"Daniel J. Morlan" wrote:

I have a Grundig Satellit 800 coming my way, and some of my fellow ham radio
friends are trying to convince me that I've made some kind of mistake.

The AOR 7030 is darnedably expensive, but I did have a question as to
performance characteristics and enhancements. Is there a shortwave radio
superior to the AOR 7030? Just for curiositie's sake, is there such a radio
that IS more superior, if money were no object? Or is there one superior in
quality that is actually less expensive?

The '7030 is a fine radio, but like anything else, it has its
weaknesses. I *can* say, without any qualifications, that on any
measure the '7030 is in another class than the Sat 800.

Other better radios than the '7030? For ease-of-use, the R8B. For
best bang/buck, the R75 (now discontinued, but probably limited
availability). For sensitivity, the R8500 (also discontinued). For
build quality... none. For filter options, the RX-340, '320,
WR-G303i, WR G313i. For "bulletproof" front end, the R8500, RX-340.
For "James Bond intrigue quality" (if you're into that), RX-340,
WJ-8711/HF-1000. For classic tube quality approaching modern PLL,
R-390, R-392.

In other words, it all depends on what you are looking for. As a
program-listening radio, the Sat 800 is not bad, *provided* you got
one that doesn't have 1001 defects in it. That's kinda a crap shoot.
I'd go with the Lowe HF-150 (*not* the SMC versions -- this radio is
also discontinued) or the '7030.

I had an SMC HF-150, which wasn't very good, but wasn't too terribly
bad, either. I also have R8500s, an R-392, a G-303i, and a RX-340.
The latter two are fine program-listening radios for tougher
conditions and the '8500 is great under better conditions (in AM) or
pretty decent in fair/poor conditions (SSB/ECSS).


Is there perhaps a website that has a fairly independent review of these
radios, and makes comparisons?

Website? This is mostly ham gear but a few high-end receivers, too:

http://www.sherweng.com/table.html

Book? Passport to World Band Radio:

http://www.passband.com

Hope this helps.

Any help greatly appreciated.

(I do know of radio netherlands, and universal radio.)

73, WW6DJM

Daniel


--
Eric F. Richards

"Nature abhors a vacuum tube." -- Myron Glass,
often attributed to J. R. Pierce, Bell Labs, c. 1940