Dear Alan,

I cannot offer my own personal comments about the JRC NRD-545. I did
not buy one because of the relatively mediocre review it gets in
PASSPORT TO WORLD BAND RADIO. Among other things, several of its
facilities are not available in all operating modes - for example
(quoting PASSPORT 2006): "No AGC adjustment in AM mode or with
synchronous selectable sideband, and lone AGC rate too fast." Not to be
able to make such a necessary adjustment is poor design, in my opinion.
(Just TRY listening to faint DX with an AGC that's too fast!) There are
a number of other disadvantages which are unacceptable to me in a
receiver of this category and price.

Therefore, I purchased an AOR AR7030 Plus with the NF/NB option and a
few other options as well (most notably the 2.4 kHz crystal filter
replacing the stock ceramic 2.4 kHz one). With this radio, all
facilities are avaiable in all modes and are all fully adjustable by
the user. I have been extremely pleased with the performance of this
receiver as well as its construction quality. Frankly, for me, it
leaves absolutely nothing to be desired (except, perhaps, for a
broadcast FM section which was originally announced but later
abandoned; its audio section is really THAT GOOD enough to warrant an
FM section and it's the best sounding MW/SW receiver I have ever heard
especially when running the sound through a good stereo system) and I
have been a shortwave listener for almost fifty years.

I bought mine from THE SHORTWAVE SHOP. It would be even easier for you
to buy from that store as you live in the UK (I live in the US). Their
sales and service policies are positively SUPERB in my opinion, much
better than any US-based dealer.

Should you decide to buy the AR7030 Plus, I recommend that you
telephone Richard Hillier at AOR UK first to discuss your particular
requirements. He will make recommendations to you and you can have your
set built exactly to your specifications and delivered to the store of
your choice.

By the way, I also own the Wellbrook ALA 330S (made in Wales) Active
Loop Antenna which works extremely well with the AR7030 Plus. THE
SHORTWAVE SHOP is the only retail outlet for it (although you can buy
it directly from the factory, but there's no advantage in doing so -
the factory does not accept credit cards and THE SHORTWAVE SHOP does).

I wish you the very best of luck regardless of which receiver you
choose. You'll never regret the purchase of a receiver of this calibre.

Best,

Joe

P.S. Please note that there are many JRC NRD-545 owners out there who
are just as "biased" in their regard for their radio as I am "biased"
for mine! Either radio, I am sure, would give you many, many hours of
listening pleasure.