Portable HF Receiver with SSB Wanted

[N9JCQ]

Drake did make an SW-8 portable as well. I would say that it was similar in performance to Satellit 800 as Drake had some influence on on the design/build of the Grundig.

 

[ka3jjz]

Actually, to be complete, Drake made a follow up to the SW8 called the SW8A with improvements, I think, to the sync detector.

Larry Magne, the chief editor of the now-defunct Passport to World Band Radio, coined the term 'portatop' to describe radios that had the characteristics of tabletop and portable radios. These were 2 of them. Both were highly regarded in their day - excellent receivers.

Mike

 

[ka3jjz]

I had one of those years ago. Actually not a bad receiver. There was a field install kit to add 12V DC power cable to it. There was also a mod to improve SSB filtering and AGC action. The burned out lamps, I assume are grain of wheat bulbs. If you wish you can install LED lamps. If it is in decent shape, I would fix it up, keep it or sell it. You can probably still get $150-200 for it.

I sold mine and bought an Icom R7000 , later an Icom IC-R7000. Hardly portable!

Here is an interesting, cheap radio with SW and SSB.

CountyComm GP-5/SSB, County Comm GP-5SSB, Tecsun PL-365

Here is a review I managed to dig up on this radio...

N9EWO Review Tecsun PL-360 PL-365 PL-380 CountyComm GP-5/SSB

Mike

 

[ka3jjz]

I see that at least some of the RDI / Passport White Papers are still available; specifically, for the R8 and SW8, here

Radio Database International White Papers - Equipment Reviews by Larry Magne

I would caution that these white papers are pretty technical and really not meant for newcomers; however there is usually enough that even someone who is non-technical would find these references a benefit

Mike

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

(snip)

I sold mine and bought an Icom R7000 , later an Icom IC-R7000. Hardly portable!
(snip)

oops, I meant ICR-9000 , that is certainly the least portable radio I have ever owned.

 

[RayAir]

Thank you for all the good information.

For a portable, I found a like-new Grundig G5 locally for $30 so I bought it.

I'll likely buy another portable, probably a Tec-Sun.

To replace the R-1000, I'm looking at used Drake radios and some ICOM's.

To improve reception on a portable, are those wound up wire antennas that clip on the telescoping antenna any good? Or should I just make my own out of thin electrical wire?

Unfortunately, outside SW long wire antennas won't work due to the HOA.

 

[ka3jjz]

Ray we have a separate forum for antenna questions here...

Receive Antennas (below 30MHz) - The RadioReference.com Forums

Please post your questions about antennas there.

Re the radios - you're going to need to dig to find any Drakes or Icoms out there the R75 is out of production but you might find them. The Drakes can be very expensive because they are so good performers (they do fall short in the utility digital realm, but they are excellent SWBC machines) and RL Drake is no longer making them (for a number of years now, sadly).

Be careful of the prices - if they're low-balling the radio, run like blazes away from it because the chances are good something is amiss. Sadly the days of HF desktop radios are long gone. Only the Alinco R8T, I think, is still in production.

Keep in mind that many ham HF transceivers have perfectly serviceable general coverage receivers in them. Do some homework - use Google, look for reviews.

Mike

 

[majoco]

My Degen/Kaito 1103 is still going strong and resolves SSB perfectly if you set it up properly, which a lot of people don't know how to do - not just with the 1103 but any radio that has a BFO control rather than a "CIO" ( carrier re-insertion oscillator) which is usually crystal controlled to be right on frequency.

How to do it - tune to WWV and ensure the digital dial indicates the correct frequency - say 5.000MHz. Turn the BFO on and tune the BFO control for 'zero beat' - the point where the tone has decreased in frequency right down to inaudible before it returns and starts to increase again. Mark the BFO knob with a spot of paint/nail polish/felt tip pen right in the centre. Check against a commercial SSB station, not a ham, and set the radio right on frequency - the voice should sound really good, clear and natural.

 

[Boombox]

If the Sangean 909X is as good as the ATS-909 is (and most reports I've read about the 909X say it is a bit better), it would be an excellent SSB radio.

The 909 has excellent SSB. It's probably its strongest suit, although it's also very good on MW, FM, and LW.

As most of the circuitry is identical between the 909 and 909X, I would suggest considering the Sangean 909X.

Works well with an external wire antenna -- doesn't take a massive one.

Don't expect incredible performance on SW off the whip, though. 909's and 909X's are designed to work off an external wire, even 15-25 ft. or so.

 

[MisterLongwire]

I would settle for the Sangean 909X and skip the Satellite 750. I have the 750 and I am totally unimpressed by the sensitivity and quality. The 909X does circles around it in more ways than one. The 750 is okay for listening to shortwave radio stations but for SSB..... FORGET IT. The 909X does great for Shortwave stations...sideband...awesome sound...and the list goes on. Minor thing is the whip is so-so unless you have it hooked up to a loop antenna(external) or wire antenna

 

[K5MPH]

Thank you for all the good information.

For a portable, I found a like-new Grundig G5 locally for $30 so I bought it.

I'll likely buy another portable, probably a Tec-Sun.

To replace the R-1000, I'm looking at used Drake radios and some ICOM's.

To improve reception on a portable, are those wound up wire antennas that clip on the telescoping antenna any good? Or should I just make my own out of thin electrical wire?

Unfortunately, outside SW long wire antennas won't work due to the HOA.

The G5 pretty nice little radio for on the go i used to have the Eton E5 and if i remember right was a spin off radio i always took it with me when i would go backpacking just put it in the backpack and off i went......

 

[ka3jjz]

Here are a few things I've turned up on the Sangean as well as the Eton / Grundig G5

Modifications

https://www.ab9il.net/ats-909/ats909.html

ETON E5 with SSB Product Reviews

Grundig G5 Product Reviews

Sangean ATS909 Product Reviews

Sangean ATS909\Radio Shack DX 398 Product Reviews

Mike

 

[wb6uqa]

kaito 1103

This little radio is great. Very sensitive, very stable great SSB.

 

[WA8ZTZ]

Sadly the days of HF desktop radios are long gone. Only the Alinco R8T, I think, is still in production.

Keep in mind that many ham HF transceivers have perfectly serviceable general coverage receivers in them.

Mike

Good idea Mike...

This may be a good option if you are now looking for a desktop radio. A lot less money than a used Drake but still a nice radio. Very sensitive, very selective, very stable, very easy to use...

For like $60 more than the DX-R8T, you can get the Alinco DX-SR8T... essentially the same RX (lacks the IQ output for SDR) but is a transceiver (if you have a ham ticket it's like buying a transmitter for only another $60).

 

[ka3jjz]

Going back to portables for a moment, I briefly had a Yaesu FT817 QRP transceiver- and it had a very hot general coverage receiver. Powered by a rather large battery pack, but still quite portable

Mike

 

[wb6uqa]

Icom Receiver

Icom came out with a receive only model that looks like a 7300.

 

[WA8ZTZ]

Icom came out with a receive only model that looks like a 7300.

Is this the IC-R8600 wideband communications receiver perhaps?

If so, price and availablity have yet to be announced, but it looks like it would put a serious dent in the bank account. Otherwise, it appears to be a radio that does it all.