Good SW radio?

[CLynch7]

The Grundig G3 looks to be a top performer. It'll be $150, but, it should be worth it. Sync-Detect!

 

[KC2TEX]

Sony ICF-2010

In my opinion the Sony ICF-2010 is the king of portables. Get one, and hook it up to a Sony AN-LP1 active tunable antenna. You will not be sorry. If you are looking for something cheaper, the Kaito 1102 is very good, with sideband too.

 

[lanbergld]

Dear Ado63,

If you're just starting out raw and need to get the 'feel' of shortwave listening & what shortwave radios can do, then please do yourself a favor -- Avoid those little pocket-sized radios (such as the Kaito 1103, Grundig G5, G6). The reason I say that is because, with those, there is nothing there to get a 'feel' of!

You'd be better off learning & enjoying from a larger radio, preferably those older portables that have BFO knobs & such. There's plenty of room on those to experiment & feel your way around the bands. You can feel how to actually tune a station also. Not to mention the sound quality will be a whole lot better.

You can find older (used) portable shortwave radios on Ebay, anywhere from $40 - $250. When I say older, I mean ca. 1980s.

Just my opinion. Best of luck to you.


Larry Lanberg

Richmond VA

 

[zz0468]

Dear Ado63,

If you're just starting out raw and need to get the 'feel' of shortwave listening & what shortwave radios can do, then please do yourself a favor -- Avoid those little pocket-sized radios (such as the Kaito 1103, Grundig G5, G6). The reason I say that is because, with those, there is nothing there to get a 'feel' of!

As I was reading this thread, I was developing the same thought...

I've been playing SW and HF for over 40 years, with everything from antique's to military surplus to cheap portables, to high end commercial receivers. The $100 class portables are a set up for disappointment. Yeah, you'll hear stuff, but not even a tenth of what's out there to hear. And the good stuff is weak.

Like someone said, you want to hear preachers and Cubans and Chinese broadcasts? That's what you'll hear with your $100 portable. The insidious thing is that receiver quality (and therefore expense) makes a HUGE difference in what you'll hear. The newcomer wanting a cheap receiver to sample the waters is getting a bad sample.

My suggestion to start is, look for used receivers on Craigslist or ebay. Get the highest quality you can possibly afford. If you don't like it, it'll retain it's resale value. If you DO like it, you'll have a receiver you can use a while until you're ready for better. A very old but high quality receiver can poerform better than a brand new $100 portable. And the price probably won't be much different.

 

[lanbergld]

The $100 class portables are a set up for disappointment. Yeah, you'll hear stuff, but not even a tenth of what's out there to hear. And the good stuff is weak.

ZZ0468, I echo your view on the 'disappointment factor' of tiny Kaitos & similar. I bought a KA-1103 when they were first introduced, after reading a glowing technical review of it.

Let me tell you I was pissed after I got it! Heh heh -- the first & only time that a radio actually made me angry. I wound up throwing it in the trash can, which lowered my blood pressure substantially. Perhaps if the technical reviews weren't so embellished & exaggerated I would have accepted its performance a whole lot better.

But more pertinent to the topic, I learned (and got hooked on) shortwave via a Montgomery Ward 1496-B. Which also got me into VHF-UHF & MW Dx as well. This was back in the 1970s. The 1496-B was a generously-equipped multiband with dual tuning displays, plenty of knobs (incl a fine tune), S-meter and also LED tuning eyes on each dial indicator. And a speaker that filled the whole room.

There was a whole lot of discovery in radios of that type & make.


Larry Lanberg

Richmond VA

 

[zz0468]

ZZ0468, I echo your view on the 'disappointment factor' of tiny Kaitos & similar. I bought a KA-1103 when they were first introduced, after reading a glowing technical review of it.

I've occasionally been given some of these low end radios... I'd never BUY one. I guess when family gets it in their heads that you like radios, they think ANY radios. Never look a gift horse and all that... and the gifts ARE appreciated. However...

I grew up with a BC-342. WW2 surplus, it's actually quite a good receiver, within it's limitations. So, that became the gold standard. I later acquired a Bearcat DX-1000 (Anyone remember those!?)

It was primarily purchased to demux analog microwave signals, and I bought it because it would go down to 10 KHz (I needed 60 KHz). But it DID see an antenna on occasion, and I spent many happy hours comparing it to the BC-342. It didn't hold a candle to the 40 year older 342. Just the phase noise in the synthesizer alone was enough to cover up weak signals that I could copy just fine with the older receiver. You don't realize how bad some of those consumer grade receivers are until you compare it to something better.

I now use an ITT Mackay Marine receiver. It's simple, has no bells and whistles or memories, or dsp. Just an outstanding receiver with an extraordinarily quiet synthesizer, enough filters for AM, SSB, and CW, a preselector, and *bonus!* I can turn the AGC off! All that for $350.

So, to the newcomers wanting to get their feet wet, go to ebay. Search for "HF receiver", and plunk down the most you can for a real radio. Then, and only then, can you really get your feet wet. And if you don't like wet feet, you can sell it, maybe for more than you paid for it.

 

[Shortwavewave]

I've occasionally been given some of these low end radios... I'd never BUY one. I guess when family gets it in their heads that you like radios, they think ANY radios. Never look a gift horse and all that... and the gifts ARE appreciated. However...

Haha thats funny, I had a ex-girlfriend who gave me a el cheapo SW radios....Im like? is this what im worth to you? 10 bucks? LOL. The thought was great though.

 

[a29zuk]

I've occasionally been given some of these low end radios... I'd never BUY one. I guess when family gets it in their heads that you like radios, they think ANY radios. Never look a gift horse and all that... and the gifts ARE appreciated. However...

I grew up with a BC-342. WW2 surplus, it's actually quite a good receiver, within it's limitations. So, that became the gold standard. I later acquired a Bearcat DX-1000 (Anyone remember those!?)

It was primarily purchased to demux analog microwave signals, and I bought it because it would go down to 10 KHz (I needed 60 KHz). But it DID see an antenna on occasion, and I spent many happy hours comparing it to the BC-342. It didn't hold a candle to the 40 year older 342. Just the phase noise in the synthesizer alone was enough to cover up weak signals that I could copy just fine with the older receiver. You don't realize how bad some of those consumer grade receivers are until you compare it to something better.

I now use an ITT Mackay Marine receiver. It's simple, has no bells and whistles or memories, or dsp. Just an outstanding receiver with an extraordinarily quiet synthesizer, enough filters for AM, SSB, and CW, a preselector, and *bonus!* I can turn the AGC off! All that for $350.

So, to the newcomers wanting to get their feet wet, go to ebay. Search for "HF receiver", and plunk down the most you can for a real radio. Then, and only then, can you really get your feet wet. And if you don't like wet feet, you can sell it, maybe for more than you paid for it.

I second that too! I started out with a Realistic DX-160 myself and it had its shortcomings, also. But ,I too, always compare my newer radios to it. I own a Sangean 808 & Grundig Yacht Boy 400 and they are ok, but the synthesizer noise will not allow you to pull in the weak stations. My Palstar R30CC, which has excellent sensitivity, selectivity ,and dynamic range can pick up 10x better than Grundig without a ton of bells & whistles. If you can find a used Drake, Collins, Hallicrafters, etc. communication receiver you'll be a lot better off than getting one of the cheap portables.
Also, Universal Radio(RFfun.com) sells used receivers. If not stated AS-IS the radio is checked out by the Universal staff before being shipped.