On Sun, 26 Sep 2004 05:45:13 GMT, Tempest
wrote:

Hello all.

I've been using scanners for years and now I want to check-out
shortwave.

I've been looking at the Satellit 800 and the Icom R-75. What other
ones should I be considering? I have about $500 or so to spend.

Thanks for any help!

If you are open to used equipment you should also consider a used
Drake R8 or a Kenwood R5000. Of the two you mention I'd recommend the
R75 and a good external speaker. When I wished to upgrade from
portable shortwave radios I opted for the R75 over the Sat800 due to
the multiple bandwidths (I also have additional IF filters which
expands the selection), DSP - which is only so-so on the noise
reduction side but the Auto Notch works well at supressing hetrodynes
and dual passband tuning. Do note that the R75 is a much better
performer in sideband mode than AM; on strong signals it's not much
different but as the signal gets weaker or buried in more crud (a
highly technical radio term referring to several types of
noise/interference) I switch to sideband and with the dual passband
end up with a very listenable signal. You may also wish to search
past posts for the Palstar R30 - don't know enough about it to
comment. FWIW, the sychronous detection on the R75 isn't all that
great and the same feature on the Sat800 is reputed to be much nicer
as is the overall sound quality. If you don't mind being tethered to
a computer the Ten-Tec RX-320D at $330 is also ready for DRM though
that requires more software and is not in heavy use yet. It is
however reputed to be quite the performer and there is very good
freeware control software available.

Hope that helps,
Howard