Anyone have an opinion on the "Super" 909 located at
http://www.radiolabs.com/products/re...s/super909.php
?

I am considering taking up shortwave radio. I have a while before I'll
have the money, I am just looking for information. Thanks-

If you feel like trusting a stranger, I'll sell you my C Crane
Pro-modified ATS 909 for a hundred and a half.





http://community-2.webtv.net/DEMEM/L...mes/page2.html

"j.d." wrote in message
...
Anyone have an opinion on the "Super" 909 located at
http://www.radiolabs.com/products/re...s/super909.php
?

I am considering taking up shortwave radio. I have a while before I'll
have the money, I am just looking for information. Thanks-


It is overpriced. You can do much better for your money.

Sony 7600gr: about $ 140.00 (IMO the best portable on the market and it has
a ssb selectable am sync. Good sensitivity, it is selective and has
reasonable audio. It is also very good for medium wave DX'ing. Great for
resolving weak signals)

Grundig YB-400: about $130.00 (Very good portable with amazing audio
quality. Also sensitive and selective.)

Tecsun PL-550: about $50.00 (Amazing value for dollar. Sensitive, great
audio, has lots of great features and has a push button tuner as well as a
knob.)

Degen 1103: about $50.00 (reported to be very sensitive and selective. also
has a tuning knob. I have never used one, but I'm told it is a great little
radio)

For the money I'd say get one of the radio's above rather then the
Super-909. Especially the 7600gr. Even though it is less expensive, IMHO
it is a better radio for swl. If you want to spend over $ 320.00 at least
walk away with a Sat-800 or an R-75.

Michael

Read a lot of good things about the 7600GR. The thing is, I live in
the middle of Kansas, and the number and quality of the radio stations
I can receive is limited, so I'd like to get my old stations from
Kansas City/Lawrence.

Also, I am intrigued by being able to pick up stations from across the
country and around the world. Can you hook up an external antenna to
the 7600, and if so, what sort would you recommend?

Remember that I am totally new to this, so things may have to be
explained in a little more detail.

Thanks a lot.


On Sun, 17 Oct 2004 01:43:37 GMT, "Michael"
wrote:



It is overpriced. You can do much better for your money.

Sony 7600gr: about $ 140.00 (IMO the best portable on the market and it has
a ssb selectable am sync. Good sensitivity, it is selective and has
reasonable audio. It is also very good for medium wave DX'ing. Great for
resolving weak signals)

Grundig YB-400: about $130.00 (Very good portable with amazing audio
quality. Also sensitive and selective.)

Tecsun PL-550: about $50.00 (Amazing value for dollar. Sensitive, great
audio, has lots of great features and has a push button tuner as well as a
knob.)

Degen 1103: about $50.00 (reported to be very sensitive and selective. also
has a tuning knob. I have never used one, but I'm told it is a great little
radio)

For the money I'd say get one of the radio's above rather then the
Super-909. Especially the 7600gr. Even though it is less expensive, IMHO
it is a better radio for swl. If you want to spend over $ 320.00 at least
walk away with a Sat-800 or an R-75.

Michael

"j.d." wrote in message
...
Read a lot of good things about the 7600GR. The thing is, I live in
the middle of Kansas, and the number and quality of the radio stations
I can receive is limited, so I'd like to get my old stations from
Kansas City/Lawrence.

Also, I am intrigued by being able to pick up stations from across the
country and around the world. Can you hook up an external antenna to
the 7600, and if so, what sort would you recommend?

Remember that I am totally new to this, so things may have to be
explained in a little more detail.

Your sure can hook an external antenna up to it. It has a jack for one. Or
you can just connect a wire up to the whip antenna. The 7600gr comes with
just such an antenna.

Michael


Thanks a lot.


On Sun, 17 Oct 2004 01:43:37 GMT, "Michael"
wrote:



It is overpriced. You can do much better for your money.

Sony 7600gr: about $ 140.00 (IMO the best portable on the market and it
has
a ssb selectable am sync. Good sensitivity, it is selective and has
reasonable audio. It is also very good for medium wave DX'ing. Great for
resolving weak signals)

Grundig YB-400: about $130.00 (Very good portable with amazing audio
quality. Also sensitive and selective.)

Tecsun PL-550: about $50.00 (Amazing value for dollar. Sensitive, great
audio, has lots of great features and has a push button tuner as well as a
knob.)

Degen 1103: about $50.00 (reported to be very sensitive and selective.
also
has a tuning knob. I have never used one, but I'm told it is a great
little
radio)

For the money I'd say get one of the radio's above rather then the
Super-909. Especially the 7600gr. Even though it is less expensive, IMHO
it is a better radio for swl. If you want to spend over $ 320.00 at least
walk away with a Sat-800 or an R-75.

Michael

Hello.

It is my opinion that for a first purchase (and one you will not
"outgrow"), you cannot beat the combination of the Sony ICF-SW7600GR
AND the Sony AN-LP1 Active Loop Antenna. This appears to be an almost
ideal combination and can be purchased in total for less than $260
(sometimes much less). I myself, however, would deal with one of the
established shortwave dealers, such as Universal, Grove, or AES. (I
know that AES stocks both the radio and the antenna; I'm not too sure
about the others.) You pay "top dollar" but you get excellent service
with no "surprises" and you have a good company standing behind you.
(I feel that, in this hobby, with its sophisticated and complex
equipment, that is very important.)

Note that the AN-LP1 works only on shortwave frequencies and MUST be
disconnected from the radio for proper MW reception. (Should you wish
to DX on MW, I should recommend the Select-A-Tenna, less than $60 at
various dealers.)

Also note that the AN-LP1 antenna is strictly an "indoor" antenna
(which works best when placed next to a window). For outdoor use, I
have found that a Sangean ANT-60 works fairly well with the '7600GR
but often does NOT outperform the whip.

If the combination price is too high for you at present, you can buy
the radio alone and get very good reception right off the whip.
(Outdoors, I generally use the whip only and with very good results.)
You could always buy the AN-LP1 antenna later.

The only "flaws" in this radio are (surprisingly) image rejection
which is less than excellent (cannot be corrected at this time) and
sound quality which is only good-to-very good (can be easily
"corrected" by connecting the radio through its line-output to a
stereo system).

Battery life is excellent; I use rechargeable NiMH batteries. An
AC-adapter is not really necessary.

All in all, the '7600GR is an outstanding first radio and one which
you will take on vacations as it is also a "dual alarm clock-radio!"
As I stated above, no matter what other radios you may purchase, you
will never "outgrow" this one. It does not need to be "modified" in
any way, either.

All the best,

Joe

j.d. wrote in message . ..
Read a lot of good things about the 7600GR. The thing is, I live in
the middle of Kansas, and the number and quality of the radio stations
I can receive is limited, so I'd like to get my old stations from
Kansas City/Lawrence.

Also, I am intrigued by being able to pick up stations from across the
country and around the world. Can you hook up an external antenna to
the 7600, and if so, what sort would you recommend?

Remember that I am totally new to this, so things may have to be
explained in a little more detail.

Thanks a lot.

"Joe Analssandrini" wrote in message
om...
Hello.

It is my opinion that for a first purchase (and one you will not
"outgrow"), you cannot beat the combination of the Sony ICF-SW7600GR
AND the Sony AN-LP1 Active Loop Antenna. This appears to be an almost
ideal combination and can be purchased in total for less than $260
(sometimes much less). I myself, however, would deal with one of the
established shortwave dealers, such as Universal, Grove, or AES. (I

Grove no longer sells Sony radios.

know that AES stocks both the radio and the antenna; I'm not too sure
about the others.) You pay "top dollar" but you get excellent service
with no "surprises" and you have a good company standing behind you.
(I feel that, in this hobby, with its sophisticated and complex
equipment, that is very important.)

Note that the AN-LP1 works only on shortwave frequencies and MUST be
disconnected from the radio for proper MW reception. (Should you wish
to DX on MW, I should recommend the Select-A-Tenna, less than $60 at
various dealers.)

Also note that the AN-LP1 antenna is strictly an "indoor" antenna
(which works best when placed next to a window). For outdoor use, I
have found that a Sangean ANT-60 works fairly well with the '7600GR
but often does NOT outperform the whip.

If the combination price is too high for you at present, you can buy
the radio alone and get very good reception right off the whip.
(Outdoors, I generally use the whip only and with very good results.)
You could always buy the AN-LP1 antenna later.

The only "flaws" in this radio are (surprisingly) image rejection
which is less than excellent (cannot be corrected at this time) and
sound quality which is only good-to-very good (can be easily
"corrected" by connecting the radio through its line-output to a
stereo system).

Battery life is excellent; I use rechargeable NiMH batteries. An
AC-adapter is not really necessary.

All in all, the '7600GR is an outstanding first radio and one which
you will take on vacations as it is also a "dual alarm clock-radio!"
As I stated above, no matter what other radios you may purchase, you
will never "outgrow" this one. It does not need to be "modified" in
any way, either.

Again, for a first time radio I recommend checking out the new Degen 1103
for $65 shipped.

DeWayne


All the best,

Joe

j.d. wrote in message
. ..
Read a lot of good things about the 7600GR. The thing is, I live in
the middle of Kansas, and the number and quality of the radio stations
I can receive is limited, so I'd like to get my old stations from
Kansas City/Lawrence.

Also, I am intrigued by being able to pick up stations from across the
country and around the world. Can you hook up an external antenna to
the 7600, and if so, what sort would you recommend?

Remember that I am totally new to this, so things may have to be
explained in a little more detail.

Thanks a lot.

Hello DeWayne,

The price for the Degen DE1103 is certainly right but the radio does
not have selectable synchronous sideband. For me, that would preclude
it from my "short list." As we are heading into the end of the current
sunspot cycle, that circuit, which minimizes selectable fading
distortion, is almost essential.

I feel that, for a first-time purchaser, the Sony ICF-SW7600GR (along
with, if finances permit, the Sony AN-LP1 Active Loop Antenna) is an
almost ideal combination. Reception quality is excellent and parts and
build quality, things which are very important, are superb. The
features offered for the price make it well worth its cost. Frankly, I
feel it is a bargain. (I own three [3] '7600GRs and two [2] '7600Gs. I
also own three [3] AN-LP1s. In the over six years since I purchased my
first 'G model, I have never had any problem with these radios or
antennas.)

As I have stated in many other posts, I would not even consider
purchasing a SW radio which does not have a (good, fully functioning)
synchronous selectable sideband circuit. The improvement in reception
and listening enjoyment is just too great to do without it. It is, in
my opinion, as great an advance as digital tuning.

Thanks for the info about Grove no longer stocking Sony. (I wonder
why?)

Best,

Joe

P.S. Not having had any experience with the Sangean ATS-909, the
"Super 909," or the Degen DE1103 radios, I am not qualified to make
comments but, from what I've read, the Degen would seem to perform
almost as well as the "Super 909" at about one-fifth the price. I can
say that, having had some experience with other Sangean radios
(ATS-808A and ATS-606AP, both made in Taiwan), their build quality is
somewhat lacking. In other words, the radios don't "hold up," at least
in my experience. Very disappointing. I don't know about the quality
of Degen radios.

"DeWayne" wrote in message ...

Again, for a first time radio I recommend checking out the new Degen 1103
for $65 shipped.

DeWayne

"j.d." wrote in message
...
Anyone have an opinion on the "Super" 909 located at
http://www.radiolabs.com/products/re...s/super909.php
?

I am considering taking up shortwave radio. I have a while before I'll
have the money, I am just looking for information. Thanks-


Try a Degen 1103. You can get a new one on Ebay for about $65 and probably
get a better radio.

DeWayne

I am aware of the REGULAR 909 and it is a fine radio. It's not quite as
efficient (battery wise) as the 7600GR, but has more bells and whistles.

Radio Labs helps to sponsor Steve Quayle's radio program and this says a
lot for them. Also, they give a 30 day money back guarantee so you have
nothing to lose. Steve can be heard at 9.475 MHz every M-F at 7:00 PM
EDT. That's 23:00 UTC. Of course, at the end of this month, about two
weeks we'll be going back to regular time and we'll be 5 hrs behind UTC
or it'll be 24:00 UTC at that time. Also, I believe I just heard WWCR
mention deleting 9.475 and using 9.985 instead. For what it's worth,
that will be fine with me as I have an automobile radio that has a gap
from 9.0 to 9.5 MHz (between SW1 & SW2) so I can't get 9475 but can get
9985. :-)

Steve's web site is http://www.stevequayle.com He says that this radio
has been modified to pick up shortwave signals and medium wave signals a
lot better. Seems he may have mentioned the FM as well, but I'm not
real sure on that.

About the solar cell. Steve says that the internet and power grid WILL
go down. That solar cell is supposedly one that you can fold up and
carry with you very easily or you can place it across your backpack and
charge a radio or extra set of batteries while you hike. He says that
shortwave may be the only reliable source of information available when
things come crashing down around us. I'm sure there will be
DISinformation agents on SW then, as there may very well be now.
However, you can go steer crazy with NO contact with the outside world.
Shortwave can be that contact, that source of information -- if you
have enough batteries to last you -- or if you have the solar charger.
Also, that charger comes with multiple adapters to fit many different
pieces of electronic equipment.

I'd like to get the solar panel if nothing else as I have several
radios. However, if you don't already have a good radio I expect the
Super 909 might be a very fine way to start, especially if you can get
the complete outfit with charger, etc..

Just my $0.02 worth. :-)

Al

==========

j.d. wrote:
Anyone have an opinion on the "Super" 909 located at
http://www.radiolabs.com/products/re...s/super909.php
?

I am considering taking up shortwave radio. I have a while before I'll
have the money, I am just looking for information. Thanks-