Good SW radio?

[ado63]

I am thinking I would like to get into Sw radios. What is a good radio for a first timer to buy? I would like to stay under about 100 bucks.

[Shortwavewave]

At a 100bucks?

Off the top of my head the G6
Grundig G6 Aviator Buzz Aldrin Edition Shortwave Radio - RadioShack.com

For 130$
the G5
Grundig G5 AM/FM/SW Radio - RadioShack.com

For 299$
the S750
WARNING this radio has had a couple bad reviews, but personly I cant see how it would be any worse than the G5
Grundig Satellit 750 FM/AM/Air/Shortwave Radio - RadioShack.com

[setterpt]

Without your specific listening requirements or preferences, there are many choices under $100.
However, you really can't go wrong with the Kaito KA 1103. If SSB capability is not important the Eton E 10 is another fine choice.

[ado63]

Thats the trouble,I dont really know what my listening requirements are! Just looking to get started and experiment a little.

[WisconsinRailfan]

I 2nd the KA1103

[KI6ABZ]

I'm looking at either the G5 or S750 myself. I like the larger speaker and controls on the 750, but I'm just not sure if I have room for it. On the other hand, the G5 is nice and portable, and I can use it for things other than just SW listening.

[Bill_White]

WA8DVD listed a RS DX-394 on QTH.com today for $150 shipped.
I don’t know how “good” they are but, they have a cult following.
QTH.COM Ham Radio Classified Ads - Swap amateur radio HF VHF equipment buy sell trade on line
RigPix Database - RadioShack/Realistic - DX-394

[chrizby]

I have the G5 and other than cranking the antenna out the first day( the store manager replaced the radio), it has been great. Shortwave is pretty crowded with alot of junk I don't like but it is still fun to pick up stuff from around the world. If you are looking for a preacher, you are in luck. If you want to pick up some spanish, cuba is broadcasting on about every band. Chinese? got that too, all over the place. Alex Jones, you can find him too.
I use the radio as a little ham receiver, and it does a pretty darn good job with the ssb capability. Digital PSK is even possible ( cable connected from line out on radio to line in on computer soundcard along with software -ham radio deluxe- installed on a computer).
Got my first sw radio when I was a kid from my grandfather and then later on used a sony to listen to Radio Japan almost every night. If you love radio, a sw radio is a lot of fun. Just takes some patience and you can find broadcasts in english or whatever language from quite a few places.

Monitoringtimes.com is a good place to start.
What is the most effective method for finding SW broadcasts? - Page 2 - RadioBanter
ARRLWeb: US Amateur Radio Frequency Allocations

Check the time beacons 2.5, 3.33, 5, 10, and 15, to get the propagation situation. and then look around on that band.
Have fun.

[TIZ6]

Originally Posted by Bill_White

WA8DVD listed a RS DX-394 on QTH.com today for $150 shipped.
I don’t know how “good” they are but, they have a cult following.
QTH.COM Ham Radio Classified Ads - Swap amateur radio HF VHF equipment buy sell trade on line
RigPix Database - RadioShack/Realistic - DX-394

I owned one years ago and thought it was a pile of shit. It *looks* like a killer table radio but it has a barn door front end and unstable SSB mode. I heard there was a "B" version and also a kit available years ago that corrected some faults in this radio but I wouldn't touch another DX-394 with a ten foot pole.

[KI6ABZ]

I picked up a Grundig Satellit 750 from HRO (It was an open box clearance, so I saved a few bucks...)

It's a good receiver: I listened to several QSO's on LSB; once I found the freq, it was pretty solid. I caught some commercial stuff from Cuba (I'm in So. California) and a ham guy from Utah, and that's through all the terrible noise of the power lines next to me.

My only complaint is that it picks up the harmonics from local radio stations, but no worse than my TH-F6. It also gets a lot of noise from the included AC adapter; I recommend using batteries when trying to pull in distant stations.

[blinddog50]

ado63,
Save your pennies and get what you really need.
Grundig 800 Millennium.
Can be tough to find, but well worth the search.

[ka3jjz]

If you are looking for reviews of SW radios, start here - lots of links. Also getting a copy of Passport to World Band Radio is highly recommended.

Category:Receiver Reviews - The RadioReference Wiki

KI6ABZ, there are many companies that sell MW filters that should knock down your problem. Our SWL wiki has some links for this 73 Mike

[marylandterpan]

Hmm, try getting a sony 2010!!
I bet every shortwave radio listed will not touch this rig..And its portable..Never the less you can find one on ebay i do not know how much because they were discontinued 3 years back or so...

Never the less, the grundigs a 10 out of 10, never can go wrong with that name either yaesu, icom and aor will always be the top runners in the radio world as well...Used equipment is what id go after as well, try the icom i-75 i think its called..For 400.00 or so ul never need another shortwave radio...And its still made new also though I may be wrong..
I want the icom 8500..Give that a look though its price is somewhat high though understand you get what you pay for..If not il let ya know how nice that rig treats me when I find it at the right price!!
Im def a wizard at this, give them radios a google and "dont rush"!!

[KI6ABZ]

Originally Posted by blinddog50

ado63,
Save your pennies and get what you really need.
Grundig 800 Millennium.
Can be tough to find, but well worth the search.

Those are going for as much as $600 used... wow!

For that kind of money, I'd just jump straight in to an ICom HF transceiver. I saw one over at the local HRO for just over $500 on Monday. (Of course, by the time I can afford more gear, I bet it'll be gone.)

KI6ABZ, there are many companies that sell MW filters that should knock down your problem. Our SWL wiki has some links for this 73 Mike

Thanks, Mike. I'll check that out. I heard a lot of stations that would have been audible if it weren't for the BUZZZZZZZZ in the signal. My primary purpose in buying the SW radio was to see whether I could pull in enough to justify an HF rig; if I can clear up the RX a little more, I might jump in to it (and get my General or Extra class)

[gdog25]

Sony 7600. A little more than a hundred dollars but a good, Japanese made, radio.

[safetyobc]

I agree with the Kaito KA 1103. I have owned several portable SW radios and this was by far the best in that price range. It was very sensitive and picked up stations the others I owned did not. Check eBay or Universal Radio and get a decent deal on one.

[AMDXWA]

I have a CC Radio SW and CC Radio SWP and I am happy with both.

[kc9neq]

i recently purchased a tecsun pl-600 from RadiosCN on ebay. with shipping the radio was around $85.00. it is a good shortwave radio with single sideband. i would recommend it. check out the reviews on eham. com. also i would recommend the shortwave guide "passport to world band radio". with the pl-600 and the passport book you cant go wrong.

[powerhouse]

I have been wanting to get back into shortwave as well and have been following this thread to see where it went.
I used to own a Grundig Satelit 700 and my primary focus was utility stations.
I live in a "bedroom" community in a house with aluminum siding and a metal roof and the only antenna I have is a 20 year old Datong active whip up on the roof.
I really want a Ten-Tec RX320D but the wife says "no can do" at the moment.
I wanted to get something cheap to use as a test for the old antenna before I buy the Ten-Tec and I wanted something small and portable to take with me to work.
After reading all of the positive reviews for the Kaito KA1103 I bought one from Universal for $69.00. (The grey one was 10.00 cheaper than the silver one), and I bought a KA33 active loop for it as well.
I think I spent a total of $130.00 or less and that included shipping and all I can say is this little radio is absolutely amazing.
It pulls in things I never dreamed of just with the built in whip and the KA33 really does help to pull thing in up out of the mud.
It pulls in utility and numbers stations with ease as well as ham operators and of course the big commercial stations. The sound is great as well. I am really amazed with all this radio can do for such a small amount of money.
Like someone else said you really can't go wrong with the Kaito KA1103.
Just my .02 to help you with your decision.

powerhouse

[safetyobc]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 2_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/525.18.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.1 Mobile/5H11 Safari/525.20)

Forgot I had posted on this thread already. Still like the 1103