Icom PCR-1500 questions

[W4KRR]

I am considering getting an Icom PCR-1500 receiver. For those of you who own and use it, some questions:

How is the shortwave reception compared to a dedicated tabletop receiver like the Icom R-75 or the Grundig Satellit 800? Better, worse, more or less noise, etc?

What kind of antenna do you use with such a wide band receiver? I was planning on using my existing Par EF-SWL shortwave antenna with it.

Is the optional UT-106 plug-in filter worth the extra money for what it does?

Any and all opinions welcomed!

 

[Matty777]

It's noisy, unworkable without the UT-106.

Best save the cash for a dedicated HF reciever.

Buy a Yaesu FT-840, excellent rig, cheap and lots knocking around, just don't plug the mic in as you are not licenced.

 

[bagmouse7]

The advantages of a dedicated HF receiver over a wideband receiver like the PCR-1500 is the fact that the dedicated HF receiver can be hooked up to a much larger antenna without overloading.
The PCR-1500 is fine if you leave it attached to a standard wideband discone antenna. Sure, it will pick up shortwave broadcasts and even amatures on HF when it is attached to the discone.
But, if you try to hook it up to a large antenna (longwire, sloper, dipole) it will begin to get overloaded and not perform very well.
The same large antenna CAN be hooked up the HF receiver and now the HF receiver will be able to pick up much weaker signals.
The real answer is to get a dedicated receiver hooked up to some type of larger antenna, as well as a wideband receiver/scanner attached to a wide band discone.
Good luck.

 

[gcgrotz]

It's noisy, unworkable without the UT-106.

Best save the cash for a dedicated HF reciever.

Buy a Yaesu FT-840, excellent rig, cheap and lots knocking around, just don't plug the mic in as you are not licenced.

Kinda looks to me and QRZ.com like Ken is licensed....

Ken: I bought the PAR antenna for my R75. I have yet to get it up in the air any, it is actually stapled to the wooden fence about 3-1/2 ft up. I regularly listen to Radio New Zealand on 9.870 almost every morning. I also like monitoring HF Aero stuff, and have done some playing around with psk31 on 20 and 40 meters. I can't yet vouch for its reputation as a low noise antenna but I can vouch for the fact that is a quality well made antenna and the flexible wire is a great feature. My eventual configuration will be ground mounted in the back yard, pulled vertical 20-25 feet and then horizontal back towards the house. I have a ground rod in place and plan to bury a few (4-6) radials. Hopefully this will keep it as far from the house generated electrical noises as I can get it on this small city lot.

Also, if I had the money and could only have one rig I would get a 746pro. It has a great receiver and does most all you want for a ham rig too. That and a scanner and you are all set!

 

[mkh]

I looked long and hard and yesterday I ordered a WinRadio WR-G305e. I was really blown away with the use interface and the ability to extend the interface.

I will have to wait and see how it works out but after lots of research and soul searching that is the way I decided to go.

 

[vince48]

MKH
I too purchsed a G305i/PD. I'm still playing with it, but so far, so good in HF. BTW, I;m suing my Vhf/Uhf disconne.

vince48

 

[W4KRR]

I did end up getting the Icom PCR-1500. Very nice rig, so far. I use a Par End Fed SWL antenna for the HF portion of the spectrum. I have it running up under the eve of my house in the rear, as I live in an area with restrictions on outside antennas. It's not noticable unless I were to point it out. For VHF/UHF I use a radio Shack ground plane antenna. I have both antennas connected to a Daiwa antenna switch so I can switch between the Par and the RS ground plane. Works out pretty well. I haven't had any problems (yet) with overloading or images.

Is it just me, or is the S-Meter on this rig very conservative? Seems to take a lot of signal to see it move very far to the right, at least in the VHF/UHF spectrum.

For those of you who have, or have tried, both the Icom PCR-1500 and the new Winradio G-305e, I would be interested in a comparason between each. BTW, what's the difference between the G-305e and the G-305e/PD?