"jwb" wrote in
news:Va3ke.14138$V2.6139@attbi_s72:

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamhf.html

I'm not familiar with the Icom 725, but, in short, the major difference
is that you won't be able to buy any new tabletop shortwave radios from
Icom or, I suspect, Yaesu either. There still will be the excellent
Palstar and other Shortwave Tabletop receivers from other manufacturers,
as well as used R-75s and others for decades, traveling from one owner to
another.

Remember the term "opinions". You will get opinions on this NG
masquerading as facts.

My fact (notice the irony here, actually my opinion), you can get
excellent performance from the Transceivers. I have an Icom R-75, Yaesu
FRG-100, and the Yaesu transceiver FT-840, they all offer similar
performance. The only thing I don't like about the FT-840 is that it has
a transmit button on the face of the radio (I believe this is common on
many Transceivers). When depressed, it transmits all the time.
Accidentally depressing the button could damage the radio if the radio is
not SWR matched to the antenna, which mine isn't, as I am just using a
simple random length wire antenna. In order to reduce the possibility of
damage, I keep the output power turned all the way down.

I use the radios quite interchangeably, not having a major preference,
reception wise, for any one in particular.

In theory, if I paid $600 for the transceiver Yaesu FT-840, and $600 for
the receiver Yaesu FRG-100, I would hope that the circuitry in the
"receiver only" has an edge on the receiver circuits in the transceiver,
but I can't tell the difference. In addition, the transceiver has the
ability to shift the IF to alter the Pass Band.

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamhf/2319.html

One point though, in my case, with the transceiver, I needed to buy the 6
KHz filter for listening to AM shortwave and MW, so that was another $115
added onto the radio's cost. I installed it myself, it was a drop in,
after taking the radio partially apart. (covers).

Make sure any transceiver that you plan to buy has the filtering for your
needs. Though I could have listened with the standard filter meant for
SSB, the sound would have been very poor.

http://jim.jingozian.tripod.com/ft840faq.html
"AM Settings Most owners who have had difficulties with AM audio quality
have reported that the 6 kHz option AM filter (p/n XF112A) is an absolute
necessity for both transmitting in AM. It also makes the FT840 an
excellent SWL receiver. Use of a AM modulation meter can tell you the
percent of modulation your AM signal is peaking at. Ideally, you're
looking for 100% modulation; over 100% the signal get distorted, under
100%, the signal sounds weak. For more information on running AM in the
ham bands, go to The AM Window, where there's info on frequencies, audio
tips, and running modern solid-state rigs on AM."

Regards,

Dr. Artaud


what would be a major diffrence in shortwave reception using a
transceiver like a icom 725 compared to using just a shortwave
reciever like icom r-75? thanks jack