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Tempest September 26th 04 06:45 AM

Help in buying 1st shortwave radio
 
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!



Brian Hill September 26th 04 07:07 AM


"Tempest" wrote in message
...
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!



Those seem to be great radios from some qualified people in this group. I
myself run the older gear like the R-5000 Kenwood and NRD-525, Hammarlund
SP-600, Hallicrafters SX-28 etc... I think sensitivity is important but the
more I do this I find that the radios I hold on to are the ones that also
have great audio. I listen for long periods and it makes a differance. My
beleif is in great ant and a good radio of any kind that has nice audio will
bring great results and less fatique. It's a start.


--
73 and good DXing.
Brian
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A lot of radios and 100' of rusty wire!
Zumbrota, Southern MN
Brian's Radio Universe
http://webpages.charter.net/brianhill/



Lucky September 26th 04 07:28 AM

I second Brians picks. I have both radios.I myself love the Kenwood R-5000.
What a great radio. The JRC NRD-525 is also a fantastic pick. You should
have a long time of fun ahead of you with either one.
Lucky

"Brian Hill" wrote in message
...

"Tempest" wrote in message
...
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!



Those seem to be great radios from some qualified people in this group. I
myself run the older gear like the R-5000 Kenwood and NRD-525, Hammarlund
SP-600, Hallicrafters SX-28 etc... I think sensitivity is important but
the
more I do this I find that the radios I hold on to are the ones that also
have great audio. I listen for long periods and it makes a differance. My
beleif is in great ant and a good radio of any kind that has nice audio
will
bring great results and less fatique. It's a start.


--
73 and good DXing.
Brian
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A lot of radios and 100' of rusty wire!
Zumbrota, Southern MN
Brian's Radio Universe
http://webpages.charter.net/brianhill/





Howard September 26th 04 07:35 AM

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

Jim Douglas September 26th 04 01:21 PM

Start out with a radio that has SSB and is less expensive that the 800's.
What if you don't like the hobby, I would rather be about a little $$ than
$500.00......................................

"Tempest" wrote in message
...
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!





Frank White September 26th 04 05:09 PM

In article , says...

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!


You might want to get a copy of "Passport of Worldband Radio",
which is sort of the TV Guide for shortwave. Not only will
it tell you what's on, when, but there's a section in there
comparing most of the shortwave radios on the market and
pointing out their strengths and weaknesses.

It should help you decide which radio is best for you.

FW


Steve September 26th 04 08:01 PM

I believe the new "Passport" used to come about this time of year. Does
anyone know when the new one arrives?

-Steve



"Frank White" wrote in message
...
In article ,

says...

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!


You might want to get a copy of "Passport of Worldband Radio",
which is sort of the TV Guide for shortwave. Not only will
it tell you what's on, when, but there's a section in there
comparing most of the shortwave radios on the market and
pointing out their strengths and weaknesses.

It should help you decide which radio is best for you.

FW




Kelly Tait September 26th 04 10:10 PM

On 2004-09-26 06:45:13 +0100, Tempest
said:

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!


I vote for Icom. It's the only make I haven't felt a bit disappointed with.


Dale September 26th 04 11:04 PM

Brain Hill said....

"My belief is in great ant and a good radio of any kind that has nice audio
will
bring great results and less fatique. It's a start."

Amen to what you said about the antenna Brian...




"Brian Hill" wrote in message
...

"Tempest" wrote in message
...
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!



Those seem to be great radios from some qualified people in this group. I
myself run the older gear like the R-5000 Kenwood and NRD-525, Hammarlund
SP-600, Hallicrafters SX-28 etc... I think sensitivity is important but

the
more I do this I find that the radios I hold on to are the ones that also
have great audio. I listen for long periods and it makes a differance. My
beleif is in great ant and a good radio of any kind that has nice audio

will
bring great results and less fatique. It's a start.


--
73 and good DXing.
Brian
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A lot of radios and 100' of rusty wire!
Zumbrota, Southern MN
Brian's Radio Universe
http://webpages.charter.net/brianhill/





Bob Monaghan September 27th 04 12:29 AM


pretty good advice; lots of us have odd items in the closet awaiting the
next big garage sale to discreetly dump and get rid of too ;-)

see http://people.smu.edu/arc/shortwave.html for some notes on "best buys"
in a 0.1-30Mhz SSB/CW/AM digital radio (Degen 1103..) circa $50 + $15 S/H
on ebay (new in box with charger and NiMH batteries etc.). Nice little
portable SWL receiver, and if you don't like SWLing, you haven't lost much
$$ and can still use it on FM stereo and AM ;-)

hth bobm
--
************************************************** *********************
* Robert Monaghan POB 752182 Southern Methodist Univ. Dallas Tx 75275 *
********************Standard Disclaimers Apply*************************

Brian Hill September 27th 04 03:32 PM


"Dale" wrote in message
...
Brain Hill said....

"My belief is in great ant and a good radio of any kind that has nice

audio
will
bring great results and less fatique. It's a start."

Amen to what you said about the antenna Brian...




I always say: Give me an average radio with a great ant. and I'll beat your
$1,000,000 radio with a poor ant.


--
73 and good DXing.
Brian
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A lot of radios and 100' of rusty wire!
Zumbrota, Southern MN
Brian's Radio Universe
http://webpages.charter.net/brianhill/



Steve September 27th 04 04:17 PM

Tempest wrote in message . ..
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!


A lot depends on what you want to listen to. There are folks in this
group who know a lot more about receivers than I do who will recommend
the Satellit 800 for international broadcast listening, but I
personally can't recommend it. It's sound is good, but there have been
quality control issues with the 800 and in my personal opinion its
sync detector is only okay, and not as good as what you'll find on
other high end portables (e.g., the Sony SW77, which unfortunately is
no longer in production). Also, it's enormous. It's certainly not a
'portable' and I can't think of any rationale for calling it a
portatop except for the fact that it has a handle and a whip. My guess
is it's bigger (though probably not heavier) than most people's
tabletop receivers.

The R-75 might be the way to go, but again it depends on what you want
to listen to and on whether you want to pay for additional add-ons.

There's my two cents. Good luck with whatever you end up getting!

Diverd4777 September 28th 04 12:05 AM

Tempest:

I'd go with a smallish portable at first

There's Lots of interference around the house ; once you go outside into a
park, or up in the hills or out in the country, or bicycle out into the hills,
or row out onto a lake or whatever
things quiet down rapidly.

If you also want good music / quality, Sony 7600 GR would be a good choice;

Portables are also good for walks; try wandering around with one, using earbuds
/ small headphoines whilst tuning around.
All sorts of stuff out there.

- Plus, you'll be getting a bit of excersize; and will officially be doing good
things for
your health while walking about & DX'ing..
20 minutes walking a day can suddely add up.

So, consider trying a portable first. The KAITO DEGEN 1102 family get high
marks as well..

Dan





In article , Tempest
writes:

Subject: Help in buying 1st shortwave radio
From: Tempest
Date: Sun, 26 Sep 2004 05:45:13 GMT

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!






I was against it before I was for it September 28th 04 01:55 AM

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 really want to spend $500.00 , The best value for your money is
to try and pick up a used table top radio. I can recomend the Kenwood
R-500 or the Drake R8. You should be able to find either in very good
condition for that amount of money. ( Don't forget the antenna, a 100
foot long wire is cheap and will bring in a lot ). I think this is the
best value for your money and beats any portable for value.

If you want to spend less and try it first you might consider any
number of portable radios such as the Degen DE1102, Sony 7600GR,
Grundig YB400 etc. Keeping in mind that one of the table top receivers
listed above is much better. I guess the question would be, Do you
want to spend 100 to 250 on a portable or spend the 500 on a very good
used receiver.

Let us know what you do.


m II September 29th 04 04:53 AM

Brian Hill wrote:

I always say: Give me an average radio with a great ant. and I'll beat your
$1,000,000 radio with a poor ant.



That reminded me of some green thumb sorts talking on a gardening show a
while back. The topic was tree planting.

One gentleman said something like:

"A one dollar tree in a ten dollar hole is a lot better than a ten
dollar tree in one dollar hole"

They were discussing the great importance of soil preparation.


at least I *think* they were discussing soil preparation. I haven't had
much to do with things chlorophyll since my DNA experimentation went
horribly awry. My sister has now found the skin make up needed to cover
the green tinge.



mike


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