Hello everyone.

Here's a link to PASSPORT's latest posting which, I am sure, will be
of interest to all.

http://passband.com/pages/receivernews.htm

It looks to me that Sony wants to exit thie market. Better "get 'em
while you can!"

With a large number of SW radios being sold in the US (not to mention
Europe, Asia, and Africa), you kind of wonder what goes through the
heads of these marketing "geniuses?" Sure they don't sell in the
numbers of the Apple IPod, etc., but, then, they don't have to be
redesigned every three months. Once development costs are amortized,
it costs very little, relatively speaking, to manufacture a product
that sells in small but consistent numbers over many years. At least
this is what I have been told. I guess they just don't want to bother
even "thinking" about SW radio. Akio Morita was a true genius; the
"managers" who have followed him seem to be sadly lacking in
brain-power.

I hope that one of the other manufacturers can license Sony's "sync"
circuitry (or, even better, design their own, perhaps superior, one).
It's the "sync" circuitry which makes the Sony radios stand way out
ahead of the competition. Sony's radios, truth to tell, are no better
than anyone else's except for that circuit (and, of course, their
build quality). I'm surprised that Sangean and Degen have not tried to
design one and I'm very surprised that Eton, with their Drake
connection (Drake's circuit is better than Sony's), have not tried to
incorporate it into a Yacht-Boy 400 "A" model.

Frankly, after using synchronous selectable sideband circuitry for the
last six years or so (and having plenty of experience without the
circuit), I won't buy any receiver which does not incorporate it.

Lawrence