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Author Topic: What are you using for SWLing?  (Read 10796 times)

Offline alpard

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Re: What are you using for SWLing?
« Reply #30 on: May 21, 2020, 0734 UTC »
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.
ICOM R71E, Lowe HF-225, YAESU FRG100, TECSUN PL-330, PL-320, XHDATA D-109, D-808, MSi001 SDR, AOR AR3030, Sangean ATS803, ATS-909X, Antenna= Random Wire+ATU, Active Miniwhip

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Offline Pigmeat

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Re: What are you using for SWLing?
« Reply #31 on: May 21, 2020, 1530 UTC »
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

Offline zambo

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Re: What are you using for SWLing?
« Reply #32 on: May 25, 2020, 0038 UTC »
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!
RDR52, LNPro Imperium

Offline hdofu

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Re: What are you using for SWLing?
« Reply #33 on: May 25, 2020, 0506 UTC »
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
Radios, County Com GP -5 ssb, Grundig Satellit 800, Tecsun 880, Sangean ATS 909x, Belka DSP, Eton executive Elite

Offline alpard

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Re: What are you using for SWLing?
« Reply #34 on: May 25, 2020, 0758 UTC »
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.
« Last Edit: May 25, 2020, 1523 UTC by alpard »
ICOM R71E, Lowe HF-225, YAESU FRG100, TECSUN PL-330, PL-320, XHDATA D-109, D-808, MSi001 SDR, AOR AR3030, Sangean ATS803, ATS-909X, Antenna= Random Wire+ATU, Active Miniwhip

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Offline zambo

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Re: What are you using for SWLing?
« Reply #35 on: May 27, 2020, 0132 UTC »

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
RDR52, LNPro Imperium

Offline Sealord

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Re: What are you using for SWLing?
« Reply #36 on: May 27, 2020, 1519 UTC »
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!





Here's a few recordings I've made using this setup:

Captain Morgan
Virus-19 Radio
Radio Mali
Radio Romania
Voice Of Turkey
Voice Of Islamic Republic Iran
« Last Edit: June 06, 2020, 1357 UTC by Sealord »
Indoors: WR-G33DDC & TT RX-340_DX Eng. 4-Square Array / Outdoors: Belka-DX_Whip / Poolside: SMC HF-150_MMD-40 (D.O.G.) / Off Air/Studio Recordings

Offline ChrisSmolinski

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Re: What are you using for SWLing?
« Reply #37 on: May 27, 2020, 1922 UTC »
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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Offline ThaDood

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Re: What are you using for SWLing?
« Reply #38 on: May 27, 2020, 2329 UTC »
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
I was asked, yet another weird question, of how I would like to be buried, when I finally bite the big one. The answer was actually pretty easy. Face-down, like a certain historical figure in the late 1980's, (I will not mention who, but some of you will get it, and that's enough.) Why??? It would be a burial that will satisfy everyone: (1) My enemies will say that it will show me where to go. (2) On the same point, I can have my enemies kiss my butt. (3) It will temporarily give someone a place to park a bicycle. See??? A WIN / WIN for everyone.

Offline Token

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Re: What are you using for SWLing?
« Reply #39 on: June 02, 2020, 1615 UTC »
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!
T!
Mojave Desert, California USA

Offline alpard

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Re: What are you using for SWLing?
« Reply #40 on: June 02, 2020, 2046 UTC »
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
ICOM R71E, Lowe HF-225, YAESU FRG100, TECSUN PL-330, PL-320, XHDATA D-109, D-808, MSi001 SDR, AOR AR3030, Sangean ATS803, ATS-909X, Antenna= Random Wire+ATU, Active Miniwhip

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Offline alpard

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Re: What are you using for SWLing?
« Reply #41 on: June 07, 2020, 1545 UTC »
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?
« Last Edit: June 07, 2020, 1757 UTC by alpard »
ICOM R71E, Lowe HF-225, YAESU FRG100, TECSUN PL-330, PL-320, XHDATA D-109, D-808, MSi001 SDR, AOR AR3030, Sangean ATS803, ATS-909X, Antenna= Random Wire+ATU, Active Miniwhip

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Offline Sealord

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Re: What are you using for SWLing?
« Reply #42 on: June 08, 2020, 1440 UTC »
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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Offline Josh

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Re: What are you using for SWLing?
« Reply #43 on: June 08, 2020, 1509 UTC »
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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Offline alpard

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Re: What are you using for SWLing?
« Reply #44 on: June 08, 2020, 1745 UTC »
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?

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« Last Edit: June 08, 2020, 1841 UTC by alpard »
ICOM R71E, Lowe HF-225, YAESU FRG100, TECSUN PL-330, PL-320, XHDATA D-109, D-808, MSi001 SDR, AOR AR3030, Sangean ATS803, ATS-909X, Antenna= Random Wire+ATU, Active Miniwhip

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