In article FfPJb.277967$Ec1.9549073@bgtnsc05-
news.ops.worldnet.att.net, says...
That's good that they fixed it...........from your description, it sounds
like something similar to a Murata CFU-455 4-element filter was originally
used. It looks like a pretty cool radio.

Pete

BDK wrote in message
...
In article FwtIb.261170$Ec1.9025498@bgtnsc05-
news.ops.worldnet.att.net, says...
I remember the 545 as having ultimate rejection problems, and JRC not
having
any intention to fix them. This was a few years back. Did they resolve
that
issue?
My favorite JRC radio was the NRD515. Too bad the used price shot up so
high.

Pete

BDK wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...
In your opinion which radio is better?

The JRC NRD-545 or the Drake R8B?

Please explain why you think it is better. It is a tuff decission
deciding which to purchase.


The 545.

The Drake isn't bad, but it's very cheap feeling, and looking too,
IMO.

JRC has the best ergonomics of about any company out there, you will
be
using the radio you buy many hours, and that's where JRC has a huge
edge, and the Drake loses here big time. The controls are badly
(again,
my opinion) laid out, the display is "plain" at best, actually I think
it's really ugly. The case and front panel are very cheap looking, the
JRC is built like a tank, with excellent fit and finish. And once you
get the hang of it, it's a pleasure to use, even with all the extra
features. Is it perfect? No, but it's about as right, looks and layout
wise as you could ask for in a non Govt bought radio.

As far as performance goes, if you listen to AM programs, the Drake
does
sound better. I dont listen to them much, I mostly listen to Ute's and
the 545 is the king. If only I could afford one. I have spent a lot of
hours playing with a friend's 545, and have spent a lot of time with
another friend's R8A and R8B. I was never tempted to buy either one.
The
545 is something I want, and want badly.

For digital and SSB modes, the 545 is the way to go, especially the
later production ones.

You owe yourself a trip to Universal to play with both.

BDK




I know there is is a mod to the 545 that minimizes the "Monkey Chatter",
I think that FL2 (A sugar cube sized "filter") is replaced, if I
remember right. It's supposed to help a lot. I dont really care what it
does on AM, I used it in the SSB/Rtty/Fax modes for a long time before I
ever noticed it. I love my 515, I will keep it till I die....

BDK



I think, but I'm not positive that you are correct, the 525, 535, and
545 all used a tiny Murata 3/8" cube for the second filter. I know my
525 is a lot better when listening to something close to another freq
since I did the Kiwa upgrade. I didn't really like the doublestick tape
that came with it to mount the replacement, it seemed inferior to the
tape I had so I went and used it instead. I had always wondered if FL2
was worth replacing, and it was..

BDK

Well, as far as QC in manufacturing goes, it is undeniable that
Japan went to the extreme . Exported products (electric and electronic)
manufactured and shipped to the USA were tested so thoroughly I never
saw a defective one (other than dropped or crushed ) while doing QC in a
distribution and repair facility here. Warranty repair is another story-
practicaly ALL (!) Japanese- consumer products went bad after 2-3 years
of normal use (we are talkng about 25 years ago). Reasons are many,
but usually because the components were underrated and eventually their
products failed ,sometimes catastrophically...
As far as JRC goes, it is a maritime radio manufacturer, and as such it
designs its products to work very reliably and to last a long time. My
NRD 505 (amateur grade) is some radio , though it sounds muffled when
compared to Drake R 7 ( audio is supreme on a wide bandwith, especially
8KHz). R 8 is no match to either one ,though. NRD 515--------545 are
good ,but audio is only telephone grade. Their last 3 models have
plastic front panels- get scratched easy and lettering disappears
rather quickly. Excellent RF circuitry ,tough designs.

In article ,
says...
Well, as far as QC in manufacturing goes, it is undeniable that
Japan went to the extreme . Exported products (electric and electronic)
manufactured and shipped to the USA were tested so thoroughly I never
saw a defective one (other than dropped or crushed ) while doing QC in a
distribution and repair facility here. Warranty repair is another story-
practicaly ALL (!) Japanese- consumer products went bad after 2-3 years
of normal use (we are talkng about 25 years ago). Reasons are many,
but usually because the components were underrated and eventually their
products failed ,sometimes catastrophically...
As far as JRC goes, it is a maritime radio manufacturer, and as such it
designs its products to work very reliably and to last a long time. My
NRD 505 (amateur grade) is some radio , though it sounds muffled when
compared to Drake R 7 ( audio is supreme on a wide bandwith, especially
8KHz). R 8 is no match to either one ,though. NRD 515--------545 are
good ,but audio is only telephone grade. Their last 3 models have
plastic front panels- get scratched easy and lettering disappears
rather quickly. Excellent RF circuitry ,tough designs.



I've never seen a 525/535/545 that showed any really obvious wear,
except when really obviously abused. Just like any other brand of ham/SW
stuff. The main place wear shows on old 525's is the grey paint on the
black plastic gets rubbed through from callussed fingers if you "memory
channel surf" a lot. Mine had a slight amount of it when I bought it
used back in 1993 or so, and it's a little worse now. The other 525 I
had shows a lot of wear there, mostly due to the third owner's heavily
callussed fingers rubbing lightly on the top of the front panel while he
clicks through the 200 memories.

I've never seen anything JRC makes with missing lettering, including an
old tube type marine model some guy had at a hamfest. I wish I would
have bought it..

BDK

Arthur Pozner schrieb:


NRD 515--------545 are
good ,but audio is only telephone grade.

Just add a (stereo)amplifier or an 'active speakerbox' connected to the
line-out and you will be satisfied very much...
I use my 525 with an kenwood stereoamp (2nd hand buy) with integrated
equalizer and it sounds _g_r_e_a_t_ :-)
This solution is cheaper and more effective than the external speaker
made by JRC.

odo

Yes, plastic front panels do wear out from normal daily use. Even
metal front panels show "high mileage " similarly- practically all
unrestored R-390 and R-390As have big circles around MHz and KHz
knobs... BTW, NRD-505 is a
solid state replica ( same topology ) of R-390 ! The VFO is copied
quite well - same orange color sticker is present .
On the subject of good audio, recently I discovered that Sony 7600 has
incredible sound when fed through a good stereo (plus its synchronous
detection makes it even better). Each radio
has its own unique charismatic appeal.

That sounds like a good deal..............from your description, it sounds
like it might even be the CFWS-XXX 6-element series. That is used in quite a
few radios. I am using that filter in the MW receiver design right now, and
it does a good job. I might go along with the CFWS (now CFLW) 455I, which is
a 4kHz filter, especially with the sync detection mode. I always wanted to
get one of the 525s; they are cool receivers.

Pete

BDK wrote in message
...
In article FfPJb.277967$Ec1.9549073@bgtnsc05-
news.ops.worldnet.att.net, says...
That's good that they fixed it...........from your description, it
sounds
like something similar to a Murata CFU-455 4-element filter was
originally
used. It looks like a pretty cool radio.

Pete

BDK wrote in message
...
In article FwtIb.261170$Ec1.9025498@bgtnsc05-
news.ops.worldnet.att.net, says...
I remember the 545 as having ultimate rejection problems, and JRC
not
having
any intention to fix them. This was a few years back. Did they
resolve
that
issue?
My favorite JRC radio was the NRD515. Too bad the used price shot up
so
high.

Pete

BDK wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...
In your opinion which radio is better?

The JRC NRD-545 or the Drake R8B?

Please explain why you think it is better. It is a tuff
decission
deciding which to purchase.


The 545.

The Drake isn't bad, but it's very cheap feeling, and looking too,
IMO.

JRC has the best ergonomics of about any company out there, you
will
be
using the radio you buy many hours, and that's where JRC has a
huge
edge, and the Drake loses here big time. The controls are badly
(again,
my opinion) laid out, the display is "plain" at best, actually I
think
it's really ugly. The case and front panel are very cheap looking,
the
JRC is built like a tank, with excellent fit and finish. And once
you
get the hang of it, it's a pleasure to use, even with all the
extra
features. Is it perfect? No, but it's about as right, looks and
layout
wise as you could ask for in a non Govt bought radio.

As far as performance goes, if you listen to AM programs, the
Drake
does
sound better. I dont listen to them much, I mostly listen to Ute's
and
the 545 is the king. If only I could afford one. I have spent a
lot of
hours playing with a friend's 545, and have spent a lot of time
with
another friend's R8A and R8B. I was never tempted to buy either
one.
The
545 is something I want, and want badly.

For digital and SSB modes, the 545 is the way to go, especially
the
later production ones.

You owe yourself a trip to Universal to play with both.

BDK




I know there is is a mod to the 545 that minimizes the "Monkey
Chatter",
I think that FL2 (A sugar cube sized "filter") is replaced, if I
remember right. It's supposed to help a lot. I dont really care what
it
does on AM, I used it in the SSB/Rtty/Fax modes for a long time before
I
ever noticed it. I love my 515, I will keep it till I die....

BDK



I think, but I'm not positive that you are correct, the 525, 535, and
545 all used a tiny Murata 3/8" cube for the second filter. I know my
525 is a lot better when listening to something close to another freq
since I did the Kiwa upgrade. I didn't really like the doublestick tape
that came with it to mount the replacement, it seemed inferior to the
tape I had so I went and used it instead. I had always wondered if FL2
was worth replacing, and it was..

BDK