I'm currently using a Sangean D4W for Medium wave band dxing here in the UK. I have received a few US stations. I find the radio sensitive and very selective with its bandwidth options. I'm looking for another radio either equal or better in terms of selectivity and sensitivity. Has anybody got any suggestions. I'm looking at importing the EP Pro. Thanks.
Portable radio AM dxing
- Thread starter Alex777
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I don't suppose you would want to go up in price and possibly consider the SDRPlay RSPdx SDR radio. It's MF and LF capabilities are quite enhanced for the price, and it will cover up to 2 GHz as well. Assuming of course that you have a computer to use with it. I guess it depends on how "portable" it needs to be.
Here would be the best place to ask:
ultralightdx.groups.io
main@UltralightDX.groups.io | Topics
ultralightdx.groups.io
ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
Or since the OP is in the UK...
Mike
British DX Club Web Site - Home Page
The British DX Club is the premier club for all interested in radio listening. Covers dxing, schedules, programming, shortwave, MW, LW and FM radio for members in UK and overseas
www.bdxc.org.uk
Mike
How portable do you need it to be? Older radios long out of production are usually the best bet for MW DXing. The Panasonic RF-2200 has long been considered the gold standard. They're regularly available on ebay though most sellers know the value of what they have and set prices accordingly. I have one and you have to get into very expensive tabletop communication receivers to do much better on MW.
Of current production radios the C. Crane CCRadio 3 (or 2E if you don't need Bluetooth) is one of the best. The new version of the CCRadio EP Pro, which you said you were considering, is also quite good. I have the earlier version of the EP Pro and it drifts like a dinghy in a hurricane. I ended up buying the CCRadio 2E to get past the drifting of the EP Pro. The newer EP Pro actually has digital tuning so it doesn't drift at all. The only issue is the analog dial making it more difficult to tell exactly what you're tuned to. You should probably check on the tuning step on the EP Pro since you're in the UK. I have no idea if it tunes 1kHz steps or 10kHz steps. Okay, just checked. It must have some way to switch between 9kHz and 10kHz steps. That's somewhat less than ideal but still workable. If you can afford the CCRadio 2E you might want to consider that as it can tune in 1kHz steps, allowing you to tune away a bit to avoid an interfering signal.
You might also want to consider a separate antenna. A tuned loop you can turn to null interfering signals can do absolute wonders for reception. There are a number of cheaper ones available. Crane has their Twin Coil Ferrite, which is good, but awkward to aim with any kind of precision given the cord coming out the end. Something like the Terk AM Advantage is going to be easier to maneuver. Or roll your own. There are guides to building one all over the internet.
Of current production radios the C. Crane CCRadio 3 (or 2E if you don't need Bluetooth) is one of the best. The new version of the CCRadio EP Pro, which you said you were considering, is also quite good. I have the earlier version of the EP Pro and it drifts like a dinghy in a hurricane. I ended up buying the CCRadio 2E to get past the drifting of the EP Pro. The newer EP Pro actually has digital tuning so it doesn't drift at all. The only issue is the analog dial making it more difficult to tell exactly what you're tuned to. You should probably check on the tuning step on the EP Pro since you're in the UK. I have no idea if it tunes 1kHz steps or 10kHz steps. Okay, just checked. It must have some way to switch between 9kHz and 10kHz steps. That's somewhat less than ideal but still workable. If you can afford the CCRadio 2E you might want to consider that as it can tune in 1kHz steps, allowing you to tune away a bit to avoid an interfering signal.
You might also want to consider a separate antenna. A tuned loop you can turn to null interfering signals can do absolute wonders for reception. There are a number of cheaper ones available. Crane has their Twin Coil Ferrite, which is good, but awkward to aim with any kind of precision given the cord coming out the end. Something like the Terk AM Advantage is going to be easier to maneuver. Or roll your own. There are guides to building one all over the internet.
ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
And we have lots of such links in our Loops wiki - including links to Ferrite Sleeve antennas...viz..
wiki.radioreference.com
Mike
Loops - The RadioReference Wiki
Mike
Alot of folks have had good luck with e G.E. Super Radios.
ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
We have several links to Ultralite topics at the bottom of...
wiki.radioreference.com
Mike
MW DXing and Broadcasting - The RadioReference Wiki
Mike
The early G.E. SuperRadios -- SR1 and SR2 -- were very good, but the later model, the much more commonly available SR3, was nothing special. For roughly the same money you'd do much better with the C. Crane EP Pro.
K9DWB
QRT
I've got the C Crane 2E and it's pretty good but I imagine there's better. Kinda hard to beat that old GE Super Radio though.
danesgs
Member
I cannot say what is ever the "best" portable for this, but what is really nice is the Tecsun PL-360 with the built in ferrite rod antenna and the ETM tuning. I can hear into Canada from Virginia. It packs a lot of punch and accessories for the price.
Thank you for all the replies and links. I think for my price range and the need for it to be battery operated and relatively portable I may go with the EP Pro. I was concerned about its selectivity, overload and the fact the tuning may not be accurate like a digital readout.
It depends on what you're trying to hear under what conditions, but for weak signal reception in an area that isn't inundated with strong local signals, the CCRadio 2E is the best you're going to find in a current production portable. About the only portable it won't beat is a properly aligned Panasonic RF-2200, and those have been out of production for almost forty years. If you can find a good one you'll likely pay $200 or more for it.
If you're talking about hearing this at night, no offense, but that's not really that big a deal. MW goes a very long way at night. I regularly get stations from 1,000 miles away or more on a shirt pocket Sony that sold for about $15 when new. I'm not saying your PL-360 isn't a good radio, just that getting a Canadian station in Virginia at night is not proof of its reception prowess. Daytime reception is actually a much better test since you're not going to get MW skip when the sun is high in the sky. If you can log a signal from 300 miles away during the daytime that's a testament to the radio's abilities.
danesgs
Member
It also depends on the RFI in your environment, as stated; strong local signals, propagation etc. I owned a Panasonic RF-2200 and yes its now going for a ridiculous price of 300-500 dollars on FleaBay. For the money, being able to rotate a ferrite rod on the radio, the built in DSP and the tuning ability to grab 72 stations on MW with the PL-360 sitting inside at 3AM is more than enough for me. I have not tried the same test for daylight hours during the summer, I am sure it would be a lot less and horrible listening except for strong stations. I did rather well in the 1980's sitting in a open parking lot at 2 AM with a Radio Shack DX-160 running off the car battery chasing LW beacons though in the fall.
We have come a long way since then. Perhaps a large loop antenna and a 15.00 AM/FM portable would do as well today. Hearing on a cheap portable radio's speaker though is a bit of a drag on old ears, why I use earbuds
We have come a long way since then. Perhaps a large loop antenna and a 15.00 AM/FM portable would do as well today. Hearing on a cheap portable radio's speaker though is a bit of a drag on old ears, why I use earbuds
K9DWB
QRT
Agree with @Patch42. I was only meaning in my post on my 2E that how well it does is dependant on user expectations.
My C Crane 2E has their twin ferrite bar AM antenna and it is very good at picking up stations. It has an external AM antenna jack if you want to feed it an external signal. I think the best part is the sound out of that big speaker and the bass treble control. It has WX with alert if you're interested in it. The WX is pretty good at pulling in NWS.
My C Crane 2E has their twin ferrite bar AM antenna and it is very good at picking up stations. It has an external AM antenna jack if you want to feed it an external signal. I think the best part is the sound out of that big speaker and the bass treble control. It has WX with alert if you're interested in it. The WX is pretty good at pulling in NWS.
danesgs
Member
I agree the C Ccrane 2E is about the best you can get for MW DXing. The company has top of the line products and the reputation of the twin-coil ferrite loop in a consumer radio is beyond anything else out there. It comes down to how little or how much you are willing to spend. The GE super radio, I also had eons ago and it was also outstanding. Any of the these choices are great! Personally, buying anything used is a risk on Ebay. buy too cheap with something new and you get a cheap radio, spend too much and it still might not live up to your needs. All a matter of what you are trying to do I guess.
I agree. I bought the CCRadio 3B and I'm blown away with the performance! I like to listen to WJR-AM out of Detroit, Michigan but they're 37 miles from my home and I've never found a radio that could receive them clearly until I found the CCRadio 3B!
[source]
Detailed information and specs can be seen here:
Universal Radio
ka3jjz
Wiki Admin Emeritus
Sadly Universal is gone - they're just keeping their website going as a source of information. Look around - I'm sure there are other retailers for this radio.....Mike
Yes, they've always been an excellent resource in so many ways.
Looks like Universal Radio is closing out their available stock but it's a moot point for the OP
because their website says shipping only to the U.S.
Sad to see them go, AFAIK nobody has a wider selection of radios and accessories.
Anyway, the CCrane EP and 2E are both excellent performers.
because their website says shipping only to the U.S.
Sad to see them go, AFAIK nobody has a wider selection of radios and accessories.
Anyway, the CCrane EP and 2E are both excellent performers.
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