Help, Sony AN-LP1: internal loop antennas in steel reinforced buildings
 

Fellow shortwave enthusiasts,

Would Sony's AN-LP1 (indoor active loop) antenna work well inside a
steel reinforced apartment building? I understand it will be mounted on
a glass window, but should I expect the steel in the bldg to degrade
its performance any?

I'm considering upgrading to one of the following:

Setup1: A new Sony ICF-SW7600GR + AN-LP1 Antenna
OR..
Setup2: A used Sony ICF-SW77 (and use the built in whip)

are the two setups comparable in terms of sensitivity or other
performance considerations? maybe someone compared the two setups
firsthand?

Thanks for throwing some advice my way

alfard

In my opinion, you should get the used SW77 and then rig up some sort
of stealth antenna. The SW77 is a better receiver than the 7600GR. I
own both and the difference between them is significant--at least where
SW is concerned. In particular, the SW77 is much, much better than the
7600GR on SSB, largely because it permits smaller tuning increments.

Once you have your SW77, go to radio shack and buy a spool of very thin
magnet wire, which is hard to see. You should be able to make a decent
stealth antenna this way.

The AN-LP1 antenna also works well with the SW77.

Good luck!

Steve

wrote in message
oups.com...
In my opinion, you should get the used SW77 and then rig up some sort
of stealth antenna. The SW77 is a better receiver than the 7600GR. I
own both and the difference between them is significant--at least where
SW is concerned.

In particular, the SW77 is much, much better than the
7600GR on SSB, largely because it permits smaller tuning increments.

It does?


Once you have your SW77, go to radio shack and buy a spool of very thin
magnet wire, which is hard to see. You should be able to make a decent
stealth antenna this way.

The AN-LP1 antenna also works well with the SW77.

Good luck!

Steve

Hello.

I always believe in buying new. If you buy from a reputable dealer, you
have someone standing behind you should there be any trouble.

That said, I recommend the Sony ICF-SW7600GR and the AN-LP1 antenna. If
you mount the antenna in a window, there should be no degradation of
the signal due to the steel in the building. A possible better choice
for a window-mount antenna is the AOR WL500 Window Antenna, though it
is much more expensive and does not "collapse" as readily as does the
AN-LP1.

Really, the only way you will know for sure is to do what most of us
have done: experiment. I do think the '7600/AN-LP1 combination should
prove satisfactory, however.

Using any radio with its built-in whip in a steel-reinforced building
is almost always disappointing at best unless the radio itself is
placed in a window.

In a previous reply to your question, Steve states:

" ... the SW77 is much, much better than the 7600GR on SSB, largely
because it permits smaller tuning increments ... "

This is incorrect as the '7600 has an ANALOG clarifier for SSB; that,
coupled with the USB/LSB switch allows for essentially perfect phasing.
In other words, there is "no" tuning "increment," or, you could say it
is "infinite."

Best,

Joe

I'm considering upgrading to one of the following:

Setup1: A new Sony ICF-SW7600GR + AN-LP1 Antenna

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/7600GR

OR..
Setup2: A used Sony ICF-SW77 (and use the built in whip)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SONYICFSW77

Suggest you inquire in either or both groups. Excellent resources!

Alfard, check to see if the 7600GR will step tune in 1KHz steps. My old
7600 (no GR) would only step tune in 5 KHz icrements. That would cause
missing some narrow SSB signals, because it would step right across
some of the stations and you might never know they were there. Anyway
that's why some folks are saying the tuning increments are large.

The infinitely precise fine tuning wheel only moves you along about 2
or 3 KHz total and then it stops rotating, so you can't scan a large
segment of a band with it. But not to worry if the radio SSB band
segments have 1KHz step tunning.

Joe Analssandrini wrote:
..
..
..

In a previous reply to your question, Steve states:

" ... the SW77 is much, much better than the 7600GR on SSB, largely
because it permits smaller tuning increments ... "

This is incorrect as the '7600 has an ANALOG clarifier for SSB; that,
coupled with the USB/LSB switch allows for essentially perfect
phasing.
In other words, there is "no" tuning "increment," or, you could say
it
is "infinite."

Best,

Joe

I don't know all the technical details of the fine tuning knob or
clarifier on the 7600GR, but it doesn't make the 7600GR the equal of
the SW77 when it comes to SSB reception. Maybe the superior performance
of the SW77 is due to something other than its 50 hz tuning
increments...I don't know. In any event, the difference in performance
is so striking when you compare the two receivers side by side, I think
it would be worth plunking for a used SW77--at least if SSB is a
priority.

Steve

I just checked out the operating manual for the 7600GR. On p. 26 it
says "Use SSB FINE TUNE control to fine tune in to a frequency where
you have the best reception. You can fine tune the received frequency
in a range of about + or - 1.5khz. During this time, the frequency
display will not change."

Hello.

The Sony ICF-SW7600GR does indeed tune in 1 kHz steps.

Best,

Joe

Hello.

That is correct. There is no doubt that in many ways the Sony ICF-SW77
was a better radio overall than the '7600. It featured better
sensitivity, more memories, a tuning knob, etc.

But I never owned one, and never considered buying one, due to the many
shortcomings ("chugging" while tuning, heavy battery consumption,
mediocre dynamic range, plus a few others) described in PASSPORT TO
WORLD BAND RADIO. These performance "lapses" are important to me; they
may be less important to others. (For example, I have one radio - a
Radio Shack DX-400 - that "chugs" when tuning; I'll NEVER have
another!)

All the comparisons are moot, however, in my opinion, because the
choice boils down to buying "used" or "new." I'll ALWAYS recommend
buying "new."

Best,

Joe

Joe Analssandrini wrote:
Hello.

That is correct. There is no doubt that in many ways the Sony
ICF-SW77
was a better radio overall than the '7600. It featured better
sensitivity, more memories, a tuning knob, etc.

But I never owned one, and never considered buying one, due to the
many
shortcomings ("chugging" while tuning, heavy battery consumption,
mediocre dynamic range, plus a few others) described in PASSPORT TO
WORLD BAND RADIO. These performance "lapses" are important to me;
they
may be less important to others. (For example, I have one radio - a
Radio Shack DX-400 - that "chugs" when tuning; I'll NEVER have
another!)

All the comparisons are moot, however, in my opinion, because the
choice boils down to buying "used" or "new." I'll ALWAYS recommend
buying "new."

Best,

Joe


There definitely is something to be said for buying new, and I don't
think he'd be disappointed at all with a 7600GR. There was a fellow not
long ago on the SW77 group over on Yahoo who got stuck with a defective
SW77 via Ebay. Definitely something to consider....

Hello.

I should like to also add that I do not believe that, for most owners
of portable radios, SSB is THE priority. I believe that most people who
own these radios use them to tune in the major broadcasters to hear
news with a different "slant," commentaries, occasional "exotic"
musical shows, and occasional DXing.

That said, BOTH radios have synchronous selectable sideband circuitry
which is extremely important in making world band transmissions
pleasant to hear. It may be the most important advance in short wave
receivers in the last twenty or so years.

I could, of course, be wrong in my assessment of what is desired, but,
if what I say is correct in Alfard's case, then definitely a NEW
ICF-SW7600GR is the way to go, in my opinion.

Best,

Joe

P.S. There have indeed been many "horror" stories told by people who
have bought "used" radios. I know that many more people have been
satisfied, but the question always remains: why did the original owner
"get rid" of the unit?

Thanks everyone for your advice.

I feel more confident now going with ICF-SW7600GR and AN-LP1. (come to
think about it, i've already had a relatively bad radio purchasing
experience on eBay). Hopefully I'll have good news to report when the
units arrive.

my best

alfard

Hello Steve,

You are correct that the '7600GR's speaker leaves a bit to be desired,
though I personally do not find extended listening to be fatiguing.

A "cheap" way for improving the sound is to buy a Radio Shack stereo
cord (Cat. No. 42-2483 which is 6-feet in length; they also sell longer
cords, if desired) to run from the line output jack on the radio to
your stereo system's AUX jack. This affords excellent sound.

Your comment on headphones: 100% agreed. It almost goes without saying
that a good pair of headphones is an absolute "must" for ANY short wave
radio.

Best,

Joe