Now that is a receiver, including digital

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n4voxgill

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A watkins johnson HF, VHF, UHF, 2 MHz to 2 GHz all mode including digital. Buy now for
$7,800.00

This is a pretty uncommon Watkins-Johnson WJ-8611 Digital HF/VHF/UHF Receiver. I covers 2 MHz to 2 GHz in AM, CW, SSB, FM, ISB. It is a DSP Receiver and is a current model. They cost about $15,000 new. This one is pretty good cosmetically. No dents but some spots of some sort on the panel. Has three missing pushbuttons, which I am trying to get. Has both covers. Inside looks absolutely brand new. Passes all BITE tests and receivers perfectly all modes, all frequency ranges. Acutlaly receives down to about 10 KHz but at reduced specifications. If you want the VERY best, this is it!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Watkins-Johnson...9729795829QQcategoryZ4673QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
 

eorange

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n4voxgill said:
Has three missing pushbuttons, which I am trying to get.
Just curious - are you the seller (dukeshifi)? Your sig says you're in Texas but the item location is Saint Paul (MN?).
 

Thunderbolt

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Impressive!! What a radio, I would love to have a brand new one, but the range this receiver has is phenomenal to the say the least. I wonder if the kitchen sink comes with it? :wink:

73's

Ron
 

EricCottrell

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Hello,

The receiver looks like a 9 year old design and it only goes up to 1 GHz.
http://www.drs.com/products/index.cfm?gID=17&productID=628
http://watkins-johnson.terryo.org/Documents/Catalogs/1997 Electronic/RECACC/4VHF/8611.PDF

The digital part is not modes but the method of demodulating. It uses a DSP.

I would look at some newer stuff. DSP chips have gotten better as well as the A/D converters. The WJ-8611 used 12 bit A/D which limits the dynamic range. There are 14 bit or better high speed A/D now available.

It is just more EBay hype.

73 Eric
 

W9WIS

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Those are great receivers.... they may be 9 years old but there are even older WJ receivers still in daily use. Like the WJ 8718A/MFP that's a part of one of the the packages used in the P3 Orion.... been around since at least the 1980's.

I have two among others... will be selling one soon either to a member of the Premium Receiver mailing list or failing that on eBay myself. Has a small intermitant glitch that needs attention but still worth it's weight.

Mike
 

EricCottrell

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W9WIS said:
Those are great receivers.... they may be 9 years old but there are even older WJ receivers still in daily use. Like the WJ 8718A/MFP that's a part of one of the the packages used in the P3 Orion.... been around since at least the 1980's.

I have two among others... will be selling one soon either to a member of the Premium Receiver mailing list or failing that on eBay myself. Has a small intermitant glitch that needs attention but still worth it's weight.

Mike
Hello,

Yes they are good receivers. You have to be careful about people hyping things at auction and giving incorrect information. Saying the receiver goes up to 2 GHz when it is only 1 GHz. Saying it decodes digital modes when it uses a DSP to decode standard analog modes. It makes me doubt that this is really rare. Likely the seller picked it up in a lot at a government surplus auction for a couple of hundred dollars.

I see the seller has corrected the auction description which is good. Bottom line is a buyer needs to do research on the item before bidding.

I would be interested in a comparison between the WJ and the AOR AR-Alpha. Both are DSP based radios.
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/widerxvr/1036.html

73 Eric
 
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