Hi again

[Franb]

I bought the Kaito 1102, I live in Johnson County, Kansas. I can barely pick up anything and when I do its mostly humming and high pitch? Are all portables like this the same basically? For the 69.00 that it cost I'm thinking of sending it back and get the sony ats 909. What I don't understand is the 1102 has very good ratings? Any ideals of a radio that would work as I want to hear different countries. Thanks again

 

[WouffHong]

Noises..

Appears you are getting interference from local sources - neon signs, Flourescent lamps or bulbs, Dimmers, TV or PC RF noise and oh, so many other sources. :-(

Best test: take it out in the country or WAY away from homes, businesses and Power lines AND you car and try it there.

I think you will be pleased at the difference when away from these sources!

Tom
W4NOV

 

[SCPD]

I'm not sure what you are trying to scan in Johnson county (assuming KS), but looking at the database it looks like most agencies are using the 700MHz P25 system. Anything less then a digital scanner will be quite unsuitable for scanning in that area. I'm afraid you are going to have to invest some big bucks and at the minimum get something like the Radio Shack Pro-197 or the Pro-106. As you found out, the radio you purchased is simply unsuitable for monitoring a trunking system as is used by Johnson county, and is quite suspectible to outside interference.

I hope this gives you some direction in what you need to listen in. It can be an expensive hobby, but once the investment is made you have a good receiver and the abiliity to listen to some interesting and fascinating stuff.


Good luck

 

[Star56]

I'm not sure what you are trying to scan in Johnson county (assuming KS), but looking at the database it looks like most agencies are using the 700MHz P25 system. Anything less then a digital scanner will be quite unsuitable for scanning in that area. I'm afraid you are going to have to invest some big bucks and at the minimum get something like the Radio Shack Pro-197 or the Pro-106. As you found out, the radio you purchased is simply unsuitable for monitoring a trunking system as is used by Johnson county, and is quite suspectible to outside interference.

I hope this gives you some direction in what you need to listen in. It can be an expensive hobby, but once the investment is made you have a good receiver and the abiliity to listen to some interesting and fascinating stuff.


Good luck

Umm...I think you miss read his post. He bought a portable shortwave radio and wants to hear different countries. Nothing to do with scanning.

Tom

 

[NWI_Scanner_Guy]

Appears you are getting interference from local sources - neon signs, Flourescent lamps or bulbs, Dimmers, TV or PC RF noise and oh, so many other sources. :-(

Best test: take it out in the country or WAY away from homes, businesses and Power lines AND you car and try it there.

I think you will be pleased at the difference when away from these sources!

Tom
W4NOV

I too have a Kaito 1102, and I also have trouble with reception, mainly due to interference from a high voltage power transformer that's practically right outside my bedroom window. It really hinders shortwave reception. But like WouffHong said, take it out a ways and you will see a HUGE difference. The apartment I was living in when I first got the radio wasn't near many sources of interference and I was able to pull in quite a few countries.

SSSG

 

[ridgescan]

I bought the Kaito 1102, I live in Johnson County, Kansas. I can barely pick up anything and when I do its mostly humming and high pitch? Are all portables like this the same basically? For the 69.00 that it cost I'm thinking of sending it back and get the sony ats 909. What I don't understand is the 1102 has very good ratings? Any ideals of a radio that would work as I want to hear different countries. Thanks again

Try this-get a metal tape measure, run it out facing east west and then hook the end of it to your whip antenna (leave whip retracted but just raise up the skinniest part enough to connect the tape measure to) now start tuning. Bet you'll get more stations more noise too but more stations nonetheless. The experimentation begins copper wire strung around the room's perimeter is a good start-tastefully placed of course. Let us know what ya hear!

 

[nanZor]

I bought the Kaito 1102, I live in Johnson County, Kansas. I can barely pick up anything and when I do its mostly humming and high pitch?

Just to clarify - are you using it with batteries only, or is the charger attached? Some wall warts can be extremely noisy, and/or couple the radio into a noisy ac line.

Is the high-pitch you are hearing when using AM, or are you listening to SSB? If SSB, then the BFO control needs to be fine-tuned.

Just wanted to get these two possibilities out of the way first.

 

[K9WG]

I am sure for $69 you are not going to get the noise suppression and selectivity of a $500 communications receiver. Especially if you live in a RF noisy area around power lines, computers, etc.

 

[gpsblake]

Franb, I own a DE1103 and it works great here. Like others have said, it very well could be the immediate area you are in.... Even moving a shortwave radio from room to room can make a world of difference.

Just taking 20 feet of speaker wire, hooking it up to your radio, then extending out the wire out a window or even along your floor can make a world of difference in reception. I use 50 feet myself, string out the window up to a tree. I guarantee you, I pick up 99 percent of what a $1,000 receiver will pick up.

 

[k9rzz]

I echo what others are saying. Even my little Eton FR350 which I got for next to nothing because the power crank is broken, hears a ton of the louder shortwave broadcast stations. Can you run your radio on batteries? Try it away from the house, see how it hears.

 

[Franb]

Sent my 1102 back, I walked into Radio Shack yesterday and there on the shelf marked down was a Grundig G6 The Buzz Aldrin Model for $28.95. He had one in a box, I bought one, came home and I am totally happy with this little but very durable radio. Very clear FM, nice am can pick up Chicago and Shortwave is a blast even upstairs away from the computers. This little radio has like a rubber coating on it giving it a great feel, slips in my pocket and the speaker is very good. With head phones on stereo FM is beautiful. The LED is very nice and you can see the display very well. I am even considering buying another at this price. You have got to see this thing, it feels very solid. Now I'm no expert by any means but I like quality stuff and to me this is good quality.

This will be my fishing radio and any thing else I do.

I want to thank all of you for your help.

 

[k9rzz]

So, was there a problem with the other radio, or do you hear the same noises with this new one?

 

[Franb]

I'd have to say the other was defective simply because it had very good reviews. Taking the 1102 upstairs didn't help all the much. Now this grundig g6 is night and day compared to that one. I also like the controls a lot better on this g6.

 

[gpsblake]

The Grundig G6 is an amazing radio, I paid full price on mine when they came out. It's great and REALLY great on shortwave broadcasters with a longwire antenna attached. About the size of a pack of cards. And it never overloads.

The only downside, it's my unit won't pick up LSB signals, just USB and it's 2khz off on USB. No biggie though. But considering everything else this unit does very well, $28 is a awesome deal.