best HF receiver ever????

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USAPatriot

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Best I ever had was a Winradio WR1000i all-band ISA card. That probably offends a lot of people but it had one hellofa set of ears on it, was easy to use and covered everything. At the time it was lightyears ahead of anything else. I wound up selling it after my computer died and at the time motherboards with ISA slots were virtually non-existent, everything having been switched over to PCI. Last year I bought an R75 (VERY good receiver) but it's just not the same. When I bought the R-75, if Winradio was still making the 1000i AND made one on a PCI card instead of ISA, I would have bought it instead of the ICOM unit. Many may disagree, but I judge the Winradio to be better and easier to use.

That's a purely politically incorrect answer ;) -Rod-
 

DaveIN

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I'd take my PCR-1000 over the Winradio, but the 1000i did have that cool spectrum click tune.

As for my favorite HF rig, I have to say the Drake R8B.
 

rinkerk

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Mike,
I agree about the JRC-NRD's.
I have a NRD 525. It's kinda like a good old Mercedes. It has that " JRC feel " on the VFO and still is a great workhorse of a receiver especially on low HF and LW. ( I wish I could afford the new DSP 545. ( maybe next Christmas : )
The ICOMS are darn good too.
I've been dreaming of the new TEN_TECS and and older Harris too.
A big Christmas list or a nice find before then.
Regards,
K.R.
 

ssb_dxer

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I just bought a Realistic DX-302 a few weeks ago in excellent condition and LOVE it. I use it with a discone antenna at about 20 feet and a MFJ Active antenna/pre-selector and it works great! I am also about to install a Scantenna and see how it works. I can pull in signals all the way down to .500KHz or so with the discone just fine.
The DX-302 has great audio, tunes great, and LOOKS great!
 

pcole

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good receiver!

I'm using a Motorola Micom-XF for general coverage receive and back-up to my TS830S for ham work. The XF covers 2-30 Mhz, 125 watts on ssb,scan, and ALE.

The best feature on receive is the syllabic squelch. It only opens on voice audio and allows you to monitor a frequency without the noise and static.

I have it running on 5696, and 8983, for Coast Guard all day.

New to the forum.....Pete...
 

CZ

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As far as receivers go, I still could kick myself for selling my National HRO-60.

Used coil packs that plugged into the front of the case, solid as a rock stability-wise, let it warm up about 15-20 minutes, and it would stay Zero-beat on frequency forever it seemed. Steel chassis, & front panel, heavy duty tubes and other components. Weighed about 65 pounds.
 

KD5RJZ

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I'd have to go with anything by Ten-Tec.

Icom would be a distant second. (Although the 706 is extremely deaf.)
 

elk2370bruce

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Still use my Hammarlund HQ 180AC boat anchor. Once I recalibrated it (thanks to the original book) it's solid as a rock and shines brighter than the fire place.
 

gcgrotz

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Always wanted...

elk2370bruce said:
As Homer Simpson would say, "Ten Tec Three Four OH AHHHHHH" (drool, slobber)! Another good sounder from the distant past was the old Hammarlund HQ-180 boat anchor.

...an HQ-180. It was the best Hammarlund, sounded great, heated up your shack too. And it has to have that cool clock.

But the 340 will do in a pinch!!
 

gcgrotz

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My 2 cents

devalex said:
thanks for your posts ... taking into account the succes of this post i modify the question to :

Which is the best HF receiver and the best portable HF receiver ever ?

I personally have a Sony ICF-SW7600GR (super portable) , and a IC-R75 , which is my first serious tabletop receiver . For the future i would like a tunned Sangean ATS-909 .

I have the Sony, I've carried it all over the world, love it, great Sync AM, best for the money. I also have the R-75 and it is probably the best reasonably affordable unit on the market. Suffers a little on LF from broadcast overload but a cheap filter would solve that. Otherwise it is great on SW and Ham bands and utility monitoring, even with a small wire ant but really gets off with a good antenna. I had a Carolina Windom up for a while and that combo smoked!
 

kc2kth

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Interesting question

Interesting responses as well! I've had/used/wanted quite a few other the years. My list of some of the "best" (at least the ones I most respect):

Kenwood R5000 (I own this one)
Collins R390
Icom R71A
JRC-535
Zenith Transoceanic (quite a few of them)
Watkins Johnson HF1000 (went for something like $10k plus, as I recall)

I've owned dozens over the years. The only ones of the above I've owned is the R5000 and a Transoceanic. I still own the 5000, though it doesn't get much use these days, but I wouldn't part with it.
 
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I'll answer the "best HF receiver ever" question a bit differently. I'll call it, "my favorite HF receiver ever."

I've owned a McKay Dymek DR-33 and a Drake R-8, but my favorite receiver is my present one, a Sangean Super 909 with mods. The most expensive radio in the world may be the best while sitting on a desk, but I appreciate the convenience to take my HF receiver outside and listen to it on the porch or in the shade under a tree just by popping in 4 AA batteries.

Mark Holmes
Marion, IL
 

kb2vxa

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Hi guys,

Pretty amusing question, pretty amusing answers. My answer is like the RR dealer says, "If you have to ask you can't afford it."

MY best receiver on the planet was any of a number I built when I was a kid. It fits on a dime, doesn't need batteries and gives the clearest reception of anything you ever heard.

I'm the best you can get,
have you guessed me yet?
The kid made himself a,
crystal set!

And you thought it was one of those Icoms the FBI used at Waco! (;->)

Edit;
"... but my favorite receiver is my present one, a Sangean Super 909 with mods."
If you have to modify it, it was crap to begin with and you still haven't got it right. Well designed equipment needs no improvement.
 
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elk2370bruce

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Good Lord. I still remember my first crystal set from Lafayette. Hooked it up to the aluminum window frame and the radiator. Used to lay in bed at night and listen to Jean Shepard's show on WOR on that cheap little plastic ear bud that smelled of styrene! One winter night I even got WSB in Atlanta. My first DX and QSL.

And to the earlier query about the HQ 180, YUP! I got the face mounted clock and it still works and still has the auto-on that still functions!
 
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dxace1

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Best Receiver?

It is ironic that in these days of dying
shortwave broadcasting, we have the
best of receivers available.

My votes for top SW receivers in
the advanced/professional category:

WJ 8711A
WJ 8718A/MFP
Ten Tec RX-340


In the tabletop category:

Drake R7A
Drake R8B
Drake R8
AOR 7030 (w/Colliins FIlters)


In the huge tube category:

Hammarlund HQ-180A
Collins (and others) R390A
Hammarlund SP-600


In the super-rare professional maritime category:

JRC NRD 90's series including NRD-93/NRD-95/NRD-301/302A


In the portable category:

Eton E1
SONY 2010
Panasonic RF-B65
SONY SW-55
SONY 7600GR
SONY SW-07


In the portable but more like a tabletop category:

SONY 6800W
SONY CRF-320 and 330K
 
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