portable longwave receiver

[WA8ZTZ]

Looking for recommendations on which portable longwave receiver to consider. My plan is to use it on mini-"DXpeditions" to local parks to get away from powerline and other noise sources.

Longwave seems to be an afterthought on some radios as the LW sensitivity is poor and AM broadcast band images are everywhere, hence my concern about obtaining such a radio without recommendation.

Provision for connecting an external antenna would be nice. Would sometimes use the radio for AM BCB DX as well. Not too concerned about shortwave.

So, does anybody have a portable they like that meets the above requirements? Thanks in advance.

 

[NDRADIONUT]

Longwave Home Page

http://lwca.org/community/YaBB.pl?num=1281445596

 

[NDRADIONUT]

http://forums.radioreference.com/hf-mw-lw-general-discussion/164936-longwave-receiver.html

 

[a29zuk]

The Palstar R-30 is a very good portable for longwave. It has considerably gone up in price since I purchased one back in 2007, so it is expensive. I don't know if you want to spend that much, though.
I take mine to the park with either a extended 12v cable to hook to my truck or a 12v lithiom-ion battery from my drill motor. It does have a battery compartment for 10 AA cells but I don't use it.
It has both 50 ohm coaxial and 500 ohm wire clip antenna inputs.

Jim

 

[WA8ZTZ]

tnx for the replies

 

[ridgescan]

This one at Walmart
Sangean ATS-909X Radio Tuner - 27 x FM, 9 x LW, 18 x MW, 352 x SW, 1 Presets - Walmart.com

I have an Icom R75 that I have been considering setting up a mobile mount and antenna in my truck for, that is fantastic in LW. You could consider doing one of them too, with a deployable longwire, and you could use that rig between house and mobile. This sounds like fun to me, because around here, I could head up some pretty good mountain ranges and deploy a wire to get killer reception away from noise. RR member K9RZZ has done this very thing many times with a HF TXer and a vertical on the roof of his mobile. Great stuff!

 

[NDRADIONUT]

CommRadio div. AeroStream Communication CR-1, CR-1a Wide Range Receivers

 

[WA8ZTZ]

CommRadio div. AeroStream Communication CR-1, CR-1a Wide Range Receivers

An interesting radio, however, the specs are not guaranteed for LW.
Also, no 6 meter coverage... strange in a radio advertised as a wide range receiver.

If not for these two lapses my order for one of these would have been placed long ago.

Going to give CommRadio a call and get some further info on the LW performance.

Tnx for your input.

 

[NDRADIONUT]

There were some good reviews on eham about it....

 

[WA8ZTZ]

There were some good reviews on eham about it....

OK, will check it out.

 

[WA8ZTZ]

I have an Icom R75 that I have been considering setting up a mobile mount and antenna in my truck for, that is fantastic in LW. You could consider doing one of them too, with a deployable longwire, and you could use that rig between house and mobile. This sounds like fun to me, because around here, I could head up some pretty good mountain ranges and deploy a wire to get killer reception away from noise. RR member K9RZZ has done this very thing many times with a HF TXer and a vertical on the roof of his mobile. Great stuff!

Ridgescan... What kind of LW DX do you get out there on the west coast?

 

[ka3jjz]

And there was a review of its older brother the CR1, in MT roughly 2 years ago, and was reprinted on SWLing.com

Review of the CommRadio CR-1 software defined radio | The SWLing Post

MIke

 

[ridgescan]

Ridgescan... What kind of LW DX do you get out there on the west coast?

A lot of NDBs up in B.C, Montana, Idaho, Utah, so far. Still hoping for an actual broadcast from Europe before they stop altogether. I do need to make some time and throw on the ol' Calrad headphones and go digging in LW.

 

[WA8ZTZ]

And there was a review of its older brother the CR1, in MT roughly 2 years ago, and was reprinted on SWLing.com

MIke

Tnx for the review.

 

[WA8ZTZ]

A lot of NDBs up in B.C, Montana, Idaho, Utah, so far. Still hoping for an actual broadcast from Europe before they stop altogether. I do need to make some time and throw on the ol' Calrad headphones and go digging in LW.

Hearing Europe on LW in California would be quite a catch. Can barely pull in Morroco on 171 here in Michigan. The France Inter website says they are still on 162. This station is rumored to close soon.

Any Pacific LW DX from ur QTH?

 

[ridgescan]

Any Pacific LW DX from ur QTH?

No. Only those NDBs way out north.

 

[NDRADIONUT]

NAV-FAX 200

 

[WA8ZTZ]

NAV-FAX 200

Wow, 1uV sensitivity... got to check this out. tnx for the info.

 

[NDRADIONUT]

Welcome... I stumbled across it... Looks kind of cool !

 

[WA8ZTZ]

Welcome... I stumbled across it... Looks kind of cool !

Really like the simplicity of it and the sensitivity specs. Been looking around and the pricing is all over the map. Looks like it is available thru boating supply outfits but seems overpriced (as one might expect when buying something for a boat or a plane).