Suggesting a new forum

ka3jjz · #1 (**permalink**) 01-09-2013, 10:38 AM

Can a new forum be created in the HF section just for receivers - either as a sub forum of the general or a new one altogether? There seems to be some interest in this - and here's a very preliminary writeup...

For discussing radios that receive frequencies below 30 Mhz from portables to desktops - i.e. the Tecsuns up to the Watkins-Johnson WJ-1000 and everything in between. This forum can also be used to discuss applications that can control desktop radios such as Ergo, SW Log or Callsign Software. For SDR radios, please post in the Software Defined Radio forum

Thanks...Mike

W9BU · #2 (**permalink**) 01-09-2013, 10:56 AM

Wouldn't that be redundant with the equipment forums in this group:

Scanners and Receivers Forums - The RadioReference.com Forums

ka3jjz · #3 (**permalink**) 01-09-2013, 12:09 PM

Nope, since those forums don't cover the vast majority of the HF capable portables (such as the E1 or Drake SW8 series), nor do they cover high end receivers such as the Alinco R8T (yes, you could make the argument that the R75 is included in the Icom forum, I concede that point)

Many of the questions that show up in the HF general forum concern themselves with low end and mid range portables - certainly the R75 questions could, in fact, go to the Icom forum, but what about the Alinco? Nothing there for that one...and the 'All Other Receivers' forum is way too broad to be useful for something like this.

The other subject for this forum - software that interfaces with desktop receivers - is not covered at all.

Mike

WayneH · #4 (**permalink**) 01-09-2013, 2:36 PM

I can create an "Equipment" forum under the HF category. That's about all I can offer.

ka3jjz · #5 (**permalink**) 01-09-2013, 3:03 PM

That will do, Wayne.

As soon as it's created, I'll migrate the appropriate threads from the General forum

Thanks...Mike

WayneH · #6 (**permalink**) 01-09-2013, 3:23 PM

I'll try and get to it tonight.

W9BU · #7 (**permalink**) 01-09-2013, 4:59 PM

I guess I'm looking at things differently.

The description for almost every one of the forums in the Scanners and Receivers group includes the word "receivers".

While I understand that the technical and operating issues are completely different for shortwave vs. VHF/UHF scanning, I still think we are introducing some redundancy.

Folks who are not into drag racing sometimes point out that the NHRA has a class for just about everything (the Hemi 'Cudas go in this class, the Boss 429 Mustangs go in another class, etc.). The same thing can be said about the SCCA in the sports car racing world (a world that, after 30+ years, I know all too well). If we keep slicing and dicing our forum topics into narrower and narrower interests, it will become even more difficult to find things.

I'm not trying to be argumentative...just presenting an alternative viewpoint.

loumaag · #8 (**permalink**) 01-10-2013, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by W9RXR

...
I'm not trying to be argumentative...just presenting an alternative viewpoint.

Well, I agree with you. HF/MW/LW Monitoring (the parent section) does not need more sub-forums, it needs less. The purpose of the forum section was for the discussion of actual monitoring and related topics. Kind of like what the General Scanning forum was for VHF/UHF topics before it got moved. The Scanners and Receivers section was supposed to group discussions about all receiving equipment from DC to Daylight but this has been altered with the explosion sub-forums.

I think a great example would be the Icom Receivers forum; it is where it belongs and yet they (to the best of my knowledge) don't make a scanner for VHF/UHF at all. They only make transceivers (which I will admit belong either in Ham or Professional radio sections) and receivers. So, we already have an All Other Receivers section there, instead of making a redundant forum under a "Monitoring" section, why don't you just move all the improperly posted threads to that already existing forum?

ka3jjz · #9 (**permalink**) 01-10-2013, 12:52 PM

Looking at the description of the 'All Other Receivers' forum, it says 'scanners' quite specifically. I can't move threads about a Panasonic RF2200 (for example) there.

If someone were to expand that description, that would work too. It is a very low-volume traffic forum, so it wouldn't damage very much...

We currently have NO sub-forums attached to any of the forums in the HF section (unlike most of the regional forums that do), so adding a sub forum would work too. As an example of what I mean, the Maryland forum has a sub forum for incidents.

I might also point out that AOR has never made any scanners - they make radios that happen to scan (much like the Icom folks do). If the AOR forum were expanded to 'receivers' instead of 'scanners', that could be used to cover the HF capable radios such as the AOR-3030 and AOR-7030 series.

Mike

loumaag · #10 (**permalink**) 01-10-2013, 1:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ka3jjz

Looking at the description of the 'All Other Receivers' forum, it says 'scanners' quite specifically. I can't move threads about a Panasonic RF2200 (for example) there.

If someone were to expand that description, that would work too. It is a very low-volume traffic forum, so it wouldn't damage very much...

Agreed, descriptions are fairly easy to change.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ka3jjz

We currently have NO sub-forums attached to any of the forums in the HF section (unlike most of the regional forums that do), so adding a sub forum would work too. As an example of what I mean, the Maryland forum has a sub forum for incidents.

Semantics. A section cannot be posted to, it groups forums. Maryland is not a section but a forum with a sub-forum. HF is a section with forums that I referred to as "sub-fourms" meaning "under it".

Quote:

Originally Posted by ka3jjz

I might also point out that AOR has never made any scanners - they make radios that happen to scan (much like the Icom folks do). If the AOR forum were expanded to 'receivers' instead of 'scanners', that could be used to cover the HF capable radios such as the AOR-3030 and AOR-7030 series.

I have no argument with this evaluation either.

I guess the point I was trying to make, and I think Bob was also, there is a difference between discussions about equipment and about actual listening. IMHO, the further we can separate those two issues the better.

W9BU · #11 (**permalink**) 01-10-2013, 1:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loumaag

I think a great example would be the Icom Receivers forum; it is where it belongs and yet they (to the best of my knowledge) don't make a scanner for VHF/UHF at all.

The Icom IC-R20 is clearly marketed as a scanner though it does cover basically DC to daylight.

ka3jjz · #12 (**permalink**) 01-10-2013, 2:15 PM

OK so let's go with this proposal;

a. Change the 'All Other Receivers' forum description to include receivers, not just scanners

b. The AOR Scanners forum would change to AOR Receivers, so that it can handle radios such as the AOR-3030 and AOR7030 HF series radios. The description already mentions receivers anyway...

c. I would move all the portables and Hallicrafters threads to the 'All Other Receivers' forum

How's that sound to everyone? Mike

loumaag · #13 (**permalink**) 01-10-2013, 3:05 PM

We will have to wait for Wayne to weigh in, but that sounds reasonable to me.

WayneH · #14 (**permalink**) 01-11-2013, 9:09 PM

I've added the HF Equipment forum. I'll review the other /Scanner/Receiver forums and update as needed.

Yes, there is some redundancy introduced but at the same time it's about posting to the forum that best fits your target audience. If someone is interested in HF receivers they do not need to monitor the HF GenDiscus, AOR and ICOM forums for it. There's now one specific place for them. If someone posts to AOR or ICOM regarding HF then it will get moved out.