Dear Ms. Laura,

May I recommend a Sony ICF-SW7600GR, which I regard as the finest of
all small portable short wave radios currently available new? Along
with that receiver I should recommend you purchase a Sony AN-LP1 Active
Loop Antenna, which is a perfect (indoor, window-mount) match for the
radio.

Alone among small, relatively inexpensive short wave radios, it feature
a synchronous selectable-sideband circuit (which sounds complicated but
actually is not) which allows for superb reception of somewhat
difficult signals. It can eliminate adjacent-channel interference and
also eliminate selective-fading distortion (where an announcer sounds
as though he/she has a very bad cold which renders them
unintelligible).

I live in the USA but with the Sony combination I have received North
Korea and the VOR (which is one of my favorite stations; I particularly
enjoy their show "Musical Tales" which features fine Russian classical
music; I also like their "Jazz Show").

I hope you will consider the above as it affords you a superb
receiver/antenna combination which you will never "outgrow" even if
eventually you buy a table-model short wave receiver. (It is a great
combination to take on a vacation.)

Should you wish to erect an outdoor antenna, you can attach it to the
Sony without fear of "overloading" as long as the antenna is not too
"elaborate." In high-signal-strength Europe, however, the need for an
outdoor antenna is not critical, at least at first.

Your own experience will tell you, after a while, whether you wish for
something "better" or if what you already have is satisfactory.

I own quite a number of receivers (these things do tend to accumulate)
but, even though my table-models are "better" radios and have "better"
antennas, I use my Sony ICF-7600GR (I have three of them as well as two
of its predecessor model the '7600G) every day. (I use NiMH
rechargeable batteries in the radio and the antenna; this allows
running costs to be very low in the long run.)

Should you decide to buy my recommended combination, look into buying
from a US-based company as the pound-dollar ratio is so favorable to
you. Even with shipping it might cost you less than buying in the UK.
Of course, check with your local shops as well to compare their prices.
Two US companies I can recommend are Universal Radio and AES. Both can
be found on the web, though Sony prohibits web purchases (I have
absolutely no idea why!).

Should you like what you see, you can e-mail those US-based companies
for more information about purchase.

I wish you all the very best of luck.

Joe

laura fairhead wrote:
Hi ppl,

I am new to radio hamming although I have some experience
with electronics and I work in computing so I'm not afraid of
technical stuff Basically I am looking at buying a radio that
can recieve short wave and possibly setting up some sort of
aerial for it (have access to the roof where I live and I have
friends
tha can help put something reasonably simple up there). The main
reason I'm doing it is to recieve Voice of Korea ( DPRK - North
Korea), I'm also interested in recieving signal from Moscow
I know they have a very powerful transmitter there so it shouldn't
be a problem but I've heard that the DPRK signal is weak. The
problem I have is mainly what sort of radio I should get
that would give me the best reception. I can maybe afford
to shell-out about a hundred pounds, maybe a bit more if I'm
really convinced. What would you recommend to a beginning radio
ham who would like a reasonably decent radio set and trying
to recieve signals from Korea ? Has anyone experience with
recieving Voice of Korea from England, or Western Europe ?
(Until recently VOK was called Radio Pyongyang)

Regards from
laura



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