Joe Analssandrini wrote:
Dear "Old Timer,"

I am one myself, having been an SWL for more years than I care to
admit. May I recommend what I consider the finest small portable
AM/FM/SW receiver available new on the market? It is the Sony
ICF-SW7600GR which is on sale at Amazon for $128.84 including
shipping.

I second Joe's recommendation of the Sony 7600GR, but would emphasize
two things.

First, Joe's not kidding when he recommends an external speaker of some
kind. The 7600GR's speaker is small and has a 'tinny' sound that grates
on my nerves. In my opinion, an external speaker is a 'must'.

Second, I'd only recommend the 7600GR if you're intention is to spend
70 percent (or more) of your listening time chasing the big
broadcasters, like BBC, CBC, Voice of Russia, Radio Prague, etc. If you
plan to spend more time than this in pursuit of more challenging DX
targets, I think you should aim higher than the 7600GR. My
recommendation would be to pick up a used Sony SW77 or 2010. Neither of
these models is available new now, but both were in production for a
long time and are relatively easy to find used. They're going to cost
more than the 7600GR--probably around $300--but the step up in
performance is worth it, in my opinion.
Good luck! Let us know how you make out.

Steve