Recomended mid-range shortwave set-up
 

Hi,

I have wanted to get involved with shortwave for years and would like to get
some recommendations on a mid-range ($200-400) receiver and antenna set-up.
I plan on telescoping mast for shortwave, TV (mostly for uhf PBS stuff), and
FM. The height restriction in our town is 50' but I imagine anything around
30' would produce good results since there are no big hills or trees nearby.
In addition I own a newer 2.8 GHz PC running Windows XP for any
recommendations on how I might incorporate this into the overall set-up.

Being inexperienced I am thinking I should start with simply listening with
a capable mid-range receiver and then after some years time buy into a
transmitter as well. This is all untutored preliminary thinking on my part
and would welcome anyone's ideas as to how a beginner could best get started
on the road to mid-to-high end shortwave/ham listening/broadcasting. I see
this initial step as phase one of a two or three part program that will
extend over a period of five or ten years.

Thank you for your help.

Steve

Note: I will be buying "Passport to World Band Radio" as a way of educating
myself on some of the issues I mentioned

-=jd=- schrieb:

As for a radio under $400.00, I'm *VERY* pleased with the ICOM PCR1000.
Here's a blurb on it:

http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/1002.html

It's an external computer controlled receiver, allows you to record direct
to disk, allows software manipulation of the received signal's audio (EQ,
DSP, decoding of digital signals - RTTY, FAX, etc.).


I have one and it's performs nearly equal to the Sony ICF 2010 /2001D.
Not too bad for a a widerange communications receiver.
For shortwave only I would take a look on the RX320 from TenTec when
going on a computer controled blackbox...
It is also DRM ready. Have a look:
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/0321.html

JD, I don't have a DRM receiver but there is a Radio Netherlands broadcast
in DRM from Bonaire aimed at the U.S. Check out

www.rnw.nl/realradio/html/schedule.html

Jeff
KC9EII

"-=jd=-" wrote in message
...
On Mon 31 May 2004 01:17:26p, Volker Tonn
wrote in message :



-=jd=- schrieb:

As for a radio under $400.00, I'm *VERY* pleased with the ICOM PCR1000.
Here's a blurb on it:

http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/1002.html

It's an external computer controlled receiver, allows you to record
direct to disk, allows software manipulation of the received signal's
audio (EQ, DSP, decoding of digital signals - RTTY, FAX, etc.).


I have one and it's performs nearly equal to the Sony ICF 2010 /2001D.
Not too bad for a a widerange communications receiver.
For shortwave only I would take a look on the RX320 from TenTec when
going on a computer controled blackbox...
It is also DRM ready. Have a look:
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal...rxvr/0321.html




I'm not familiar with how the TenTec handles DRM (on-board or software
based) but that is also something to consider, the PCR-1000 does *not*
have DRM facilitation capabilities on-board at the receiver level.
Although I have successfully compiled an open-source software based DRM
decoder that purportedly will decode DRM via the audio stream, I have yet
to snag a DRM broadcast to see how well it works (if it works at at all).
European users have reported decent success with it.

Back when I was looking around, I considered the TenTec, but went with the
PCR-1000 for it's wider frequency coverage. If you aren't interested in
freq's above 30,000 kHz, the TenTec may fit the bill better.

I think the TenTec comes with DSP on-board and it's an optional unit on
the ICOM. I've been getting by just fine with software based DSP.

I guess with either receiver, you will wind up with the received
audio/signal in your PC, at which point there's quite a bit of software
(free and COTS) to allow you to manipulate and/or process that audio
signal just about any way you may want.

If the TenTec had the same frequency coverage, I'd go with it for sure.

-=jd=-
--
My Current Disposable Email:

(Remove YOUR HAT to reply directly)

I've tried for that one, but have so far managed to miss it. I wonder if
the
DRM signal has any audible presence (static, hiss, data-like stream?) that
could be detected by ear to let you know it's available...



-=jd=-


Here's the DRM schedule:

http://drm.org/livebroadcast/globfieldtrial.htm

The transmissions from Sackville are a good bet. On an analog radio, it
sounds like a whole SW channel of constant hissing .

Frank Dresser