KevinC_63559
Member
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2023
- Messages
- 31
Hi all. A friend and I are looking into purchasing our first listening equipment. I'm in rural NE Missouri, he is near Quebec. We are both in our 60s and have similar desires: start a new retiree hobby, having the time now to enjoy one - have some money but not infinite - want to buy once and not regret what we buy (mostly a fear that we have missed some critical feature) - consider units like the Eton 750 and Grundig 800 "sexy" - and enjoying the time we are spending reading reviews. We both realize that SW is fading in the world, are both computer literate (and recognize that fade is mostly due to the internet), but want to be able to listen in on what's happening in the world both now, and should TSHTF. Going full bore HAM would be uncomfortable financially - there is just too much cool equipment out there and we would be tempted, so are limiting ourselves to listening. Portability is not at play here. My unit, for instance, will sit on a shelf in my office - likely way too close to computer monitors, cell phones, etc., but that is where we live (follows the general guideline that "the best piece of equipment is the one you actually use frequently"). So the equipment will be in our man caves where we spend 10+ hours a day. We will both add external antenna's so care less about whip performance (initially something like the MLA 30+ unless you educate us differently) or other built-in antennas, with a desire to be able to bypass them when an external is plugged in. We are both comfortable doing very basic electronic modifications like the well documented MW122A power supply mods. Don't ask us to do anything that requires wave soldering or to work with chips placed with tweezers! (e.g. Old eyes, old hands).
Over the past few days we have been reading reviews and taking notes. On our list so far (in order of research):
Eton Elite 750 - sexy, good size - but concerned about build quality
Sangean ATS-909x2 - love the NiMH support (anything that takes standard batteries will probably get rechargeable full voltage Li Ion batteries used in it)
Tecsun PL-660 - QC issues
ATS20/25 - just to small for me, acceptable for him.
Tecsun S-8800
Grundig 800 - good rep, max size we will consider
Panasonic RF+B65 - Nice look but 30+ year old tech
Tecsun H-501 - nice size
Tecsun PL-990 - seems like one of the latest
maybe a used Icom R75
and a few others we simply rejected out of hand due to no SSB or no reviews
We would buy new anything still available that way, but are not overly shy buying something used that is older and simply better (e.g. built at an original price point that allowed for it be better than todays tech).
Given that we both live on our computers, and have or will have adequate backup power to run them should the internet/grid go away, we would consider some radio receivers that plug into those computers that are software driven - if that was the recommendation. Will missing tuning with a knob though <smile>. We have not done any research beyond indications such devices exist.
Some features, like Bluetooth that allows the use of the radios speakers, is beyond us. Or other electronics have their own, superior, speaker systems. Now if we could Bluetooth the radio into them... <lol>
Anyhow, we would greatly appreciate both recommendations and steerage away duds (so long as something is left on the list or you recommend an alternative in our price range). For instance, we read that the Eton/Grundig Elite 750 was good but the Satellite 750 should be avoided...
Thanks in advance for your support!
Over the past few days we have been reading reviews and taking notes. On our list so far (in order of research):
Eton Elite 750 - sexy, good size - but concerned about build quality
Sangean ATS-909x2 - love the NiMH support (anything that takes standard batteries will probably get rechargeable full voltage Li Ion batteries used in it)
Tecsun PL-660 - QC issues
ATS20/25 - just to small for me, acceptable for him.
Tecsun S-8800
Grundig 800 - good rep, max size we will consider
Panasonic RF+B65 - Nice look but 30+ year old tech
Tecsun H-501 - nice size
Tecsun PL-990 - seems like one of the latest
maybe a used Icom R75
and a few others we simply rejected out of hand due to no SSB or no reviews
We would buy new anything still available that way, but are not overly shy buying something used that is older and simply better (e.g. built at an original price point that allowed for it be better than todays tech).
Given that we both live on our computers, and have or will have adequate backup power to run them should the internet/grid go away, we would consider some radio receivers that plug into those computers that are software driven - if that was the recommendation. Will missing tuning with a knob though <smile>. We have not done any research beyond indications such devices exist.
Some features, like Bluetooth that allows the use of the radios speakers, is beyond us. Or other electronics have their own, superior, speaker systems. Now if we could Bluetooth the radio into them... <lol>
Anyhow, we would greatly appreciate both recommendations and steerage away duds (so long as something is left on the list or you recommend an alternative in our price range). For instance, we read that the Eton/Grundig Elite 750 was good but the Satellite 750 should be avoided...
Thanks in advance for your support!
