Panasonic RF 2200

[Shortwave2200]

Boy it does make such a difference with the GP wire I connected to the GRND input.... I was connecting the wire to the AM section but it didn't pull in signals as good as I thought it would BUT connecting the GP wire with the internal antenna extended MAKES a big difference!!!!

Today I will be scanning the bands and logging my catches....

 

[Shortwave2200]

Update, battery life

Well I have about 50 hrs on the same batteries I put in at the beginning of nov and the battery meter reads only 1/2 now.

So the radio can get about 100 hrs on a set of alkaline batteries.

This is a great radio if the SHTF scenario......

I bought a 12 pack of batteries (alkaline) from lowes for 10 dollars.

Great radio! A product to last, not like the cheapies they have today......

 

[Boombox]

Sounds like your 2200 is a good one.

FWIW, your batteries will last even longer if you only use headphones. I'm partial to headphones when DXing or SW listening, because most radios seem to have better sound through them. The extra battery life is a plus also.

 

[Fast1eddie]

That is a sweet rig!!!! I still kick myself for selling off mine which I picked up when stationed in Greece. A extremely stable DX machine. Never had a issue with my calibration and was right up there with my Icom R70. I would love to find another when I am flush with cash sometime.

 

[ratboy]

I had an RF-2600 back when they were new, and stupidly sold it to a friend, who turned it into junk within a year. Later on, a family friend passed away and I inherited his 2200. I had other radios and eventually sold it on Ebay, as it was just sitting on my shelf, getting dusty. I really liked both of them, they were very well built and worked great. Funny how Panasonic's portables were better than their desktop receivers.

 

[Shortwave2200]

Radio Shack DX 398

I sold the RF 2200 on ebay. I love the radio but to search for military comms and other things got to be frustrating. SSB was good on the unit but drift.

I was pulling my hair out finding another radio but I came across a Radio Shack DX 398, Sangean 909.

Funny thing I use eHam for reviews. all of the earlier reviews for this radio were great but as time went on the review got bad.

But anyways I snagged one on Ebay for 59.00+10,.02 expedited shipping.

Got it yesterday, mint condition. I'll miss the RF 2200 batteries lasted forever...

 

[MTjaybyrd]

I recently acquired an RF-2200, complete and in very good overall shape, and it's great to have a very good analog performer. I have a number of digital sets, including a 2010, but punching in digits just isn't the same as exploring medium and shortwave on a rolling analog dial.
The band switches and AFC needed a good cleaning, and after several failed attempts with other sprays, I broke down and bought some DeOxit, which turned the trick, though I still think those tiny spray cans are overpriced. My set has a "floppy" gyro antenna, but it still works fine and I'm sort of afraid to fix it, though I probably will at some point.
In my remote western Montana location at 5,600 feet, the RF-2200's performance is just amazing, even with just the built-in antennas. The low noise floor is quite appealing, and I can't wait to take it along camping this summer, out and away from the little RF interference I do have around me. Long battery life is another big plus. SSB reception with the BFO requires a diamond-cutter's touch, but that's part of the fun to me.
Really, I cannot recommend this set too highly, especially for us old codgers who love to scan the bands. And though the market price seems high on ebay, that's really just the 1970s retail price adjusted for inflation -- the value has been there all long.
Oh, lastly, sorry to rub in in, but I got my set at a thrift store for $4.99!

 

[spongella]

RF-2200, the best!

Figured I'd revive this older thread to stir up interest. Have had several RF-2200 radios over the years, probably the most enjoyable portable AM/FM/SW receiver in my experience. Over the past year purchased an RF-2200 and it's European cousin, the DR-22.

Took the time to realign one of the units. It needed some adjusting and the whole thing was quite involved, but at least it was back to factory specs. Will tackle the other in the fall. Some folks say to recap the units, I didn't bother, just eyeballed them to see if leaky or blown, none seen so left well enough alone.

Crosstalk - yes, even on the new units (had a new one in late 70's) you could hear very strong signals from adjacent channels. Has no bearing on the age of the unit.

For AM DX'ing, a superior unit with the rotatable antenna for nulling out noise or other stations.

Pic of the DR-22, Euro cousin of '2200. Some slight differences!

Have fun.

 

[Boombox]

^^^^^nice looking radio.

I had a chance at a Panasonic RF2200, it was in a pawn store, and some of the switches were broken off and the price was too high for that defect...

IN a way I'm just as glad, I have other radios that already do as well on MW as well as SW, and radios of that era had issues with internal slide switches -- especially the Sony models, but I've also heard about it happening with their Panasonic cousins....

Nice seeing the DR-22, though -- never saw one of those before. Thanks for posting the pic.

 

[chgenoe2]

I found an RF 2200 today at a local flea market for $15. I'm very new at this and I wanted to see if I could find a cheap used alternative before buying anything new, and I figured even if it didn't work for fifteen dollars it was worth a look. When I put batteries in it powered up. It does very well with FM, but AM and sw not so much. This afternoon with it indoors I get only static and whistling on AM and sw. Outside I got a few AM stations, or what sounded like the same two stations on different frequencies, and still nothing on sw. Tonight I did get some faint stations on sw, but only on sw1 and sw2, and no AM at all. So, is there anything I can do to improve reception? I'm not sure if I'm capable of cleaning the inside as I've read some have done. Any suggestions?

 

[spongella]

You certainly got a good deal on the Panasonic for that price. At the minimum open up the case, blow out the dust and use DeOxit on the pots and switches and twist and turn while cleaning. Allow to dry and then see how the switches work.

The 2200 is a major contender on the AM broadcast band. Use the rotatable antenna for the best signal, and keep the MW/RF gain knob fully clockwise to get the strongest signal. For SW and FM use the telescopic antenna. You can also use Deoxit on the antenna, just extend it, spray some Deoxit on a cloth or paper towel and rub the antenna to get grime off.

On shortwave, it's a common problem to hear strong shortwave stations from the previous shortwave band bleed over to the next shortwave band position on the rotatable switch. Even brand new ones did that as I had one new back in the 70's.

The User and service manuals are available on line for free. The service manual will show you how to disassemble the case. The best advice is to join the RF-2200 Yahoo users group which has plenty of help and information. Enjoy the radio and feel free to ask more questions.

 

[SteveSimpkin]

I found an RF 2200 today at a local flea market for $15. I'm very new at this and I wanted to see if I could find a cheap used alternative before buying anything new, and I figured even if it didn't work for fifteen dollars it was worth a look. When I put batteries in it powered up. It does very well with FM, but AM and sw not so much. This afternoon with it indoors I get only static and whistling on AM and sw. Outside I got a few AM stations, or what sounded like the same two stations on different frequencies, and still nothing on sw. Tonight I did get some faint stations on sw, but only on sw1 and sw2, and no AM at all. So, is there anything I can do to improve reception? I'm not sure if I'm capable of cleaning the inside as I've read some have done. Any suggestions?

Good catch! You might want to try using it somewhere away from homes as a test. There is a lot of electronics today that makes RF noise that can interfere with AM and SW. Also remember SW works much better at night. Also for SW try attaching a 10 foot or so piece of wire to the Ground screw and lay it on the ground as mentioned above. Here are some more tips:
Improve Shortwave Reception - Tips For Better Shortwave Reception

 

[Boombox]

I found an RF 2200 today at a local flea market for $15. I'm very new at this and I wanted to see if I could find a cheap used alternative before buying anything new, and I figured even if it didn't work for fifteen dollars it was worth a look. When I put batteries in it powered up. It does very well with FM, but AM and sw not so much. This afternoon with it indoors I get only static and whistling on AM and sw. Outside I got a few AM stations, or what sounded like the same two stations on different frequencies, and still nothing on sw. Tonight I did get some faint stations on sw, but only on sw1 and sw2, and no AM at all. So, is there anything I can do to improve reception? I'm not sure if I'm capable of cleaning the inside as I've read some have done. Any suggestions?

It's possible the bandswitch might need exercising or possibly cleaning, as the AM band should work well on these radios (if you're in North America where there still are a lot of AM/MW stations on during the daytime). Radios made in Japan from this particular era (late 70's portables) had switches that did not age well, and the switches tended to oxidise with age. Exercising the switch might help, or carefully taking the back off and using spray cleaner on the band switch(es).

 

[chgenoe2]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I took it outside just in my front yard at about 3:30 in the afternoon. I got more sw signals and at least one signal on each band, but I had to crank the volume up 8 to hear anything. AM was no better. I bought CFC electronic cleaner as I couldn't find DeoxIT, and a can of spray air. I've been looking at a lot of online blogs about cleaning this model so hopefully I won't ruin it. I don't have any experience doing this kind of thing and just looking at the pictures of the interior has me a little nervous. Also, since I'm really new to this, what kind of wire should I use to run the 10 feet off the antenna ground for better reception?
Again, thanks for all of the information.

 

[SteveSimpkin]

The wire size and type for the ground wire is not critical. Anything that you can find that will fit comfortably on the Ground Terminal screw (see post #21 above) will do. 22 gauge insulated wire is commonly available and would be fine. Just strip 1/2" off the end, wrap it under the ground terminal screw and tighten it. Your best SW reception will be well after dark (think after 9:00pm).

There is less SW broadcasts than their used to be years ago and there is a lot of religious content but there is still interesting things to listen to. Amateur radio operators (hams), BBC, music, aircraft flying overseas, etc.. Some of it (particularly ham radio) may be opperating in Single Side Band Mode (SSB). This can sound like "duck talk" but you may be able to slowly tune up or down to hear them more clearly.
Here is a website that can help identify SW broadcasts and their schedules based on wher you live.
Short-Wave Radio Frequency Schedule for BBC in ENGLISH

If you find good results with this setup, move the radio back inside the house and compare reception and background noise. If there is not much difference then you won't have to do this outside.

 

[iMONITOR]

The downside to these radios is that they do not have a true SSB mode. They use a BFO, and SSB reception leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[spongella]

Reply

Shortwave broadcasting signals in general are a weaker due to our being in the low end of the sunspot cycle but knowing which bands are best at different times of the day will also help you to log more stations. Generally, daytime is good for frequencies from 10 mHz - 30 mHz while nighttime is best for 2 mHz - 10 mHz but there can be overlap depending on atmospheric conditions and time of the year.

A good station to listen to is WWV, a time-signal station that broadcasts continually in AM, frequencies are 2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20 mHz. I usually check these as a rough indication of conditions.


The RF-2200 does have a fine tune so when listening to SSB or CW careful tuning with the fine tune is the key.

Not sure if attaching a wire antenna to the radio will improve AM broadcast band reception; I always used the rotatable antenna only.

You have a good radio; take your time and enjoy. Also check out Thomas Witherspoon's blog - https://swling.com/blog/ as there's something new just about every day.

 

[Boombox]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I took it outside just in my front yard at about 3:30 in the afternoon. I got more sw signals and at least one signal on each band, but I had to crank the volume up 8 to hear anything. AM was no better. I bought CFC electronic cleaner as I couldn't find DeoxIT, and a can of spray air. I've been looking at a lot of online blogs about cleaning this model so hopefully I won't ruin it. I don't have any experience doing this kind of thing and just looking at the pictures of the interior has me a little nervous. Also, since I'm really new to this, what kind of wire should I use to run the 10 feet off the antenna ground for better reception?
Again, thanks for all of the information.

For MW/AM improvement, try an external tuned loop, like a Select-A-Tenna or Eton AN100. Or, you could build your own.

However, the 2200 has a large internal MW/AM loopstick, and by itself it should pull in signals a plenty. Many guys use the 2200 as a DX radio all by itself.

If it is rotatable independent of the radio (I don't remember if it is or not), perhaps exercising the rotation will clear some oxidation from the connection between the loop antenna and the body of the radio.

RE: cleaning switches: just make sure you don't get cleaner on the tuner. Prodigious use of paper towels should help with that.

Also: rotate and exercise the RF gain control, if you haven't already. If it has poor internal connections (i.e., oxidation), it will act like a resistor in the way of all the signals.

Good luck, man.

 

[Fast1eddie]

RF 2200

Hey man, that's a nice radio! I had one while stationed in Greece and was extremely impressed by it's performance. Also used a Icom R70. Being my apartment was roof top, I installed a trap dipole at roughly 50 ft agl overlooking the Agean sea. Too much dx, got spoiled. That 2200 was super selective with excellent rejection.

Panasonic made some nice ham gear too, would love to get ahold of their 6 meter transportable.

ed

 

[snapperq]

Panasonic RF-2200

Does anyone know where I can get a Panasonic RF-2200 checked out and tuned up?
I live in Ohio and cannot find anyone that could make any repairs etc.
Finding out that radio repair is a dying breed. My father worked radios for over 50yrs. If were still alive he could look at it. Any assistance would be appreciated.