Receiver Advice

[echo65]

I'm a novice looking for a new receiver. I'm leaning towards a portable Tecsun or possibly their 2200x. I notice that SW dealers on the internet are few. Does anyone have a recommendation of other makers beside Tecsun and a good dealer to buy from?

[ThaDood]

One neat place to read about portable radio reviews is this link,   https://swling.com/blog/tag/portable-radios/    Sometimes, they mention where you can buy what they review, but not always. And, Radio Jay Allen's site is always a fun-one to go through,  https://radiojayallen.com/   No, he does not give actual radio spec's, but more, or less, general try-out comments. Half the reviews, like on newer radios, he'll mention the dealers. As far as where to buy from, especially if you want a person, other than ebay and Amazon? I've done pretty well with that outfit out of Paris, TX, Main Trading Company.    https://www.mtcradio.com/scanners-radios-shortwave-radios/      Another good place to check-out users' reviews is,   https://www.eham.net/reviews/view-category/8   I even gave my $0.02 worth on an Eton E-10 portable, the Sangean ATS-803A late 80's portable, and the mid-90's Sony ICF-SW100S clam-shell portable. Limited in portable radios, but DX Engineering is worth looking through.   https://www.dxengineering.com/search/department/shortwave-am-fm-and-internet-radio/part-type/shortwave-radios   And the other large HAM place to check out is Ham Radio Outlet, (HRO),   https://www.hamradio.com/search_advanced.cfm   There, you have to be more specific upon what brand & model you want to search for. Limited, but you still have C Crane in California.   https://ccrane.com/brands/ofs/?srsltid=AfmBOopzafInX3LQVJx0RoXXLg3JWk2Y4rZiIKmZXuhfpaayjwzh-iXG   So, hopefully not overwhelming INFO, but a lot to go through there. Hope this helps.

[alpard]

It would depend on what type of listening you would be doing.  If you are only interested in listening to the nearby stations in your own country or your own continent with powerful output transmissions, then cheap portable radios will do the job.    No need to spend any more than $50 for sw radios in that case. 

However, if you are interested in listening to the weak signals from the other side of the globe with low power output AM stations (in my case South American, South Pacific, African stations .. etc), then those extra facilities, gadgets and devices  they provide in the high end receivers do help, and are must for DXing the weak signals.

My favorite receivers for the weak signal copying are, SDRPlay RSPdx, RSPdx-R2,  Elad FDM-Duo for SDRs, and from the old radios - NRD JRC-535, Kenwood R-5000, ICOM ICR-70.   Tecsun S-2200x is also a very good radio for DXing.

It is also very important to remind yourself, that your radio is only good as your antennas.  No radio will work properly without good antennas feeding the signals into them.

[echo65]

Thank you for the advice. When I was younger,  around 1975, I had a friend who's father had a 1960's vintage SW set that was Grey, definitely a desktop model, that had a name ending in craft. I talked his father into letting us hear it. I had a crystal kit I had put together. I'm retired now and would like to get a reciever as I had lots of fun listening at night. I live on the East coast of the United States. I'm looking for something that can recieve Worldwide. Frankly I don't watch current media outlets and it would keep me in touch with what's happening around the world. My military career took me around the globe a few times. I have the space to put up a line antenna in the backyard. Air band is not a concern because my career,  being aviation,  I've listened to it enough after 21 years. Lol I'm just looking for a good receiver that will pick up the skip at night.

[echo65]

 I've decided on a Tecsun H-501X from Anon. (Thank you, Anna ) Now, I'm researching antennas. I have room for an outdoor one, but am reading about loops or a wire.Any suggestions?

[East Troy Don]

Check out the WV-601 passive loop.    I acquired one about a year ago, masted it outdoors at 20 feet  and have been very pleased with it.
It covers 0 to 999 MHZ.

[BoomboxDX]

I don't know why anyone would avoid Tecsun. They make good radios.

I got a PL-330 in early May and it's an excellent SSB and SW / MW / FM radio.

Two FETs and filtering in front of the DSP chip, multiple bandwidths on AM and SSB modes, battery lasts about two weeks if you're using headphones.... It's a terrific radio for the money.

Clip on or add a few meters of wire and you're set.

EDIT TO ADD:
I may have misconstrued the OP's first post. It appears he or she is looking for a dealer for Tecsuns, as well as other radios.

I got my PL-330 on Amazon. Good price, and i think the dealer on there is Tecsun, or a storefront related to Tecsun.