I have not installed the DSP yet. Will the DSP make much difference
for AM listening?

Sara

(Sara) wrote in message . com...
I just bought a new Icom radio. It seems to be awesome for tuning
around the ham bands in LSB. But when tuning for Shortwave broadcast
programs in AM it doesn't seem as listenable. Do I need to have my
Icom modified? Kiwi mods? Any help appreciated. Please keep it simple.

Sara

PS: I don't solder.

I have not installed the DSP yet. Will the DSP make much difference
for AM listening?


Maybe. For my use, when listening to the AM band, most of the time a good loop
antenna or a phased array of antennas does far more for killing noise and
nulling unwanted stations than any DSP could hope to do... BUT... sometimes the
mild (conservative) use of the DSP noise reduction CAN help get rid of the last
bits of unwanted noise after I've done what I can with the antenna and other
settings.
Icom's DSP unit (UT106) also has an automatic notch filter which works very
well, killing whistling and whining which comes from two or more stations
bashing into each other on the same frequency. Without the UT106, the notch
feature is inoperable. But that notch filter on the DSP unit does WONDERS on
crowded amateur and int'l broadcast bands. I use that feature quite a bit, and
it's only available with the UT106 installed.
Bottom line is, if you already have the DSP unit, it's easy to install (no
soldering, just a few turns with a screwdriver) and you might as well have it
there, ready for those times when you DO need it. If you don't already have it
at hand, you may wish to do a good bit of AM listening first, to see if you
need anything more. I'd say install it, or if you're not comfortable doing it
yourself, find someone you trust to do it for you.

(GrtPmpkin32) wrote in message ...
I have not installed the DSP yet. Will the DSP make much difference
for AM listening?


Maybe. For my use, when listening to the AM band, most of the time a good loop
antenna or a phased array of antennas does far more for killing noise and
nulling unwanted stations than any DSP could hope to do... BUT... sometimes the

I live in an apartment complex and am using a wire to the red antenna
jack, I think. I thought about connecting it to my rain gutter
somehow.

Sara

mild (conservative) use of the DSP noise reduction CAN help get rid of the last
bits of unwanted noise after I've done what I can with the antenna and other
settings.
Icom's DSP unit (UT106) also has an automatic notch filter which works very
well, killing whistling and whining which comes from two or more stations
bashing into each other on the same frequency. Without the UT106, the notch
feature is inoperable. But that notch filter on the DSP unit does WONDERS on
crowded amateur and int'l broadcast bands. I use that feature quite a bit, and
it's only available with the UT106 installed.
Bottom line is, if you already have the DSP unit, it's easy to install (no
soldering, just a few turns with a screwdriver) and you might as well have it
there, ready for those times when you DO need it. If you don't already have it
at hand, you may wish to do a good bit of AM listening first, to see if you
need anything more. I'd say install it, or if you're not comfortable doing it
yourself, find someone you trust to do it for you.

I live in an apartment complex and am using a wire to the red antenna
jack, I think. I thought about connecting it to my rain gutter
somehow.

Hehe, just make sure you remove that antenna from the radio when lightning
approaches!
I only mentioned the larger antenna system/phasing as a personal comparison in
my listening experience, please don't think it was a suggestion for you to go
to the trouble to do the same. The DSP function becomes more attractive when
you are using less of an antenna and have more home/apartment/building 'noise'
than other folks. In your case, you should see more help from the DSP's noise
reduction (if used conservatively) than I do, given our differing antenna
set-ups.
Just take a length of wire, attach a little, metal alligator clip to the
outside end, and clip it to your rain gutter wherever it is the closest or most
convenient. The other end of the wire goes into your red clip input on the
radio. Undo that clip connection if there's any lightning, and throw the lead
outside the window (making sure it's retrievable later, of course).
Linus