong my interest really is. As a start, I want to get a good used radio, and it seems like the Kenwood R5000 or the ICOM R71A are very popular. It looks to me like the ICOM has more features, such as CW, RTTY, and a superior notch filter. This makes me believe it is aimed at the more serious user. Two web sites that review receivers rate the R71A slightly higher than the R5000. So, I would expect R71A's to be in higher demand, but it seem to be the opposite. R5000's seem to sell at higher prices and I see R71A owners wanting to trade for R5000's. What am I missing? Which would be a better radio for a beginner? I will probably start out with DX and broadcast, but may want to grow into other areas. Thanks for any advice. Jer The R5000, better audio, and it will also receive CW and RTTY. |
i like my r71. a lot.
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i like my r71. a lot.
Me too. You won't go wrong with the R71a. Try to find one with the expanded memory mod, and pass band tuning, although I believe you can still buy the memory board. jw wb9uai Icom R71a, Kenwood R1000, Palstar R30 |
I have the Willco Electronics 1024 memory board and it's really a great
product. Instead of the usual 32 memories, when the board is installed not only do you get over 1,000 memories [great for utility listening] you get the no-fault battery upgrade. By the way, there are some 71-A's without the PBT; you gotta look for it. I have the one without. I don't miss it much. I'm planning on getting a DSP-9 unit for the rig eventually. I've heard great things about Dave Hershberger's [W9GR] above unit...even way back in 1993! Alain Jerry wrote: I've always been interested in SW radio as a listener and have decided to get more serious about it to see just how strong my interest really is. As a start, I want to get a good used radio, and it seems like the Kenwood R5000 or the ICOM R71A are very popular. It looks to me like the ICOM has more features, such as CW, RTTY, and a superior notch filter. This makes me believe it is aimed at the more serious user. Two web sites that review receivers rate the R71A slightly higher than the R5000. So, I would expect R71A's to be in higher demand, but it seem to be the opposite. R5000's seem to sell at higher prices and I see R71A owners wanting to trade for R5000's. What am I missing? Which would be a better radio for a beginner? I will probably start out with DX and broadcast, but may want to grow into other areas. Thanks for any advice. Jer |
where can i get this memory board and what is the price. what do you mean no
battery faults? |
When the lithium battery dies, so does the radio. You need to send the
control board out to Icom, and have the board reprogrammed after they replace the battery. Kind of like paying rent. There was an aftermarket company that supplied nonvolatile memory boards to replace the old one. LHogan5782 wrote in message ... where can i get this memory board and what is the price. what do you mean no battery faults? |
"A.Pismo Clam" wrote:
By the way, there are some 71-A's without the PBT; you gotta look for it. I have the one without. I don't miss it much. I'm planning on getting a DSP-9 unit for the rig eventually. The PBT tuning can be restored on your R71-A. It requires adding a potentiometer, the PBT IF filter and a few other componants. The following URL has an article on how to do it. Scroll down to the paragraph that starts with- "In the IC-R71A, the dual PBT/Notch control is replaced with a single (for Notch only)." http://www.carcanada.net/dx/R71A.txt -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =----- http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! -----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =----- |
http://www.willcoele.com/
LHogan5782 wrote: where can i get this memory board and what is the price. what do you mean no battery faults? |
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In article ,
LHogan5782 wrote: where can i get this memory board and what is the price. what do you mean no battery faults? One alternative might be http://www.piexx.com/cgi-bin/piexx.c...=7351684.26389 They also have a UX-14 replica (so that you can steer your radio from a computer) http://www.piexx.com/cgi-bin/piexx.c...=7351684.26389 I have not tried these myself, so I do not know if they are good or not. /Lars -- Lars E. Pettersson | Chalmers University of Technology | Gothenburg, SWEDEN |
The level of performance of the two receivers is about the same. The
R5000 has better audio, but the Kiwa audio fix for the R71 makes a lot of difference and isn't difficult to install. The R71 is much more user friendly in my opinion. The keyboard on the R5000 is horible.. Both are fine receivers Andy |
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Jerry schrieb:
I've always been interested in SW radio as a listener and have decided to get more serious about it to see just how strong my interest really is. As a start, I want to get a good used radio, and it seems like the Kenwood R5000 or the ICOM R71A are very popular. AFAIK the Icom has rather high distortion in AM, which means it's more a ham/ute thing (when unmodified at least). Age related problems: The infamous lithium battery - doesn't seem to be flat too frequently (yet), but when it does it takes the firmware with it and you have to get the thing reprogrammed at Icom. The Kenwood apparently has good audio and is more a program listener thing, though the keyboard isn't all too appealing with its non-standard layout. Standard 6 kHz AM filter isn't too bad, but for DX the replacement YK88A-1 should be chosen. Age related problems: Tuning knob seizure. Good replacement crystal filters exist for both. (The respective 2nd IF is 8.83 MHz for the Kenwood, 9 MHz for the Icom. No, these 80s beasts don't use 455 kHz as last IF for AM/SSB yet, just as 3rd IF for for FM, which means good replacement filters virtually have to be crystal ones. The current IC-R75 uses a 2nd IF of 9.0115 MHz and a 3rd IF of 455 kHz, and allows using filters on both. The AR7030 also uses cascaded filters, all on 455 kHz in this case. Drake's R8/A/B uses a 2nd IF on 50 kHz to implement good coil filters - those in the R7 had a form factor of around 2, which is very good for this type of filters.) Stephan -- Home: http://stephan.win31.de/ | Webm.: http://www.i24.com/ PC#6: i440LX, 2xCel300A, 448 MB, 18 GB, ATI AGP 32 MB, 110W This is a SCSI-inside, Legacy-plus, TCPA-free computer :) Reply to newsgroup only. | See home page for working e-mail address. |
= = = BDK
= = = wrote in message ... In article , says... Oh yeah, that keyboard is really annoying, and they tend to get squirelly whenthey get older too sometimes. I hate the R5000's tuning knob too, why no finger hole?? BDK BDK, There is a product "FingerDimple" that is available - - - to 'improve' the R-5000's Tuning Knob. Read "Spinner knob for R5000" Meassage #401 - - - on the 'Kenwood R-5000' eGroup on YAHOO ! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kenwood-r5000/message/401 ~ RHF .. .. |
AFAIK the Icom has rather high distortion in AM, which means it's more a
ham/ute thing (when unmodified at least). I use my Kiwa audio upgraded R71a 95% on AM and have no trouble. A friend of mine has a completely stock radio and I could never find fault with it. Depends on how critical your ears are I guess. jw wb9uai |
I use my Kiwa audio upgraded R71a 95% on AM and have no trouble. A friend of
mine has a completely stock radio and I could never find fault with it. Depends on how critical your ears are I guess. jw wb9uai Hi My receiver has the Kiwa audio mod and I have absolutely no complaints with it. I also replaced the stock wide filter with an LFH2SK 3.7 KHz filter from Kiwa. Even with a narrow bandwidth such as this, I can get very acceptable audio quality by turning the passband tuning knob to either the 10 or 2 o'clock position. It sounds at least as good as my Kiwa modified (filters and expanded audio upgrade) FRG-100 using the 6 Khz bandwidth. The R71 is a fine receiver and I personally wouldn't trade it in for anything else. Cheers Andy |
Have to agree with Andy there...I wouldn't trade my R71A for anything. I
bought the new R75 and it sits on top of that - I park one and drive the other. Absolutely fantastic radios in my opinion...both of them john kf4anc "Jerry" wrote in message ... I've always been interested in SW radio as a listener and have decided to get more serious about it to see just how strong my interest really is. As a start, I want to get a good used radio, and it seems like the Kenwood R5000 or the ICOM R71A are very popular. It looks to me like the ICOM has more features, such as CW, RTTY, and a superior notch filter. This makes me believe it is aimed at the more serious user. Two web sites that review receivers rate the R71A slightly higher than the R5000. So, I would expect R71A's to be in higher demand, but it seem to be the opposite. R5000's seem to sell at higher prices and I see R71A owners wanting to trade for R5000's. What am I missing? Which would be a better radio for a beginner? I will probably start out with DX and broadcast, but may want to grow into other areas. Thanks for any advice. Jer |
Hi John
As you have both the R71 and R75, how do you find they compare? DSP aside, is there much difference in their performance? Have either of your radios had any mods or options installed? Cheers and enjoy your radios Andy |
Both radios have their assets, I have the newer 71 with pbt but the pbt on
the 75 is a finer adjustment for me anyway...the R75 is an improvement in many aspects - I think better sensitivity and selectivity - front end is not as sensitive to overload. The DSP is a nice touch and the only after-market addition I have added - it came free with radio from Gigaparts. Sure does clean up the sound on the 75...but I like both radios a whole lot. Though the 75 has a few more features, the 71 stands alone on its own merit. You can't go wrong with either radio:) john "Andy Bown" wrote in message m... Hi John As you have both the R71 and R75, how do you find they compare? DSP aside, is there much difference in their performance? Have either of your radios had any mods or options installed? Cheers and enjoy your radios Andy |
On Tue, 07 Oct 2003 13:08:00 +0200, Stephan Grossklass
wrote: No, these 80s beasts don't use 455 kHz as last IF for AM/SSB yet, just as 3rd IF for for FM, which means good replacement filters virtually have to be crystal ones. The current IC-R75 uses a 2nd IF of 9.0115 MHz and a 3rd IF of 455 kHz, and allows using filters on both. Actually, the architecture of the R75 is derived from the R71A (I have one of each, and service manuals with schematics for the R71A and for my IC-751A, whose receiver section is, basically, an R71A). All have an up-conversion 1st IF, followed by 9MHz 2nd IF and 455kHz 3rd IF. Both my R71A and my 751A have Collins mechanical filters which I installed in their 455kHz IFs. The R75 is basically a cost-reduced R71A, with decent audio (relative to the muddy audio of the R71A) and with dual PBT which is an improvement on the less flexible PBT on the R71A (and 751A). All are excellent utility monitoring receivers, with the R75 having slightly higher sensitivity and a slightly better noise floor. The R75 can also be used as a decent SWL broadcast listening receiver. None of the three can stand up to an RX340, but then again their combined cost is less. Good listening, Al ================================================= Location: 42N39, 71W09 (Near Boston, MA) HF Antennas: 65ft TFD, 45ft T2FD, 28ft vertical, 65ft doublet HF Receivers: Ten-Tec RX340, RX320, Harris R2368, Cubic R3030A Decoders: Code300-32, Universal M-8000, PK-232MBX/DSP ================================================= |
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