R75 as an MW receiver?
 

Hi,

I mostly do MW listenign/dx'ing. I would be interested in feedback
on how well the R75 performs on MW. I know there are Kiwa mods to
increase the MW sensitivity. Are these really necessary? Is the
difference that dramatic?

Well anyway, I would be interested in any user input on the R75.

Thank you
Russ K3Pi

"radiok3pi" wrote in message
om...
Hi,

I mostly do MW listenign/dx'ing. I would be interested in feedback
on how well the R75 performs on MW. I know there are Kiwa mods to
increase the MW sensitivity. Are these really necessary? Is the
difference that dramatic?

Well anyway, I would be interested in any user input on the R75.

Thank you
Russ K3Pi

Hiya... I have an R-75 and I like it quite a bit, but not for MW. It is
sensitive enough and works just fine on most MW, but if you want to DX a
weak MW signal I find that the R-75 is too noisy. Way too much snap crackle
and pop. I use a GE SR-III for MW DX'ing. Because it is analog it is quite
as can be. The draw back is that the tuner dial is not accurate at all.
I've read/heard that the CC Radio Plus is better then the GE-SR series
because it has an accurate tuner. It may not be as sensitive as the GE-SR
III or as quite, but it is probably one of the best MW radios available. I
also know that there are a lot of people that use old analog tuning
automobile radios as their MW DX'ing radio but I wouldn't know about which
ones to use or how to get them...

So... For MW, you have way better choices then the R-75. The R-75 shines
for sw utility and sw DX'ing using ssb and ECSS tuning, but it isn't
regarded as a MW radio.

Hope that helps...

--
Respectfully,

Michael

Location: New Jersey
Primary Receiver: R-75 with full Kiwa mods
Antennas: G5RV, 200ft "Frankenstein" roof wire
Additional Radios: 7600GR,KA-1101,KA-1102
PL-550, KA-989, Info-Mate 837, GE-SR III
Westinghouse H-104 (seven tube)
Web Site: http://md_dxing.tripod.com

Excluding mega-buck military or maritime radios, the legendary Drake R7A is,
in
my opinion, the BEST solid-state MW DX radio ever made. If you can find a
used
one in good condition, grab it. I have one, and will NEVER part with it.

I had both the R-7A and the HQ-180 at the same time. The R&A is superb, but its
audio made it hard to ID stations, but it could sure dig out the DX; it is
still regarded as the best radio of any type for the "tropical bands" 2-4 MHz.

The HQ-180 had superb audio, and DX "dig" ability. But not great on frequency
readout.

BTW the Skanti 5000/5001 is the equal of the R7 in performance. It's what I use
now for AM DXing.

The R-75 is SO sensitive that the MW area has something to attenuate MW
signals;
So you don't get overloaded from local statins
However;
R-75 does Work pretty good with an external antenna.

IF you're just after MW, Suggest getting
something else & an external / Justice / Loop antenna


Dan / NYC


In article ,
(radiok3pi) writes:

18 Sep 2004 15:16:17 -0700

Hi,

I mostly do MW listenign/dx'ing. I would be interested in feedback
on how well the R75 performs on MW. I know there are Kiwa mods to
increase the MW sensitivity. Are these really necessary? Is the
difference that dramatic?

Well anyway, I would be interested in any user input on the R75.

Thank you
Russ K3Pi

RFCOMMSYS wrote:

wrote:


Hi,

I mostly do MW listenign/dx'ing. I would be interested in feedback
on how well the R75 performs on MW. I know there are Kiwa mods to
increase the MW sensitivity. Are these really necessary? Is the
difference that dramatic?

Well anyway, I would be interested in any user input on the R75.

Thank you
Russ K3Pi



I assume you're looking for a desktop radio.

I think you can do better than an R75 for MW.

Get a Drake R8B if you can afford it. It's got an excellent synch detector. If
price is an issue, the Palstar R30 is supposed to be a superb (albeit no bells
or whistles) MW radio for it's price, which I believe is cheaper than an R75.

Excluding mega-buck military or maritime radios, the legendary Drake R7A is, in
my opinion, the BEST solid-state MW DX radio ever made. If you can find a used
one in good condition, grab it. I have one, and will NEVER part with it.

Or the R7, it's the same radio. (Though R7A's always seem to command a higher
price). Hanging on to mine also.

I have the 8, 6, 4, 3 and 2.3 filters in mine.

dxAce

In article ,
Michael wrote:
....
and pop. I use a GE SR-III for MW DX'ing. Because it is analog it is quite
as can be. The draw back is that the tuner dial is not accurate at all.
I've read/heard that the CC Radio Plus is better then the GE-SR series
because it has an accurate tuner. It may not be as sensitive as the GE-SR
III or as quite, but it is probably one of the best MW radios available. I
also know that there are a lot of people that use old analog tuning
automobile radios as their MW DX'ing radio but I wouldn't know about which
ones to use or how to get them...
....

Here's a suggestion, hit a swap meet (or ebay) and get 1) rf signal
generator and 2) a (digital) frequency counter. When you're lost on
the SR-III, (turn on and) adjust the generator (with the counter hooked
up and working) until you get a heterodyne and then just read out the
frequency.

The same thing could be done with a second receiver with a digital readout
using the local oscillator, remembering to compensate for the IF offset.
I can do this with my R-1000 because is leaks a signal 455 kHz above
the received frequency. (It's not the LO, as the R-1000 first IF is
45.something MHz. It's the signal used to drive the digital readout.
The frequency synthesizer board in the R-1000 is pretty baroque).

Mark Zenier Washington State resident

Don't know if anyone mentioned removing the R-75's mw attenuator, which should
help make the R-75 more amenable as an mw dx tool. Antenna orientation is a
factor, also. Have a 130 ft. of 16 gauge wire, ground terminated for a
beveredge effect. Is most efficient bringing in Bay Area & SoCal am'ers. But
it's a bit deaf snagging Denver's flamethrower KOA , however.

"Mark Zenier" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Michael wrote:
...
and pop. I use a GE SR-III for MW DX'ing. Because it is analog it is
quite
as can be. The draw back is that the tuner dial is not accurate at all.
I've read/heard that the CC Radio Plus is better then the GE-SR series
because it has an accurate tuner. It may not be as sensitive as the GE-SR
III or as quite, but it is probably one of the best MW radios available.
I
also know that there are a lot of people that use old analog tuning
automobile radios as their MW DX'ing radio but I wouldn't know about which
ones to use or how to get them...
...

Here's a suggestion, hit a swap meet (or ebay) and get 1) rf signal
generator and 2) a (digital) frequency counter. When you're lost on
the SR-III, (turn on and) adjust the generator (with the counter hooked
up and working) until you get a heterodyne and then just read out the
frequency.

That is a nifty idea.... I wish they would just make the thing accurate ....

Michael

In article ,
(radiok3pi) writes:


Hi,

I mostly do MW listenign/dx'ing. I would be interested in feedback
on how well the R75 performs on MW. I know there are Kiwa mods to
increase the MW sensitivity. Are these really necessary? Is the
difference that dramatic?

Well anyway, I would be interested in any user input on the R75.

Thank you
Russ K3Pi

I've been able to pick up New York Stations in The Bahamas if conditions are
right..
on a truly Junk Shortwave radio

I think antenna and Lack of local noise are the real issues,

= = = (elg110254) wrote in message
= = = ...

Don't know if anyone mentioned removing the R-75's mw attenuator,
which should help make the R-75 more amenable as an mw dx tool.
Antenna orientation is a factor, also. Have a 130 ft. of 16
gauge wire, ground terminated for a beveredge effect. Is most
efficient bringing in Bay Area & SoCal am'ers. But it's a bit
deaf snagging Denver's flamethrower KOA , however.


FO&A,

MESSAGE #3080 - Icom IC-R75 eGroup on YAHOO !
"Here is a a file for Pete Gianakopoulos' Advanced MW Attenuator
Bypass Mod. it includes Pete's text plus a color coded schematic
and a matching PCB picture. i have not done the mod but have
been asked numerous times for help. as such i do not have an
"after" shot... if you have one it would be much appreciated!
- - - regards, phil :)"

Pete Gianakopoulos' MW Attenuator Bypass Mod:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/icomr75/files/Phil%27s%20Shack/PeteGMod.pdf

Check-Out the Icom IC-R75 eGroup on YAHOO ! for more R75 Info.
ICOM-IC-R75= http://groups.yahoo.com/group/icomr75/

~ RHF
..

In article ,
(Kenneth) wrote:

(radiok3pi) wrote in message
. com...
Hi,

I mostly do MW listenign/dx'ing. I would be interested in feedback
on how well the R75 performs on MW. I know there are Kiwa mods to
increase the MW sensitivity. Are these really necessary? Is the
difference that dramatic?

Well anyway, I would be interested in any user input on the R75.

Thank you
Russ K3Pi

Hi Russ:I have removed the attenuator and did the Pete Gianakopoulos'
Advanced MW Attenuator bypass mod and the R75 now shine in the MW band
sensitivity area without using the 2 pre-amps that the R75 have.But
with a good external ant or MW loop like the quantum/justice/kiwa or a
big homebrew MW loop and using the pre-amps you will not have any
problem picking up a lot of far away or weak stations with an stock
R75.An remember that the R75 include a lot of features to help in the
signal intelligibility.The most critical factor in MW dxing is to have
a good antenna and the knowledge of how to use it.I have a K9AY
external MW loop and I recomend it if you have at least a 30 square
feets space in your backyard.For my CCradio plus I use a justice
[Crane co] double coil ferrite ant with very good results...
Ken

The K9AY is a good antenna. Is your antenna amplified? How is it
configured? Do you have two or four loops?

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

"Ditto" on your comments, Ken. My modified R75 does quite well for me. I
find it easier to tune and just as sensitive and selective as my hotrodded
Racal RA6790GM. For example, yesterday and today around dawn I had audio on
13 trans-Pacific MW split frequencies, including Japanese, Korean, and
unidentified stations. Hearing these signals between local powerhouses on
the 10-kHz channels takes selective and sensitive receivers with frontends
that have very good close-in IP3 & dynamic range performance. The R-75, when
modded with a few extra parts, is certainly up to the task of foreign
mediumwave from inland locations such as mine. (However, there is a LOT more
foreign MW DX to be heard at a coastal location like the Grayland, WA
DXpedition site.)

Guy Atkins
Puyallup, WA


"Kenneth" wrote in message
om...

Hi Russ:I have removed the attenuator and did the Pete Gianakopoulos'
Advanced MW Attenuator bypass mod and the R75 now shine in the MW band
sensitivity area without using the 2 pre-amps that the R75 have.But
with a good external ant or MW loop like the quantum/justice/kiwa or a
big homebrew MW loop and using the pre-amps you will not have any
problem picking up a lot of far away or weak stations with an stock
R75.An remember that the R75 include a lot of features to help in the
signal intelligibility.The most critical factor in MW dxing is to have
a good antenna and the knowledge of how to use it.I have a K9AY
external MW loop and I recomend it if you have at least a 30 square
feets space in your backyard.For my CCradio plus I use a justice
[Crane co] double coil ferrite ant with very good results...
Ken

Telamon wrote in message The K9AY is a good antenna. Is your antenna amplified? How is it
configured? Do you have two or four loops?
The K9AY is comparable with a beverage ant in some cir****ances but
with less noise and betters nulls.I have a 30 db pre-amp designed from
a online project.My K9AY configuration is a copy from this site
http://www.aytechnologies.com/TechDa...Install.htm.My ant have 2
loops but If you don't have the accessibility to the pre-amp and
control box parts then you can use your own receiver pre-amp and build
the ant using only one loop. Ken

Link should read:

http://www.aytechnologies.com/TechData/LoopInstall.htm

FWIW.

73,

--
Steve Lawrence
KAØPMD
Burnsville, Minnesota

(NOTE: My email address has only one "dot."
You'll have to edit out the one between the "7"
and the "3" in my email address if you wish to
reply via email)
"Kenneth" wrote in message
m...
| Telamon wrote in message The
K9AY is a good antenna. Is your antenna amplified? How is it
| configured? Do you have two or four loops?
| The K9AY is comparable with a beverage ant in some cir****ances but
| with less noise and betters nulls.I have a 30 db pre-amp designed from
| a online project.My K9AY configuration is a copy from this site
| http://www.aytechnologies.com/TechDa...Install.htm.My ant have 2
| loops but If you don't have the accessibility to the pre-amp and
| control box parts then you can use your own receiver pre-amp and build
| the ant using only one loop. Ken


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= = = (Kenneth) wrote in message
= = = om...
Telamon wrote in
message The K9AY is a good antenna. Is your antenna amplified?
How is it configured?
Do you have two or four loops?

The K9AY is comparable with a beverage ant in some cir****ances
but with less noise and betters nulls.I have a 30 db pre-amp
designed from a online project. My K9AY configuration is a
copy from this site.

http://www.aytechnologies.com/TechData/LoopInstall.htm

My ant have 2 loops but If you don't have the accessibility
to the pre-amp and control box parts then you can use your
own receiver pre-amp and build the ant using only one loop.
Ken


FO&A,

How to Build the K9AY Loop Receiving Antenna - by Gary Breed
K9AY = http://www.aytechnologies.com/TechData/LoopInstall.htm
- Terminated Loop Basics
- Construction Details
- Locating Your K9AY Loops
- Grounding
- Preamplifier
- Feedline and Control Line Routing
- Using the K9AY Loop on Other Frequencies

K9AY Tech Notes from "AY" Technologies:
K9AY = http://www.aytechnologies.com/TechData/techdata.htm
- How to Build the K9AY Loop Receiving Antenna
- Circuit Diagrams (PDF files):
- - Filter/Preamp used in the AYL-2, AYL-4, PRE-1 (1.8 - 4.5 MHz)
- - Filter/Preamp used in the PRE-2 (1.8 - 8 MHz)

"AY" Technologies: Model AYL-4 4-way K9AY Loop System
K9AY = http://www.aytechnologies.com/

For more Information check-out the "K9AY Loop Antenna" eGroup on YAHOO !
K9AY = http://groups.yahoo.com/group/K9AYloop/
To further discussion on the Design and Application of the K9AY
Terminated Loop Antenna for Medium Wave and Shortwave DXing.

Wellbrook Communications (UK)
K9AY = http://www.wellbrook.uk.com/K9AY.html
Wellbrook offers a K9AY Directional Terminated Loop Antenna for
Long Wave and Medium Wave.

Loop the Loop {Review of the Wellbrook K9AY Loop Antenna}
K9AY = http://www.wellbrook.uk.com/reviews/SWM2002.html
- by John Wilson
- Short Wave Magazine,
- October 2002 Broadcast Special Edition

HARD CORE DX on the K9AY
http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx/antenna/loop/k9ay/
- Basics - General info on the K9AY loop
- Performance - Listening test and other observations
- Homemade - How to make your own K9AY
- Grounding - The importance of good ground
- Wires - How to place wires best
- Remote - Remote control of the KPAY

K9AY Loop Antenna - by Mark Connelly (WA1ION)
http://members.aol.com/MarkWA1ION/k9ay_ant.htm
- K9AY Loop Drawings
- - Usual delta configuration
- - Operating-position control box
- - Termination box with remotely-controlled ground resistance
- - Inverted delta configuration (fits on one page)
- - Inverted delta configuration (high resolution)
- K9AY Loop Links
- - K9AY Loop Resources from Hard-core DX site
- - John Bryant's K9AY Loop Review (PDF file)
- - Gary Breed's K9AY Loop article originally in QST Magazine (PDF file)
- - Al Merriman's K9AY Loop Discussion, on Werner Funkenhauser's Web site
- - Balun-Amplifier documentation in 'BBL-1 Broadband Loop Antenna,
Part 2' (PDF file)
- - WA1ION DX Lab home page, with numerous technical articles & links

Impressions and a field test K9AY loop antenna - by Bjarne Mjelde
http://www.dxing.info/equipment/k9ay.dx

A User's Review "The Wellbrook K9AY Antenna" - by John Bryant
http://www.dxing.info/equipment/k9ay_bryant.dx


iane ~ RHF
..

In article ,
(Kenneth) wrote:

Telamon wrote in message
The K9AY is a good antenna. Is your antenna amplified? How is it
configured? Do you have two or four loops?
The K9AY is comparable with a beverage ant in some cir****ances but
with less noise and betters nulls.I have a 30 db pre-amp designed
from a online project.My K9AY configuration is a copy from this site
http://www.aytechnologies.com/TechDa...Install.htm.My ant have 2
loops but If you don't have the accessibility to the pre-amp and
control box parts then you can use your own receiver pre-amp and
build the ant using only one loop. Ken

30 dB is a lot of pre amp. Have you expierenced any overload on your
radio or any other problems from that much gain?

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

Mark Zenier wrote:

Here's a suggestion, hit a swap meet (or ebay) and get 1) rf signal
generator and 2) a (digital) frequency counter. When you're lost on
the SR-III, (turn on and) adjust the generator (with the counter hooked
up and working) until you get a heterodyne and then just read out the
frequency.

You can buy a digital frequency display which will work with most any
shortwave or MW (AM) receiver from the following website. Price is about
$60.

www.aade.com


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starman ) writes:
Mark Zenier wrote:

Here's a suggestion, hit a swap meet (or ebay) and get 1) rf signal
generator and 2) a (digital) frequency counter. When you're lost on
the SR-III, (turn on and) adjust the generator (with the counter hooked
up and working) until you get a heterodyne and then just read out the
frequency.

You can buy a digital frequency display which will work with most any
shortwave or MW (AM) receiver from the following website. Price is about
$60.

www.aade.com

I figured Mark was suggesting a roundabout method because he figured (or
knows from experience) that connecting a frequency counter to the radio
may cause garbage to appear. If I recall, he was replying to a comment
that the Superradio had an advantage in not having any digital circuitry.

I suspect adding a frequency counter may result in digital noise appearing
in the radio, especially since the Superradio is indeed a very cheap and
unshielded radio.

I was going to suggest a crystal calibrator (with digital dividers, one
can get down to 10KHz and count them, yet use a higher frequency to get
the 100KHz points), but then I remembered that it might be more difficult
counting the points without a BFO.

Michael

Michael Black wrote:

starman ) writes:
Mark Zenier wrote:

Here's a suggestion, hit a swap meet (or ebay) and get 1) rf signal
generator and 2) a (digital) frequency counter. When you're lost on
the SR-III, (turn on and) adjust the generator (with the counter hooked
up and working) until you get a heterodyne and then just read out the
frequency.

You can buy a digital frequency display which will work with most any
shortwave or MW (AM) receiver from the following website. Price is about
$60.

www.aade.com

I figured Mark was suggesting a roundabout method because he figured (or
knows from experience) that connecting a frequency counter to the radio
may cause garbage to appear. If I recall, he was replying to a comment
that the Superradio had an advantage in not having any digital circuitry.

I suspect adding a frequency counter may result in digital noise appearing
in the radio, especially since the Superradio is indeed a very cheap and
unshielded radio.

I was going to suggest a crystal calibrator (with digital dividers, one
can get down to 10KHz and count them, yet use a higher frequency to get
the 100KHz points), but then I remembered that it might be more difficult
counting the points without a BFO.

Michael

The digital displays like those from aade.com have buffered inputs to
isolate them from the receivers oscillator. If the display is connected
properly to the receiver, there shouldn't be any noise problems.


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