radioshane
Member
Can anyone tell me if the yaesu frg 880 HF communications Receiver is a good receiver ?
HF Receiver
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Weaksignal
Member
It's ok, not great, I had one when they were first introduced. The filters, especially the narrow 2.7k(I think that's what's claimed) is too wide, and the tuning steps are a little coarse for anything but SSB voice, and it had a bad habit of needing a reset every so often that required yanking the batteries out. It had nice audio though. My radio did lose all the display bulbs over the 7 years or so I had it. It is easy to overload with a good antenna.
Unless you're getting a fantastic deal on it, I would look for something else, an Icom R71a will outperform it in every way, except audio quality, and that can be fixed. If you can swing it, an Icom R75 is hard to beat for the price.
Unless you're getting a fantastic deal on it, I would look for something else, an Icom R71a will outperform it in every way, except audio quality, and that can be fixed. If you can swing it, an Icom R75 is hard to beat for the price.
I had one back in the 90's. It was pretty good for the price. Nice audio with that front-firing speaker. For some reason mine was really hot (very sensitive) on the 75/80 meter amateur band. It never had the "CPU reset" problem that others mentioned. Selectivity could have been better, though. Not a good radio for digging out very weak stations adjacent to really strong stations. Very easy to operate.
radioshane
Member
Does the radio have a recording jack on it ?
Weaksignal
Member
radioshane
Member
Is it better or worse or the same as the alinco DX R8
E ?
E ?
ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
This is far too broad a question to answer, really. 'Better' in what terms? Ergonomics? Features? Sensitivity? ect.
In terms of features, the R8T blows the 8800 out of the water - and I suspect wouldn't have the same issues with filters that were too broad, unlike the Yaesu.
But to really get a feel for the radio, you need to talk with the users of this radio. One of the best places to find them is Yahoo groups. They will tell you - sometimes in great detail - the pros and cons.
To be honest, for that kind of money, you can get a SDR - but to each their own.
Mike
In terms of features, the R8T blows the 8800 out of the water - and I suspect wouldn't have the same issues with filters that were too broad, unlike the Yaesu.
But to really get a feel for the radio, you need to talk with the users of this radio. One of the best places to find them is Yahoo groups. They will tell you - sometimes in great detail - the pros and cons.
To be honest, for that kind of money, you can get a SDR - but to each their own.
Mike
ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
See this thread for a discussion on the Alinco...
http://forums.radioreference.com/scanner-receiver-equipment-reviews/243714-alinco-r8t-review.html
Mike
http://forums.radioreference.com/scanner-receiver-equipment-reviews/243714-alinco-r8t-review.html
Mike
Token
Member
You are comparing two radios that really fit different bills. The FRG-8800 is a radio that was designed in the 1980's and last sold new over 20 years ago. The Alinco DXR8T is a new production radio designed in the 2010's and still sold today new.
The Alinco will probably be "better" in many ways related to feature set. It will have more bells and whistles on it than the FRG-8800. For example it will have more memories, it will have smaller frequency tuning steps, it may be more stable in frequency, it will output I/Q so that you can do some limited SDR like functions with it.
With regards to basic receive performance there should be only minor differences between them. The measured sensitivity of the FRG-8800 is slightly better than the advertised sensitivity of the DXR8T, however the difference is small, and that factor is not very important on HF. The filters on the DXR8T should be a little better than the FRG. Most other specifications should show minor performance differences.
More importantly, the 20+ year old used FRG-8800 should be half, or less, the price of a new DXR8T.
A 20+ year old receiver may last many more years, but it is also very likely to be at that point in its life were capacitors are starting to dry out and may need attention.
Personally I am not a fan of the DXR8T. I operationally compared it to the Icom R75 and opted for another R75 instead of the Alinco. However, that does not mean the Alinco is bad, only that I felt it was not quite as good as the R75 in my side-by-side tests. Still, for a primary or only receiver I would select the new DXR8T over the 20+ year old FRG-8800.
Oh, and I do own the FRG-8800, as well as the FRG-7700, FRG-7000, and FRG-7. But for me those are all shelf radios, not something I use every day.
T!
yup I agree with the point that these old receivers had their prime time. Being 20 - 30 years old, most capacitors would go hard and become like stone, which slowly degrades the performance of these receivers. And yet, these receivers sell like hot cakes on eBay is very strange.
They may work a few more months and years but not too long, and no one know when they will stop working. Unless one has very sophisticated test equipment and tools and knowledge how to fix them, they will become very expensive bricks.
I would go with fresh new radios for peace of mind and better performance for years to come.
They may work a few more months and years but not too long, and no one know when they will stop working. Unless one has very sophisticated test equipment and tools and knowledge how to fix them, they will become very expensive bricks.
I would go with fresh new radios for peace of mind and better performance for years to come.
radioshane
Member
Does anyone know of any ready made recording tape leads for the yaesu 7700 ?
radioshane
Member
Or if any can be made up that will work ?
ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
I know that Universal radio here in the US sells ready-made cables - but I suspect the cost, once the VAT and customs fees (if any) are tacked on, would be higher than the cables actual worth
In the UK, there used to be an outfit called - I think - Nevada Radio? (Someone help me here...). That's a likely place to start - and a possible place to find someone to teach you how to solder properly and use small hand tools. In this hobby, it's an important skill.
In the UK, there used to be an outfit called - I think - Nevada Radio? (Someone help me here...). That's a likely place to start - and a possible place to find someone to teach you how to solder properly and use small hand tools. In this hobby, it's an important skill.
riverrat373
Member
Go to DXing.com . There are many reviews of the more modern as well as old receivers on their site.
KC4RAF
Member
Yes, the Neveda Radio place is still there.
Here's a link:
DAB Radios, Internet Radios, Amateur Radio, Scanners and CB - Nevada Radio
hth
Here's a link:
DAB Radios, Internet Radios, Amateur Radio, Scanners and CB - Nevada Radio
hth
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