cohenner5377
Member
Is the 296D HF capable? If so... how do you program? If not, are there any other scanners that can do HF?
David
MAR018
David
MAR018
hf
- Thread starter cohenner5377
- Start date
- Status
doctordave
Member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2003
- Messages
- 1,562
296 is not HF capable. There are quite a few wideband portable radios. Here's a link for some, off Universal Radio's site: http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/widerxvr.html
n4voxgill
Silent Key
None of the current scanners can receive wide band signals with AM/FM/SSB modes.
If you look at the above link to universal, you will see that those units are all called "receivers" and they do wideband with AM/FM/SSB modes, but they do not trunk track nor do digital, with the exception of AOR that has a seperate unit that can plug into some of their receivers to make them digital capable, but still wil not trunk track.
The new BC330 has wideband frequency coverage, but no SSB mode which is required to pick up most government, aircraft, marine and ham radio below 30 MHz. So it will not be in the receiver category.
If you look at the above link to universal, you will see that those units are all called "receivers" and they do wideband with AM/FM/SSB modes, but they do not trunk track nor do digital, with the exception of AOR that has a seperate unit that can plug into some of their receivers to make them digital capable, but still wil not trunk track.
The new BC330 has wideband frequency coverage, but no SSB mode which is required to pick up most government, aircraft, marine and ham radio below 30 MHz. So it will not be in the receiver category.
doctordave
Member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2003
- Messages
- 1,562
n4voxgill,
While we're on this topic, I've begun to research wideband & HF receivers on a number of sites, including a few ham forums w/ great product reviews. Quite a lot to choose from on the market. Do you have any personal prefs regarding HF and/or wideband receiver products ? If anyone else has personal experience w/ certain models, please feel free to jump in. Thanks.
While we're on this topic, I've begun to research wideband & HF receivers on a number of sites, including a few ham forums w/ great product reviews. Quite a lot to choose from on the market. Do you have any personal prefs regarding HF and/or wideband receiver products ? If anyone else has personal experience w/ certain models, please feel free to jump in. Thanks.
ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
It certainly is a varied market, that's for sure; the R75 from Icom has gotten a great deal of attention, and with many software packages that now support it, make it a very nice addition to any shack for HF, whether it be broadcast or Ute listening. Me, I use a TenTenc RX320, which is a DSP driven (it still has analog audio compnonets) unit that's been around for some time. With many software packages that also support it, and up to 32 filters (selectivity is VERY important these days), it's a very flexible little black box that can do many things pretty well.
Wideband receivers - depending on what model you want to analyze - at times are something of a compromise on several levels. I wouldn't touch something like a Icom R20 but a R8500 (which is very expensive) can do HF pretty well. One of the main problems you will encounter with wideband handhelds is overloading - they simply can't handle the input from a large wire antenna. Depending on the environment, 20 or 30 foot may well be the limit of what they can handle.
Bottom line - you get what you pay for. Use the links in the Wiki to give yourself a leg up on finding out about receivers - it's a nice inexpensive way to learn (instead of buying something and finding out you hate it because it doesn't perform to your expectations). 73s Mike
Wideband receivers - depending on what model you want to analyze - at times are something of a compromise on several levels. I wouldn't touch something like a Icom R20 but a R8500 (which is very expensive) can do HF pretty well. One of the main problems you will encounter with wideband handhelds is overloading - they simply can't handle the input from a large wire antenna. Depending on the environment, 20 or 30 foot may well be the limit of what they can handle.
Bottom line - you get what you pay for. Use the links in the Wiki to give yourself a leg up on finding out about receivers - it's a nice inexpensive way to learn (instead of buying something and finding out you hate it because it doesn't perform to your expectations). 73s Mike
n4voxgill
Silent Key
I have several ham radios, Kenwood 930, SGC2000, Icom 706 (two of these), TenTec Paragon, and a TenTec Pegasus. My favorite of them is the TenTec Pegasus.
It has no dials or knobs, it is completely computer controled. It has great filters. This unit is no longer in productionn, but TenTec has some at their website and you see them on eham.net and other places. They run in the $700.00 range. I am listening the the hurricane net now. Just a little while ago the net control station was in Canada as long path was the most effective. The Pegasus filters work so good at picking up signals.
Right now I have it hooked to a 90 foot wire antenna. I took my G4RV down and going to replace it with a Carolina Windom.
I have an AOR8200 MK3, but handheld units just do not pick up like base station radios with a decent antenna.
The Pegasus beats the Icom 706 hands down. The IC706 is OK for mobile or when conditions are good. But when propagation does down hill the Pegaus really shines.
I didn't think I would ever see a radio that I liked better than the Paragon, but along came the Pegasus and it is now my primary ham radio. I have the automatic antenna tuner installed in the Pegasus. And I use the N4PY software. Although the free program at TenTec is almost as good.
You can go to the TenTec webpage and download the software and see what all it does.
Gill
It has no dials or knobs, it is completely computer controled. It has great filters. This unit is no longer in productionn, but TenTec has some at their website and you see them on eham.net and other places. They run in the $700.00 range. I am listening the the hurricane net now. Just a little while ago the net control station was in Canada as long path was the most effective. The Pegasus filters work so good at picking up signals.
Right now I have it hooked to a 90 foot wire antenna. I took my G4RV down and going to replace it with a Carolina Windom.
I have an AOR8200 MK3, but handheld units just do not pick up like base station radios with a decent antenna.
The Pegasus beats the Icom 706 hands down. The IC706 is OK for mobile or when conditions are good. But when propagation does down hill the Pegaus really shines.
I didn't think I would ever see a radio that I liked better than the Paragon, but along came the Pegasus and it is now my primary ham radio. I have the automatic antenna tuner installed in the Pegasus. And I use the N4PY software. Although the free program at TenTec is almost as good.
You can go to the TenTec webpage and download the software and see what all it does.
Gill
doctordave
Member
- Joined
- Jan 2, 2003
- Messages
- 1,562
Thanks to both of you for the detailed responses.
- Status
