What are you using for SWLing?

[alpard]

And this video proves on the points on the Tecsun S-8800 short comings on its MW performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIZIzRJmqUg

[chanito]

Cheap thrills if you're OK with computer control -


Icom PCR-100 can be found on eBay for $50 to $90. This is the original Icom computer controlled analog radio. It has exceptionally good MW and HF AM reception and audio with an external speaker. I use a Bose 141 or RatShack Minimus 5 with it. It also plays well as a FM DX catcher. It does FM Stereo as well.


The original radio software is no longer available on the Icom site, but is out there on the interwebs, and there are other free control applications like PCRAnywhere, TalkPCR or HRD/PCRCloak interpreter that will run the radio as well. The Icom control software for this radio is old and can be randomly buggy but can be fixed with replacing a .dll.




Icom PCR-1000 [/size]can be found on eBay for $100 to $150. This is a triple conversion all-mode black box. Software is still on the Icom site and works fine on Win 10. This is the only Icom PCR that can be natively controlled with HRD. Combined with HRD, it makes quite a nice setup. It has discriminator output for doing digital mode reception using decoders (DMR, AP25, etc.) and packet radio reception.Either of these radios can be modded to take the IF out to a cheap converter to allow use of HDSDR or other SDR software for demodulating with all the bells and whistles.

[alpard]

Cheap thrills if you're OK with computer control -


Icom PCR-100 can be found on eBay for $50 to $90. This is the original Icom computer controlled analog radio. It has exceptionally good MW and HF AM reception and audio with an external speaker. I use a Bose 141 or RatShack Minimus 5 with it. It also plays well as a FM DX catcher. It does FM Stereo as well.


The original radio software is no longer available on the Icom site, but is out there on the interwebs, and there are other free control applications like PCRAnywhere, TalkPCR or HRD/PCRCloak interpreter that will run the radio as well. The Icom control software for this radio is old and can be randomly buggy but can be fixed with replacing a .dll.




Icom PCR-1000 [/size]can be found on eBay for $100 to $150. This is a triple conversion all-mode black box. Software is still on the Icom site and works fine on Win 10. This is the only Icom PCR that can be natively controlled with HRD. Combined with HRD, it makes quite a nice setup. It has discriminator output for doing digital mode reception using decoders (DMR, AP25, etc.) and packet radio reception.Either of these radios can be modded to take the IF out to a cheap converter to allow use of HDSDR or other SDR software for demodulating with all the bells and whistles.

For 60 - 70usd, I could buy a used SDRPlay RSP1. Would it not be better buy than 20+ years old ICOM PCR-100 or 1000?
For MW / LW DXing, I found the vintage Hitachi Direction Finding Radios with rotating loop antenna excellent performer.

The Hitachi DF radio with FM band is also the best and most sensitive FM radio I have ever come across.  The weak signals that other modern radio struggle to hear, this Hitachi Supersensitive Radio receives with end stop S meter readings and crystal clear HiFi sound with its built in telescopic antenna.

Another problem is that I try to avoid buying SDR type radios, when I can link to thousands of SDR web sites in internet, and use them for FREE, I cannot see a point why I have to buy a SDR which will be just similar performance to my Sangean, XHDATA or Tecsun portable radios, which I already have. Somehow I don't think that any SDR will perform better than other radios when connected to my same old long wire antenna I have. 

The difference will only be noticed when they are connected to either Wellbrook or MLA30 loop antenna, I suppose.

[chanito]

"[size=0px]For 60 - 70usd, I could buy a used SDRPlay RSP1. Would it not be better buy than 20+ years old ICOM PCR-100 or 1000?[/size][/size][size=78%]"[/size]




You might be surprised.


I did a little weak signal test several years ago. This recording is stereo with one radio in the Left channel and another radio in the Right channel. Both on same antenna, and tuned to 1620 AM.


See if you can tell which is the $70 old PCR-100 and which is a SDR costing several times the price. https://www.dropbox.com/s/zx1ypxmdtnoymx7/1620.mp3?dl=0


Advantage of the PCR is that it requires very little in the way of computing power to do it's job. A small windows tablet will do it. Scanning function is nice. And it has a BNC connector.
This free software will run a PCR-100 [/size][size=78%]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miz8w_y2gjI[/size]  And, this software allows remote control and streaming on your local network.




BTW - I saw your comment about the DX-392 chuffing between frequencies. There is a mod to eliminate that. It's a one wire cut.

[alpard]

So, would you say that the ICR-100 is better performer than current market's RSP1?
Which one would you choose, between the two, if you had to choose one between the two?

Thanks for the mod info on the DX-392.  That receiver is not getting used that much. It is just a standby radio, and sometimes I would use for comparing with other radios for the same signal. As it is not my main GO To Radio as such,  I think I will just use it as is.

My main receiver now is Tecsun PL-660 and XHDATA D-808, and sometimes I would use the Sangean ATS-803A and DX-392.

I was looking into getting more upmarket receivers, and they were TECSUN S-2000 and S-8800.  Both models seem not really good / wise buy due to their problems on MW and LW DXing capabilities.

JRC NRD radios are just way too expensive, although they look good.

The old Yaesu and Kenwood and Icom or LOWE radios might be good still, but you don't know when they will stop working with old age. I am sure most of them already have some  mysterious problems if not major.

I might have to wait for TECSUN's new model = upgraded S-8800 or S-2000? But then when will they bring them out?

[BoomboxDX]

I was trying to listen to Radio Korea this afternoon on my XHDATA and other HF receivers on 15575 Khz.
But there was nothing, just noise. Antenna I was using were outside long wire in the garden, and indoor loop and builtin telescopic antenna on the radios. None of them were picking any signals on the freq. and yet it is supposed to be on AIR on the freq at the time.

Propagation on SW overall has been horrible the past several years. Just because a station is broadcasting does not mean you will be able to hear it.

I gave up on SW two years ago after hearing nothing but static (and Radio Havana) night after night after night. Some nights even WWV didn't come in, and in all my life I've never experienced that. And I have better radios than I had when I was a kid...

I haven't touched my SW radios in months. No reason to. When propagation picks up in a year or two, then I'll tune back in. But that's just me.

PS -- Don't expect miracles from a new radio -- even an SDR can only hear what is propagating.  Some guys are hearing more on SW if they're farther south of the auroral zone, and yes, a really good outside antenna can probably help, too.

[OgreVorbis]

I just use an AirSpy HF+ and a mediumwave inverted L. I generally DX mediumwave or low shortwave signals. In this day and age, I don't see an advantage of a "real" receiver. SDRs have surpassed traditional receivers in both cost and performance. The AirSpy is probably not the best thing out there, but for the pricepoint, it's very good. Better and less complicated than an RTLSDR with downconverter.

[N0TLD]

Like most of us here (I imagine at any rate), I have a number of receivers, antennas and accessories to enjoy in various configurations and combinations, depending on my mood and how I am wanting to 'playing radio' any given moment. Lately I am on a vintage/analog receiver kick so I have been using the Zenith Transoceanic R7000-2 with its built in whip antenna for SW, and doing some MW DXing with a homemade frame loop hooked up to the Panasonic RF2900. Sure, there are better vintage MW DX receivers than the RF2900 -- heck, its older brother, the RF2200, is just about the king of analog, portable MW DX with its own gyroantenna and air-variable cap tuning -- but I just like changing radios up, again depending on my mood. Last month was all about Tecsun portables for MW and SW, and then I spent a lot of time with the Icom R75 (see my profile pic) and two homebrew outdoor antennas phased through a Quantum Phaser from RadioPlus (that Gerry Thomas is a genius) for some in-depth MW graveyard channel DXing... but not long before that, I was falling asleep every night listening to a beautiful old 1937 Silvertone 4565. And around and around it goes, when you've been collecting and loving radios for thirty years.

Mike
N0TLD

[alpard]

Propagation on SW overall has been horrible the past several years. Just because a station is broadcasting does not mean you will be able to hear it.

I gave up on SW two years ago after hearing nothing but static (and Radio Havana) night after night after night. Some nights even WWV didn't come in, and in all my life I've never experienced that. And I have better radios than I had when I was a kid...

I haven't touched my SW radios in months. No reason to. When propagation picks up in a year or two, then I'll tune back in. But that's just me.

PS -- Don't expect miracles from a new radio -- even an SDR can only hear what is propagating.  Some guys are hearing more on SW if they're farther south of the auroral zone, and yes, a really good outside antenna can probably help, too.

Yes, I agree with you on that the probation has been poorest last few years. I have never seen the HF band condition that bad.
That is why I now listen to MW and LW DX stations at nights.

And during the day, I listen to the local FM and local MW / LW programs too. For that, I just use old boombox radio or portables.
But at night, when the DX stations appear on LW and MW, I switch back to more serious DX radios such as the Tecsun, XHDATA and Sangean.
I also like using the old Hitachi KH-1170 with gyro antenna on the top.

That means that radio listening can be non stop any time of the year thing, regardless of the HF band conditions.
Hence why I avoided buying rather high priced Tecsun S-8800 but poor / mediocre MW LW DX performer.

[alpard]

I just use an AirSpy HF+ and a mediumwave inverted L. I generally DX mediumwave or low shortwave signals. In this day and age, I don't see an advantage of a "real" receiver. SDRs have surpassed traditional receivers in both cost and performance. The AirSpy is probably not the best thing out there, but for the pricepoint, it's very good. Better and less complicated than an RTLSDR with downconverter.

Yeah, I would steer clear from RTL SDR stuff with the dongles.  It just will clutter your set up with uncertain reception performance.
AirSpy or SDRPlay RSP1 would be the ones I would go for, if I were going SDR way.

But it was interesting chanito suggested ICOM ICR-100, 20+ year old SDR.

[alpard]

Like most of us here (I imagine at any rate), I have a number of receivers, antennas and accessories to enjoy in various configurations and combinations, depending on my mood and how I am wanting to 'playing radio' any given moment. Lately I am on a vintage/analog receiver kick so I have been using the Zenith Transoceanic R7000-2 with its built in whip antenna for SW, and doing some MW DXing with a homemade frame loop hooked up to the Panasonic RF2900. Sure, there are better vintage MW DX receivers than the RF2900 -- heck, its older brother, the RF2200, is just about the king of analog, portable MW DX with its own gyroantenna and air-variable cap tuning -- but I just like changing radios up, again depending on my mood. Last month was all about Tecsun portables for MW and SW, and then I spent a lot of time with the Icom R75 (see my profile pic) and two homebrew outdoor antennas phased through a Quantum Phaser from RadioPlus (that Gerry Thomas is a genius) for some in-depth MW graveyard channel DXing... but not long before that, I was falling asleep every night listening to a beautiful old 1937 Silvertone 4565. And around and around it goes, when you've been collecting and loving radios for thirty years.

Mike
N0TLD

Wow, you have great radios and also antennas too. I envy your collection and set up
I too, love radio and SWLing DXing.
It must be something to do with the Karma. I don't know why I like radios, but I do.

If I further and deeper try to endeavour finding out why,  it must be to do with the experience in my young age time, I was given a tiny translator radio by my father, and I was listening to it all the time when I was about 8 or 9 years old. Then I did some making kit radio when I was about 15, and then when I lived abroad where they used languages that I didn't understand, the TV and Radio service in there were just noise to me. Then I started trying to listen to DX radio signals from my own country and other countries where they spoke the language I understood.

So these experiences in my youth must have had shaped me into a radio enthusiast even now.

I am in the middle of trying to improve my long wire antenna into some shape of the beverage antenna, but my garden is not large enough for that. So I might have to get an Active Loop antenna, which is small but offer good performance in DXing.

In this poor condition of HF bands persisting, I find the LW and MW bands DXing very important, hence I am also after a good upmarket radio with MW / LW DXing Performance.

[N0TLD]

Yessir, I can understand your early experiences shaping your interest in radio, certainly. Your first radio being a gift from your father is especially meaningful and important to you.  My earliest radio memories include my father as well, from listening to the vintage sets he had to making a crystal set with him, as well as listening with him to all the classic radio shows -- he grew up in the 1930s and '40s and passed along his love for radio shows to his children. Our experiences have indeed brought us to who we are today, in all aspects of our lives.

As for loop antennas, they can absolutely offer some real performance boosts, especially for fighting noise, nulling out interference from power line hash, TV and other appliance-generated noise, and other unwanted radio signals, etc., if the loop is rotatable. But even a  large loop that can't be moved around can still exhibit fixed directivity and nulling properties if it's designed and mounted the right way. Active and passive loops can help your signal-to-noise ratio and **that's** the main goal.

And hey, listen, I hope I don't come off like I'm bragging about my radio collection. I've just amassed a lot of junk over a lot of years! I know radio people who have a lot more, and radio people who have a lot less, and we all love our radio hobby with the same passion. I enjoy talking about my radios so it always comes rambling out... but I certainly don't think the amount of gear has anything to do with the love and enjoyment and passion of the hobbyist.

Mike
N0TLD

P.S. I went Google-lookin' at the Hitachi KH-1170 you mentioned in an earlier post. What a great radio, I'd never heard of it before. I LOVE that style/era of portable multiband receivers (though I see it is not full SW), and that model is a real beauty. What does the 'level control' do, just below the tuning meter? Is that an RF gain, or more like a preselector or antenna trimmer (as offered on a lot of National Panasonic's RF line from that era)?

[alpard]

No problems Mike.  Great info and advice on the loop antenna. Thank you.

I have never used loop antennas before, so it will be all new experience to me when it is installed in this QTH.
 I look forward to using loop antennas for DXing. I have always been using some type of wire antennas in the past, because they are cheap and easy to hang and connect to the radios. But noise level is always problem. Hopefully loops antenna will eliminate the noise a lot and bring some DX to me.

But no no I never imagined anything about bragging on your collection of excellent radios. We come here to know about our collection of the radios and antennas and how they performed from the real life stories. So more we know on these, better we know about what to go for, and it is always interesting to hear about them.

Yes, your questions about the Hitachi Radio KH-1170, it is very sensitive radio on all the 4 bands. Yes, you are right that it  doesn't have full HF coverage. But MW and LW and FM it is super sensitive. The rotating gyro loop antenna on the top works very effectively for nulling out noise and peak the signals you want to hear on MW and LW bands.

It  also gets used for finding directions of the incoming signals by turning around the loop antenna for meter peaking, and it works well.  I was using it to trace some QRM and QRN in my house, and it pointed to the neighbours garage and also one of their rooms. I am not sure what they are running, but it wipes out 3.5Mhz at certain time of days.

The control level button is used for activating the Direction Finding, and it enables the switch to work as RF gain control. When the switch is pulled out, you can control the RF gain from minimum to max.  And when it is set to max, the receiver becomes most sensitive.  It is very useful for tracing weak signals for its source in direction.
When it is pressed in, it just becomes normal radio, but still it is very sensitive picking up all sort of mysterious stations that no other receivers can hear.

It is a fun receiver for sure. I would recommend it highly to anyone who is keen on MW and LW DXing, but for more so for someone who is interested in DF activities and signal tracing too.

Best 73
Al.

[BoomboxDX]

Alpard -- I also listen to MW at night, and DX the MW when the conditions are good. MW still has plenty of stations and signals here in my corner of the US. I usually listen on one of my Sangeans, and sometimes my GE Superadio. My boomboxes are in storage right now. :-)

[N0TLD]

The control level button is used for activating the Direction Finding, and it enables the switch to work as RF gain control. When the switch is pulled out, you can control the RF gain from minimum to max.  And when it is set to max, the receiver becomes most sensitive.  It is very useful for tracing weak signals for its source in direction.

Ah! Of course! It's a DF feature, since it is a Marine Band receiver! I should have put the clues together. Makes perfect sense now, thank you. I have a portable DF marine/multiband radio -- a Nova Tech Pilot II -- that is similar in function and features. Well NOW I want to find a Hitachi KH1170 even more!   See? This radio thing gets more insane every time we find a model we never knew about, haha!

Loop antennas are a real passion of mine, and I've built a LOT of them over the years, for RXing and TXing, over ranges from VLF to UHF (but mostly for MW and SW reception), from little rotatable desktop frame loops to almost 300 feet of wire looped on the ground (a 'LoG') and all sizes/kinds of loops in between. I really enjoy making and using them.

There is SO much loop antenna info available online, which is a great thing of course... but I would like to suggest as well a book that helped me enormously over the years -- Joe Carr's Loop Antenna Handbook. It's 20 years old and just as relevant as ever. Maybe you have it already, or have heard about it. Universal Radio still sells it (I think right now it's on sale for $15USD). Joe Carr K4IPV (SK) was one of the best known, widely read electronics/radio writers in the world, and for loop antennas this book is invaluable. It has been for me, at any rate. You might be able to find a PDF version online. But it's worth every penny to have it hardcopy at your bench while making your loops!

Whatever you do, though, keep us posted. I'd love to know how your projects are coming along and what you've found for your next step up in MW/LW receivers as well!  Good luck my friend --

Mike
N0TLD