HFU HF Underground
General Category => General Radio Discussion => Topic started by: dace on March 26, 2014, 2209 UTC
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I have never owned a SW radio. I would like to learn what I can I have no idea what I'm doing. :o but I would like to get started. Where to begin?
I have an interest in a ZENITH TRANS OCEANIC RADIO, ROYAL D7000Y, 11 CH and it gets loads of stations. (don't know the terminology yet)
Is this a good one? any advice on first steps would be wildly appreciated.
Ty.
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Hey dace,
Welcome to the HFU! I reccomend you start off with a portable, easy to learn and use radio. Start off with a TecSun PL- 210 or any other simple radio. It really doesn't take long at all to learn and after a week or so you'll be dx'ing just like us here! Again, welcome!
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I seem to recall the the Trans Oceanic D7000 is an awesome radio. A friend of mine let me borrow his for a couple of weeks about 20 years ago & I remember well tuning Radio Ukraine International English service while sitting at my kitchen table with excellent reception while it was only fair on my other rigs with longwire antennas. If my memory doesn't fail me (as it often does these days) it has a BFO for single side band reception, a definite plus. Kind of expensive usually though. There are some really good inexpensive portables on the market these days as atrainradio pointed out. Before you invest possibly hundreds of $$ in a TransOceanic consider trying an inexpensive portable, getting the hang of that & move on from there. Either way welcome & best of luck to you & don't hesitate to ask questions.
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Welcome aboard Dace! Would suggest a good used tabletop, such as a Kenwood R600, to whet your appetite. VERY simple to use, and alot of fun. Attach a 25' piece of wire strung along below the ceiling, (or better yet, outside) and that's it...for now ;D
Let us know what oyu get, and if need pointers. You've come to the right place! ...RCCI
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KooL 8) I used to own one of those! Or probably a slightly earlier model I bought while in the Navy, probably 1970 or '71. Anyway I remember having problems with it & one day got really pissed-off and literally flung it out the front door (opened) of a small house I was renting around 1974. It landed on the cement walkway all busted up! (I was a bit of a drunkin' hothead back then :o ) Ah memories!
http://radioattic.com/item.htm?radio=1230141 (http://radioattic.com/item.htm?radio=1230141)
Yeah, the link above really looks like what I owned.
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Yes, This is the one I'm expecting :) The one I bid on doesn't have the battery tubes as far as I could see. I might be able to find some tube material to make a set. Otherwise, the description lists that everything works. This seller wasn't verbose about their set.
I watched a fella's video about his set ... http://youtu.be/jhOJXpKxf-o
and decided for it. I bought it and just curious if you remember what troubled you with yours, that you threw it out the door?
On the back it shows a green radio wire connected to two posts. Would you remember this on yours? and can you tell me what these are to? :0)
I know that the dial without a fine tuner will likely not allow me much listening pleasure but I think I'll enjoy it. I'm like that fella on the video, this will become my outdoor deck set
I found another one at a much higher price and asked if they could take less but I didn't hear back from them. So then I found this one for the cost I could afford.
Thanks ya'll for suggestions and kindness.
KooL 8) I used to own one of those! Or probably a slightly earlier model I bought while in the Navy, probably 1970 or '71. Anyway I remember having problems with it & one day got really pissed-off and literally flung it out the front door (opened) of a small house I was renting around 1974. It landed on the cement walkway all busted up! (I was a bit of a drunkin' hothead back then :o ) Ah memories!
http://radioattic.com/item.htm?radio=1230141 (http://radioattic.com/item.htm?radio=1230141)
Yeah, the link above really looks like what I owned.
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The Transoceanic is a good radio. I have the H500 in really good shape and works well.
Don't know anything about them new fangled transistorized D7000Y's.... ;D
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The Transoceanic is a good radio. I have the H500 in really good shape and works well.
Don't know anything about them new fangled transistorized D7000Y's.... ;D
What is the H500 if not transistorized? how many different types of radios are there? :0) Heck, what's a transistor? grin I need to watch more videos.
And Hey thanks for the warm welcomes folks. I've been made to feel welcome. I'm with my kind, maybe. I hope.
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I bought it and just curious if you remember what troubled you with yours, that you threw it out the door?
Actually I do, now that I think about it, the radio was picking up tv audio signals, where it wasn't suppose to. Since I was no where near Any tv towers I just downed some liquid courage & the rest is history.
Sorry can't help you with your ? about green wire. Hope you enjoy your new hobbie of dxing sw.
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@Nella, sometimes it seems the smallest thing is all it takes. I think the green wire connects antenna to exterior connects. Will check it out once it arrives in a few days. I'll watch videos in the meantime.
I'm glad to be part of this. I might be off grid again soon.
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Dace, might want to visit this site
http://antiqueradios.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=4&sid=9a5ffee58d9e8288b6ed27b474b6aef4
Lots of knowledgeable folks on the subject of solid-state (transistor) TOs as well as the hollow-state (vacuum tubes) versions on this site. Pulled up many threads on the SS Trans-Oceanic's.
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TransOceanics are good radios, if they are working correctly. Some of these marvels have issues from age, but there are a lot of aficionados on the web who can help if the radio has problems.
You won't need to worry much about needing a fine tuner -- on the 7000 (like several of the previous TransOceanic models) the SW band is actually several separate 'bands', each one covering a SW broadcast band.
I.e., one TransOceanic SW 'band' covers just the 31 meter band, another TransOceanic SW 'band' just covers the 25 meter band, etc.
Unfortunately, it looks like the 49, 41, and pirate broadcast bands are all in one TO SW 'band', but if memory serves, the main tuning on a TO is fine enough to pick up and separate signals fairly well on those SWBC bands.
If it's working well it should bring in plenty of SW and MW broadcast stations.
Just make sure you use batteries. Forget using wall warts. They can overheat the output transistors on TransOceanics. TO's are fickle about correct voltages. They also are scrimpy on battery usage, so a set of batteries should last a long time.
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And I received the radio today and unfortunately it's not working. FM is great. lol
I talked to the person that mailed it and they say it must have gotten hurt in the mail. packaging is great the box looks good. fedex delivered it.
So had I bought and installed the d batteries, would I have picked up anything at all? I get local weather and fm, is all.
I was pumped and now the let down is so disheartening. The person said they'd return my money. I hadn't figured on repacking and trip to the post office. I guess I've lived a sheltered life. lol
I watched the video many times... I shouldn't have to read manuals to get a station, right?
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Folks, I tuned u p the rf gain and brought stations in on several bands. The changing knobs are scratchy when you touch them including the band switcher. Will this remedy when I clean it? And i took the back loose. I place my fingers over the antenna connection and the volume goes up significantly. Should I get a booster? keeping my finger on the antenna all evening sounds uncomfortable. :0)
on every band, I have to jiggle the knobs to get static.
Thank you in advance ....
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ps, i'll get some batteries asap. thank you
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The controls sounding scratchy is sort of normal; it happens with controls as they age, as they get used, or as they get a little oxidation or whatever inside them. Cleaning them with some tuner cleaner or control cleaner (deoxit is a popular brand) will reduce or eliminate the scratchiness.
I don't know what you mean by 'jiggling the knobs to get static', but you may want to exercise the bandswitch a little bit to get it to work correctly.
A lot of older radios with real bandswitches can go a little funky if they've not been used in a while. I had a DX-160 with dead bands until I turned the bandswitch back and forth a few times, which cleared the oxidation off of the contacts, and reception cleared up.
Cleaning the bandswitch with contact cleaner will also help -- but you would want to be *really* careful, some contact cleaner cans emit spray at a high pressure, and you don't want to get contact cleaner sprayed on the tuner dial drum.
So try exercising the bandswitch back and forth a few times, it should clear that problem up (if that's the problem you are having).
RE: pressing your finger to the antenna connector and getting more stations: you may want to attach a wire to that connector, 20-30 ft or so to start with, and see if that helps bring in the stations. Whip antennas are great on radios when SW conditions are really good, or if you live in an area where SW signals are strong -- but oftentimes you need a wire antenna to really get the most out of any radio.
Hope this helps.
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This was very helpful Boombox. I'm starting at square one. :0)
Thank you
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Turn the RF gain control counter-clockwise until it clicks, like turning off a switch. This turns on the avc. The green wire goes on the second terminal from the left, as viewed from the back. The green wire connects the whip antenna to the radio. Great radios! Enjoy!
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more helpful information, thank you. ;D