What Radio Did you start your listening hobby with?

[corq]

I have a Nordiq tabletop SWL that has the "strings" - still working but I have lost other radios with your issue, that I loved, but didn't know how to repair. Good luck!

[Frank5000]

My first radio was a Hallicrafter S20R Sky Champion with a busted bandspread turning knob. I logged many SW broadcasters, pinning the names of the transmit city on my National Geographic map in my room. Great memories.

Wish I had that map now! I miss those Coldwar propaganda broadcasts. Hilarious, good stuff

It was lent to me by a friend's dad (a ham). That receiver also triggered my interest in ham radio.

[rwfisher]

Wish I had that map now! I miss those Coldwar propaganda broadcasts. Hilarious, good stuff

Oh yeah, those were always a hoot.  Straight out of 'spies like us' kinda stuff.  Speaking of which...has anyone been able to DX any North Korea broadcasts (do they even tx in English these days)?

[rdla4]

North Korea was a regular on 15180 on the east coast in the evening. I have not heard them in a number of months---Prop? Or did they change the schedule, dont know.

[jFarley]

This is an interesting thread, and I keep coming back to it.  It's reassuring that the path to present geekdom was rather similar for most of us.

There are radios you start your listening hobby with, and radios you start your DXing hobby with.  I had forgotten about this, but intermediary between some Knight Kit builds and a real purchased receiver I inherited a Grundig Majestic console from my grandfather.  I took a sabre saw to the cabinet and hauled the receiver portion up to my bedroom, and connected it to a 50' longwire up in the attic.  Not a bad receiver, actually, it was quite sensitive and also somewhat selective, with very mellow audio.  This receiver produced the first SW catches that I can actually remember.  VLX9 Perth used to come in fat most mornings before high school.  Also remember hearing some interesting stuff on it such as the Windward Islands BC Service, and the clandestine Radio Euzkadi, the Voice of the Basque Underground.  I probably used this for about 3 years or so until I presumably took it apart as is my habit with most toys...

It had a Magic Eye tuning indicator, piano key band selection, and the station names were already printed on the slide rule dials!

[BoomboxDX]

North Korea's Korean broadcasts are interesting enough.  The music is fascinating.  Lots of strings and what sounds like a Lowry organ -- along with a pretty good bass player.... the James Jamerson of Pyongyang.

[Pigmeat]

This is an interesting thread, and I keep coming back to it.  It's reassuring that the path to present geekdom was rather similar for most of us.

There are radios you start your listening hobby with, and radios you start your DXing hobby with.  I had forgotten about this, but intermediary between some Knight Kit builds and a real purchased receiver I inherited a Grundig Majestic console from my grandfather.  I took a sabre saw to the cabinet and hauled the receiver portion up to my bedroom, and connected it to a 50' longwire up in the attic.  Not a bad receiver, actually, it was quite sensitive and also somewhat selective, with very mellow audio.  This receiver produced the first SW catches that I can actually remember.  VLX9 Perth used to come in fat most mornings before high school.  Also remember hearing some interesting stuff on it such as the Windward Islands BC Service, and the clandestine Radio Euzkadi, the Voice of the Basque Underground.  I probably used this for about 3 years or so until I presumably took it apart as is my habit with most toys...

It had a Magic Eye tuning indicator, piano key band selection, and the station names were already printed on the slide rule dials!

I saw one of those a few years back at an estate sale and still wish I'd bought it. You got one free and took a saw to it. LOL!

[bret]

The first HF receiver I bought was a Lafayette HA-600 that I picked up at a garage sale because it looked interesting. I  strung up as much hookup wire my Father had in the garage and was truly hooked. Fast forward a few decades and I'm still at it. Although the equipment I'm using now is much more modern I regret selling that radio .

[desmoface]

An ole Yaesu FT-101d (or maybe a b).  It was trashed, only put out about 25 watts on cw, smelled like I was smoking a cigar whenever I used it.  Wife hated it, but it got me on the air, LOL.

The current shack, although I lost the audio gear...I guess I like to keep things simple.



Steve

[tjbitt]

My first radio was a Heathkit GR-64 (which I still have)that I got for christmas and built with my father about 1964. I remember when I
turned it on the first time it was tuned to HCJB. I picked up an FRG-7 in the early 80's which is a great receiver. I have picked up a few
boatanchors along the way and primarily use a  Kenwood TS570d these days. I'm hoping to get a SDR once I figure out which one offers the most
bang for the buck

[Cesium]

Not really portable by any means but my first shortwave was a Hammarlund HQ-145X.  I was 14 so this was back in 1994. I traded some old cb equipment for it to a friend.  Then I ended up trading it back to him  couple years later. (which I later regretted...)  Now fast forward to earlier this year.  I ended up working at the same place as the friend and had asked him about it several times but couldn't get him to come off it.  I had seen it at his house stored away in a closet.  One day I go out to leave work and it's sitting in the seat of my truck complete with the original manual.  He said he was going to ebay it but figured I would take good care of it and he knew I missed it and I could have it.  So now its all cleaned up and back scanning the airwaves.  Since a tornado wiped out our old house back in 1997 me trading it to him saved it from certain destruction and I once again own a piece of my childhood.  Funny how it turned out. 

[BoomboxDX]

I started my SW DX hobby with an old Penney's AM-FM-SW portable radio which actually worked fairly well.  I'd hook the radio's external wire to the metal struts of my desk lamp, and receive HCJB, Radio RSA, Radio Moscow, VOA, BBC, R. Nederland, etc.

When I first heard Radio Australia early one morning (around 2 a.m.) I decided to put up my first wire antenna, and soon was able to regularly hear their Top 40 Countdown program on 5995 khz nightly.

I first heard AC/DC being played between news programs, way before any of their records were released here in the U.S.  I would also tune in VLW9 when it would come in -- it was the Perth SW relay for ABC outlet 6WF.  The evening guy on 6WF would play rock music from time to time, and give the beach reports for the Perth area.

[Sean_1989]

 My first SW receiver was a Hallicrafters S-120 (tubes). 

My next radio was the DX-398 and now I am using a Yaesu FT-757. 

It only has 10 memories 0-9, so I would most likely find a SW receiver with more memories than that. 

The antenna is an HF5B/Butternut mounted on a shaft on a 30 ft Rohn Tower with a 2meter beam above it.  I can rotate it using the CDE Antenna Rotor control.

[Tom S]

My very first SW radio was a Racal RA6790/GM receiver which I was tasked to tune the HF spectrum by my Uncle Sam when I was a guest at one of his many worldwide resorts, this one being Clark Air Base in the Philippines.  Unfortunately they wouldn't give me one of my own to play with, so my own very first SW receiver was a Sony boom box with SW coverage that I bought at the BX.  I soon grew frustrated with the lack of SSB/CW reception, though I could easily pick up Radio Australia.  

So when I transferred to England I bought a Sony 7600, the first model that tuned in 5 KHZ steps.  I eventually upgraded to a Sony 2010 which I still own to this day.  I've owned several other receivers, including a RS DX394 (big mistake, will never own another), Icom R71a, and currently use an Icom R75 and a Target HF3S.  I can also use my Kenwood TS-140 ham rig as a third receiver.  I also have an old Hallicrafters S-38B which I play with from time to time, and an old Zenith Transoceanic 3000-1 (transistorized version).  I also have a RS DX-402 portable AM/SSB receiver that I couldn't pass up at a hamfest for $35.  It makes a nice portable to take traveling when I don't want to risk damaging the 2010.

Currently I have the R75, TS-140, and HF3S as well as two scanners sitting on my radio desk with audio outputs connected through a switch box to my headphones and computer sound card input.

[Nomad]

Sony SW7600GR.

Nothing beats listening to that long into the warm Suburban nights with good company, my best friend and my first (and current) love