FRG100B or R75 w/DSP?
 

It's time for a new receiver, and can't decide between
the FRG100B and R75. Right now, aesham.com has both
(including the DSP unit for the R75) for the same price.

I've looked at online reviews and comparisons.... some
folks like one, some folks like the other, and I'm stumped.
Also live a couple of hundred miles from nowhere, so
going to a dealer to listen to them is not a possibility.

Any guidance?

-fb-

R75 with DSP. You get sync and the DSP plus a keypad. The Frog has no
keypad. Having had both not being a fan of either the R75 is the better
performer and you will stand a better change of pulling out the tough signal
with the R75. You can also add filters later to enhance perfromance
depending on your listening tasts.

Greg
"funkbastler" wrote in message
...
It's time for a new receiver, and can't decide between
the FRG100B and R75. Right now, aesham.com has both
(including the DSP unit for the R75) for the same price.

I've looked at online reviews and comparisons.... some
folks like one, some folks like the other, and I'm stumped.
Also live a couple of hundred miles from nowhere, so
going to a dealer to listen to them is not a possibility.

Any guidance?

-fb-

funkbastler wrote in
:


I have both. It's nearly a tie. I got both of my units from AES, the R-75
is the recent addition, and it came with the free DSP. I know that you'll
get posts extolling the superiority of the R-75, but seriously, it isn't
superior.

As I learn the R-75, the operation becomes easier. At first, I had as
much trouble with it as I did with the FRG-100. Though the keypad makes
frequency entry easier, the older analog sets didn't have a keypad, and
people actually survived. I find myself using the TS (Tune Speed?)
setting on the R-75 anyway, and tuning it as I would the FRG-100.

When you use the dial, just as when you use your computer to browse the
internet, you tend to find other interesting frequencies on the way to
your target frequency. If you had the exact URLs for every page on the
internet, rather than finding desired sites through a search engine,
you'd miss most of the fun. Arguably, if you don't have the keypad, you
can't tune with it, and it sounds like a major shortcoming, but it's
really not.

Even though the R-75 has more trinkets, variable display light with
several settings, (FRG-100 has bright and dim), the squelch control can
be converted into a RF gain control easily in the set-up, it has a pre-
amp 1 and 2, selectable antenna inputs (front panel select antenna 1 or
2), and the dual Pass Band Tuning, I get similar performance with my
Yaesu FRG-100B.

If I had to part with one of them, I get rid of the Icom R-75, but more
so because I'm addicted to Yaesu radios than because of lack of
performance on the R-75s part.

Of the two radios, my R-75 has the free DSP, which I installed with some
frustration, and my Yaesu FRG-100B has a (wide) AM filter that I bought
with it and easily installed myself. I believe it was the 6 KHz filter,
but it seems to come with the radio now.

http://www.aesham.com/display_pages/frg100b.shtml

http://www.aesham.com/display_pages/r75.shtml

I'm sure you'll love either one.

Have fun.

Regards


It's time for a new receiver, and can't decide between
the FRG100B and R75. Right now, aesham.com has both
(including the DSP unit for the R75) for the same price.

I've looked at online reviews and comparisons.... some
folks like one, some folks like the other, and I'm stumped.
Also live a couple of hundred miles from nowhere, so
going to a dealer to listen to them is not a possibility.

Any guidance?

-fb-


--
Never say never.
Nothing is absolute.

"grenner" wrote in
:

Boy, I knew the old superiority of the sync detector issue was coming.

Radio Netheralnds, of the R-75, has this to say:

http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/icr75.html

"What is the singular failing of this receiver? In our opinion, there is
virtually no difference between synchronous AM and AM reception. The
synchronous mode includes both sidebands; there is no option to choose
the lower or upper sideband. The Lowe HF-150 synchronous modes and
performance are far superior. We urge that ICOM correct the synchronous
performance in future models and make available a retrofit ROM available
to current customers.

Fortunately all is not lost here. As the receiver's SSB reception is
quite good, in difficult or crowded band conditions, we simply tune in
the appropriate sideband of the desired signal and, if necessary, adjust
the PBT controls."

Of the second paragraph, the same applies to the FRG-100B.

Regards


R75 with DSP. You get sync and the DSP plus a keypad. The Frog has
no keypad. Having had both not being a fan of either the R75 is the
better performer and you will stand a better change of pulling out the
tough signal with the R75. You can also add filters later to enhance
perfromance depending on your listening tasts.

Greg
"funkbastler" wrote in message
...
--
Never say never.
Nothing is absolute.

I've also got both of them, and I do favor the FRG100. The R75 is a very
good receiver, and it does use better circuit boards (FR4, glass epoxy), but
I like the style of the FRG100 a little better. Using a good signal
generator (Boonton 103D), the sensitivity is about the same on both of them.
My only objection to the R75 is that "large front mounted speaker". It would
be ok to have that size speaker in a manpack transceiver, but in a tabletop
radio? I just don't think so!
I did pick up a Drake SW8 at the last hamfest, and it also seems to be a
good unit. Another unit to consider is the Palstar R30. While the R30 is
what I would refer to as a "barebones" no frill type of receiver, it does
have the best sounding audio out of these receivers. If I were to rate the
receivers in terms of audio, I would rate them in this order: #1) Palstar
R30,
#2) Drake SW8, #3) Yaesu FRG100, and #4 Icom R75. In terms of sensitivity, I
would rate them in this order #1) FRG100,
#2) Icom R75, #3) Palstar R30, and #4) Drake SW8. In terms of sensitivity,
we are really splitting hairs here, but the audio quality is a different
story. I would say, go with the one that you feel the most comfortable with.

Pete

Soliloquy wrote in message
4...
funkbastler wrote in
:


I have both. It's nearly a tie. I got both of my units from AES, the R-75
is the recent addition, and it came with the free DSP. I know that you'll
get posts extolling the superiority of the R-75, but seriously, it isn't
superior.

As I learn the R-75, the operation becomes easier. At first, I had as
much trouble with it as I did with the FRG-100. Though the keypad makes
frequency entry easier, the older analog sets didn't have a keypad, and
people actually survived. I find myself using the TS (Tune Speed?)
setting on the R-75 anyway, and tuning it as I would the FRG-100.

When you use the dial, just as when you use your computer to browse the
internet, you tend to find other interesting frequencies on the way to
your target frequency. If you had the exact URLs for every page on the
internet, rather than finding desired sites through a search engine,
you'd miss most of the fun. Arguably, if you don't have the keypad, you
can't tune with it, and it sounds like a major shortcoming, but it's
really not.

Even though the R-75 has more trinkets, variable display light with
several settings, (FRG-100 has bright and dim), the squelch control can
be converted into a RF gain control easily in the set-up, it has a pre-
amp 1 and 2, selectable antenna inputs (front panel select antenna 1 or
2), and the dual Pass Band Tuning, I get similar performance with my
Yaesu FRG-100B.

If I had to part with one of them, I get rid of the Icom R-75, but more
so because I'm addicted to Yaesu radios than because of lack of
performance on the R-75s part.

Of the two radios, my R-75 has the free DSP, which I installed with some
frustration, and my Yaesu FRG-100B has a (wide) AM filter that I bought
with it and easily installed myself. I believe it was the 6 KHz filter,
but it seems to come with the radio now.

http://www.aesham.com/display_pages/frg100b.shtml

http://www.aesham.com/display_pages/r75.shtml

I'm sure you'll love either one.

Have fun.

Regards


It's time for a new receiver, and can't decide between
the FRG100B and R75. Right now, aesham.com has both
(including the DSP unit for the R75) for the same price.

I've looked at online reviews and comparisons.... some
folks like one, some folks like the other, and I'm stumped.
Also live a couple of hundred miles from nowhere, so
going to a dealer to listen to them is not a possibility.

Any guidance?

-fb-


--
Never say never.
Nothing is absolute.

funkbastler, if you prefer local radio announcers whilst watching sports on
television, you'll find the R-75 does a better job neutralizing heterodyne buzz
than that Century Frog. R-75s need audio-n-sync cap mods to maximize their
performance(even with cap mods, sync performance is better on m.w. than s.w.).
And, with certain i.f. configurations, the R-75's pass band tuning is nixed,
unlike the Century Frog(via i.f. shift capibility). Those extra 50 presets on
the R-75 come in handy, though. F.M. reception is included on the R-75, whereas
it's an extra $50 add-on with the Century Frog. Whichever receiver you choose,
you'll find exemplary performance.

elg110254 wrote:

funkbastler, if you prefer local radio announcers whilst watching sports on
television, you'll find the R-75 does a better job neutralizing heterodyne buzz
than that Century Frog. R-75s need audio-n-sync cap mods to maximize their
performance(even with cap mods, sync performance is better on m.w. than s.w.).
And, with certain i.f. configurations, the R-75's pass band tuning is nixed,
unlike the Century Frog(via i.f. shift capibility). Those extra 50 presets on
the R-75 come in handy, though. F.M. reception is included on the R-75, whereas
it's an extra $50 add-on with the Century Frog. Whichever receiver you choose,
you'll find exemplary performance.



Just a quick addemndum to lq's fine post: The R-75 does indeed
include
FM capability, but it does not cover the FM *broadcast* band of
88-108mHz.

Tony


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R75 without DSP!

Maurizio

"Maurizio Bonfanti" wrote in news:S0ajb.39620
:

You're Italian all right. The R-75 comes with a free DSP, are you
suggesting that he emphatically refuses it, perhaps giving it to a DSP
starved child in Africa?

What about getting the FREE DSP, but then not using it, or using it
selectively?

Regards. (I still like the FRG-100 better)




R75 without DSP!

Maurizio



--
Never say never.
Nothing is absolute.

Thanks everyone.

Have ordered the R75 - and to keep Maurizio happy,
I'll try not to use the DSP very much ;-)

-fb-

Hi

The FRG-100 is an excellent receiver for the money, even out of the
box. With the addition of the Kiwa filter and audio upgrades, it
becomes a much better receiver. I also have an Icom R71, and the
FRG-100 matches it for performance. It has better sensitivity than the
Icom, but fewer features.

I have also tested it alongside a Kenwood R5000, and again the FRG-100
matched it. Although it doesn't have passband tuning or IF shift,
unlike the R71 or R5000, the adjustable ssb offset feature on the
FRG-100 seemed to work just as well as either of these on SSB.

Cheers

Andy

funkbastler wrote in
:


Well, any luck getting it yet? When I order from AES, I live in Pittsburgh,
and AES has a store in Cleveland. 95% of the time, if I order by 5:00 PM
one night, I get the item the next day. It's not express shipping either,
just happens to be in the UPS delivery zone that arrives in Pittsburgh
every night.

Let us know how it works out.

Regards.

Thanks everyone.

Have ordered the R75 - and to keep Maurizio happy,
I'll try not to use the DSP very much ;-)

-fb-





--
Never say never.
Nothing is absolute.

On Sun, 19 Oct 2003 12:42:40 -0000, Soliloquy
wrote:

funkbastler wrote in
:


Well, any luck getting it yet? When I order from AES, I live in Pittsburgh,
and AES has a store in Cleveland. 95% of the time, if I order by 5:00 PM
one night, I get the item the next day. It's not express shipping either,
just happens to be in the UPS delivery zone that arrives in Pittsburgh
every night.

Let us know how it works out.


Shipped from Denver on Tuesday, delivered by UPS in McAlester, OK,
(southeast part of the state) on Thursday (note: that's less time
than it takes FedEx to deliver a package, *after* the package has
arrived in town, but that's another story).

Haven't installed the DSP unit yet, and right now it's sitting in
the living room with 10 feet of wire strung across the ceiling for
an antenna. With that little bit of wire, it's fairly deaf - which
is what I'd expect. Plan to use an existing run of coax from the
living room out to the old C-band dish, and put up an inverted vee
out there. First, have to move out the old dish, then have to find
a support high enough, sturdy enough, and cheap enough to support
the antenna (without guying). This is gonna take a few days ;-)

It's already apparent that the AM filter(s) are not sharp enough
to eliminate the splatter from KNED when listening to KFAQ, and
I thought they would be - my old Kenwood TS-940 handles the problem
quite nicely..... may have to build a loop and hook it up to the
second antenna input to take care of that problem.

-fb-

funkbastler wrote in
:

On Sun, 19 Oct 2003 12:42:40 -0000, Soliloquy
wrote:

funkbastler wrote in
m:

Did you try using it in the SSB mode, then rotating the Passband dials
from their normally centered position in either direction? You would need
to rotate both dials the same amount in the same direction, I believe
that the manual says that this is analogous to shifting the IF. You may
be able to shift it far enough to avoid the splatter while still keeping
sufficient clarity.

Regards



It's already apparent that the AM filter(s) are not sharp enough
to eliminate the splatter from KNED when listening to KFAQ, and
I thought they would be - my old Kenwood TS-940 handles the problem
quite nicely..... may have to build a loop and hook it up to the
second antenna input to take care of that problem.

-fb-