In article . com,
wrote:

DX398 not DX380.
Terry

I confused the model numbers. The 398 does have SSB and the radio I own
the 380 does not.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

The DX-398 Manual is on line at URL:


Since it is in pdf I can't copy it and don't care to type it, but the
procedure is quite clear for LSB and USB tuning --- see page 25 of the
manual

--
Caveat Lector



"Scott A." wrote in message
...
I have a Radio Shack DX-398 that I bought in '97 or '98. Whenever I try to
listen to anything in either usb or lsb, it sounds sort of like the
chipmunks. The pitch just sounds wrong and unintelligable.

I don't have a lot of experience with swl, so I don't know if this is
normal or not. I would expect normal AM broadcasts to be distorted, but
signals that I'm sure are ssb also sound bad.

(This problem comes to mind now because I was attempting to pick up the
pirate broadcast on 6925 mentioned on this newsgroup just a few minutes
ago, which I'm pretty sure is usb. I can pick it up. I even recognized
the old David Crosby song they were playing. But it's still un-
intelligable.)

Thanks for the link. I actually have my original manual. Read it just a
couple nights ago. I was actually suspecting that the radio wasn't working
right, but this is easily the best sounding ssb broadcast I've heard using
this radio. I'm convinced now it works find.

Thanks again.

In article ,
"Scott A." wrote:

Thanks for the link. I actually have my original manual. Read it just a
couple nights ago. I was actually suspecting that the radio wasn't working
right, but this is easily the best sounding ssb broadcast I've heard using
this radio. I'm convinced now it works find.

I still have my DX-398. It is my first portable SW radio. Portable
defined as you can easily hold it in one hand. Unfortunately it does not
have SSB mode or a BFO so you can pick up a SSB transmission but not
demodulate them properly.

It is a great sounding radio for AM transmissions, which is almost all
of the SW program broadcasters. Very few programs are in SSB.

This leave out most of the Hams broadcasting in SSB but some still
broadcast in AM.

Most of the military and utility stuff is SSB.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

I believe you're mistaken. The DX-398 does have true usb and lsb. Press
the AM mode button to cycle through them.

Plaaying around with the DX398 I have found
that a "strong" singal is much better then a weak
one. I just ran 100' of wire and laid it on the newly
fallen snow. Wtih no matching tranformer. (as an aside,
antennas work much better if errected in bad weather,
in fact the worst the weather the better the performance!).
By winding the wire in and out, I have it on a military spool,
I found that the DX398 is much happier with a strong signal.
I don't have access to equipment to measure the exact signal
required, and I don't think the ARRL lab comparison of the
DX398 with other portables adressed that issue.
And yes my wife is convinced that I am insane.
But she willingly helps me with thes odd experiments.
At some point I am going to have to errect an antenna "just for her".
I am just glad she hasn't grabed one of my R2000s!
(My original R2000 is showing it's age, I took it on one too
many picnics and I hope to restore it in the near future. The tuning
has gotten very touchy and I tend to use it for a dedicated WWV
receiver at the moment.)
Terry

In article ,
"Scott A." wrote:

I believe you're mistaken. The DX-398 does have true usb and lsb. Press
the AM mode button to cycle through them.

I screwed up on the model numbers my radio is a 380.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

In article _3BId.16732$ru.5265@fed1read07,
"Caveat Lector" wrote:

The DX-398 Manual is on line at URL:

f

Since it is in pdf I can't copy it and don't care to type it, but the
procedure is quite clear for LSB and USB tuning --- see page 25 of the
manual

Sorry about my previous posts. I pulled the radio out and did not see a
BFO or SSB switch on it and I don't recall ever using it for SSB.

When I get some new AA batteries for it I'll have to try the hidden SSB
modes. Didn't think I'd learn a new thing about a radio I have owned and
not used for years.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

Used select text in Acrobat Reader to copy text from a pdf file...

When you have located an SSB

station, press AM MODE to receive

the transmission. Repeatedly

press AM MODE to switch between

USB or LSB transmissions (try

LSB for frequencies below 10

MHz or USB for frequencies

above 10 MHz).

4. Set STEP to SLOW then readjust

MANUAL TUNING for maximum

intelligibility.



Gary K4GPB

"Scott A." wrote in message
...
I have a Radio Shack DX-398 that I bought in '97 or '98. Whenever I try to
listen to anything in either usb or lsb, it sounds sort of like the
chipmunks. The pitch just sounds wrong and unintelligable.

I don't have a lot of experience with swl, so I don't know if this is
normal or not. I would expect normal AM broadcasts to be distorted, but
signals that I'm sure are ssb also sound bad.

(This problem comes to mind now because I was attempting to pick up the
pirate broadcast on 6925 mentioned on this newsgroup just a few minutes
ago, which I'm pretty sure is usb. I can pick it up. I even recognized
the old David Crosby song they were playing. But it's still un-
intelligable.)

Gosh am I red faced -- been complaining about PDF for months (years) --
didn't know about the text tool for copying text.

Guess it is a case of "When all else fails. Read the ^*^%%* Manual !!!

Thanks for the tip

Now where is that file I wanted to plagiarize (;-)

--
Caveat Lector



"Gary Brown" wrote in message
. com...
Used select text in Acrobat Reader to copy text from a pdf file...

When you have located an SSB

station, press AM MODE to receive

the transmission. Repeatedly

press AM MODE to switch between

USB or LSB transmissions (try

LSB for frequencies below 10

MHz or USB for frequencies

above 10 MHz).

4. Set STEP to SLOW then readjust

MANUAL TUNING for maximum

intelligibility.



Gary K4GPB

"Scott A." wrote in message
...
I have a Radio Shack DX-398 that I bought in '97 or '98. Whenever I try to
listen to anything in either usb or lsb, it sounds sort of like the
chipmunks. The pitch just sounds wrong and unintelligable.

I don't have a lot of experience with swl, so I don't know if this is
normal or not. I would expect normal AM broadcasts to be distorted, but
signals that I'm sure are ssb also sound bad.

(This problem comes to mind now because I was attempting to pick up the
pirate broadcast on 6925 mentioned on this newsgroup just a few minutes
ago, which I'm pretty sure is usb. I can pick it up. I even recognized
the old David Crosby song they were playing. But it's still un-
intelligable.)