Michael wrote:

"Lucky" wrote in message
...
Hi gentlemen

It looks like I've narrowed my next radio down to these two. I did bid on
a Harris RF-550 last week but my $606 bid got taken out.

I'll be using the receiver for AM BC during the day, and local Hams and
DX'ing at night into the wee hours. I know the R8a has selectable sideband
and AM sync if I'm correct.

But the R75 is supposed to be extremely well built and I can get free DSP
and a rebate for $50 coming out to a $475 final price. I think I can pick
up a R8A for about $500 to $600. So the price difference may not be that
huge at all.

The only thing is that the R75 will be brand new and the R8a used.

So what do you guys think? What bothers me about the R75 is I hear the AM
audio is just not too great and you need to work around it.
Some people say the AM sound is not that bad at all, but most others say
it needs help.

I need your experience and opinions please?

Thank you
Lucky

Hiya, Lucky

I think you should go with the shiny new out of the box R-75 instead of the
used R8a. First off, it is always nice to have a brand new radio vs. one
that has been used. Along with that, I think you will get more out of the
R-75. I use an R-75 as my primary radio, and I have also had my friends
R8a here for several weeks, so I know how both radios sound and perform.

When the R-75 is in its stock form with no mods, it has two shortcomings
when compared to the Drake R8a. The first being, that the R-75 does not
have the fantastic audio quality of the Drake R8a. This is true, but the
audio quality of the R-75 is not bad. It is just not as defined and rich as
the R8a's audio. If you want the audio definition on the R-75 to be
enhanced, you can do so by sending it to Kiwa to have a very simple,
inexpensive and fully reversible mod done on it. They offer a mod for $
35.00 and they will have your radio back to you in less then two weeks. I
had this mod done to my R-75 and it was back to me in a week.

The second shortcoming of the R-75 is that it has an am sycn detector that
isn't very effective in its stock form. Once again, you can improve this
quite a bit by sending it off to Kiwa for yet another simple, inexpensive
and reversible mod. The offer the sync detector upgrade for $45.00. I also
had this done to my R-75 and it improves program listening under conditions
of fade quite a bit. The sync now holds its lock quite well and it really
helps keep distortion in check.

See Kiwas R-75 web page: http://kiwa.com/R75.html

I have those upgrades done on my R-75. I also use an external speaker wich
is a must on both the R8a and the R-75. I can say that my R-75 sounds VERY
good for program listening. The R8a may still have a bit more rich and
defined audio, but not by much !!!! Also... No am synch detector will help
you if you are listening to a signal that is extremely weak and messy. You
can expect a good am synch detector to help you with a signal that is
slightly or moderately messy. The modded R-75 am synch will do exactly just
that for you. If you really want to dress up your audio, you can run your
line out audio into your PC sound card and then into a software driven
mixer. I do that from time to time when I have a signal that is really
muffled or has way too much base or is too tinny. Then, I can use the EQ
and really dress it up. You can do that with any radio :-)

So... There you have the shortcomings of the R-75 compared to the R8a, and
how to fix then for little cost should you decide to. Now... Here is where
the R-75 really shines :-)

If you like to listen to hams, or utility, the R-75 is the radio to do it
with !!!. I think the R-75 is probably the best ssb rig you can get without
having to spend about $2,000.00. You've probably heard already about the
twin PBT :-) No question here... You can tweak and resolve signals with
this in ways that you cant do on the R8a. No mod to the R8a will enable it
to do what the R-75 can. Also... With the superior ssb
function/capabilities of the R-75, you can also use it to listen to really
weak and messy sw broadcasts signals using ecss tuning, and then use the
twin pbt to tweak it up and get it to sound good enough for your ear to make
out what is being said. That is what makes it such a great DX rig. It is
rock solid stable and it has the tools to really dig out and resolve the
weakest of signals. For anything to do with ssb, or DX'ing, I'd take a used
R-75 over a brand new R8a... LOL :-) And.. Lets not forget, with a few
mods, you can have quality program listening too.

Hope that helps....

Drake... no fuss... no muss...

And I'm speaking from the position of being a long time DX'er with over 200
countries actually verified using the NASWA Country List...

Just my opinion of course!

dxAce
Michigan
USA

I swear by, not at, Drake receivers.©

http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/dxpage.htm

"dxAce" wrote in message
...


Michael wrote:

"Lucky" wrote in message
...
Hi gentlemen

It looks like I've narrowed my next radio down to these two. I did bid
on
a Harris RF-550 last week but my $606 bid got taken out.

I'll be using the receiver for AM BC during the day, and local Hams and
DX'ing at night into the wee hours. I know the R8a has selectable
sideband
and AM sync if I'm correct.

But the R75 is supposed to be extremely well built and I can get free
DSP
and a rebate for $50 coming out to a $475 final price. I think I can
pick
up a R8A for about $500 to $600. So the price difference may not be
that
huge at all.

The only thing is that the R75 will be brand new and the R8a used.

So what do you guys think? What bothers me about the R75 is I hear the
AM
audio is just not too great and you need to work around it.
Some people say the AM sound is not that bad at all, but most others
say
it needs help.

I need your experience and opinions please?

Thank you
Lucky

Hiya, Lucky

I think you should go with the shiny new out of the box R-75 instead of
the
used R8a. First off, it is always nice to have a brand new radio vs.
one
that has been used. Along with that, I think you will get more out of
the
R-75. I use an R-75 as my primary radio, and I have also had my friends
R8a here for several weeks, so I know how both radios sound and perform.

When the R-75 is in its stock form with no mods, it has two shortcomings
when compared to the Drake R8a. The first being, that the R-75 does not
have the fantastic audio quality of the Drake R8a. This is true, but the
audio quality of the R-75 is not bad. It is just not as defined and rich
as
the R8a's audio. If you want the audio definition on the R-75 to be
enhanced, you can do so by sending it to Kiwa to have a very simple,
inexpensive and fully reversible mod done on it. They offer a mod for $
35.00 and they will have your radio back to you in less then two weeks.
I
had this mod done to my R-75 and it was back to me in a week.

The second shortcoming of the R-75 is that it has an am sycn detector
that
isn't very effective in its stock form. Once again, you can improve this
quite a bit by sending it off to Kiwa for yet another simple, inexpensive
and reversible mod. The offer the sync detector upgrade for $45.00. I
also
had this done to my R-75 and it improves program listening under
conditions
of fade quite a bit. The sync now holds its lock quite well and it
really
helps keep distortion in check.

See Kiwas R-75 web page: http://kiwa.com/R75.html

I have those upgrades done on my R-75. I also use an external speaker
wich
is a must on both the R8a and the R-75. I can say that my R-75 sounds
VERY
good for program listening. The R8a may still have a bit more rich and
defined audio, but not by much !!!! Also... No am synch detector will
help
you if you are listening to a signal that is extremely weak and messy.
You
can expect a good am synch detector to help you with a signal that is
slightly or moderately messy. The modded R-75 am synch will do exactly
just
that for you. If you really want to dress up your audio, you can run
your
line out audio into your PC sound card and then into a software driven
mixer. I do that from time to time when I have a signal that is really
muffled or has way too much base or is too tinny. Then, I can use the EQ
and really dress it up. You can do that with any radio :-)

So... There you have the shortcomings of the R-75 compared to the R8a,
and
how to fix then for little cost should you decide to. Now... Here is
where
the R-75 really shines :-)

If you like to listen to hams, or utility, the R-75 is the radio to do it
with !!!. I think the R-75 is probably the best ssb rig you can get
without
having to spend about $2,000.00. You've probably heard already about
the
twin PBT :-) No question here... You can tweak and resolve signals with
this in ways that you cant do on the R8a. No mod to the R8a will enable
it
to do what the R-75 can. Also... With the superior ssb
function/capabilities of the R-75, you can also use it to listen to
really
weak and messy sw broadcasts signals using ecss tuning, and then use the
twin pbt to tweak it up and get it to sound good enough for your ear to
make
out what is being said. That is what makes it such a great DX rig. It
is
rock solid stable and it has the tools to really dig out and resolve the
weakest of signals. For anything to do with ssb, or DX'ing, I'd take a
used
R-75 over a brand new R8a... LOL :-) And.. Lets not forget, with a few
mods, you can have quality program listening too.

Hope that helps....

Drake... no fuss... no muss...

And I'm speaking from the position of being a long time DX'er with over
200
countries actually verified using the NASWA Country List...

Just my opinion of course!

No question... Drake makes an awesome product. Also... I like that Drake is
made in the USA. I've read/heard that any sort of service issues regarding
dealing with Drake are always favorable. And, I also think the R8 series
looks way better then the R-75. In this case though, I think the poster
would be better served by getting a new R-75 rather then a used R-8a.

Also.. Regarding am sync detection and program listening. Two weeks ago I
purchased a Sony 7600gr to add to my collection of portables. The 7600gr
has ssb selectable am sync that works quite well. For the past two weeks, I
have been using the 7600gr with its line out jack going into my PC's sound
card. I have a five piece speaker system on my PC along with a software
driven mixer/eq. I've found that the ssb selectable am sync to be
enormously helpful for program listening. You can cut out QRM that is
coming from above or below by switching from ssb or usb. I can't do that on
the R-75. So, I've been using my 7600gr through the sound card for program
listening on any and every signal that can be improved with ssb selectable
am sync. I'd LOVE to hear how the R8b's sync works. I bet it is sweet !!!
I'd say I'd consider buying one, but I'm also considering buying an ICOM-746
pro to use as a DSP DX'ing rig. Now I dont know what to do again :-)

Michael

Michael wrote:

"dxAce" wrote in message
...


Michael wrote:

"Lucky" wrote in message
...
Hi gentlemen

It looks like I've narrowed my next radio down to these two. I did bid
on
a Harris RF-550 last week but my $606 bid got taken out.

I'll be using the receiver for AM BC during the day, and local Hams and
DX'ing at night into the wee hours. I know the R8a has selectable
sideband
and AM sync if I'm correct.

But the R75 is supposed to be extremely well built and I can get free
DSP
and a rebate for $50 coming out to a $475 final price. I think I can
pick
up a R8A for about $500 to $600. So the price difference may not be
that
huge at all.

The only thing is that the R75 will be brand new and the R8a used.

So what do you guys think? What bothers me about the R75 is I hear the
AM
audio is just not too great and you need to work around it.
Some people say the AM sound is not that bad at all, but most others
say
it needs help.

I need your experience and opinions please?

Thank you
Lucky

Hiya, Lucky

I think you should go with the shiny new out of the box R-75 instead of
the
used R8a. First off, it is always nice to have a brand new radio vs.
one
that has been used. Along with that, I think you will get more out of
the
R-75. I use an R-75 as my primary radio, and I have also had my friends
R8a here for several weeks, so I know how both radios sound and perform.

When the R-75 is in its stock form with no mods, it has two shortcomings
when compared to the Drake R8a. The first being, that the R-75 does not
have the fantastic audio quality of the Drake R8a. This is true, but the
audio quality of the R-75 is not bad. It is just not as defined and rich
as
the R8a's audio. If you want the audio definition on the R-75 to be
enhanced, you can do so by sending it to Kiwa to have a very simple,
inexpensive and fully reversible mod done on it. They offer a mod for $
35.00 and they will have your radio back to you in less then two weeks.
I
had this mod done to my R-75 and it was back to me in a week.

The second shortcoming of the R-75 is that it has an am sycn detector
that
isn't very effective in its stock form. Once again, you can improve this
quite a bit by sending it off to Kiwa for yet another simple, inexpensive
and reversible mod. The offer the sync detector upgrade for $45.00. I
also
had this done to my R-75 and it improves program listening under
conditions
of fade quite a bit. The sync now holds its lock quite well and it
really
helps keep distortion in check.

See Kiwas R-75 web page: http://kiwa.com/R75.html

I have those upgrades done on my R-75. I also use an external speaker
wich
is a must on both the R8a and the R-75. I can say that my R-75 sounds
VERY
good for program listening. The R8a may still have a bit more rich and
defined audio, but not by much !!!! Also... No am synch detector will
help
you if you are listening to a signal that is extremely weak and messy.
You
can expect a good am synch detector to help you with a signal that is
slightly or moderately messy. The modded R-75 am synch will do exactly
just
that for you. If you really want to dress up your audio, you can run
your
line out audio into your PC sound card and then into a software driven
mixer. I do that from time to time when I have a signal that is really
muffled or has way too much base or is too tinny. Then, I can use the EQ
and really dress it up. You can do that with any radio :-)

So... There you have the shortcomings of the R-75 compared to the R8a,
and
how to fix then for little cost should you decide to. Now... Here is
where
the R-75 really shines :-)

If you like to listen to hams, or utility, the R-75 is the radio to do it
with !!!. I think the R-75 is probably the best ssb rig you can get
without
having to spend about $2,000.00. You've probably heard already about
the
twin PBT :-) No question here... You can tweak and resolve signals with
this in ways that you cant do on the R8a. No mod to the R8a will enable
it
to do what the R-75 can. Also... With the superior ssb
function/capabilities of the R-75, you can also use it to listen to
really
weak and messy sw broadcasts signals using ecss tuning, and then use the
twin pbt to tweak it up and get it to sound good enough for your ear to
make
out what is being said. That is what makes it such a great DX rig. It
is
rock solid stable and it has the tools to really dig out and resolve the
weakest of signals. For anything to do with ssb, or DX'ing, I'd take a
used
R-75 over a brand new R8a... LOL :-) And.. Lets not forget, with a few
mods, you can have quality program listening too.

Hope that helps....

Drake... no fuss... no muss...

And I'm speaking from the position of being a long time DX'er with over
200
countries actually verified using the NASWA Country List...

Just my opinion of course!

No question... Drake makes an awesome product. Also... I like that Drake is
made in the USA. I've read/heard that any sort of service issues regarding
dealing with Drake are always favorable. And, I also think the R8 series
looks way better then the R-75. In this case though, I think the poster
would be better served by getting a new R-75 rather then a used R-8a.

Also.. Regarding am sync detection and program listening. Two weeks ago I
purchased a Sony 7600gr to add to my collection of portables. The 7600gr
has ssb selectable am sync that works quite well. For the past two weeks, I
have been using the 7600gr with its line out jack going into my PC's sound
card. I have a five piece speaker system on my PC along with a software
driven mixer/eq. I've found that the ssb selectable am sync to be
enormously helpful for program listening. You can cut out QRM that is
coming from above or below by switching from ssb or usb. I can't do that on
the R-75. So, I've been using my 7600gr through the sound card for program
listening on any and every signal that can be improved with ssb selectable
am sync. I'd LOVE to hear how the R8b's sync works. I bet it is sweet !!!
I'd say I'd consider buying one, but I'm also considering buying an ICOM-746
pro to use as a DSP DX'ing rig. Now I dont know what to do again :-)

Well, I do have an R8B and also an R7... having said that, the radio I use most
often on any given day is the R8.

Why? Beats me.

(I'd swear it's because it sits above the R8B in the shack, and maybe I should
move the R8B to the top just to see if that might make a difference).

Today, for some reason or another I'm using the R7.

dxAce
Michigan
USA

http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/dxpage.htm

"dxAce" wrote in message
...


Michael wrote:

"dxAce" wrote in message
...


Michael wrote:

"Lucky" wrote in message
...
Hi gentlemen

It looks like I've narrowed my next radio down to these two. I did
bid
on
a Harris RF-550 last week but my $606 bid got taken out.

I'll be using the receiver for AM BC during the day, and local Hams
and
DX'ing at night into the wee hours. I know the R8a has selectable
sideband
and AM sync if I'm correct.

But the R75 is supposed to be extremely well built and I can get
free
DSP
and a rebate for $50 coming out to a $475 final price. I think I
can
pick
up a R8A for about $500 to $600. So the price difference may not be
that
huge at all.

The only thing is that the R75 will be brand new and the R8a used.

So what do you guys think? What bothers me about the R75 is I hear
the
AM
audio is just not too great and you need to work around it.
Some people say the AM sound is not that bad at all, but most others
say
it needs help.

I need your experience and opinions please?

Thank you
Lucky

Hiya, Lucky

I think you should go with the shiny new out of the box R-75 instead
of
the
used R8a. First off, it is always nice to have a brand new radio vs.
one
that has been used. Along with that, I think you will get more out
of
the
R-75. I use an R-75 as my primary radio, and I have also had my
friends
R8a here for several weeks, so I know how both radios sound and
perform.

When the R-75 is in its stock form with no mods, it has two
shortcomings
when compared to the Drake R8a. The first being, that the R-75 does
not
have the fantastic audio quality of the Drake R8a. This is true, but
the
audio quality of the R-75 is not bad. It is just not as defined and
rich
as
the R8a's audio. If you want the audio definition on the R-75 to be
enhanced, you can do so by sending it to Kiwa to have a very simple,
inexpensive and fully reversible mod done on it. They offer a mod for
$
35.00 and they will have your radio back to you in less then two
weeks.
I
had this mod done to my R-75 and it was back to me in a week.

The second shortcoming of the R-75 is that it has an am sycn detector
that
isn't very effective in its stock form. Once again, you can improve
this
quite a bit by sending it off to Kiwa for yet another simple,
inexpensive
and reversible mod. The offer the sync detector upgrade for $45.00.
I
also
had this done to my R-75 and it improves program listening under
conditions
of fade quite a bit. The sync now holds its lock quite well and it
really
helps keep distortion in check.

See Kiwas R-75 web page: http://kiwa.com/R75.html

I have those upgrades done on my R-75. I also use an external speaker
wich
is a must on both the R8a and the R-75. I can say that my R-75 sounds
VERY
good for program listening. The R8a may still have a bit more rich
and
defined audio, but not by much !!!! Also... No am synch detector will
help
you if you are listening to a signal that is extremely weak and messy.
You
can expect a good am synch detector to help you with a signal that is
slightly or moderately messy. The modded R-75 am synch will do
exactly
just
that for you. If you really want to dress up your audio, you can run
your
line out audio into your PC sound card and then into a software driven
mixer. I do that from time to time when I have a signal that is
really
muffled or has way too much base or is too tinny. Then, I can use the
EQ
and really dress it up. You can do that with any radio :-)

So... There you have the shortcomings of the R-75 compared to the R8a,
and
how to fix then for little cost should you decide to. Now... Here is
where
the R-75 really shines :-)

If you like to listen to hams, or utility, the R-75 is the radio to do
it
with !!!. I think the R-75 is probably the best ssb rig you can get
without
having to spend about $2,000.00. You've probably heard already about
the
twin PBT :-) No question here... You can tweak and resolve signals
with
this in ways that you cant do on the R8a. No mod to the R8a will
enable
it
to do what the R-75 can. Also... With the superior ssb
function/capabilities of the R-75, you can also use it to listen to
really
weak and messy sw broadcasts signals using ecss tuning, and then use
the
twin pbt to tweak it up and get it to sound good enough for your ear
to
make
out what is being said. That is what makes it such a great DX rig.
It
is
rock solid stable and it has the tools to really dig out and resolve
the
weakest of signals. For anything to do with ssb, or DX'ing, I'd take
a
used
R-75 over a brand new R8a... LOL :-) And.. Lets not forget, with a
few
mods, you can have quality program listening too.

Hope that helps....

Drake... no fuss... no muss...

And I'm speaking from the position of being a long time DX'er with
over
200
countries actually verified using the NASWA Country List...

Just my opinion of course!

No question... Drake makes an awesome product. Also... I like that Drake
is
made in the USA. I've read/heard that any sort of service issues
regarding
dealing with Drake are always favorable. And, I also think the R8 series
looks way better then the R-75. In this case though, I think the poster
would be better served by getting a new R-75 rather then a used R-8a.

Also.. Regarding am sync detection and program listening. Two weeks ago
I
purchased a Sony 7600gr to add to my collection of portables. The 7600gr
has ssb selectable am sync that works quite well. For the past two
weeks, I
have been using the 7600gr with its line out jack going into my PC's
sound
card. I have a five piece speaker system on my PC along with a software
driven mixer/eq. I've found that the ssb selectable am sync to be
enormously helpful for program listening. You can cut out QRM that is
coming from above or below by switching from ssb or usb. I can't do that
on
the R-75. So, I've been using my 7600gr through the sound card for
program
listening on any and every signal that can be improved with ssb
selectable
am sync. I'd LOVE to hear how the R8b's sync works. I bet it is sweet
!!!
I'd say I'd consider buying one, but I'm also considering buying an
ICOM-746
pro to use as a DSP DX'ing rig. Now I dont know what to do again :-)

Well, I do have an R8B and also an R7... having said that, the radio I use
most
often on any given day is the R8.

Why? Beats me.

(I'd swear it's because it sits above the R8B in the shack, and maybe I
should
move the R8B to the top just to see if that might make a difference).

Today, for some reason or another I'm using the R7.


R7 ??? Good for MW, as I understand.

Michael

Michael wrote:

"Lucky" wrote in message
...
Hi gentlemen

It looks like I've narrowed my next radio down to these two. I did bid on
a Harris RF-550 last week but my $606 bid got taken out.

I'll be using the receiver for AM BC during the day, and local Hams and
DX'ing at night into the wee hours. I know the R8a has selectable sideband
and AM sync if I'm correct.

But the R75 is supposed to be extremely well built and I can get free DSP
and a rebate for $50 coming out to a $475 final price. I think I can pick
up a R8A for about $500 to $600. So the price difference may not be that
huge at all.

The only thing is that the R75 will be brand new and the R8a used.

So what do you guys think? What bothers me about the R75 is I hear the AM
audio is just not too great and you need to work around it.
Some people say the AM sound is not that bad at all, but most others say
it needs help.

I need your experience and opinions please?

Thank you
Lucky

Hiya, Lucky

I think you should go with the shiny new out of the box R-75 instead of the
used R8a. First off, it is always nice to have a brand new radio vs. one
that has been used. Along with that, I think you will get more out of the
R-75. I use an R-75 as my primary radio, and I have also had my friends
R8a here for several weeks, so I know how both radios sound and perform.

When the R-75 is in its stock form with no mods, it has two shortcomings
when compared to the Drake R8a. The first being, that the R-75 does not
have the fantastic audio quality of the Drake R8a. This is true, but the
audio quality of the R-75 is not bad. It is just not as defined and rich as
the R8a's audio. If you want the audio definition on the R-75 to be
enhanced, you can do so by sending it to Kiwa to have a very simple,
inexpensive and fully reversible mod done on it. They offer a mod for $
35.00 and they will have your radio back to you in less then two weeks. I
had this mod done to my R-75 and it was back to me in a week.

The second shortcoming of the R-75 is that it has an am sycn detector that
isn't very effective in its stock form. Once again, you can improve this
quite a bit by sending it off to Kiwa for yet another simple, inexpensive
and reversible mod. The offer the sync detector upgrade for $45.00. I also
had this done to my R-75 and it improves program listening under conditions
of fade quite a bit. The sync now holds its lock quite well and it really
helps keep distortion in check.

See Kiwas R-75 web page: http://kiwa.com/R75.html

I have those upgrades done on my R-75. I also use an external speaker wich
is a must on both the R8a and the R-75. I can say that my R-75 sounds VERY
good for program listening. The R8a may still have a bit more rich and
defined audio, but not by much !!!! Also... No am synch detector will help
you if you are listening to a signal that is extremely weak and messy. You
can expect a good am synch detector to help you with a signal that is
slightly or moderately messy. The modded R-75 am synch will do exactly just
that for you. If you really want to dress up your audio, you can run your
line out audio into your PC sound card and then into a software driven
mixer. I do that from time to time when I have a signal that is really
muffled or has way too much base or is too tinny. Then, I can use the EQ
and really dress it up. You can do that with any radio :-)

So... There you have the shortcomings of the R-75 compared to the R8a, and
how to fix then for little cost should you decide to. Now... Here is where
the R-75 really shines :-)

If you like to listen to hams, or utility, the R-75 is the radio to do it
with !!!. I think the R-75 is probably the best ssb rig you can get without
having to spend about $2,000.00. You've probably heard already about the
twin PBT :-) No question here... You can tweak and resolve signals with
this in ways that you cant do on the R8a. No mod to the R8a will enable it
to do what the R-75 can. Also... With the superior ssb
function/capabilities of the R-75, you can also use it to listen to really
weak and messy sw broadcasts signals using ecss tuning, and then use the
twin pbt to tweak it up and get it to sound good enough for your ear to make
out what is being said. That is what makes it such a great DX rig. It is
rock solid stable and it has the tools to really dig out and resolve the
weakest of signals. For anything to do with ssb, or DX'ing, I'd take a used
R-75 over a brand new R8a... LOL :-) And.. Lets not forget, with a few
mods, you can have quality program listening too.

Hope that helps....

--
Respectfully,

Michael



I'd feel better about the R75 if the factory incorporated the sync mod into future production.

The standard filter for sideband is narrow for my tastes at 2.1khz. The Drake is slightly better at 2.3.

Wider filters can give improved fidelity, although if they don't have steep enough skirts, you won't like them. My Harris RF-550 and AOR 7030+ have 3.2khz filters. They sound beautiful without adjacent channel problems. Don't know the shape factor on
the Harris filter, but the 7030 one is 1.33. (It's a crystal filter, made for the Racal 6790/gm)

Icom does sell a 2.8khz filter for $140 and a 3.3khz filter for $160. It's not practical to change filters on the Drake.

But an R75 with the Kiwa mods and an extra filter will cost more than Lucky bid on the Harris. The advantage is he could do it in stages.

If I'm dealing with a reputable person, I'm not afraid of used radios.

Michael wrote:

"dxAce" wrote in message
...


Michael wrote:

"dxAce" wrote in message
...


Michael wrote:

"Lucky" wrote in message
...
Hi gentlemen

It looks like I've narrowed my next radio down to these two. I did
bid
on
a Harris RF-550 last week but my $606 bid got taken out.

I'll be using the receiver for AM BC during the day, and local Hams
and
DX'ing at night into the wee hours. I know the R8a has selectable
sideband
and AM sync if I'm correct.

But the R75 is supposed to be extremely well built and I can get
free
DSP
and a rebate for $50 coming out to a $475 final price. I think I
can
pick
up a R8A for about $500 to $600. So the price difference may not be
that
huge at all.

The only thing is that the R75 will be brand new and the R8a used.

So what do you guys think? What bothers me about the R75 is I hear
the
AM
audio is just not too great and you need to work around it.
Some people say the AM sound is not that bad at all, but most others
say
it needs help.

I need your experience and opinions please?

Thank you
Lucky

Hiya, Lucky

I think you should go with the shiny new out of the box R-75 instead
of
the
used R8a. First off, it is always nice to have a brand new radio vs.
one
that has been used. Along with that, I think you will get more out
of
the
R-75. I use an R-75 as my primary radio, and I have also had my
friends
R8a here for several weeks, so I know how both radios sound and
perform.

When the R-75 is in its stock form with no mods, it has two
shortcomings
when compared to the Drake R8a. The first being, that the R-75 does
not
have the fantastic audio quality of the Drake R8a. This is true, but
the
audio quality of the R-75 is not bad. It is just not as defined and
rich
as
the R8a's audio. If you want the audio definition on the R-75 to be
enhanced, you can do so by sending it to Kiwa to have a very simple,
inexpensive and fully reversible mod done on it. They offer a mod for
$
35.00 and they will have your radio back to you in less then two
weeks.
I
had this mod done to my R-75 and it was back to me in a week.

The second shortcoming of the R-75 is that it has an am sycn detector
that
isn't very effective in its stock form. Once again, you can improve
this
quite a bit by sending it off to Kiwa for yet another simple,
inexpensive
and reversible mod. The offer the sync detector upgrade for $45.00.
I
also
had this done to my R-75 and it improves program listening under
conditions
of fade quite a bit. The sync now holds its lock quite well and it
really
helps keep distortion in check.

See Kiwas R-75 web page: http://kiwa.com/R75.html

I have those upgrades done on my R-75. I also use an external speaker
wich
is a must on both the R8a and the R-75. I can say that my R-75 sounds
VERY
good for program listening. The R8a may still have a bit more rich
and
defined audio, but not by much !!!! Also... No am synch detector will
help
you if you are listening to a signal that is extremely weak and messy.
You
can expect a good am synch detector to help you with a signal that is
slightly or moderately messy. The modded R-75 am synch will do
exactly
just
that for you. If you really want to dress up your audio, you can run
your
line out audio into your PC sound card and then into a software driven
mixer. I do that from time to time when I have a signal that is
really
muffled or has way too much base or is too tinny. Then, I can use the
EQ
and really dress it up. You can do that with any radio :-)

So... There you have the shortcomings of the R-75 compared to the R8a,
and
how to fix then for little cost should you decide to. Now... Here is
where
the R-75 really shines :-)

If you like to listen to hams, or utility, the R-75 is the radio to do
it
with !!!. I think the R-75 is probably the best ssb rig you can get
without
having to spend about $2,000.00. You've probably heard already about
the
twin PBT :-) No question here... You can tweak and resolve signals
with
this in ways that you cant do on the R8a. No mod to the R8a will
enable
it
to do what the R-75 can. Also... With the superior ssb
function/capabilities of the R-75, you can also use it to listen to
really
weak and messy sw broadcasts signals using ecss tuning, and then use
the
twin pbt to tweak it up and get it to sound good enough for your ear
to
make
out what is being said. That is what makes it such a great DX rig.
It
is
rock solid stable and it has the tools to really dig out and resolve
the
weakest of signals. For anything to do with ssb, or DX'ing, I'd take
a
used
R-75 over a brand new R8a... LOL :-) And.. Lets not forget, with a
few
mods, you can have quality program listening too.

Hope that helps....

Drake... no fuss... no muss...

And I'm speaking from the position of being a long time DX'er with
over
200
countries actually verified using the NASWA Country List...

Just my opinion of course!

No question... Drake makes an awesome product. Also... I like that Drake
is
made in the USA. I've read/heard that any sort of service issues
regarding
dealing with Drake are always favorable. And, I also think the R8 series
looks way better then the R-75. In this case though, I think the poster
would be better served by getting a new R-75 rather then a used R-8a.

Also.. Regarding am sync detection and program listening. Two weeks ago
I
purchased a Sony 7600gr to add to my collection of portables. The 7600gr
has ssb selectable am sync that works quite well. For the past two
weeks, I
have been using the 7600gr with its line out jack going into my PC's
sound
card. I have a five piece speaker system on my PC along with a software
driven mixer/eq. I've found that the ssb selectable am sync to be
enormously helpful for program listening. You can cut out QRM that is
coming from above or below by switching from ssb or usb. I can't do that
on
the R-75. So, I've been using my 7600gr through the sound card for
program
listening on any and every signal that can be improved with ssb
selectable
am sync. I'd LOVE to hear how the R8b's sync works. I bet it is sweet
!!!
I'd say I'd consider buying one, but I'm also considering buying an
ICOM-746
pro to use as a DSP DX'ing rig. Now I dont know what to do again :-)

Well, I do have an R8B and also an R7... having said that, the radio I use
most
often on any given day is the R8.

Why? Beats me.

(I'd swear it's because it sits above the R8B in the shack, and maybe I
should
move the R8B to the top just to see if that might make a difference).

Today, for some reason or another I'm using the R7.


R7 ??? Good for MW, as I understand.

Darn good all over, but admittedly, 'clunky' by modern standards as far as ease
of tuning goes.

But, in a real pinch, still my receiver of choice.

I was able to use it for my reception of Radio Bayrak in Turkish Northern Cyprus
on 6150 back in December 2002 when I could not separate their audio out from
other competing/interfering sources.

The 'true passband tuning' and very effective IF notch enabled me to do so.

dxAce

"Mark S. Holden" wrote in message
...
Michael wrote:

"Lucky" wrote in message
...
Hi gentlemen

It looks like I've narrowed my next radio down to these two. I did bid
on
a Harris RF-550 last week but my $606 bid got taken out.

I'll be using the receiver for AM BC during the day, and local Hams and
DX'ing at night into the wee hours. I know the R8a has selectable
sideband
and AM sync if I'm correct.

But the R75 is supposed to be extremely well built and I can get free
DSP
and a rebate for $50 coming out to a $475 final price. I think I can
pick
up a R8A for about $500 to $600. So the price difference may not be
that
huge at all.

The only thing is that the R75 will be brand new and the R8a used.

So what do you guys think? What bothers me about the R75 is I hear the
AM
audio is just not too great and you need to work around it.
Some people say the AM sound is not that bad at all, but most others
say
it needs help.

I need your experience and opinions please?

Thank you
Lucky

Hiya, Lucky

I think you should go with the shiny new out of the box R-75 instead of
the
used R8a. First off, it is always nice to have a brand new radio vs.
one
that has been used. Along with that, I think you will get more out of
the
R-75. I use an R-75 as my primary radio, and I have also had my friends
R8a here for several weeks, so I know how both radios sound and perform.

When the R-75 is in its stock form with no mods, it has two shortcomings
when compared to the Drake R8a. The first being, that the R-75 does not
have the fantastic audio quality of the Drake R8a. This is true, but the
audio quality of the R-75 is not bad. It is just not as defined and rich
as
the R8a's audio. If you want the audio definition on the R-75 to be
enhanced, you can do so by sending it to Kiwa to have a very simple,
inexpensive and fully reversible mod done on it. They offer a mod for $
35.00 and they will have your radio back to you in less then two weeks.
I
had this mod done to my R-75 and it was back to me in a week.

The second shortcoming of the R-75 is that it has an am sycn detector
that
isn't very effective in its stock form. Once again, you can improve this
quite a bit by sending it off to Kiwa for yet another simple, inexpensive
and reversible mod. The offer the sync detector upgrade for $45.00. I
also
had this done to my R-75 and it improves program listening under
conditions
of fade quite a bit. The sync now holds its lock quite well and it
really
helps keep distortion in check.

See Kiwas R-75 web page: http://kiwa.com/R75.html

I have those upgrades done on my R-75. I also use an external speaker
wich
is a must on both the R8a and the R-75. I can say that my R-75 sounds
VERY
good for program listening. The R8a may still have a bit more rich and
defined audio, but not by much !!!! Also... No am synch detector will
help
you if you are listening to a signal that is extremely weak and messy.
You
can expect a good am synch detector to help you with a signal that is
slightly or moderately messy. The modded R-75 am synch will do exactly
just
that for you. If you really want to dress up your audio, you can run
your
line out audio into your PC sound card and then into a software driven
mixer. I do that from time to time when I have a signal that is really
muffled or has way too much base or is too tinny. Then, I can use the EQ
and really dress it up. You can do that with any radio :-)

So... There you have the shortcomings of the R-75 compared to the R8a,
and
how to fix then for little cost should you decide to. Now... Here is
where
the R-75 really shines :-)

If you like to listen to hams, or utility, the R-75 is the radio to do it
with !!!. I think the R-75 is probably the best ssb rig you can get
without
having to spend about $2,000.00. You've probably heard already about
the
twin PBT :-) No question here... You can tweak and resolve signals with
this in ways that you cant do on the R8a. No mod to the R8a will enable
it
to do what the R-75 can. Also... With the superior ssb
function/capabilities of the R-75, you can also use it to listen to
really
weak and messy sw broadcasts signals using ecss tuning, and then use the
twin pbt to tweak it up and get it to sound good enough for your ear to
make
out what is being said. That is what makes it such a great DX rig. It
is
rock solid stable and it has the tools to really dig out and resolve the
weakest of signals. For anything to do with ssb, or DX'ing, I'd take a
used
R-75 over a brand new R8a... LOL :-) And.. Lets not forget, with a few
mods, you can have quality program listening too.

Hope that helps....

--
Respectfully,

Michael



I'd feel better about the R75 if the factory incorporated the sync mod
into future production.

The standard filter for sideband is narrow for my tastes at 2.1khz. The
Drake is slightly better at 2.3.

Wider filters can give improved fidelity, although if they don't have
steep enough skirts, you won't like them. My Harris RF-550 and AOR 7030+
have 3.2khz filters. They sound beautiful without adjacent channel
problems. Don't know the shape factor on
the Harris filter, but the 7030 one is 1.33. (It's a crystal filter, made
for the Racal 6790/gm)

Icom does sell a 2.8khz filter for $140 and a 3.3khz filter for $160.
It's not practical to change filters on the Drake.

But an R75 with the Kiwa mods and an extra filter will cost more than
Lucky bid on the Harris. The advantage is he could do it in stages.

If I'm dealing with a reputable person, I'm not afraid of used radios.

Hi Mark

Too bad I lost that Harris but $745 total from Esoteria right now is too
much for me. I agree that 2.1 is narrow but I thought there was a 2.4 stock
filter? I got this from the Yahoo R75 newgroup. Is he right or wrong?

"The stock R-75 comes with 15kHz and 2,4kHz in the 9MHz section and
15kHz ,6kHz, 2,4 kHz for the 455kHz. I added a 3,3kHz FL 257.

15/15 is always too wide, 15/6 might be too wide for some stations
with a second station nearby (9kHz spacing and overlapping spectrums),
15/2.4 sounds very dark.
2,4/15 is useless, 2.4/6 too dark, sometimes ok for news....

The list is endless.

The 2,4 setting is quite good for SSB (in order to avoid the almost
non existing feature of the Sync detector you can use this as ECSS),
3,3kHz offers an excellent choice for both sound quality AND selectivity.

"Lucky" wrote in message
...

"Mark S. Holden" wrote in message
...
Michael wrote:

"Lucky" wrote in message
...
Hi gentlemen

It looks like I've narrowed my next radio down to these two. I did bid
on
a Harris RF-550 last week but my $606 bid got taken out.

I'll be using the receiver for AM BC during the day, and local Hams
and
DX'ing at night into the wee hours. I know the R8a has selectable
sideband
and AM sync if I'm correct.

But the R75 is supposed to be extremely well built and I can get free
DSP
and a rebate for $50 coming out to a $475 final price. I think I can
pick
up a R8A for about $500 to $600. So the price difference may not be
that
huge at all.

The only thing is that the R75 will be brand new and the R8a used.

So what do you guys think? What bothers me about the R75 is I hear the
AM
audio is just not too great and you need to work around it.
Some people say the AM sound is not that bad at all, but most others
say
it needs help.

I need your experience and opinions please?

Thank you
Lucky

Hiya, Lucky

I think you should go with the shiny new out of the box R-75 instead of
the
used R8a. First off, it is always nice to have a brand new radio vs.
one
that has been used. Along with that, I think you will get more out of
the
R-75. I use an R-75 as my primary radio, and I have also had my
friends
R8a here for several weeks, so I know how both radios sound and perform.

When the R-75 is in its stock form with no mods, it has two shortcomings
when compared to the Drake R8a. The first being, that the R-75 does not
have the fantastic audio quality of the Drake R8a. This is true, but
the
audio quality of the R-75 is not bad. It is just not as defined and
rich as
the R8a's audio. If you want the audio definition on the R-75 to be
enhanced, you can do so by sending it to Kiwa to have a very simple,
inexpensive and fully reversible mod done on it. They offer a mod for $
35.00 and they will have your radio back to you in less then two weeks.
I
had this mod done to my R-75 and it was back to me in a week.

The second shortcoming of the R-75 is that it has an am sycn detector
that
isn't very effective in its stock form. Once again, you can improve
this
quite a bit by sending it off to Kiwa for yet another simple,
inexpensive
and reversible mod. The offer the sync detector upgrade for $45.00. I
also
had this done to my R-75 and it improves program listening under
conditions
of fade quite a bit. The sync now holds its lock quite well and it
really
helps keep distortion in check.

See Kiwas R-75 web page: http://kiwa.com/R75.html

I have those upgrades done on my R-75. I also use an external speaker
wich
is a must on both the R8a and the R-75. I can say that my R-75 sounds
VERY
good for program listening. The R8a may still have a bit more rich and
defined audio, but not by much !!!! Also... No am synch detector will
help
you if you are listening to a signal that is extremely weak and messy.
You
can expect a good am synch detector to help you with a signal that is
slightly or moderately messy. The modded R-75 am synch will do exactly
just
that for you. If you really want to dress up your audio, you can run
your
line out audio into your PC sound card and then into a software driven
mixer. I do that from time to time when I have a signal that is really
muffled or has way too much base or is too tinny. Then, I can use the
EQ
and really dress it up. You can do that with any radio :-)

So... There you have the shortcomings of the R-75 compared to the R8a,
and
how to fix then for little cost should you decide to. Now... Here is
where
the R-75 really shines :-)

If you like to listen to hams, or utility, the R-75 is the radio to do
it
with !!!. I think the R-75 is probably the best ssb rig you can get
without
having to spend about $2,000.00. You've probably heard already about
the
twin PBT :-) No question here... You can tweak and resolve signals with
this in ways that you cant do on the R8a. No mod to the R8a will enable
it
to do what the R-75 can. Also... With the superior ssb
function/capabilities of the R-75, you can also use it to listen to
really
weak and messy sw broadcasts signals using ecss tuning, and then use the
twin pbt to tweak it up and get it to sound good enough for your ear to
make
out what is being said. That is what makes it such a great DX rig. It
is
rock solid stable and it has the tools to really dig out and resolve the
weakest of signals. For anything to do with ssb, or DX'ing, I'd take a
used
R-75 over a brand new R8a... LOL :-) And.. Lets not forget, with a few
mods, you can have quality program listening too.

Hope that helps....

--
Respectfully,

Michael



I'd feel better about the R75 if the factory incorporated the sync mod
into future production.

The standard filter for sideband is narrow for my tastes at 2.1khz. The
Drake is slightly better at 2.3.

Wider filters can give improved fidelity, although if they don't have
steep enough skirts, you won't like them. My Harris RF-550 and AOR 7030+
have 3.2khz filters. They sound beautiful without adjacent channel
problems. Don't know the shape factor on
the Harris filter, but the 7030 one is 1.33. (It's a crystal filter,
made for the Racal 6790/gm)

Icom does sell a 2.8khz filter for $140 and a 3.3khz filter for $160.
It's not practical to change filters on the Drake.

But an R75 with the Kiwa mods and an extra filter will cost more than
Lucky bid on the Harris. The advantage is he could do it in stages.

If I'm dealing with a reputable person, I'm not afraid of used radios.

Hi Mark

Too bad I lost that Harris but $745 total from Esoteria right now is too
much for me. I agree that 2.1 is narrow but I thought there was a 2.4
stock filter? I got this from the Yahoo R75 newgroup. Is he right or
wrong?

"The stock R-75 comes with 15kHz and 2,4kHz in the 9MHz section and
15kHz ,6kHz, 2,4 kHz for the 455kHz. I added a 3,3kHz FL 257.

15/15 is always too wide, 15/6 might be too wide for some stations
with a second station nearby (9kHz spacing and overlapping spectrums),
15/2.4 sounds very dark.
2,4/15 is useless, 2.4/6 too dark, sometimes ok for news....

The list is endless.

The 2,4 setting is quite good for SSB (in order to avoid the almost
non existing feature of the Sync detector you can use this as ECSS),
3,3kHz offers an excellent choice for both sound quality AND selectivity.


The, there is this from Universal:

"The R75 is an excellent single sideband receiver (SSB). The supplied 2.1
kHz SSB filter is suitable for utility, amateur, or broadcast SSB. However,
two optional CW/SSB filter positions are also available (one per I.F.)."

"Mark S. Holden" wrote in message
...
Michael wrote:

"Lucky" wrote in message
...
Hi gentlemen

It looks like I've narrowed my next radio down to these two. I did bid
on
a Harris RF-550 last week but my $606 bid got taken out.

I'll be using the receiver for AM BC during the day, and local Hams and
DX'ing at night into the wee hours. I know the R8a has selectable
sideband
and AM sync if I'm correct.

But the R75 is supposed to be extremely well built and I can get free
DSP
and a rebate for $50 coming out to a $475 final price. I think I can
pick
up a R8A for about $500 to $600. So the price difference may not be
that
huge at all.

The only thing is that the R75 will be brand new and the R8a used.

So what do you guys think? What bothers me about the R75 is I hear the
AM
audio is just not too great and you need to work around it.
Some people say the AM sound is not that bad at all, but most others
say
it needs help.

I need your experience and opinions please?

Thank you
Lucky

Hiya, Lucky

I think you should go with the shiny new out of the box R-75 instead of
the
used R8a. First off, it is always nice to have a brand new radio vs.
one
that has been used. Along with that, I think you will get more out of
the
R-75. I use an R-75 as my primary radio, and I have also had my friends
R8a here for several weeks, so I know how both radios sound and perform.

When the R-75 is in its stock form with no mods, it has two shortcomings
when compared to the Drake R8a. The first being, that the R-75 does not
have the fantastic audio quality of the Drake R8a. This is true, but the
audio quality of the R-75 is not bad. It is just not as defined and rich
as
the R8a's audio. If you want the audio definition on the R-75 to be
enhanced, you can do so by sending it to Kiwa to have a very simple,
inexpensive and fully reversible mod done on it. They offer a mod for $
35.00 and they will have your radio back to you in less then two weeks.
I
had this mod done to my R-75 and it was back to me in a week.

The second shortcoming of the R-75 is that it has an am sycn detector
that
isn't very effective in its stock form. Once again, you can improve this
quite a bit by sending it off to Kiwa for yet another simple, inexpensive
and reversible mod. The offer the sync detector upgrade for $45.00. I
also
had this done to my R-75 and it improves program listening under
conditions
of fade quite a bit. The sync now holds its lock quite well and it
really
helps keep distortion in check.

See Kiwas R-75 web page: http://kiwa.com/R75.html

I have those upgrades done on my R-75. I also use an external speaker
wich
is a must on both the R8a and the R-75. I can say that my R-75 sounds
VERY
good for program listening. The R8a may still have a bit more rich and
defined audio, but not by much !!!! Also... No am synch detector will
help
you if you are listening to a signal that is extremely weak and messy.
You
can expect a good am synch detector to help you with a signal that is
slightly or moderately messy. The modded R-75 am synch will do exactly
just
that for you. If you really want to dress up your audio, you can run
your
line out audio into your PC sound card and then into a software driven
mixer. I do that from time to time when I have a signal that is really
muffled or has way too much base or is too tinny. Then, I can use the EQ
and really dress it up. You can do that with any radio :-)

So... There you have the shortcomings of the R-75 compared to the R8a,
and
how to fix then for little cost should you decide to. Now... Here is
where
the R-75 really shines :-)

If you like to listen to hams, or utility, the R-75 is the radio to do it
with !!!. I think the R-75 is probably the best ssb rig you can get
without
having to spend about $2,000.00. You've probably heard already about
the
twin PBT :-) No question here... You can tweak and resolve signals with
this in ways that you cant do on the R8a. No mod to the R8a will enable
it
to do what the R-75 can. Also... With the superior ssb
function/capabilities of the R-75, you can also use it to listen to
really
weak and messy sw broadcasts signals using ecss tuning, and then use the
twin pbt to tweak it up and get it to sound good enough for your ear to
make
out what is being said. That is what makes it such a great DX rig. It
is
rock solid stable and it has the tools to really dig out and resolve the
weakest of signals. For anything to do with ssb, or DX'ing, I'd take a
used
R-75 over a brand new R8a... LOL :-) And.. Lets not forget, with a few
mods, you can have quality program listening too.

Hope that helps....

--
Respectfully,

Michael



I'd feel better about the R75 if the factory incorporated the sync mod
into future production.

That would never happen.

The standard filter for sideband is narrow for my tastes at 2.1khz. The
Drake is slightly better at 2.3.

Wider filters can give improved fidelity, although if they don't have
steep enough skirts, you won't like them. My Harris RF-550 and AOR 7030+
have 3.2khz filters. They sound beautiful without adjacent channel
problems. Don't know the shape factor on
the Harris filter, but the 7030 one is 1.33. (It's a crystal filter, made
for the Racal 6790/gm)

Icom does sell a 2.8khz filter for $140 and a 3.3khz filter for $160.
It's not practical to change filters on the Drake.

Yes.. For program listening, the optional 2.8 and 3.3 would be ideal. It
isn't needed I dont think, but if you were an audio quality oriented
listener, you could shell out some loot for a new filter. And... there is
always a compromise with filter values. I dont think you need any
additional filters on the R-75 to get audio that could be regarded as quite
good.

But an R75 with the Kiwa mods and an extra filter will cost more than
Lucky bid on the Harris. The advantage is he could do it in stages.

He won't need an additional filter...

If I'm dealing with a reputable person, I'm not afraid of used radios.

How used ??? Hours of usage takes its toll on any machine. The most honest
fellow in the world would still be selling a used item with a diminished
life time left before some kind of failure takes place. Not to mention, the
satisfaction and excitement you get by taking a brand new item out of a box
:-)

Also... The whole crux for buying a new R-75 is that it is a tremendous
value for what you pay. It is acceptable as a program listening radio, can
be improved quite a bit for little money and no risk. Add to that, IMHO, it
also happens to be the best ssb/utility/dx'ing radio you can buy until you
get into radios that cost literally three to four times as much money.

You can't go wrong with a new R-75 if your goal is to buy a tabletop
receiver to use for program listening and ham and utility and DX'ing. That
is why it is so popular. Yes, other radios are better for some things then
others, but the R-75 is clearly a great value.

If I want to get a radio that is markedly better for program listening then
the R-75, I need to get an R8b or a Sat 800. The R8b is still not an
advance on the R-75 for DX'ing or utility and it cost way more. The Sat 800
is a sw boom box and forget about utility or DX'ing as you could do with the
R-75

If I want to get a markedly better DX'ing radio then the R-75, you need to
think about 32 bit DSP transceivers, also for way more money.

Lucky wrote:

"Mark S. Holden" wrote in message
...



I'd feel better about the R75 if the factory incorporated the sync mod
into future production.

The standard filter for sideband is narrow for my tastes at 2.1khz. The
Drake is slightly better at 2.3.

Wider filters can give improved fidelity, although if they don't have
steep enough skirts, you won't like them. My Harris RF-550 and AOR 7030+
have 3.2khz filters. They sound beautiful without adjacent channel
problems. Don't know the shape factor on
the Harris filter, but the 7030 one is 1.33. (It's a crystal filter, made
for the Racal 6790/gm)

Icom does sell a 2.8khz filter for $140 and a 3.3khz filter for $160.
It's not practical to change filters on the Drake.

But an R75 with the Kiwa mods and an extra filter will cost more than
Lucky bid on the Harris. The advantage is he could do it in stages.

If I'm dealing with a reputable person, I'm not afraid of used radios.

Hi Mark

Too bad I lost that Harris but $745 total from Esoteria right now is too
much for me. I agree that 2.1 is narrow but I thought there was a 2.4 stock
filter? I got this from the Yahoo R75 newgroup. Is he right or wrong?


Hi

Last I heard, Radio Esoterica was out of stock on 550's.

Being fiscally responsible is a good idea - but the other thing is another 550 will turn up on ebay within a few weeks or months, and it may close for less. I have a friend who bought two and didn't go over $500 on either of them - but he was lucky.
(bad listings, closed when folks are sleeping or in the middle of a holiday weekend, blurry pictures...)

The Universal radio web site indicates the R75 comes with 2.1, 6, and 12khz filters.

http://www.rffun.com/catalog/commrxvr/0175spec.html

I don't know how much room is inside the case of an R75, but the racal filters I added to my 7030+ are for a 455 IF, so that might be an option too. The ones I used were made by Filtronetics, and they're quite good.

snip