HFU HF Underground
Technical Topics => Equipment => Topic started by: alpard on May 08, 2020, 1549 UTC
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What radios and antennas are you using?
What radios suit best for SWLing?
I am using a few vintage analogue SW Radios. These old radio still do the job, but analogue tuning scale means, it is very difficult to know what exact freq. I am listening on. It is always rough guesstimate on the freq. So when I was listening a station last night, and tonight trying to listen it again, it is very tricky to find the station unless the station is very strong in signal, which in many cases is very weak.
I wonder if modern and newer radios will be better in SWLing.
Would like to know what you guys are using for SWLing yourselves.
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Happy to help with advice but it's not too complicated since shortwave has reduced so much at this point. Almost any quality portable will do for you. There are many older tabletop receivers that can be obtained that are excellent such as Yaesu FRG-100, Kenwood R-1000 or R-2000. Even Drake R8s (the original receiver Drake released in the 1990s are now available for low prices. Antennas, I would recommend a loop such as the Chinese-made MLA-30+ or if you have more money, a Wellbrook or W6LVP loop.
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Alpard - I swear by my Tecsun PL 880 using 40 feet of long (copper) wire. I don't have the exacting reception of higher end models, nor always the ability to receive everything with my antenna set up but it has been working for me. I am receiving 95% of broadcasts in/around New England going by the blog posts. I will caution that I am in a rural area with little man made interference around and nothing of consequence between my qth and the saline Sound/Ocean 15 miles south. I was going to check out one of the new Tecsun models this year as a possible upgrade but who knows when they come out at this point.
I likewise have several antique analog sets and have learned their "moods". Once I receive a station on the PL 880, I'll figure out what older radio will give the broadcast its best sound quality and attempt to tune in on the most appropriate vintage receiver. In my mind and to my ear, nothing is more pleasurable than a radio broadcast emanating from radio with a well made wooden cabinet (like an Ingraham cabinet). If it is USB, I'll go to the DX-160. For music pirates on AM, the Zenith Console works very well. X-FM and Radio Illumanti (and relays) make my house sound like a concert hall when they transmit. Governmental broadcasters (BBC, REE, Radio Habana) are great on the G-500. My Emerson is delightful for domestic shortwave music stations (WBCQ, WRMI, WWCR).
By the way, welcome to the board. Hope you enjoy and get to learn as much as the rest of us.
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Thanks DXAce and CT Yankee. Great info and advice.
Yeah, I would be interested in what radios people are using these days for their SWLing since the market and tech has changed a lot, and also the SW band condition and the BC stations as well.
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I don't know where you are located but here's what I will listen (times mentioned are EST):
Weekends before 1000a - RNZ Music 5945
Various times Music - WWCR & WRMI see websites 9395, 9455, 9955, 7780, 5085, 5850, 5950, I especially enjoy Encore and VORW
NHK - early afternoon 11945 music
RFI - early afternoon 15300 music
REE - 600p MWF English Music Program (halted now due to covid)
Voice of Greece Greek Music 9420, after 2pm
CFRX 6070 - Mornings/Evenings for Canadian news
BBC - early afternoons on weekends, live soccer 15400, occasionally news
WBCQ - various programs: mainly 5130/7490 Le Show, Marion's Attic, Timtron, Lost Discs, Johnny Lightning - see their program schedule
Radio Habana Cuba - for music 11760/6000/15140. various times of day
Radio Nacional da Amazonia - 6180/11780 evenings for Brazilian music/soccer
HCJB Quito - 6050 mornings/evenings Andes music
Voice of Turkey - music/news see their website
Radio Romania - music/general program see their website
Radio Rebele - Music 5025 mornings
All India Radio is off air since pandemic, I listened to their music & news
Pirates - evenings AM/USB generally between 4055-4190, 5150-5170, 6870-6975
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I am in UK, and SW band condition has been not best for a while. But still in the evening 9 -11Mhz and 6-7Mhz are filled with very strong BC stations.
I heard,
Voice of Turkey
Vatican International Radio
Radio Romania
CRI
Radio Korea
NHK
mostly on 9 - 10Mhz
I also listen to Amateur Radio on 14, 7 and 3.5 -3.8Mhz with my 1970s Heathkit GR-78 and Kenwood R820.
I just bought an old Sangean ATS-803A on eBay, and amwaiting that to arrive.
I look forward to adding it to my listening room.
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For centuries I listened only to analogue receivers (Elektromekano-M84, Icom PCR-1000). I saw a completely different HF world when I installed the SDR receiver.
The first was based on RTL2832U R820T2 controlled by HDSDR program. Enchantment began to pass as you learn how it works, but learning is invaluable for very little money. The main drawback is the weak 8 bit ADC converter (unsatisfactory dynamics produce many false signals), no bandpass filters, low sensitivity.
A cheap SDR-FE-Play with an ADC12 bit converter appeared. It is a clone close to the RSP family.
Works wonderfully, controlled by the SDRuno program.I bought it for 81 US $.
It's worth starting a new life with this receiver.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32892743513.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dJYgAgD
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For centuries I listened only to analogue receivers (Elektromekano-M84, Icom PCR-1000). I saw a completely different HF world when I installed the SDR receiver.
The first was based on RTL2832U R820T2 controlled by HDSDR program. Enchantment began to pass as you learn how it works, but learning is invaluable for very little money. The main drawback is the weak 8 bit ADC converter (unsatisfactory dynamics produce many false signals), no bandpass filters, low sensitivity.
A cheap SDR-FE-Play with an ADC12 bit converter appeared. It is a clone close to the RSP family.
Works wonderfully, controlled by the SDRuno program.I bought it for 81 US $.
It's worth starting a new life with this receiver.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32892743513.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dJYgAgD
Are SDRs a lot better than the analogue receivers in reception performance? Can they hear the analogue receivers cannot hear?
How does the FE SDR compare to the SDRPlay?
In here, I have seen SDRPLay a few times for sale, but I didn't like the idea that the SDRs will take over my PC.
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I got into shortwave initially with a cheap RTL-SDR and an upconverter. It gave me a taste of shortwave but wasn't very good at all. I'm now using another SDR, an Airspy HF+ now and get quite good results for my area. I was using a random wire antenna for awhile, but now mostly use a DIY loop antenna. I'm in an urban area with several AM broadcast stations close by, so I needed to throw two stage of AM broadcast filters in there before i really started getting decent DX.
I'm in California and most of the international signals I get are from Japan, China, Korea, and Vietnam. Through some cosmic fluke I recently I picked up both BBC and Voice of Greece.
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I got into shortwave initially with a cheap RTL-SDR and an upconverter. It gave me a taste of shortwave but wasn't very good at all. I'm now using another SDR, an Airspy HF+ now and get quite good results for my area. I was using a random wire antenna for awhile, but now mostly use a DIY loop antenna. I'm in an urban area with several AM broadcast stations close by, so I needed to throw two stage of AM broadcast filters in there before i really started getting decent DX.
I'm in California and most of the international signals I get are from Japan, China, Korea, and Vietnam. Through some cosmic fluke I recently I picked up both BBC and Voice of Greece.
Are the AM broadcast filters included in the SDR radio? or is it something that you have to implement from outwit the SDR?
How are the performance comparison between your random wire and DIY loop?
They all seem great HF DX work from where you are.
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I have a few SW receivers but my Yaesu Frg-7700 is still my favorite analog radio. I picked it up on EBAY (they are frequently for sale there) for a $167 bid and have picked up stations from the Caribbean to New Zealand using only an Alpha Delta full Sloper antenna. I still smile each time I power up the "Frog".
For what its worth, keep in mind that there are a lot of "moving parts" to shortwave DX'ng, i.e. weather, time of day, solar activity, seasonal fluctuations, etc etc so don't get discouraged if you don't get "all the hits all the time". Enjoy the hunt - its all part of the fun.
Good to see some newbies posting here !
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Are the AM broadcast filters included in the SDR radio? or is it something that you have to implement from outwit the SDR?
How are the performance comparison between your random wire and DIY loop?
They all seem great HF DX work from where you are.
The AM broadcast filters are external. I had originally built my own, but I like these nooelec ones linked below. I think the two listed are the exact same board, just one has a nicer shell.
I haven't really done enough A/B testing between the two antennas to compare performance. When I'm using the random wire, I wind up sitting in my garage with feedline out the door and into my yard. With the loop antenna, I can be inside my house, so I've been using that basically since I built it. I should really do some proper testing over several days.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=nooelec+am+filter&ref=nb_sb_noss
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I have a few SW receivers but my Yaesu Frg-7700 is still my favorite analog radio. I picked it up on EBAY (they are frequently for sale there) for a $167 bid and have picked up stations from the Caribbean to New Zealand using only an Alpha Delta full Sloper antenna. I still smile each time I power up the "Frog".
For what its worth, keep in mind that there are a lot of "moving parts" to shortwave DX'ng, i.e. weather, time of day, solar activity, seasonal fluctuations, etc etc so don't get discouraged if you don't get "all the hits all the time". Enjoy the hunt - its all part of the fun.
Good to see some newbies posting here !
Such contrasting reviews on FRG7700. Some people seem like it very much, and rave about it. But some seem not too keen on it due to insensitivity and the selectivity is too wide?
I was always wanting to try the FRG7700 and 8800 out, but somehow never came across to them yet in my possession yet.
Recently I am using the Realistic DX-392 and very rare MINIX MR-73B, and they seem good performers too. I don't like the DX-392 muting while tuning for a signal, and also beeping noise when going over to the next band during tuning around. But the receiver itself is excellent performer, and very pleasant to listen to especially on the SSB and CW.
Thanks for the info and advice. 73
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Are the AM broadcast filters included in the SDR radio? or is it something that you have to implement from outwit the SDR?
How are the performance comparison between your random wire and DIY loop?
They all seem great HF DX work from where you are.
The AM broadcast filters are external. I had originally built my own, but I like these nooelec ones linked below. I think the two listed are the exact same board, just one has a nicer shell.
I haven't really done enough A/B testing between the two antennas to compare performance. When I'm using the random wire, I wind up sitting in my garage with feedline out the door and into my yard. With the loop antenna, I can be inside my house, so I've been using that basically since I built it. I should really do some proper testing over several days.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=nooelec+am+filter&ref=nb_sb_noss
Thanks for your info. Yeah would look forward to your testing results here. 73
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Alpard / Are SDRs a lot better than the analogue receivers in reception performance? Can they hear the analogue receivers cannot hear?
How does the FE SDR compare to the SDRPlay?
In here, I have seen SDRPLay a few times for sale, but I didn't like the idea that the SDRs will take over my PC.
See numerous publications offered by the SDR receiver and you will be amazed by the possibilities of this receiving technique. The I / Q data stream gives amazing signal processing capabilities> HF selectivity, notch filters, HF and audio waterfall , and dozens of control options.
Buy a receiver with an ADC converter not less than 12 bit, decimation function will raise it for you.
Input bandpass filters improve the removal of false signals, but you also need an LNA amplifier and attenuator.
The computer is your friend, you will appreciate waterfal and programs decoding various modulations, recording and many facilities. The SDR receiver can also work on a tablet, phone, Raspbery!
One day you have to grow out of "shorts".
Courage!
- A good antenna that matches your capabilities is important: magnetic loop, Sky Loop, T2FD vertically hung, Beverage.
- Leave an analog receiver to verify what you hear on the SDR.
Good luck in tinkering!
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Try your hand at using an online sdr here;
http://kiwisdr.com/public/
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Great link for the SDR, thank you.
I tried them, but I still prefer the old analogue HF receivers for its vintage tone and tuning method.
But SDR is good to have as bonus.
SDR sites like that are available all over the world mean, that you don't actually need to own one yourself?
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The KiwiSDR network is a valuable tool for SWL. In my opinion, this is only half the fun compared to its SDR controlled by PlayUno or HDSDR. Band Scope and Waterfall show you everything that happens in the ether, allows you to quickly and consciously search and identify stations that interest you.
Often, my set is better than Kiwi, which can be due to Sky Loop, own improvements and location.
You can have a bank of your stations, scan their activity, instantly select them from the bank, program keyboard or computer, with the mouse from the waterfall.
Yes, the sound is a bit sharp, which also irritated me, but you can improve it by means of the equalizer and appropriate selection of the audio bandwidth, selection of active speakers or headphones.
The noise of the receiver and the sound card are at a certain level not to be improved. Look for antenna matching, good grounding, HF power traps, maybe a different PC or sound card.
It hurts me less because the advantages of SDR over analog radio are overwhelming for me. Yes, it happens that the analog will have clearer reception from SDR. More often, however, thanks to sharp HF and audio filters, Synchronous Mode, Notch Filters, decimation and optimization of HF gain, you will get an understanding of transmission when the analog has died.
> Dear moderators, I think that this thread should be fully transferred to SDR receivers.
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I use one of my Ham rigs. Yaesu FT-818ND because its easilly portable. At home I use a OCF dipole 40m 1/2 wave 30 feet up. At work or portable I use the rubber whip that came with the radio or a home made vertical thats up about 22 feet.
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It seems that analogue receivers are still very good for hunting around to see what is out there in the bands, just tune around the knob for the interesting signals.
But if you are after certain stations for certain programs on the specified time, then punching in the freq. into the receiver on the time, then yes I would guess the SDR or Digital receivers are useful.
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SDR is quite an advantage and offers a lot of features, but I still enjoy spinning a knob. I think I always will. However I think I'll always have an SDR receiver too!
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Yeah, I think I am in the same opinion.
Now I have a vintage Sangean 803A, and it seems working quite well. I was listening to Radio Korea on 9515 Khz for an hour on the 803A. Problem is that it uses D size batteries which are heavy and expensive. I will need to buy a DC adaptor for it. But the old set is cheap, and working OK, so it is good.
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It's kind of the old tradeoff. The old rigs (esp. the tube ones) sound great and many were super sensitive without modern things like DSP or triple conversion. But DSP and triple conversion are cool noise reducing features and of course you can know exactly where you're tuned, or jump from, say, seeing if WWV is on 2.5 MHz straight to say, RNZI on 13840 kHz (13.84 MHz) with push button entry. And SDR's let you see a whole band. It's great.
I don't have any real good analog rigs. I have an ancient Airline tabletop model from the 30s that has SW from the MW band up through about 7 MHz but that part doesn't work any more. I have a Realistic DX-300 which is nice at times, but impossible to use if for SSB - it drifts like an unmanned boat on a swift river. My preferred rigs at the moment are my Icom IC-7100 and my SDRplay RSPdx, both of which I prefer to use with my G5RV, which seems my best antenna for rx as well as tx. But I have a few other loop antennas, both active and passive. You can see all I have in my comment signature.
Every rig has its strengths and weaknesses. My Satellit 750 easily overloads with strong signals on the MW band, so I can't use an external antenna without a band blocking filter. My PL-600 is actually better on the front end and about as sensitive, but the SSB is terrible - overdriven and you actually have simultaneous USB and LSB which you can't choose from. The IC-7100 isn't really a listening receiver in spite of continuous reception from 0.030-199.99 and 400-470 MHz, choosing frequencies is a bit awkward and the inbuilt speaker is weak (though that's par for the course, they want you to spend more money on a nice plug-in speaker). The SDRplay is a quality SDR for the money but there are better SDR's to be had if you spend more. It all depends on my mood which one gets used.
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I have a Realistic DX-300 which is nice at times, but impossible to use if for SSB - it drifts like an unmanned boat on a swift river.
I almost got a DX-300, but missed out on the auction. Then I was going after a DX-160, and then DX-150, and outbid again.
But I managed to get a DX-392, and then Sangean ATS-803A in good price. These are great receivers I find. They are very sensitive, stable and sounding good.
I am shocked to hear nice looking DX-300 is such a bad performer drifting too much to hear SSB. Should I be glad that I missed them out, or is your DX-300 a lemon?
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I mainly use my KiwiSDR (http://strangebeacons.proxy.kiwisdr.com:8073/) with W6LVP mag loop, or my ICOM 7300 with Alpha Loop (I live in a condo, hence the reason for my reliance on magnetic loop antennas. Fortunately, my experience with them has been very positive). Finally, I occasionally hit the road with my Tecsun PL-660 and separate factory long-wire antenna.
I've really gotten more into SWLing since I moved from Seattle, Washington to Southwest Florida. The propagation in my current area is vastly superior to what I formally had in mountainous Washington. 8)
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I have a Realistic DX-300 which is nice at times, but impossible to use if for SSB - it drifts like an unmanned boat on a swift river.
I almost got a DX-300, but missed out on the auction. Then I was going after a DX-160, and then DX-150, and outbid again.
But I managed to get a DX-392, and then Sangean ATS-803A in good price. These are great receivers I find. They are very sensitive, stable and sounding good.
I am shocked to hear nice looking DX-300 is such a bad performer drifting too much to hear SSB. Should I be glad that I missed them out, or is your DX-300 a lemon?
I came into mine for a price I couldn't beat - free. The thing fell in my lap, I wasn't even looking for it. But it's old and probably has never had any of the tuneup work old receivers need. So I don't feel burned. If I knew how to fix it up, I would and perhaps that would take care of the drift. That said, I seem to recall seeing things about how the DX-300 had issues and was rather quickly replaced with the identical-in-appearance DX-302. Don't take my word for that, though. I can't recall what the issues were.
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I mainly use my KiwiSDR (http://strangebeacons.proxy.kiwisdr.com:8073/) with W6LVP mag loop, or my ICOM 7300 with Alpha Loop (I live in a condo, hence the reason for my reliance on magnetic loop antennas. Fortunately, my experience with them has been very positive). Finally, I occasionally hit the road with my Tecsun PL-660 and separate factory long-wire antenna.
I've really gotten more into SWLing since I moved from Seattle, Washington to Southwest Florida. The propagation in my current area is vastly superior to what I formally had in mountainous Washington. 8)
The difference I had with just my PL-600 and a Sangean ANT-60 when I went to Florida in the fall of 2017, vs what I could (or more accurately, couldn't) hear with my Satellit 750 and W6LVP when I visited Seattle last summer. I know solar activity was rock bottom but that didn't account for it all. Florida is like a SWL dream spot. Probably all those wetlands and being a peninsula.
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I have a Realistic DX-300 which is nice at times, but impossible to use if for SSB - it drifts like an unmanned boat on a swift river.
I almost got a DX-300, but missed out on the auction. Then I was going after a DX-160, and then DX-150, and outbid again.
But I managed to get a DX-392, and then Sangean ATS-803A in good price. These are great receivers I find. They are very sensitive, stable and sounding good.
I am shocked to hear nice looking DX-300 is such a bad performer drifting too much to hear SSB. Should I be glad that I missed them out, or is your DX-300 a lemon?
I came into mine for a price I couldn't beat - free. The thing fell in my lap, I wasn't even looking for it. But it's old and probably has never had any of the tuneup work old receivers need. So I don't feel burned. If I knew how to fix it up, I would and perhaps that would take care of the drift. That said, I seem to recall seeing things about how the DX-300 had issues and was rather quickly replaced with the identical-in-appearance DX-302. Don't take my word for that, though. I can't recall what the issues were.
Maybe that is why so many DX-300 is for sale? I see a few of them sale on eBay every week.
It looks quite decent DX radio, but never knew it had serious drift problems.
Glad that I am outbid on the DX-300 by other bidders.
I am happy with my Sangean ATS-803A and Realistic DX-392. They are awesome DX receivers.
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For which type of receivers are better points, I suppose it all depends on your style of listening too.
If you are into any SW signals to find out where it is broadcasting from, and by who, and for that if you are referencing the SW schedule site on the internet, identifying signals you hear for their origins to see how many different countries you heard, then maybe SDRs and definitely some digital frequency readout receivers would be must.
But if you are, like me, just after English and your mother tongue language broadcast services, so you want to find signals and the contents that you understand from the program, then really frequency readouts doesn't matter. You roughly go to the active parts of the SW spectrum for the time of the day that you are listening, and tune about for the most interesting stations you hear, and just listen to them = news, commentaries or songs whatever, then vintage analogue SW radios do the job perfectly?
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Maybe that is why so many DX-300 is for sale? I see a few of them sale on eBay every week.
It looks quite decent DX radio, but never knew it had serious drift problems.
Glad that I am outbid on the DX-300 by other bidders.
I am happy with my Sangean ATS-803A and Realistic DX-392. They are awesome DX receivers.
I don't know about the others. It's only SSB mode that drifts, though. It's rock solid in AM mode.
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Maybe that is why so many DX-300 is for sale? I see a few of them sale on eBay every week.
It looks quite decent DX radio, but never knew it had serious drift problems.
Glad that I am outbid on the DX-300 by other bidders.
I am happy with my Sangean ATS-803A and Realistic DX-392. They are awesome DX receivers.
I don't know about the others. It's only SSB mode that drifts, though. It's rock solid in AM mode.
AM mode is so wide, that drift will be no issue for any receivers.
It is SSB and CW, that need rock solid in good receivers.
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At the moment a Drake R4 is the main receiver. Got to like a radio that rolls down to SSI to check out when we both can retire
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Just got an Airspy HF+Discovery and a YouLoop, which is hanging on the wall, but still pretty good. JRC NRD-545 in the corner attached to a Par EF-SWL in a sloper configuration E-W. Yesterday dug out an old Princeton Skywave, set it up lower than a basketball hoop in a different corner of the property and hooked up a PL-660 and really pretty good reception! (off topic but why the f is WRMI playing Christmas tunes right now? weird but kinda shortwave cool).
Idaho not the best location for SWL, compared to many of my previous residences; Colorado, Arizona, Florida, Panama, Costa Rica, and Paraguay. Maybe only Thompson, Manitoba was worse. Still have an ICF-2010 which was my go to as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Paraguay 1990-93, and I lived in a remote part of the Itapua campo near the Rio Parana that had no electricity.
No. Electricity.
Or running water either, but it was the no electricity part that made the SWL awesome.
I'm going to make the YouLoop larger and get it outside and elevated. With the SDR you kind of miss the anticipation of what's yet to come while spinning the knob since you can see the signals, but the bells and whistles that can optimize the signal is worth the tradeoff, because I want to hear the ghost of the ghost signals. That's why online SDR is so uninteresting to me; I want to see what I can hear, here!
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Lately Sangean 909x with either the sangean ant 60 reel antenna or my Tla500c passive loop antenna or my Grundig Satellit 800 and the loop, when walking to the mailbox up the hill sometimes I’ll just do a quick scan on my tecsun 365
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My most modern receiver is an old Sangean ATS-803, and it is revolutionary in that freq. can be punched in direct, and it has memories to call up the stored frequencies. In that sense, I regard the ATS-803S a SDR. A SDR free from PC or computer. I only use it in special situation, where I want to see if I can hear anything on a frequency, if I couldn't find stations I am looking for with other analogue radios.
I feel that stand alone SDR or internet SDR are the same thing in the reception quality and what you can do with them with all the bells and whistles available to process the incoming signals, and the fact they are relying on the digital platform.
I also want to hear what is receivable from where I am, but with no aid of digital technology.
SWL itself is a traditional technological hobby, which doesn't have to rely on the digital technology.
All the information and BC programs are freely and widely available to anyone on the internet web sites and apps via the broadband connection.
When you are SWLing, you are ditching that internet and digital technology, and going back to the old traditional way of getting signals from the far away places.
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I also want to hear what is receivable from where I am, but with no aid of digital technology.
To each their own.
SWL itself is a traditional technological hobby, which doesn't have to rely on the digital technology.
Respect your opinion. Mine is that SWL is a non-traditional technological hobby, and it evolves very nicely with any new technology that enhances it.
When you are SWLing, you are ditching that internet and digital technology, and going back to the old traditional way of getting signals from the far away places.
When I am SWLing, my objective is to hear distant radio signals. When I started in earnest in 1983, I had a boombox that had shortwave bands. If there had been internet or digital technology to identify stations or enhance distant signal reception I would have taken advantage, as a way to achieve my objective. Then I upgraded from a boombox to a Sony ICF2010, and a few dozen radios after that, including the SDR I got a couple months ago. They're all radios with an antenna!
Peace! ;D
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This is the setup I've been using on the weekends for the last few months with good results:
SMC HF-150 - PAR BCB Filter - MMD-40 Mixed Mode Dipole on the ground East-West direction. The old Optimus speaker is a good match for the 150 in both sound & volume and with the Talentcell 6000mAh battery I can easily run the receiver for 7-8 hrs. (it can go much longer), recording stations using the voice memo app on my iphone and direct input cable. The beer helps cut through the static :)
Although I have my indoor setup listed in my signature, I much prefer SWLing outdoors - it's way more fun!
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/mm25ggto4cKic_TlTYy-29IQ2-dCmq93-SVU6Uxt7Afw2LW4AFMpM0aT5rvvYv7G4CQaUg9EK_Su3qOHREoBjwGZKyTQh7ZVRJpuTuC1zQha4XX0j-28O1MqqFpljCkHR53WHF386Q=w2400)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/0vuHq9bEsE82jyIU6wAj-hmrVIx6TDbb-qpqk6DF1_nFbz4ux-tN-vclAe6G4H2HNk3RJuOhLvPnXXdMV5TcAZad1NanxenD1NH7B_lqPC4FaWZNv1QWByRv8nveornxKGiRIC4oXg=w2400)
Here's a few recordings I've made using this setup:
Captain Morgan (https://archive.org/download/Httparchive.orgdetailsShortwavePirateRadioCont2/Captain%20Morgan%200042z-0102z%2004-24-20.mp3)
Virus-19 Radio (https://archive.org/download/Httparchive.orgdetailsShortwavePirateRadioCont2/Virus-19%20Radio%206939%20USB%202330z-0026z%2004-03-20.mp3)
Radio Mali (https://archive.org/download/ShortwaveRadioBroadcasts/Mali%205995%20AM%202157z-2315z%2004-11-20.mp3)
Radio Romania (https://archive.org/download/ShortwaveRadioBroadcasts/Radio%20Romania%2004-04-20.mp3)
Voice Of Turkey (https://archive.org/download/ShortwaveRadioBroadcasts/Voice%20Of%20Turkey%207275%20AM%200320z-0338z%2005-23-20.mp3)
Voice Of Islamic Republic Iran (https://archive.org/download/ShortwaveRadioBroadcasts/Voice%20Of%20Islamic%20Republic%20Iran%206060%20AM%202303z-2359z%2005-23-20.mp3)
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I had a DX-300 back in the day, after my DX-160, before the R-1000. TBH the DX-300 was nothing to write home about, other than going from analog to digital frequency display was nice. I do recall there was some sort of frequency fine tuning adjustment that was no end of grief, I never seemed to know if I was on frequency or not.
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Presently, to work Sporadic E, the Kenwood TS-2000X. Before that, I've realigned a TS-50S and its AT-50 Auto Tuner, then used that for a few weeks. Before that, (Late Fall.), DX'ed with an Icom IC-745. Nightly, I use a Sangean ATS-803A as my bedside radio. For portable runs, I like using that Eton E10 AM only portable. Next, I want to realign the CW / SSB on a Kenwood TF-F6A HT and try that on HF. It's fair, but handy, on the AM broadcast band, or quick CB scanning, or to listen to myself on 432MHz and 1296MHz SSB. I so under utilize what that HT can do. https://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/ht/0066.html
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I have a Realistic DX-300 which is nice at times, but impossible to use if for SSB - it drifts like an unmanned boat on a swift river.
I almost got a DX-300, but missed out on the auction. Then I was going after a DX-160, and then DX-150, and outbid again.
But I managed to get a DX-392, and then Sangean ATS-803A in good price. These are great receivers I find. They are very sensitive, stable and sounding good.
I am shocked to hear nice looking DX-300 is such a bad performer drifting too much to hear SSB. Should I be glad that I missed them out, or is your DX-300 a lemon?
I find the DX-300 acceptably stable on SSB if you let it warm up for a while before hand. For sure for the first 30-40 minutes it is all over the place, but it does stable out a bit after a while. It kind of depends on what your reference is, compared to radios I started with the DX-300 is OK, accpetable, but not great.
In my collection I have most of the DX series desk top radios, DX-75, DX-100, DX-150, DX-150A, DX-150B, DX-160, DX-200, DX-300, and DX-302. The only two DX desktops I don't have that I can think of off the top of my head are the DX-120 (never have had one of those) and the DX-394 (have had one before). For sure the two best are the DX-160 and DX-302 (I never liked the 394, but that is probably just opinion based, I never liked the look), but really, except for the DX-100, they are all pretty similar in basic performance, even when very different in features and appearance.
What do I use for SWL today? I am more of a Utility guy, but I do SWL a bit, most often one of my local SDRs when searching, but if I am just letting a radio set on a station it might be one of the boatanchors, the Hallicrafters SX-42, SX-71, and 62A are all favorites, but the National NC-183D is also something I like to hear. I rotate which baotanchors are beside the listening desk, so really it depends on what is in the living room at the time. The other day I had a Hallicrafters SX-16 out that I was listening to VoK on.
T!
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Great collection you have on the Realistics.
What I have is not a DX-394 but it is a DX-392 with the tape recorder, I just checked the model number. I wasn't sure what model number it was before :D
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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.
I then went onto one of the SDR sites on the Internet, and tuned to 15575Khz on the screen.
And WOW ... the signal was 9999 very good on the SDR which is only about 500 miles away from me.
I was shocked by the strength of the remote SDR signal on the freq. and was searching for what antenna he was using.
And guess what, it was UK made Wellbrook Loop antenna.
This made me think, well I must really sell off all my radios, and raise the fund to buy the Wellbrook?
Just keep 1 or 2 radios, and have a Wellbrook?
Or is it because of the SDR? No, I went another SDR site. It was using a long wire, and was deaf on the freq. No reception.
But the site with Wellbrook MLA100 was receiving it loud and clear.
So, do we need good receiving antennas if we want DX SWL rather than expensive receivers with all the bells whistles with high price tag? Well, the Wellbrook Loop Antenna doesn't seem cheap either for circular thin piece of pipe with match box sized RF preamp. What do you think?
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I do agree with the antenna being more important than the receiver, but keep in mind that even if you have a Wellbrook loop and propagation isn't favorable at your location, it won't necessarily help you hear any better other than being able to null out local noise.
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A friend has over 130 countries on a dx160. This is along the lines of "beware the man with one gun" meaning he knows exactly how to wring the most performance out of what he has, now he has more modern gear like a perseus and so on.
I despised the 160 on hf due drifting, yet loved it on ambc.The guy who flogged 130 countries on a 160 said the 150s drifted less and were superior in other ways too.
Had a AX190 for a bit, lovely rig for its era, shame it wasn't the sw version. An acquaintance allowed me to suffer with his 300 for a few days, I dubbed it "the high plains drifter", so much for the vaunted wadley loop.
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The Wellbrooks seem just too expensive for my budget, so I might be going for the Chinese MLA30 loop for about 30 box. It seems getting good reviews too albeit with some problem with high back ground noise?
Yes, I also agree that if there is no propagation in my location, then nothing in the world will be able to pull the signals I am after.
But the DX160 and 150, I almost got them many times on eBay, but I was out bid all the time. I failed to get hold of one until this day.
I initially thought that they were not serious enough radios for some reason. But then I read some good reviews and stories about them, so I changed my mind. I wanted one, but they are getting kinda rare these days.
But then if one is patient, and keep looking out for them, they are bound to come up for sale.
I just got hold of a used Tecsun PL-660, and I was quite pleased with its performance.
I might look for another receiver maybe this time a bit more modern and possibly current model and more upmarket radio in the near future.
I was looking at the Tecsun S-8800 and S-2000, an some models from C Crane and NRD radios.
I am still not sure about the TecsunS-8800, due to some seriously negative reviews about the radio. They say that the S-8800 is seriously poor on LW and MW DXing, and way way over priced for what it is. And chunks of the money they charge for the radio is for the Remote rather than the RF parts. On the SW, it works well, but then which radio is not up to the S-8800 on SW bands these days?
I watched this review again on the S-8800, and decided not to think about it again on the basis that it is way way too over priced for its overall performance in Europe. At £150 it would be a good buy, but for over that money, there are many more radios which offer better performance?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPcz2JpUTJc
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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
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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.
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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.
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"[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 (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.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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 :D
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.
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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)?
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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.
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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. :-)
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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
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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.
The Icom PCR line are not by definition SDR's. They are triple conversion conventional receivers that are computer controlled instead of having knobs and switches. It's essentially a quality tabletop radio that has no manual controls. If you look at the paper specs of the PCR-100, it compares favorably with any similarly priced traditional tabletop or portable SW/MW/VHF/UHF receiver of the time. Roughly twice the sensitivity, rejection and selectivity of a DX-440/ATS-803 portable radio on MW/HF.
The PCR-1000, on paper, is roughly equivalent on AM mode MW/HF to the Icom R75 as far as sensitivity and selectivity goes.
I can say that hands down the PCR's beat my RSP1 and 1A on LF, NDB, etc. in the basement band. Much fewer spurs, images and artifacts across the board on all bands.
And speaking of, I have some used PCR-1000's and a couple of PCR-1500's I'm planning to put on eBay. One of the 1500's is practically new in box. I think I took it out to check for operation and put it right back in the box. If any of you are interested, let me know (PM) before I list them in July sometime. They would come with power supply and maybe a USB>Serial adaptor, and maybe a small BNC whip if I can find them.
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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.
The Icom PCR line are not by definition SDR's. They are triple conversion conventional receivers that are computer controlled instead of having knobs and switches. It's essentially a quality tabletop radio that has no manual controls. If you look at the paper specs of the PCR-100, it compares favorably with any similarly priced traditional tabletop or portable SW/MW/VHF/UHF receiver of the time. Roughly twice the sensitivity, rejection and selectivity of a DX-440/ATS-803 portable radio on MW/HF.
The PCR-1000, on paper, is roughly equivalent on AM mode MW/HF to the Icom R75 as far as sensitivity and selectivity goes.
I can say that hands down the PCR's beat my RSP1 and 1A on LF, NDB, etc. in the basement band. Much fewer spurs, images and artifacts across the board on all bands.
And speaking of, I have some used PCR-1000's and a couple of PCR-1500's I'm planning to put on eBay. One of the 1500's is practically new in box. I think I took it out to check for operation and put it right back in the box. If any of you are interested, let me know (PM) before I list them in July sometime. They would come with power supply and maybe a USB>Serial adaptor, and maybe a small BNC whip if I can find them.
Great info. Thanks for your recommendation.
I used to not like the idea of attaching computers to radios, hence still no SDR in my radio room.
But for the ICOM ICR-1000, I have watched the youtube videos on the set, but I had not been impressed with the performance, and the set up with the software and RS232 cables looked ancient and not tidy. It sounded not too different from any other radios to my ears. But I thought it could be good for scanning wide spectrum VHF and UHF if one is into these bands. I am not interested above 30Mhz, and there is not much activities in these bands in my area.
And if there were, they have all gone digital encryption, for which you will need decoding devices which are not cheap.
I will just stick to the old traditional radios made with discrete parts, so if they break down, then I could open it up and try to repair them by myself with a DMM and soldering iron.
So with all that reasons, I still like the traditional / conventional radios for SWL hobby, because the SWL hobby itself is a traditional activity. But for rock bottom price, if some is throwing it away, then I might give a try just for comparisons with other radios. :)
For SDRs, I still feel that WEB SDRs on the internet works great, and still under the impression they work great because they are located where the propagation is better for the signals at the time, not the SDR has superior performance by themselves. I could be wrong.
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I added a new XHDATA D-808 to my listening room, and it is doing excellent job.
I think it is a SDR in a little tiny box on its own. It is its own man, no needing a PC or any computer.
That is critically important to me. I cannot stand any radio tied to PC or computers.
Its sensitivity and selectivity is 1st class, and it doesn't overload with the long wire antenna in the garden.
I managed to hear many new DX stations on it.
SSB and CW reception is not 1st class but quite acceptable.
It is definitely better than any radio I have in its DX performance. It hears the weak signals very well.
MW and LW was working quite OK too.
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Icom R-71A, Yaesu FRG 7700, Zenith Trans Oceanic, Hallicrafters SX99. 150' long wire. 40/80 dipole.
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Just added a couple of pocket portables to the arsenal. The Eton Mini and the Eton Elite Traveler. Both OK for very casual HF. MW is surprisingly good on the Mini, as it doesn't seem to suffer from frontend overload from a nearby station as much as the VR-120 or VX-7r. It is by no means deaf. I'm able to just pull in a 5kw station some 70m away at midday.
The Traveler is big for a pocket radio. It was impulse, as I saw it discounted and noticed it had LW and RDS. Played with it last night in the backyard and had pretty good luck catching the major broadcasters. MW also very good at night. Both radios do surprisingly well on HF considering the antennas are very short compared to what I'm used to on my portables of yore (DX-440, Royal 3000). Traveler picks up NDBs on the built in ferrite, also surprisingly well.
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Just picked up a new to me Icom R-75.
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For what its worth, keep in mind that there are a lot of "moving parts" to shortwave DX'ng, i.e. weather, time of day, solar activity, seasonal fluctuations, etc etc so don't get discouraged if you don't get "all the hits all the time". Enjoy the hunt - its all part of the fun.
This is certainly true. I used to live in a low noise area with a good antenna, now I live in an apartment near the city. I heard things there with cheap receivers that I cannot hear here with world class communications receivers. a good receiver is a great help, but so is a good antenna, location, etc.
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I use a Tecsun PL310ET at the moment, often with a wire hanging out my window. Good starter unit, and especially good for listening at sea when I'm away for work.